THE DOVEKEEPERS by Alice Hoffman

Alice Hoffman, The Dovekeepers (Scribner,   2011).

Also available in Nook, Kindle, and Apple iStore

(HISTORICAL FICTION)

Reviewed by Lisa Proehl

Alice Hoffman has written more than 20 novels, and several short story collections. The Dovekeepers is her first historical fiction, and in my opinion, her best novel to date. The lives of four amazing, bold, and resourceful women intersect in ancient Israel at Masada, the last stronghold of the Jewish people as they are being threatened by the Roman army. As the threat deepens, the women's lives continue to become more and more intertwined, and their friendships more and more important. According to the ancient historian, Josephus, two women and five children survived. Hoffman bases her novel on that assumption.

The Dovekeepers is a deeply moving story of love and betrayal, magic and faith. As I was reading, I didn’t want it to end, and it has continued to stay with me since I finished. I highly recommend this haunting and beautiful story.