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

Really liked this book. There was history, mystery, love, medicine and more. I appreciate that Martha Ballard was such a strong woman - an advocate for women. The author did a great job of telling the story - with vivid scenery and nice references from other authors like Shakespeare and Kipling and others.

While the book started a little slow and I had to force myself to stay with it since I had heard good things, I'm very glad I did. Knowing this is a historical fiction that is inspired by true events, I knew i had to finish this story. By the middle of the book, I was having a hard time putting it down, telling myself, just one more chapter. The writer is able to captivate the reader in a tale of things that did happen and things that might have or could have happened based on a midwifery journal. I found myself hurting for those that were hurting, tense when bad things happened and rooting Martha on and cheering fir Rebecca when she finally got some sort of justice that she deserved - if only fictional justice.

Everyone loved it!

Loved reading this book. Not only is this my type of book, but Ive learned a few things along the way of how they lived in late 1700s. I loved the way Martha handled her day to day life as a midwife. She handled the "pulls" of her job as smoothe and calm has possible. One minute she would be going home and then the next minute, she would be needed in some way, shape, or form that would change her course of the day an/or night. She wouldnt complain but just go right along with it. I loved how her children and her husband went right along with it too. Great family support! The story didnt come together for me until they brought Sam to Marthas house. It wasnt until then that all of the charactors fell right into place of who was whose. I loved this story but hated how law was onesided sort of way forcing the less favored to take matters into their own hands, which leads me to the ending. The ending of this story leads right into just that, taking matters into their own hands for protection because the laws failed them. The results came to me as a complete surprise and shock. However for the rest of the charactors, I fell the author could have put a better closing to their story. That was the only thing I didnt like. I wanted to know more about them. Other than that, this was a great book

Loved this book! What an amazing story based on Martha Ballard’s life.