The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

 

I don't know how this is possible, but this was my first Ariel Lawhon book!! 

It will not be the last.  I enjoyed this story SO much more than I even thought I would.  Lawhon's writing takes you RIGHT THERE - to 1780's Maine, no less.  This is fascinating historical fiction INSPIRED BY a real woman - Martha Ballard - who served as a healer and midwife in her small riverside community.  Her journals gave the author the start she needed, and was arguably a character of its own in this story.  A death, several accusations, a fantastically warped and evil bad guy, side plots of her nine children, her past, abuse inflicted upon women, birthing rooms, and her status in the community both as a respected midwife and a woman who cannot give testimony without her husband present all combine into a can't put it down kind of story.  There are a few flashbacks, but not so many as to be jarring.  You really get a feel for the hardships of farm life, of small towns, of suspicions and finger pointing and judgement that was so prevalent in those times.  

In the author's notes, which I ALWAYS read, Lawhon tells how she found this story, condensed the timeline, changed a few other details, but tried to stay within historical accuracy as much as possible. (Never read the author's notes first, y'all, spoilers abound!!) Still, this is fiction.   And I would never have learned about Mrs. Ballard without this book.  I loved that she is a 50 year old woman with life experience.  I loved that her husband was firm, attentive, and totally still in love with his wife.  I loved that Martha had a spark (fictionalized, but may also be true).  I also loved the way the author wrote about the way women were treated and viewed back then - how absolutely horrifyingly the punishments differed for men and for women - fines that would ruin a woman and men who got away with, well, murder.  How women were blamed for unwanted pregnancies - unwanted in the worst way.  Lawhon is relatively delicate about these situations, but doesn't turn her head either.  It happened.  No revisionist history here. And she tells a few facts that she could have turned into another novel about descendants of Martha's - just amazing.

I was actually reminded of my favorite female protagonist - Clare Fraser.  Healer, labeled witch, butts head with men in power.  Yes, I think Martha and Clare would have been fast friends.  If only Clare traveled to Maine...

Some great side stories here about Martha's children - we wait to see Cyrus' story, we learn about Jonathan, we watch as Hannah and Dolly fall in love.  

The ending was pretty perfect too.  

Lawhon's next book is about Grace O'Malley - female Pirate.  I am so in.