'A book as monumental as its subject, magical, moving, quite beautifully written and probably Hoffman's best.

Hoffman's grasp of her subject compels respect' Helen Dunmore, The Times '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

The Dovekeepers is Alice Hoffman's masterpiece. Only two women and five children survived. All are dovekeepers, and all are keepers of secrets - about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love. ‘A major contribution to twenty-first-century literature’ Toni Morrison, Nobel Laureate and author of Beloved In the year 70 CE, nine hundred Jews held out for months against the Roman army in ancient Israel. Yael is the assassin's daughter, Revka's life has been torn apart by the Romans, Aziza has been raised as a warrior and Shirah is wise in the ways of ancient magic. Only two women and five children survived.īased on this tragic event, Alice Hoffman weaves a spellbinding story about the lives of four bold and remarkable women during desperate days of the siege of Masada, when supplies are dwindling and the Romans are drawing near. Based on this tragic event, Hoffman weaves a tale of four bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to Masada by a different path. According to an ancient historian, two women and five children survived. In the year 70 CE, nine hundred Jews held out for months against the Roman army in ancient Israel. In 70 CE, 900 Jews held out against armies of Romans on a mountain in Masada. 'A major contribution to twenty-first-century literature' Toni Morrison, Nobel Laureate and author of Beloved

Author of the dovekeepers