Finally!
An excellent historical fiction not set during WWII, the Vietnam War or the 1930s. This was one of the very best historical fiction books I've read in a long time....probably since The Book Thief.
The author is new to me and I'm going to look for some of her other novels.
STORY SUMMARY
It is 1789 in Maine. The little town of Hallowell is on the Kennebec River. It is a small, tight-knit community. Martha Ballard is married to Ephraim Ballard who owns the mill on Mill Creek. She is a midwife. She also helps to heal people of various illnesses with natural things like willowbark, chamomile, etc. She has had 9 children but 3 daughters, when they were very young, and when they lived in Oxford, died of diptheria. Now she has her oldest daughter Lucy who is married and living on her own. The rest of her children still live at home: Jonathan who courts many different women but has yet to settle down; Cyrus, who became mute during the diphtheria plague but who has eyes for a young woman named Sarah; Hannah who is courting Moses; Dolly who is interested in a newcomer named Barnabas Lambard, an officer of the court; and Ephraim Jr the youngest.
One day, Martha is summoned to examine the body of a man found frozen in the river. She notices upon her examination that he is Joshua Burgess, a man accused or raping the pastor's wife, Rebecca Foster. Rebecca has also accused Colonial Joseph North who is also a judge and a bully. He particularly hates women. It appears that Joshua Burgess has been hanged and then somehow ended up in the river.
Martha has always kept a diary and records the days happenings in it. She records every birth she attends, every death, crime and debacle that happens in the town.
She has also documented the report of the rape of Rebecca Foster which happened months ago in August. It is now November. The case has not gone to trial yet, although Rebecca has named the perpetrators and Martha has witnessed and recorded the various injuries Rebecca endured. Rebecca is now pregnant because of the rape.
A new local doctor who has been trained at Harvard, also examines the body and determines that the death is due to drowning...just a tragic accident. Martha disagrees due to the rope marks around his neck. Yet the rope was not recovered at the scene. She is forced to do some investigating on her own.
During that one winter, as the trial date approaches and whispers and rumors fly around, Martha persistently pursues the truth. Her diary lands in the middle of the scandal implicating those she loves and compelling Martha to figure out where her loyalties lie.
MY THOUGHTS
This is one deep look at the injustices against women during the 1700s in the territory of the colonies. At this time, Maine was not yet a state. Boston was the big city and Maine was a territory of Massachusetts.
This is a story based on the real Martha Ballard whose diary really did exist and the author explains which parts are fact and which are fiction in the back of the book. But...do not read her notes until you are done because by doing so, the story will be spoiled for you! Read the novel, then read the author's notes.
I had never heard of Martha Ballard (no surprise there!) and this piece of history doesn't exist in the NYS Social studies/American history curriculum.
This story's plot and characters really drive the book and it's thrilling yet tender. It really depicts the era and even some more famous people from the Revolutionary times are depicted (Paul Revere being one). Apparently Paul and Martha's husband were friends!
If you are looking for a book that's historical fiction and very different from most of the contemporary ones out there, I highly recommend this one.
In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 17 and older (due to some mature content).
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 10.
