The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman – 504 pages
Book Blurb:
The author of such iconic bestsellers as Illumination Night, Practical Magic, Fortune’s Daughter, and Oprah’s Book Club selection Here on Earth, Alice Hoffman is one of the most popular and memorable writers of her generation. Now, in The Dovekeepers, Hoffman delivers her most masterful work yet—one that draws on her passion for mythology, magic, and archaeology and her inimitable understanding of women.
In 70 CE, nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on a mountain in the Judean desert, Masada. According to the ancient historian Josephus, two women and five children survived. Based on this tragic historical event, Hoffman weaves a spellbinding tale of four extraordinary, bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to Masada by a different path. Yael’s mother died in childbirth, and her father never forgave her for that death. Revka, a village baker’s wife, watched the horrifically brutal murder of her daughter by Roman soldiers; she brings to Masada her twin grandsons, rendered mute by their own witness. Aziza is a warrior’s daughter, raised as a boy, a fearless rider and expert marksman, who finds passion with another soldier. Shirah is wise in the ways of ancient magic and medicine, a woman with uncanny insight and power. The lives of these four complex and fiercely independent women intersect in the desperate days of the siege, as the Romans draw near. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets—about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love.
My review: 5 stars
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Alice Hoffman as she’s never written been before. A mystical, magical story about 4 courageous, loving, flawed women during the Roman’s seige over Masada. Incredibly detailed account of the era, the people, the beliefs and the intertwining lives of these women and their families. I was moved spiritually, educated on this time period and reflective of the hardships that were endured to keep faith intact. Highly recommend.
So happy to have been able to meet this wonderful author!
Quotes I liked:
Still anyone who trusts a serpent deserves its bite. The wise see a creature for what it is, not what it says it may be.”
-“Even as a small child, I understood that woman had secrets, and that some of these were only to be told to daughters. In this way we were bound together for eternity.”
-“You are only worthy of what you prove yourself to be.”
-“Perhaps it is possible to discover more in silence than in speech. Or perhaps it is only that those who are silent among us learn to listen.”
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Loved this too! Now if only I could find a time to climb Masada myself!!
I loved this one, too. The characters were strong, and even though it’s a fictionalized version of history, I learned so much, and wish my trip to Israel would have been after reading this book instead of before. 5 stars from me.
Marilyn B.
One of my favorite books. Amazing story that tied fiction with fact in a truly unforgettable way!