Where Is 'The Frozen River' Set?

I loved how The Frozen River portrayed Alaska in the novel. The story takes place in the fictional Indian tribe of Gray Wolf Bend, which is situated on the banks of the Yukon River. It’s so believable that one can actually hear the creaking of the ice and smell the smoke from the fires of the hunting camps scattered all over.

However, the village is not just the back drop of a novel. The community informs the entire plot of The Frozen River. The only way to travel in the winter is across the frozen Yukon River and when the river freezes over it connects the community to other villages and when dangers cross the ice the community is trapped with them. The author uses the natural rhythms of the environment such as the short amount of time the sun is above the horizon, the blinding blizzard, the very long time between hunting seasons in order to heighten the consequences of the characters’ actions.

The author also successfully portrayed the threat of the surrounding wilderness, similar to works by Jack London. The space between humans and nature is tenuous, and one slip on thin ice or a sudden drop in temperature can determine whether one lives or dies. In this sense, the setting mirrors the main character’s emotional journey: a seemingly frozen and unmoving facade, yet vast, hidden forces move beneath the surface.

Just finished ‘The Frozen River’ by Margaret Miziarik and I can say that the setting really does create the mood of this wonderful story. The story is set in a remote Alaskan village during winter time. The river has frozen over and is used as a road during this time. You can really feel the cold and isolation while reading this book. The author has done a superb job of describing the wooden cabins all snuggly under a blanket of snow, the silence of the wide open space of nature, and the warmth of a fire and a wood stove in the homes of the villagers. The frozen river is almost a character to itself. It is used as a lifeline to get to places but is also very dangerous and could kill someone if they were to cross it when it has frozen over. The way that the setting affects the characters in the story and how they deal with their daily lives and their close community is wonderful.

Set in the 1990s and located near the Canadian border in remote Alaska, The Frozen River develops within an environment on the brink of civilization. Here the hardened outdoors is the main character, in this instance the titular frozen river which can be used as a conduit for the main smuggling plot as well as a secretive burial ground for mysterious circumstances, all whilst planes are grounded through the harsh winter months and normally isolated communities are linked by the icy expanse of the frozen river.

The author brings the remote and rugged Alaska setting so vividly to life in this story. The primary character and his ragtag group of thieves try to survive by reading ice patterns and traveling along increasingly unreliable trails. Beautiful and fearful in equal measure, the author’s descriptions of the gorgeous northern lights, howling wind, and changing landscape as winter thaws bring the setting to life in such a strong way. The setting even affects dialogue (i.e., locals arguing over the thickness of the ice) and develops many of the plot twists, such as a thrilling chase scene across crumbling ice floes. In fact, this is one of those books you’ll want to read with a mug of hot cocoa between you and the page.