The Dovekeepers
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Review
"Beautiful, harrowing, a major contribution to twenty-first century literature." --Toni Morrison, Nobel Laureate in Literature
"I am still reeling from The Dovekeepers--from the history Alice Hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader." --Jodi Picoult
"In her remarkable new novel, Alice Hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, women's solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic that's quietly present in our day-to-day living. Put The Dovekeepers at the pinnacle of Hoffman's extraordinary body of work. I was blown away." --Wally Lamb
'a real tour de force' --Independent
'Hoffman knows how to tell a good story. She brings this ancient world alive ... It will bring huge pleasure to many readers' --Sunday Times
'Brilliantly realised and passionately told' --Woman and Home
'Hoffman makes ancient history live and breathe in this compelling story' --Booklist
`Filled as it is with factual information and real artefacts, the book is laced with the unreal, with magic superstitions and ancient witchcraft. Using these mystical ingredients, Hoffman concocts a rich, female world in which the women tell the story.' --The Scotsman
"I am still reeling from The Dovekeepers--from the history Alice Hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader." --Jodi Picoult
"In her remarkable new novel, Alice Hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, women's solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic that's quietly present in our day-to-day living. Put The Dovekeepers at the pinnacle of Hoffman's extraordinary body of work. I was blown away." --Wally Lamb
'a real tour de force' --Independent
'Hoffman knows how to tell a good story. She brings this ancient world alive ... It will bring huge pleasure to many readers' --Sunday Times
'Brilliantly realised and passionately told' --Woman and Home
'Hoffman makes ancient history live and breathe in this compelling story' --Booklist
`Filled as it is with factual information and real artefacts, the book is laced with the unreal, with magic superstitions and ancient witchcraft. Using these mystical ingredients, Hoffman concocts a rich, female world in which the women tell the story.' --The Scotsman
Product Description
The lives of four sensuous, bold and remarkable women intersect in the year 70AD, in the desperate days of the siege of Masada, when supplies are dwindling and the Romans are drawing near. All are dovekeepers, and all are keepers of secrets - about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love. There is Yael, the assassin's daughter whose heartbreak leads to her true path in the ruins of the desert; Revka, the baker's wife who loses her dearest treasure on earth and yet finds the strength to protect her family; Aziza, the warrior's beloved who leads a secret life not even those closest to her could imagine; and Marit, beautiful witch of Moab, a woman as loyal as she is dangerous.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an amazing novel based on the true story of the siege of the fortress Masada which took place in the year 70 AD. The title of the book: `The Dovekeepers' refers to the women in the fortress who took care of the doves and this wonderful book tells the story of the lives and loves of these unusual women who found themselves at Masada at the time of the siege.
Firstly we meet Yael, whose mother died whilst giving birth to her, and whose father, an expert assassin, cannot forgive her for her mother's death. Later we meet Revka, the wife of a village baker, whose daughter is raped and murdered in front of her by Roman soldiers, and Revka's grandsons who, after witnessing their mother's horrific death, lose the power of speech. Then there is Aziza, a beautiful young woman, who has been raised as a boy and fights as a warrior, but who falls in love with a fellow soldier. And we meet Shirah, mother of Aziza, lover of the great warrior, Ben Ya'ir, a woman with special powers who, try as she might, cannot save her children from their ultimate fates.
The book is divided into sections for each main character, but as all of these women are dovekeepers at Masada, the author skilfully weaves each person in and out of the other's stories, so we never leave one character behind at the expense of finding out about another. All of the women in this story, at some time, have met with adversity; they have loved, lost, suffered and survived. They are strong, courageous women who find they will need all of their strength and courage when faced with the tragic events which unfold during of the siege of Masada.
Alice Hoffman, inspired and moved by a visit to Masada, the fortress of King Herod, which was later occupied by nine hundred Jewish men, women and children, based her story on the historian Josephus' account of the siege and the tragedy which occurred when the Romans finally managed to break through the walls of the fortress. If you don't know the outcome of the siege, I won't divulge it now, but I will say that heartbreakingly only a very small number survived.
I have never read a book by Alice Hoffman before - I felt that her novels, whose main themes seem to centre on unearthly or magical powers, were not really my type of thing - but I'm very glad I picked up this novel. Maybe, because this book is set almost 2000 years ago, the magic and mystery seem perfectly suited to the time and place. However, whatever the reason, I can truly say that this marvellous story kept me enthralled and engrossed throughout.
4.5 stars.
Firstly we meet Yael, whose mother died whilst giving birth to her, and whose father, an expert assassin, cannot forgive her for her mother's death. Later we meet Revka, the wife of a village baker, whose daughter is raped and murdered in front of her by Roman soldiers, and Revka's grandsons who, after witnessing their mother's horrific death, lose the power of speech. Then there is Aziza, a beautiful young woman, who has been raised as a boy and fights as a warrior, but who falls in love with a fellow soldier. And we meet Shirah, mother of Aziza, lover of the great warrior, Ben Ya'ir, a woman with special powers who, try as she might, cannot save her children from their ultimate fates.
The book is divided into sections for each main character, but as all of these women are dovekeepers at Masada, the author skilfully weaves each person in and out of the other's stories, so we never leave one character behind at the expense of finding out about another. All of the women in this story, at some time, have met with adversity; they have loved, lost, suffered and survived. They are strong, courageous women who find they will need all of their strength and courage when faced with the tragic events which unfold during of the siege of Masada.
Alice Hoffman, inspired and moved by a visit to Masada, the fortress of King Herod, which was later occupied by nine hundred Jewish men, women and children, based her story on the historian Josephus' account of the siege and the tragedy which occurred when the Romans finally managed to break through the walls of the fortress. If you don't know the outcome of the siege, I won't divulge it now, but I will say that heartbreakingly only a very small number survived.
I have never read a book by Alice Hoffman before - I felt that her novels, whose main themes seem to centre on unearthly or magical powers, were not really my type of thing - but I'm very glad I picked up this novel. Maybe, because this book is set almost 2000 years ago, the magic and mystery seem perfectly suited to the time and place. However, whatever the reason, I can truly say that this marvellous story kept me enthralled and engrossed throughout.
4.5 stars.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Alice Hoffman is one of my favourite authors and I love her juxtaposition of the mundane and magic in contemporary settings. The Dovekeepers is far removed from our humdrum, daily lives as it is set in ancient Israel but the magic remains in this extensively researched historical novel.
Following the fall of Jerusalem in AD70 and the destruction of the temple, many Jews fled the Romans and crossed the Judean desert, establishing a Zealot settlement at the remote natural fortress, Masada. Overlooking the Dead Sea, this rugged outpost was considered virtually impregnable but the Roman Empire was determined to conquer Masada, once the site of King Herod's palaces. In AD73, Flavius Silva, the Roman Governor, succeeded in breaching the fortress but not before the Jewish inhabitants (numbering almost 1,000) organised a mass suicide, preferring a glorious death to a life of infamy. According to the ancient historian, Josephus, only two women and five children survived.
In The Dovekeepers, Hoffman tells the story from the Jewish women's point of view, using four different female narrators, Yael, Revka, Aziza and Shirah all of whom work in the dovecotes. They are exceptionally strong women who have suffered so much yet make their mark in what is most definitely a man's world. Yael, whose own mother died giving birth to her, is shunned by her father but, following the fall of Jerusalem, they eventually reach Masada. Revka, traumatised by the brutal death of her daughter at the hands of Roman soldiers, comes to Masada with her young grandsons, rendered mute by what they witnessed. Aziza, raised as a boy, longs to show her warrior skills but has to do so by subterfuge. Shirah, Aziza's mother, has to conceal her magical skills for fear of being an outcast again.
In a novel of epic range, the author brings us into the Judean desert in the 1st century - we feel the relentless heat, the harshness of the rocks underfoot, the endless hardship of daily life. All these women hope for is a better life for their children but they know what fate awaits them.
Yes, there is magic but it's dark and disturbing, something to be concealed by women who realise that whatever they do they can't escape what fate has already decreed.
At 500 pages, with detailed descriptions, this is a novel which requires focus and concentration. It is much more intense than Alice Hoffman's previous novels but it's well worth the effort. My only slight criticism would be that some of the descriptions veer on the flowery, over-written side but overall it's an engrossing read.
Alice Hoffman has succeeded in bringing a long-lost world into our contemporary lives and at times, one wonders if there are more similarities than differences! Highly recommended for patient readers.
Following the fall of Jerusalem in AD70 and the destruction of the temple, many Jews fled the Romans and crossed the Judean desert, establishing a Zealot settlement at the remote natural fortress, Masada. Overlooking the Dead Sea, this rugged outpost was considered virtually impregnable but the Roman Empire was determined to conquer Masada, once the site of King Herod's palaces. In AD73, Flavius Silva, the Roman Governor, succeeded in breaching the fortress but not before the Jewish inhabitants (numbering almost 1,000) organised a mass suicide, preferring a glorious death to a life of infamy. According to the ancient historian, Josephus, only two women and five children survived.
In The Dovekeepers, Hoffman tells the story from the Jewish women's point of view, using four different female narrators, Yael, Revka, Aziza and Shirah all of whom work in the dovecotes. They are exceptionally strong women who have suffered so much yet make their mark in what is most definitely a man's world. Yael, whose own mother died giving birth to her, is shunned by her father but, following the fall of Jerusalem, they eventually reach Masada. Revka, traumatised by the brutal death of her daughter at the hands of Roman soldiers, comes to Masada with her young grandsons, rendered mute by what they witnessed. Aziza, raised as a boy, longs to show her warrior skills but has to do so by subterfuge. Shirah, Aziza's mother, has to conceal her magical skills for fear of being an outcast again.
In a novel of epic range, the author brings us into the Judean desert in the 1st century - we feel the relentless heat, the harshness of the rocks underfoot, the endless hardship of daily life. All these women hope for is a better life for their children but they know what fate awaits them.
Yes, there is magic but it's dark and disturbing, something to be concealed by women who realise that whatever they do they can't escape what fate has already decreed.
At 500 pages, with detailed descriptions, this is a novel which requires focus and concentration. It is much more intense than Alice Hoffman's previous novels but it's well worth the effort. My only slight criticism would be that some of the descriptions veer on the flowery, over-written side but overall it's an engrossing read.
Alice Hoffman has succeeded in bringing a long-lost world into our contemporary lives and at times, one wonders if there are more similarities than differences! Highly recommended for patient readers.
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I don't read historical novels... but as it was from Alice Hoffman, I thought I would give it a go. I am so very glad I did. It is beautiful and haunting , transporting you back in time to breathe the hot desert air and share the lives of these formidable women. Just read it and be amazed!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
The Dovekeepers
This book is riviting, I could not put it down. Beautifully written and obviously very well researched. Read more
Published 9 days ago by miniviv
Outstanding
I have read nearly all of Alice Hoffman's works, and my views of them have varied. Some, I thought were excellent, others merely mediocre. Read more
Published 20 days ago by L. Goodyear
a very rich educational read
Really great book, again probably not my normal choice, the year 70AD, and four lives entwined around the siege of Masada. Read more
Published 23 days ago by Nelly
Extraordinary!
This must be Alices best book yet.I couldnt put it down as I was drawn into the lives of the Dovekeepers, the four women whose lives we read about. Read more
Published 23 days ago by sue book worm
A haunting tale of love, loss, heartache & hope
Every December, I trawl through the newspaper articles 'Best Books of the Year', noting down any titles that appeal to me. I'm picky, so it's usually only a few. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Ben Kane
Excellent so far
I've only just started this, and don't get a lot of time to read, but so far, it's very good. It can take me a while to get into a story sometimes, but I've got straight into this... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Penny M
Old history brought to life brilliantly ...
In 70 C.E., nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Fleur Fisher
Moving and informative
I have read much of Alice Hoffman's work despite entering my middle years.I have found her books a joy to read -always with a surprise and a painfulness to them, as life is often... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Kashka Lucas
`Let our story bear witness that we perished out of choice, ..
.. a choice we made at the beginning, to choose death rather than slavery.'
In this novel, Alice Hoffman attempts a retelling of the Jewish resistance at Masada during... Read more
In this novel, Alice Hoffman attempts a retelling of the Jewish resistance at Masada during... Read more
Published 4 months ago by J. Cameron-Smith
Alice Hoffman's masterpiece
As a long-standing fan, I've been a little puzzled by some of her recent books, which have seemed to cover old ground. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Archy
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