---
product_id: 730932343
title: "The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel"
price: "₨4001"
currency: LKR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 5
url: https://www.desertcart.lk/products/730932343-the-frozen-river-a-gma-book-club-pick-a-novel
store_origin: LK
region: Sri Lanka
---

# The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel

**Price:** ₨4001
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

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- **What is this?** The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel
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## Description

desertcart.co.jp: The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel : Lawhon, Ariel: Foreign Language Books

Review: I love historical fiction, from an educational viewpoint as well as enjoyment of the actual story. Ariel Lawhon’s book, as she herself states in the author notes at the end of the book, was inspired by, as opposed to based on, Martha Ballard ‘a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into history’ and is therefore not completely factual. Martha Ballard kept a comprehensive daily diary for several decades (it can be found online but looks very difficult to decipher.) The author also states that a Pulitzer Prize winning account of Martha Ballard’s life, taken from her diaries, is available entitled ‘A Midwife’s Tale.’ However, Ariel Lawhon’s storytelling is evocative and I was drawn into the story immediately. The story begins as Martha is called to examine a body that was found in the icy river Kennebec. She is a well known midwife and healer in the vicinity and records each birth and death in the village of Hallowell, where she lives. The dead man is one of two well thought of locals who were accused of raping and assaulting the local minister’s wife earlier in the year. Martha determines Joshua Burgess, the man in the river, had been murdered. She has opposition in the form of Dr Benjamin Page. He undermines her decision regarding the cause of the man’s death and, further into the story, also calls into question her methods of midwifery. Because he was Harvard educated and Martha was a mere woman, he considered himself far superior, even though Martha had delivered hundreds of babies and had never lost a mother in childbirth. Women in the 18th century were rarely, if ever, believed regarding allegations of rape and Martha was determined to advocate for Rebecca Foster. A trial date is set. Martha refused, as much as possible, to be constrained by the conditions of the time and stood strong in her beliefs. Ariel Lawhon’s characters are fully and naturally realised, along with their experiences, whether it was the unrelenting winter or personal struggles hampered by the rulings and/or behaviour of men. The Frozen River is a fascinating, thought provoking and insightful read which can also be classed as a murder mystery. This is the first time I’ve listened to a book narrated by Jane Oppenheimer, I thought she did a great job, giving distinct voices to the cast of characters. It’s also my first book by this author, I’ll definitely be reading more of her books.
Review: Sehr weich

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Amazon Bestseller | #32,738 in Foreign Language Books ( See Top 100 in Foreign Language Books ) #175 in Women Sleuths #393 in Historical Fiction (Foreign Language Books) #617 in Women's Literature & Fiction |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (103,315) |
| Dimensions  | 5.14 x 0.95 x 7.97 inches |
| ISBN-10  | 0593312074 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0593312070 |
| Item Weight  | 272 g |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 464 pages |
| Publication date  | November 5, 2024 |
| Publisher  | Vintage |

## Images

![The Frozen River: A GMA Book Club Pick: A Novel - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91ulu+khYLL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by C***Y on January 11, 2026*

I love historical fiction, from an educational viewpoint as well as enjoyment of the actual story. Ariel Lawhon’s book, as she herself states in the author notes at the end of the book, was inspired by, as opposed to based on, Martha Ballard ‘a renowned 18th-century midwife who defied the legal system and wrote herself into history’ and is therefore not completely factual. Martha Ballard kept a comprehensive daily diary for several decades (it can be found online but looks very difficult to decipher.) The author also states that a Pulitzer Prize winning account of Martha Ballard’s life, taken from her diaries, is available entitled ‘A Midwife’s Tale.’ However, Ariel Lawhon’s storytelling is evocative and I was drawn into the story immediately. The story begins as Martha is called to examine a body that was found in the icy river Kennebec. She is a well known midwife and healer in the vicinity and records each birth and death in the village of Hallowell, where she lives. The dead man is one of two well thought of locals who were accused of raping and assaulting the local minister’s wife earlier in the year. Martha determines Joshua Burgess, the man in the river, had been murdered. She has opposition in the form of Dr Benjamin Page. He undermines her decision regarding the cause of the man’s death and, further into the story, also calls into question her methods of midwifery. Because he was Harvard educated and Martha was a mere woman, he considered himself far superior, even though Martha had delivered hundreds of babies and had never lost a mother in childbirth. Women in the 18th century were rarely, if ever, believed regarding allegations of rape and Martha was determined to advocate for Rebecca Foster. A trial date is set. Martha refused, as much as possible, to be constrained by the conditions of the time and stood strong in her beliefs. Ariel Lawhon’s characters are fully and naturally realised, along with their experiences, whether it was the unrelenting winter or personal struggles hampered by the rulings and/or behaviour of men. The Frozen River is a fascinating, thought provoking and insightful read which can also be classed as a murder mystery. This is the first time I’ve listened to a book narrated by Jane Oppenheimer, I thought she did a great job, giving distinct voices to the cast of characters. It’s also my first book by this author, I’ll definitely be reading more of her books.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by A***E on February 4, 2026*

Sehr weich

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by D***E on December 22, 2025*

A beautifully written historical fiction - based on the true story of Martha Ballard, a midwife and healer living in Maine in the 18th century...a realistic depiction of the ways in which women of that time were treated....a great read, possibly a little long, but a fascinating novel...

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*Product available on Desertcart Sri Lanka*
*Store origin: LK*
*Last updated: 2026-02-15*