when was the frozen river published? Ariel Lawhon’s historical novel The Frozen River was first published in the United States on December 5, 2023, by Doubleday.
The story is set in 1789, so its historical setting can be easy to mistake for its release date. This article clarifies the publication details, explains why dates can differ between editions, and gives a spoiler-light overview of the book’s subject and background. You’ll also find practical tips for locating the right edition and understanding how Lawhon’s novel relates to the historical woman who inspired it.
when was the frozen river published?
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon was first published on December 5, 2023. Doubleday published the US edition. Doubleday is an imprint of Penguin Random House.
This date refers to the novel’s initial US publication, not the year in which its story takes place. The book is set in 1789 in Hallowell, Maine, more than two centuries before its publication. That difference matters because searches for the book often bring up historical details alongside modern edition and bookstore information.
If you need one simple answer for a reading list, citation, or book discussion, use December 5, 2023, and identify the edition you consulted if the exact format matters.
Why publication dates can look different
A book can have more than one date attached to it. The original release date identifies when a title first became available in a particular market or edition. Later printings, paperback releases, translations, and audiobook editions may receive their own dates.
That is why a bookstore page, library catalog, or online retailer might show a date other than December 5, 2023. It may be listing a different format or a regional edition rather than contradicting the original US publication date.
| Listing or format | What its date usually means | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| First US hardcover | The initial US release of the novel | Use December 5, 2023, when giving the first US publication date |
| Paperback | A later publication of the same book in paperback | Useful if you need the date for the copy you own or plan to buy |
| E-book | The release date of a digital edition, which may be listed separately | Check the retailer or publisher record for the specific edition |
| Audiobook | The release date of the audio edition, which can differ from print | Use the audiobook’s own listing when citing or borrowing audio |
| Non-US edition | A regional release, sometimes with a different publisher or schedule | Use the date shown for that country’s edition |
Practical tip: Match the date to the format in your hands. If you are writing a citation, record the edition’s publisher and year from its copyright page rather than assuming every copy shares the first-release details.
What the novel is about
The Frozen River is historical fiction inspired by Martha Ballard, an eighteenth-century midwife who lived and worked in Maine. The novel follows Martha as she attends births, cares for people in her community, and becomes involved in questions surrounding a death in the Kennebec River.
Its central character is based on a real person, but the book is a novel rather than a biography. Lawhon uses historical records as a foundation for a dramatic story, then supplies fictional scenes, dialogue, and narrative choices. Readers should not treat every event or conversation in the novel as a verified historical record.
The book combines a community-centered account of daily life with a mystery. Martha’s work brings her into contact with families and local authorities, giving her a close view of the people and conflicts around her. The resulting story explores whose testimony is taken seriously and how power can affect the search for justice.
The historical Martha Ballard behind the story
Martha Ballard was a real midwife in the Maine district that included Hallowell. She kept a diary that recorded her work, travels, family life, and observations of the community. That record is one reason her life offers such rich material for historical research and historical fiction.
Midwives provided essential care in a period when trained medical services were limited. Their work could include attending births, visiting sick neighbors, and offering practical help to families. A midwife’s regular presence in homes also gave her a distinctive view of the community’s private and public life.
Ballard’s diary is valuable because it preserves the perspective of a woman whose labor might otherwise be poorly documented. It is not a complete, neutral account of everything that happened in the region. Like any personal record, it reflects what its writer chose to note, the language and conventions of its time, and the limits of what one person could observe.
Lawhon’s novel draws on this historical background to make Martha’s viewpoint central. The diary can help readers understand the real woman and her world, while the novel offers an imagined narrative shaped for a contemporary audience.
Is The Frozen River a true story?
It is historical fiction inspired by real history, not a strictly factual retelling. Martha Ballard existed, kept a diary, and worked as a midwife in Maine. Lawhon’s story uses that historical foundation, but it is still a work of fiction.
This distinction is useful when reading scenes that feel documentary or highly specific. A historical setting and a real central figure do not make every exchange or plot development a recorded fact. Novelists often build connective scenes, invent dialogue, and shape events into a coherent narrative.
For readers who want to separate the book’s documented background from its fictional elements, a good approach is to read the novel first and then consult reliable historical material about Ballard and her diary. Keep the two purposes distinct: the novel offers an interpreted story; historical records help establish what can be independently supported.
What does the title refer to?
The title points to the frozen river in the novel’s setting and to the story’s opening mystery involving a body found in the Kennebec River. The river is more than scenery. It places the events in a specific Maine community and reflects the harsh conditions and physical realities of life in the period.
The title can also lead to confusion with other works called Frozen River or with Disney’s Frozen. Lawhon’s book is a historical novel for adult readers. It is not a Disney film, a sequel, or a children’s novel based on the animated franchise.
How to find the edition you want
Choose an edition based on how you prefer to read, then confirm that the listing is for Ariel Lawhon’s novel. Search results can mix formats, regional editions, library records, and unrelated titles with similar wording.
- Check the author. Look for Ariel Lawhon on the listing. This is the quickest way to distinguish the novel from other works with similar titles.
- Choose a format. Decide whether you want print, e-book, or audio. Each format may have a separate publication record or availability date.
- Verify the publisher and edition. The first US edition was published by Doubleday. A later or regional edition may list another publisher or date.
- Compare the date with your purpose. For the novel’s original US release, use December 5, 2023. For a specific edition, use the date printed or listed for that edition.
- Check library catalogs for borrowing. A library record can help identify the format and edition available locally, though availability may vary by branch.
Retail listings are useful for shopping, but they can combine information from different editions. If a date seems inconsistent, compare the author, format, publisher, and edition details before deciding it is an error.
How to cite the book’s publication date
For a casual answer, state that the novel was first published in the United States on December 5, 2023. For formal school or research work, cite the edition you actually used and follow the required style guide.
A citation typically needs details such as the author, title, publisher, and publication year. The exact format depends on whether you are citing a print book, an e-book, or an audiobook, and on the citation style assigned. Use the copyright page or the publisher’s edition record to confirm the relevant details.
Do not use the story’s 1789 setting as the book’s publication year. Also avoid assigning the first US date to a translated or international edition without checking that edition’s own record. These are small distinctions, but they keep book references clear and accurate.
Who might enjoy the book?
The novel may appeal to readers who enjoy historical mysteries, stories centered on women’s lives, and fiction grounded in archival history. Its focus on a midwife gives it a strong connection to childbirth, caregiving, and the everyday work that often goes unrecorded in conventional accounts of the past.
Readers looking mainly for a fast, modern crime thriller should know that the historical setting shapes the pace and the available methods of investigation. The story’s conflicts unfold within the social rules and practical limits of its time. Its appeal lies partly in watching Martha use experience, observation, and relationships to make sense of what is happening.
The book can also suit reading groups interested in discussing historical fiction. One useful discussion angle is the boundary between evidence and invention: what does a novelist owe to a real person, and how can fiction bring attention to a historical life without being mistaken for a factual biography?
Common date and title mix-ups
- Confusing setting with release: The plot takes place in 1789, but the novel’s first US publication was in 2023.
- Treating every edition as identical: Paperback, e-book, audio, and international editions can have separate dates and publication details.
- Assuming it is nonfiction: Martha Ballard was real, but Lawhon’s book is a novel and includes fictionalized storytelling.
- Mistaking it for Disney’s Frozen: Similar wording does not mean the works are related. Lawhon’s book is a historical novel about an adult character and her community.
- Using a retailer’s date without checking the format: A listing may show a later edition rather than the original release.
The simplest way to avoid these mix-ups is to keep three details together: the author, the edition or format, and the date you are reporting. That small check is more reliable than relying on a title search alone.
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon was first published in the United States on December 5, 2023. Its story is set in 1789 and draws on the real life of midwife Martha Ballard, but the book is historical fiction rather than a factual biography.
If you are citing or buying a particular copy, check its format and edition details before using a date. For the original US release, December 5, 2023, is the date to use.