Book Club Questions for The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon

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Book club questions for The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon takes an in-depth look at this engaging story about Martha Ballard, a renowned 18th-century midwife. There will be spoilers so for more context about the story, check out my spoiler-free review first.

Wow, what an interesting novel! I did not know anything about Martha Ballard prior to read this story, and I learned so much. I love when historical fiction introduces a person of history that I wasn’t familiar with—it’s one of my favorite aspects of the genre.

I was quite impressed with how the author Ariel Lawhon really detailed a vivid telling of how life was like back in 1700s Maine. Very well done all around.

Let me know what you think about the story in the comments section below!

The Synopsis

Maine, 1789: When the Kennebec River freezes, entombing a man in the ice, Martha Ballard is summoned to examine the body and determine cause of death. As a midwife and healer, she is privy to much of what goes on behind closed doors in Hallowell. Her diary is a record of every birth and death, crime and debacle that unfolds in the close-knit community. Months earlier, Martha documented the details of an alleged rape committed by two of the town’s most respected gentlemen—one of whom has now been found dead in the ice. But when a local physician undermines her conclusion, declaring the death to be an accident, Martha is forced to investigate the shocking murder on her own.

Over the course of one winter, as the trial nears, and whispers and prejudices mount, Martha doggedly pursues the truth. Her diary soon lands at the center of the scandal, implicating those she loves, and compelling Martha to decide where her own loyalties lie.

Book Club Questions for The Frozen River

Trigger warning: Some of the questions address the heavy subject matter covered in this story.

1. Did you know much about Martha Ballard prior to reading this story? In what ways was Martha ahead of her time?
2. Why was becoming a midwife the right field for Martha? Also, why did Martha decide to keep a diary?
3. The central mystery in the story revolves around the fact a dead body was recovered in the river— a man named Burgess who was accused of rape by a local woman. What did you think happened to this man? Did that change as the story went on?
4. The woman, Rebecca, also accused a local judge, North, of rape. Martha helped Rebecca after the horrific attacks. Why didn’t Martha have Rebecca go to the authorities after it happened? Would there have been a different outcome if she had?
5. Why was it important for the audience to know that Martha herself had been raped, and that her rapist was eventually hung?
6. We get to know Martha and her family quite well, including her close relationship with her husband Ephraim. What was your impression of their relationship? Why did they work so well together?
7. While Rebecca’s case goes to court, North is acquitted of all charges. Eventually, he goes to attack Martha, and confesses everything, including the plan to illegally evict her family. In an act of self defense, Martha permanently wounds him. Let’s talk about this scene and Martha’s strength in the moment.
8. Should Martha have told the townspeople the truth of what North revealed? Or do you understand why she kept quiet about it?
9. It is eventually revealed that a man named Sam killed Burgress after catching Burgess assault Sam’s wife. Martha’s son Jonathan assisted him with this. Were you surprised at this reveal, or did you see it coming?
10. What did you think about the ending overall?
11. What was your impression of what life was like back in 1700s Maine?
12. Since publishing in 2024, this story has seen huge success, and is a big bestseller. Why do you think this story has resonated with so many people?

Additional Recommendations

Hope you enjoyed book club questions for The Frozen River! Here are some more recommendations along with links to book club questions.

Russia, July 17, 1918: Under direct orders from Vladimir Lenin, Bolshevik secret police force 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, February 17, 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, she 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 rumors begin to circulate through European society that the youngest Romanov daughter has survived the massacre at Ekaterinburg, old enemies and new threats are awakened. The question of who Anna Anderson is and what actually happened to Anastasia Romanov spans fifty years and touches three continents. This thrilling saga is every bit as moving and momentous as it is harrowing and twisted.

Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances “Frankie” McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets―and becomes one of―the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

Happy reading!