Review: The Frozen River

Title: The Frozen River

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Publisher: 1st November 2023 by Simon & Schuster Australia

Pages: 432 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Mystery & Thrillers

Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of Code Name Hélène comes a gripping historical mystery inspired by the life and diary of Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife who investigates a shocking murder that unhinges her small community.

Maine, 1789: When a man is found entombed in the frozen Kennebec River, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As the local midwife and healer, Martha is good at keeping secrets. Her diary is a record of every birth, death and debacle that unfolds in the town of Hallowell. In that diary she has also documented the details of an alleged rape that occurred by one of the town’s most esteemed gentlemen – the same man who has now been found dead in the ice. 

While certain townspeople are eager to put both matters to rest, Martha suspects that the two crimes are linked, and that there is more to both cases than meets the eye. Over the course of one long, hard winter, whispers and prejudices mount, and Martha’s diary lands at the centre of the scandal, threatening to tear both her family and her community apart.   

In her newest offering, Ariel Lawhon brings to life a brave and compassionate unsung heroine who refused to accept anything less than justice on behalf of those no one else would protect. The Frozen River is a thrilling, tense and tender story of a remarkable woman who had the courage to take a stand, and in the process wrote herself into history.

My Thoughts

‘The frozen river alters every facet of life for those who live along it, yet the judges take the inconvenience as a personal slight.’

I first came across Ariel with her book, Flight of Dreams (about the Hindenburg disaster) in 2016 - it was brilliant. Then in 2020 I read, Code Name Hélène (about Nancy Wake) - once again, brilliant. It is therefore needless to say, I was filled with anticipation about her latest even though I knew nothing of a midwife from 1789 in post revolution America. I do now - and boy! I will not soon forget it. 

‘I cry. Mostly for Rebecca and the tiny, unwanted beating heart deep within her womb. But also for myself. And our daughters. And for every other woman who lives, suffers, and dies by the mercurial whims of men.’

The Frozen River is, in a nutshell, outstanding historical fiction. It is based on fact stemming from the diary of one midwife born in 1735, one Martha Ballard. Martha wrote a daily diary - short facts recording births, deaths, the weather etc. Let us be clear, Ariel states herself that this is her version of “what could have happened in this woman’s life. It is not a biography, nor do I claim to be an historian. I’m simply a storyteller, and I have felt, for fifteen years, that Martha’s story is worth telling.”  Let me tell you … it is!

“Memory is a wicked thing that warps and twists. But paper and ink receive the truth without emotion, and they read it back without partiality.”

Regaled here is one long, brutal winter in 1789 that marked a decidedly momentous time for the community of Hallowell. Yes, this is a tale of the everyday life of living in a small post-Revolution community with a definite focus on the plight of women. However, so so cleverly tied into this is a murder mystery of the highest calibre that will have you guessing to the very end. 

“I simply ask that Mr. Sewall record in the official court documents that there are contradicting views as to the cause of Mr. Burgess’s death. One that states accidental drowning.” I pause for effect. “And one that states murder.”

The detail and specifics that Ariel delivers to her readers is nothing short of spectacular. Be sure to take time to truly sink into Ariel’s, ‘Author Notes’ at the conclusion. Martha is such an extraordinary character and I have so much respect for her courage and the women she sought to care for and represent. I also reveled in the very special relationship she has with her husband, Ephraim. 

‘We are in the twilight years of a long love affair, and it has recently occurred to me that a day will come when one of us buries the other. But, I remind myself, that is the happy ending to a story like ours. It is a vow made and kept. Till death do us part. It is the only acceptable outcome to a long and happy marriage, and I am determined not to fear that day, whenever it arrives. I am equally determined to soak up all the days between.’

The Frozen River is a definite stand out book for me in 2023 and I highly recommend it to all as it ticks so many boxes. It is complex yet clear in regaling readers about a very special woman from history. If a tale rich in research of a time, place, people and intrigue. Sound inviting?  Do yourself a favour and read it. 

‘I cannot say why it is so important that I make this daily record. Perhaps because I have been doing so for years on end? Or maybe - if I am being honest - it is because these markings of ink and paper will one day be the only proof that I have existed in this world. That I lived and breathed. That I loved a man and the many children he gave me. It is not that I want to be remembered, per se. I have done nothing remarkable. Not by the standards of history, at least. But I am here.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Flight of Dreams

Title: Flight of Dreams

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Publisher: 1 April 2016 by Affirm Press

Pages: 340 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction, German, mystery

My Rating: 5 cups

Synopsis:

With everyone onboard harboring dark secrets and at least one person determined to make sure the airship doesn’t make the return trip, Flight of Dreams gives an utterly suspenseful, heart-wrenching explanation for one of the most enduring mysteries of the twentieth century.

On the evening of May 3, 1937, Emilie Imhof boards the Hindenburg. As the only female crewmember, Emilie has access to the entire airship, from the lavish dining rooms and passenger suites to the gritty engine cars and control room. She hears everything, but with rumors circulating about bomb threats, Emilie’s focus is on maintaining a professional air…and keeping her own plans under wraps.

What Emilie can’t see is that everyone—from the dynamic vaudeville acrobat to the high-standing German officer—seems to be hiding something.

Giving free rein to countless theories of sabotage, charade, and mishap, Flight of Dreams takes us on the thrilling three-day transatlantic flight through the alternating perspectives of Emilie; Max, the ship’s navigator who is sweet on her; Gertrud, a bold female journalist who’s been blacklisted in her native Germany; Werner, a thirteen-year-old cabin boy with a bad habit of sneaking up on people; and a brash American who’s never without a drink in his hand. Everyone knows more than they initially let on, and as the novel moves inexorably toward its tragic climax, the question of which of the passengers will survive the trip infuses every scene with a deliciously unbearable tension.

With enthralling atmospheric details that immediately transport and spellbinding plotting that would make Agatha Christie proud, Flight of Dreams will keep you guessing till the last page. And, as The New York Times Book Review said of her last novel, “This book is more meticulously choreographed than a chorus line. It all pays off.”

My Thoughts

"Thirty four seconds of catastrophic billowing flames, followed by total, profound destruction. In half a minute the airship went from flying luxury hotel to smoking rubble."

Say the word 'Hindenberg' and most people know of the disaster. But how much do we really know? I was therefore most intrigued to read this fictional account of the passengers who were on this ill-fated disaster. And what a ride/flight it turned out to be. Credit here must be given to Lawhon who takes a story that everyone knows and leads the reader on a journey where you will be totally committed to the very last page. Was it sabotage? Was it mechanical malfunction? Was it meteorological? Does anybody really know?

"But no one cares about the truth. They prefer theatrics and conspiracy theories."

I learned so much and went in search of more information on the Hindenburg - the craft itself, the crew, the passengers, the inevitable crash. History enthusiasts will be in heaven with this read. Lawhon has done her homework to give a face to this tragedy and the people onboard this fateful day. This fictional piece of work is based on well researched facts, where possible - Lawhon's interpretation of what might have occurred onboard based on passenger manifests - and the result is truly suspenseful. Characters based on real people with Lawhon skilfully fabricating possible stories surrounding them. (This is all explained in her 'authors note' at the conclusion of the tale). From the author's note:

"An uneventful flight. But here's the problem: I don't believe them."

"This novel is my attempt at a theory .... with that spectacular moment in history."

"Until I began researching this book, I couldn't tell you the name of a single person on board the airship ... I wanted to know who they were.'

The final chapters I found to be absolutely exhilarating in a haunting and tragic way. I had to read well into the night until I finished as I could not abandon these characters. I have nothing but admiration for the stirling execution of the meld of fact and fiction here. What Lawhon did here was pace the book to perfection. Separate stories commence on embarkation, with characters slowly crossing paths mid flight. The novel is told in multiple POVs from the main characters e.g. “The Stewardess”, “The Cabin Boy”, “The Navigator” etc, with the date and time being regularly given, inclusive of the time until the explosion. Indeed, as the explosion draws close, the pace increases and by the time of impact you are caught up in a frenetic climax. My heart was racing, I was holding my breath as I frantically consumed those final chapters.

 

"When I think about it logically. It doesn't seem as though such a structure has any business floating through the air."

To repeat, Lawhon takes what the world already knew to be a dramatic event and moves it to the next level. She gives life to those long forgotten names, bringing them back to life, if even for a short fictional time. Her attention to detail has given witness to a truly great historical drama of the highest calibre. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I was enthralled and captivated. Authors note:

"I claim to have no special knowledge. I simply wanted to find a good story and tell it in a way that would bring these people and their journey to life ... I am deeply aware that I have written about people who really lived. I have assumed things about them. I have put words in their mouth."

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review: Code Name Hélène

Title: Code Name Hélène

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Publisher: 31st March 2020 by Simon & Schuster (Australia)

Pages: 464 pages

How I Read It: ARC book

Genre: historical fiction

My Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

February 29, 1944: I am about to jump out of an aeroplane for the first time … I don’t care that every man is looking at me as though I don’t belong. Besides, I’m hungover. And I think I might throw up …

In 1936 intrepid young New Zealand journalist Nancy Wake is living in Paris after witnessing firsthand the terror of Hitler’s rise in Europe, firing her resolve to fight against the Nazis. When Nancy falls in love with handsome French industrialist Henri Fiocca, no sooner has she become Mrs Fiocca than the Germans invade France and Nancy takes yet another name, a codename – the first of many.

As the elusive Lucienne Carlier she smuggles people across borders and earns a new name ‘The White Mouse’ along with a five million franc bounty on her head, courtesy of the Gestapo. Forced to flee France, Nancy is trained by an elite espionage group under the codename Hélène. Finally, with mission in hand, she is airdropped back into France as the deadly Madame Andrée. But the closer to liberation France gets, the more exposed Nancy – and the people she loves – will become.

Based on the true story of an extraordinary woman who saved countless lives, Code Name Hélène is a thrilling tale of danger, intrigue, unfaltering courage, remarkable sacrifice – and love.

My Thoughts

Being Australian, I am familiar with Nancy Wake and the heroic events she was involved in during WWII in France. I find it interesting that this is the second book to have been released at the same time regarding Nancy. I read and thoroughly enjoyed ‘Liberation’ (review HERE) and although both focus on Nancy with similar events, they are quite different in their approach. Liberation is shorter and I found it to be more action packed. This book is longer and therefore has the time to delve deeper especially involving Nancy’s marriage. I appreciated both. I am a fan of Ariel’s having read and thoroughly enjoyed her book, ‘Flight of Dreams’ (review HERE) and knew she would do a fine job of capturing the essence of the enigma that was Nancy Wake. 

“You’re not the only English rat crawling these hills. I’ll get my weapons from someone else.” He pauses here, then leans in for the kill. “Non, you’re no rat like Victor and Patrice. You are la Souris Blanche, aren’t you?” The White Mouse.’ “But why would you even want to help? War isn’t for women.” I lean very close to him and lower my voice to a dangerous pitch. “And yet we suffer most in them.”

This is a fictional retelling based on real life events of Nancy Wake - the Australian woman who was a spy operating in France during WWII. Nancy was a formidable foe and Ariel takes you on a journey from pre war to its conclusion allowing the reader time to form a real understanding of who and what motivated this courageous woman. Such independence and strength of character, a woman who refused to take the feminine  backseat in this war, instead forging forward, taking a stand for those persecuted by the Nazis. 

“What just happened? I wouldn’t treat an animal that way, much less a human.” “That’s because you are human, Nancy. They are not. Or at least not anymore.”

Ariel has taken the time to build up a cast of strong characters who have interweaving relationships that allow the reader to really get invested at all levels. The strong factor I found in this version was the development of the relationship from beginning to end of Nancy with Henri - it was real and it was heart wrenching - I was invested .... I cared.  The dual timeline approach Ariel adopted allowed the reader to see the Nancy that fell in love and it opened a window to many personal encounters. 

Speaking of the dual timeline - you will either love it or hate it. Many reviewers found the jumping back and forth difficult to follow. I did not. There is something to be said for sequential delivery, however on this occasion, I believe Ariel did the right thing and those windows to the past helped to solidify your understanding of present day events. At times the story does slog through drawn out descriptions of wartime details but I was a fan of the socialite Nancy that I was not so familiar with as she trapsed around the continent. 

Ariel has certainly done her homework through loads of reading and investigation with the  ‘Author’s Note’ at the conclusion making it abundantly clear the lines of nonfiction and storytelling. All up this is a most worthy interpretation into the life of an amazing woman and must read historical fiction

‘The thing about lipstick, the reason it’s so powerful, is that it is distracting. Men don’t see the flashes of anger in your eyes or your clenched fists when you wear it. They see a woman, not a warrior, and that gives me the advantage. I cannot throw a decent punch or carry a grown man across a battlefield, but I can wear red lipstick as though my life depends on it. And the truth is, these days, it often does.’

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

Review:I Was Anastasia

Title: I Was Anastasia 

Author: Ariel Lawhon

Publisher: 2nd October 2024 by Simon & Schuster Australia

Pages: 430 pages

Genre: General Fiction (Adult) | Historical Fiction | Russia

Rating: 4.5 cups

Synopsis:

From the bestselling author of  The Frozen River  comes an enthralling historical mystery that unravels the extraordinary twists and turns in Anna Anderson’s fifty-year battle to be recognised as Anastasia Romanov. Is she the Russian grand duchess or the thief of another woman’s legacy?

Countless others have rendered their verdict. Now it is your turn.

Russia, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police herd Anastasia Romanov, along with the entire imperial family, into a damp basement in Siberia, where they face a merciless firing squad. None survive. At least that is what the executioners have always claimed.

Germany, 1920: A young woman bearing an uncanny resemblance to Anastasia Romanov is pulled shivering and senseless from a canal. Refusing to explain her presence in the freezing water or even acknowledge her rescuers, Anna Anderson is taken to the hospital where an examination reveals that her body is riddled with countless horrific scars. When she finally does speak, this frightened, mysterious young woman claims to be the Russian grand duchess. As rumours begin to circulate that the youngest Romanov daughter survived the massacre, old enemies and new threats awaken.

I Was Anastasia unravels the thrilling mystery around Anna Anderson in a tale that is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted.

My Thoughts

I first came across Ariel with her book, Flight of Dreams (about the Hindenburg disaster) in 2016 - it was brilliant. From that book on it has been wonder after wonder including last year’s huge success, The Frozen River. It is therefore needless to say, I was filled with anticipation about her latest to be finally released in Australia, I Was Anastasia. 

‘Am I truly Anastasia Romanov? A beloved daughter. A revered icon. A Russian grand duchess. Or am I an impostor? A fraud. A liar. The thief of another woman’s legacy.’

I have a fascination for the Romanov family, as Ariel states herself, ‘The Romanovs are not the only royal family to come to a tragic end, yet their story endures as few have. What do you think contributes to the timeless fascination - that of Anastasia in particular?  It was indeed an ambitious undertaking to tell a story of such famed repute and the way she delivers it is complex but I think, very rewarding. Yes the multiple timelines - Anastasia herself and Anna Anderson (see blurb) - are interwoven throughout. Make no mistake, they do jump around all over the place being nonlinear. Even Ariel admits the structure is very challenging and different but it was selected so as to enhance and bring out the absolute best in this tale. 

‘The recognized, legal, and surviving family of Tsar Nicholas the Second believe that you are a fraud.’

No matter how much or how little you know of the story of Anastasia Romanov, Ariel’s book brings these rich and highly engaging stories (yes, more than one!) to their most appealing. The detail and specifics that she delivers to her readers is nothing short of spectacular. Be sure to take time to truly sink into Ariel’s, ‘Author Notes’ at the conclusion. I Was Anastasia  is a definite stand out book for me and I highly recommend it as it ticks so many boxes. It is complex yet clear in regaling readers about an intriguing mystery from history. If a tale rich in research of time, place, people and mystery sounds inviting, then do yourself a favour and read it. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.