Select language, opens an overlay

Comments (56)

What did you think about this title?
1 to 25 of 56 items
Feb 22, 2022QuinnM_2 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
What a fascinating novel set during and after the fall of Jerusalem, 70 CE. The book covers a period of four years as the Romans waged war against the Jewish stronghold of Masada, claimed by a group of 900 rebels and their families. The…
Dec 14, 2020jackhwolf rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A bit of fantastical page turning adventure novel, with Harry Potteresque magic, mixed with some real historical basis of interest to myself, being Jewish, though to everybody interested in history. The plot is spellbinding, and makes it…
Nov 29, 2020lbroser rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Intersecting stories of the Hebrew people at Masada. Based on a tidbit in the work of historian Josephus that reported two women and three children survivors of the siege by the Roman army. Having been to Masada and recalling the dove…
Sep 22, 2020PDBurt rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
I gave this a 4 as it's well written and descriptive. However, if you don't want to know about the historical times of the Roman war against Jews in the ancient times don't read this. Kept my interest throughout. A realistic but somewhat…
Jul 20, 2019EljayJohnson rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
This novel is simply exquisitely written. There were times I loved it, but most of the time I found it too overwrought for my taste. It was wonderful reading something about this time period, the first century C.E.
Apr 27, 2019
Recommendation: MPR's The Thread
Sep 15, 2018Anita_Dickey rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I read this book to fulfil the goal read a book about feminism. it was kindof neat timing for me as i'm also reading the old testament. (it takes place in the time period between the old and new testaments.) i love biblical fiction like…
May 12, 2018Memawrayne rated this title 1.5 out of 5 stars
It would have been better if there wasn't so much repetition of religious practices and superstitions. The story and approach could have been much better with less of the of the silly practices and beliefs.
Apr 08, 2018Lotushead rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
Based on true history, four women manage to survive against all odds. There is both beauty and heartbreak in this story.
Jan 14, 2018fred98115 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
This harrowing tale of four women who are at Masada when it falls to the Romans is a tad tedious. Masada is a key event in Israeli history. Yet, the focus of the book is on their lives and transgressions before the last day. The book is…
Dec 14, 2017Ghettostone rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
"Dove Keepers" by Alice Hoffman is one terrific adventure story based on historical accounts during ancient times in old Isreal. The "Dove Keepers" is a story about four heroic women, all different from each other, one is a warrior, one is…
Nov 12, 2017febechiarelli rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Loved this book! In fact reading was ruined for me for a bit because this was so fascinating and captivating.
Apr 05, 2017_Mirelda_ rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
An unforgettable novel! Powerful and dangerous women. The feminine aspect of God. Mysticism, destiny, history.
Mar 18, 2017darladoodles rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
An epic tale that is told through the eyes of four women who were seeking refuge at Masada. The book was fascinating read and well-researched. The journey of each woman shows their suffering as the Roman legions take over their homeland…
Sep 22, 2016missm113 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book is wonderful and moving. I am not a crier but this book touched me.
Jan 20, 2016JEM_LPL rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Most experts on ancient history remember the tragic siege of Masada, where hundreds of Jewish refugees committed suicide rather than surrender to the Roman army. The only survivors were two women and five children. A lot of the stories …
Aug 06, 2015gigglebird rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This is one of the most beautiful and moving novels I've read in some time.
Jul 10, 2015CrochetCat374 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
While this novel is long, I gobbled it up in two days because I just could not put it down. The story is quite heavy and dark from beginning to end, but Hoffman's prose is gorgeous and the connections between the four women were very…
Jun 19, 2015FW_librarian rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Writing style was tedious and repetitive; our book group agreed that we felt like we were trudging through of the all 500 pages despite the four strong women characters. We appreciated the historical significance and we all ended up doing…
Apr 06, 2015KellyReader rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I loved this book! The women were strong and interesting. Historical and accurate? No. But I loved it all the same. I knew it was a novel going in, so I was not upset by the magic and such. It enhanced the wonderful story to me.
funkeesocmonkey
Nov 20, 2014
This is probably one of the longest audiobooks I've ever listened to, but it was so GOOD! Hoffman fleshes her characters out beautifully, and you feel as though these people were/are real. Hoffman uses language in a way that I haven't…
Oct 02, 2014Gloriane rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Having read several books by Hoffman, I expected to love this from the first page. However, the historical setting is a big departure from her other titles, and it took me longer to get hooked. But once I did, I saw that The Dovekeepers…
Aug 17, 2014DorisWaggoner rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
The story itself fascinates me; I like historical fiction, and I know some about what happened at Masada. Clearly Hoffman had done her background research. Doing a story with four different 1st person segments is risky, because the reader…
Aug 02, 2014johncruse rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
A sad and tragic story retold with a lot of weird BS. Some of the characters could perform acts of magic. Really? No. They were not perfect but they were devout and dedicated to Adoni.
Jun 25, 2014
The tragic story of what actually happened at Masada over two thousand years ago is only part of the drama of this story. Hoffman draws the reader into the lives and relationships of four women, Yael, whose mother died in childbirth;…