Frozen River

My book club, which has two men and eight women, recently read Frozen River. which is based on the real-life diary of Martha Ballard, a late 1700s midwife who journaled her activities, including over 800 births. I liked the book but, as many historical fiction books do, the author put her modern self into the historical character. It just did not feel realistic. Also, as one woman pointed out Martha's husband was a total female fantasy of a man. It was laughable. 

The strangest thing for me was in our discussion where many woman relished a scene where Martha cut off and burned the penis of an unarguably bad and violent man. 

I do wonder, and did point out to the group, how they would feel of a male character cut off and burned the breasts of a bad woman. I'll bet they would have all hated the book and many would have read no further.