The first edition of the novel was published in october 4th 2011, and was written by alice hoffman. The novel is alice hoffmans latest book, the dovekeepers, which attempts to retell the story of the jewish resistance during the roman siege. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the dovekeepers. I would be unlikely to buy another book by these authors. Almost too dense to bear, hoffmans 23rd novel is brimming with doom, based on the story of the mass suicide of jewish zealots at masada as. Its clear from the outset of the dovekeepers that we are firmly in alice hoffman territory. This novel is a sprawling tale based on another event in history. Where does the dovekeepers rank among all the audiobooks youve listened to so far. Alice hoffmans judean rebels head for their desert fortress.
This is a feminist tale, a story of strong, intelligent women wedded to destiny by love and sacrifice. Many of her works fall into the genre of magic realism and contain elements of magic, irony, and nonstandard romances and relationships. Alice hoffman may be the most uneven writer in america. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman is a retelling of the biblical story of masada. The dovekeepers, meticulously researched for five years, transports us to this ancient time and is filled with such rich detail, one can almost smell the cumindusted challah browning as it bakes. The dovekeepers is a 2011 historical novel by american writer alice hoffman. A remarkable tale of biblical history and four powerful women. A novel by alice hoffman and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Read the dovekeepers book online free from your iphone, ipad, android, pc, mobile. The dovekeepers audiobook by alice hoffman, heather lind. Told in four parts, the first comes from yael, daughter of yosef bar elhanan, a sicarii zealot assassin, rejected by her father because of her.
The dovekeepers was the book selection for the month. Her notable novels included practical magic 1995, the dovekeepers 2011, and the world that we knew 2019. The novel dramatizes the siege of masada 7374 ce by troops of the roman empire towards the end of the first jewishroman war 6673 ce. The dovekeepers is alice hoffmans most ambitious and mesmerizing novel. Ron charles ron charles writes about books for the washington post. The dovekeepers book by alice hoffman official publisher page.
It was our largest book to date at 500 pages but almost every member managed to finish it in time for our meeting. A trip through her enormous body of work for adults and young people is a. If you have read other alice hoffman novels that include mystical elementssuch as practical magic or fortunes daughterhow do they compare to the dovekeepers and its use of magic. Ive never read alice hoffman before and with close to 600 pages, i feared i may not make it to the end. Alice hoffman has 79 books on goodreads with 1299349 ratings. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. The main characters are a few of the women who take care of the doves that king harod left when masada was emptied of people. Free download or read online the dovekeepers pdf epub book. The dovekeepers is a twopart television adaptation based on the book of the same name by alice hoffman from executive producers roma downey and mark burnett. An ambitious novel, dense with vivid description of daily life in ancient times, the dovekeepers combines archaeology and research with hoffmans own interest in the often untold lives of women and her passion for stories of magic and the natural world. The story is historical and based in fact so not hoffman s normal work. A trip through her enormous body of work for adults and young people is a jarring ride, from the loveliness of illumination night. All are dovekeepers, and all are keepers of secrets about who.
The dovekeepers by alice hoffman 2011, hardcover for. Jun 27, 20 continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. Yael was born of a dead mother and father who knows how to become invisible. A novel by alice hoffman for this weeks reading wednesday.
The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion questions and research published. A letter from alice hoffman once in a lifetime a book may come to a writer as an unexpected gift. Hoffman s fiction is always compelling, but the history within the dovekeepers makes this novel haunting. In 70 ce, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on. Oct 04, 2011 alice hoffman may be the most uneven writer in america. Herbs and potions, love charms and secrets, the complex intimacies between mothers and daughters. Stripped of its overworked plot and overwrought prose, the dovekeepers could have been a much better book. Before moving to washington, he edited the books section. Based on this tragic and iconic event, hoffmans novel is a spellbinding tale of four extraordinarily bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has. The dovekeepers is alice hoffman s most ambitious and mesmerizing novel.
It was a gift from my greatgreat grandmothers, the women of ancient israel who first spoke to me when i visited the mountain fortress of masada. Named a favorite book of 2011 by npr, the seattle times and the st. Alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the world that we knew, practical magic, the rules of magic, the oprahs book club selection here on earth,the red garden, the dovekeepers,the museum of extraordinary things, the marriage of. Alice hoffman, american novelist whose books about women in search of their identities mix realism and the supernatural. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are aziza, yael. Oct 23, 2011 the novel is alice hoffmans latest book, the dovekeepers, which attempts to retell the story of the jewish resistance during the roman siege of masada in the first century. But instead of the safe suburbs of new england, we have been. Hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. Many of her books ranging from childrens books to young adults fiction have received numerous literary accolades and have been turned into films. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman 2011, hardcover for sale. The story of the last zealot stronghold in judea is told from the point of view of four fictional women in the novel the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. Without a doubt, this is alice hoffman s finest work to date, catapulting it far and above her previous endeavors.
Perhaps this is a testament to hoffman s storytelling. Alice hoffman born march 16, 1952 is an american novelist and youngadult and childrens writer, best known for her 1995 novel practical magic, which was adapted for a 1998 film of the same name. Alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the world that we knew, the rules of magic, the marriage of opposites, practical magic, the red garden, the oprahs book club selection here on earth, the museum of extraordinary things, and the dovekeepers. Nov 18, 2016 one of the most prolific novelists in recent memory, alice hoffman is known for magical stories about love, marriage, betrayal, history, and friendship.
The dovekeepers alice hoffman, 2011 scribner 512 pp. Even though the tales outcome is well known, the storytelling is bound to satisfy any. It is quite a wonderfully drawn story and when i read it, in my minds eye, i was there. Buy a cheap copy of the dovekeepers book by alice hoffman. Get this book free when you sign up for a 30day trial. The novel is alice hoffman s latest book, the dovekeepers, which attempts to retell the story of the jewish resistance during the roman siege of masada in the first century. Signin to download and listen to this audiobook today. The dovekeepers book by alice hoffman official publisher. The novel focuses on the lives of four very different women who took refuge at masada. Oct, 2011 the dovekeepers ebook written by alice hoffman. The program premiered in the united states on march 31, 2015 on cbs. The dovekeepers an ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader. It is a masterpiece, but it is also of a piece, of a type.
The dovekeepers tells the story of nine hundred jews living on masada in the desert, under siege by the romans. Hoffman has such a way of sucking you into her tales. According to the ancient historian josephus, two women and five children survived. The lives of four sensuous, bold and remarkable women intersect in the year ad 70, in the desperate days of the siege of masada, when supplies are dwindling and the romans are drawing near. I love alice hoffman and this book doesnt disappoint. Apr 03, 2012 i love alice hoffman and this book doesnt disappoint. As an audiobook it was great would you be willing to try another book from alice hoffman and heather lind. Alice hoffman is the author of thirty works of fiction, including practical magic, the red garden, the dovekeepers and, most recently,the museum of extraordinary things. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on masada, a mountain in the judean desert. Alice hoffman s most popular book is the dovekeepers.
We see life in the mountain fortress through the eyes of. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman 2015, mp3 cd, unabridged. It features the siege of masada by troops of the roman empire towards the end of the first jewishroman war. The dovekeepers is a twopart television adaptation based on the book of the same name by alice hoffman from executive producers roma downey and mark.
Read the dovekeepers online free by alice hoffman qnovels. The dovekeepers is striking hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. Alice hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the world that we knew, practical magic, the rules of magic, the oprahs book club selection here on earth,the red garden, the dovekeepers,the museum of extraordinary things, the marriage of opposites, and faithful. Dont let that put you off as this is a really good story, there is still a sense of fate and magic that runs through it as hoffman tunes into her typical language of women and a deeper magic at work. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman overdrive rakuten.
Praise for the dovekeepers hoffman is a writer of great perception and she captures with precision the complexity of the relationships between the women, their fear and guilt, their courage, their hunger for consolation and companionship guardian fascinating. Oct 06, 2011 some might say that all that alice hoffman wrote prior to the dovekeepers was just a buildup to a masterful crescendo, and that this is her greatest masterpiece. Pdf the dovekeepers book by alice hoffman free download. Written by alice hoffman, audiobook narrated by aya cash, tovah feldshuh, jessica hecht, heather lind. Alice hoffman is one of the mostloved writers of the century, with over 30 titles delighting readers of all ages across the globe. Continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. Alice hoffman is probably best known for marrying the magical with the real, reinventing the allegorical as she portrays girls with flamered hair. I am still reeling from the dovekeepers from the history alice hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 504 pages and is available in hardcover format. Many of her books have hit the big and small screens with memorable characters and dazzling scenes. To her credit, hoffman doesnt romanticize masadas defenders. Alice hoffman weaves fiction and fact in the dovekeepers, a thrilling, passionate saga of four women who come together to tend the doves in masada.
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