Reviews

The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

shksprsis's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

dlight's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.25

kaseyschleper's review against another edition

4.0

I loved the premise of this book. It was interesting to learn about the Siege of Masada, which is an event I hadn't heard about previously. I also love books following women around this time period (70 C.E.) just because of the way it makes me feel. It was beautifully written, and it felt poetic at parts. The one issue I had with the book is that since it follows the perspective of one character for so long, it felt disjointed when it switched to a new character. I loved Yael during her section, but for the remainder of the book I didn't really feel connected to her anymore. I never felt like I truly new Aziza -- her section didn't seem as real to me. During Revka's section, I felt very connected to her, and then never thought about her much again, it was like she disappeared into the background. So, I wish the characters mattered more all the time and that their stories were a bit more interwoven.

whosafraidofvirginiawoolf's review against another edition

Not vibing being patient to see if the writing gets better sorry! I'll give it another go some other time maybe 

jficele's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

lbb00ks's review against another edition

For now I'm putting this in the "read" pile though I'm not finished. I was listening to this on audiobook and though the prose is beautiful and I am very interested in the story of Masada I found I was not listening. It might have something to do with the way the book transferred to my iphone, skipping a chapter and losing its place. Perhaps I will try to reload it now that Overdrive seems to have its library act together.

mkean's review against another edition

5.0

Absolutely stunning.

The women were so strong, and their voices carried throughout each of their chapters, with Hoffman's style uniting them. I was continually moved by the poignant prose, and I wouldn't hesitate to read this book again, because the writing offers new gems each time. The plot is beautiful and moving; there were times when I felt like I were there, struggling next to Yael or Aziza. I absolutely reccommend this book, to anyone who is willing to give it a try.

jcpdiesel21's review against another edition

3.0

There is a lot to admire in Hoffman's epic tale of interwoven female-centric narratives set within Masada during its tragic, violent period. I like the way that Hoffman used a historical event as a story backdrop, one that I was previously unfamiliar with but was curious to learn more about. Each of the women's stories is compelling in a different way, although I preferred the ones centered on Yael and Revka the most. Hoffman sets the stage nicely and paints vivid pictures with words within each narrative and scene, but at times the description gets to be a bit too much, especially during the violent climax, and I found myself skimming paragraphs often. The book is very slow to take off, which led to it taking a lot longer than anticipated to finish. Ultimately, the events of the book are too depressing for this to be a completely enjoyable read, although I am glad that I stuck through it to the end.

mildsensation's review against another edition

Just couldn't connect with any of the characters. Also tough to read given the ongoing crisis in Gaza. Maybe I'll revisit at a later date. 

readermeetsbook's review against another edition

4.0

Like Bradley's feminist take on Camelot in Mists of Avalon, in Dovekeepers Hoffman provides a feminist lens on events surrounding the fall of Masada. Beautifully written!