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The Dovekeepers: A Novel Audiobook
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Publisher Description
An ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of Rules of Magic. 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).
Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred Jews held out for months against armies of Romans on Masada, a mountain in the Judean desert. According to the ancient historian Josephus, two women and five children survived. Based on this tragic and iconic event, Hoffman’s novel is a spellbinding tale of four extraordinarily bold, resourceful, and sensuous women, each of whom has come to Masada by a different path. Yael’s mother died in childbirth, and her father, an expert assassin, never forgave her for that death. Revka, a village baker’s wife, watched the murder of her daughter by Roman soldiers; she brings to Masada her young grandsons, rendered mute by what they have witnessed. Aziza is a warrior’s daughter, raised as a boy, a fearless rider and expert marksman who finds passion with a fellow soldier. Shirah, born in Alexandria, is wise in the ways of ancient magic and medicine, a woman with uncanny insight and power.
The lives of these four complex and fiercely independent women intersect in the desperate days of the siege. All are dovekeepers, and all are also keeping secrets—about who they are, where they come from, who fathered them, and whom they love.
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"What a beautiful novel! And how wonderful to read an account of women and magic in a time when neither was fully accounted. That being said, I worry that this book will be lost in the world of "chic-lit" when it is so much more. It's terrifying and fantastic and horrible and wonderful."
— Hannah (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Beautiful, harrowing, a major contribution to twenty-first-century literature.”
— Toni Morrison -
“I am still reeling from The Dovekeepers--from the history Alice Hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. But most of all, this novel is one that will never be forgotten by a reader.”
— Jodi Picoult -
“In her remarkable new novel, Alice Hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, women’s solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic that's quietly present in our day-to-day living. Put The Dovekeepers at the pinnacle of Hoffman’s extraordinary body of work. I was blown away.”
— Wally Lamb -
“Hoffman’s fiction is always compelling, but the history within The Dovekeepers makes this novel haunting.”
— USA Today -
“Nothing [Hoffman’s] written would prepare you for the gravitas of her new book, an immersive historical novel about Masada during the Roman siege in the first century. The Dovekeepers is an enormously ambitious, multipart story, richly decorated with the details of life 2,000 years ago…Hoffman doesn’t ignore the larger-than-life leaders and their deadly clash, but her creative path into Masada is from the ground up: not through its generals and warriors, but through its mothers, daughters, and wives. The result is a high-minded feminist story of unassailable seriousness.”
— Washington Post -
“This powerful and gripping novel about survival and endurance will stay with you for a long time.”
— Library Journal
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
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A Washington Post bestseller
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An Amazon Best Book of the Month, October 2011
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Selected for the October 2011 Indie Next List
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An Amazon Top 100 Book of 2011
The Dovekeepers Listener Reviews
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" I didn't realize the true impact of the book until the end. So glad I read it. "
— Kim, 2/16/2014 -
" I was reluctant to pick up the book but once I did, I couldn't put it down. "
— Lori, 2/6/2014 -
" The novel follows and intertwines the stories of three women who come from various backgrounds to Masada and are there from 70 AD until the fortress falls to the Romans four years later. "
— Mar, 2/2/2014 -
" I enjoyed this book. Kind of reminds us just how lucky we are. So much suffering out there in this world. Life was really tough all those years ago. "
— Leandra, 1/23/2014 -
" Didn't even finish this book! "
— Elisa, 1/19/2014 -
" Perfect read for Jewish High Holidays. "
— Marika, 1/16/2014 -
" I would give this book a 4.5 stars if I could. I enjoyed the story and look forward to book club discussion. "
— Angela, 12/17/2013 -
" A little long and not always sure where the author was going with the story. Good ending. "
— Denise, 10/11/2013 -
" This was a great book. "
— Fmb926, 9/15/2013 -
" Similar to the Red Tent in that it tells a biblical story through the eyes of the women. It tells the story of Masada through the eyes of four women who were there. "
— Julie, 8/26/2013 -
" When I first read the inside of the front cover, I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. Turns out, I LOVED it! The story follows several women and is woven around some documented historical events. I found it to be fascinating. Definitely one at the top of my favorites list! "
— Karen, 8/11/2013 -
" This book made me fall into a trance, I was lost into the first character. The author had written the first part to make you feel as if you were the character. I did not, however find the other characters and chapters as fufilling. "
— Sask, 5/30/2013 -
" One of my favorite Alice Hoffman books. Beautiful and haunting. "
— Ann, 4/20/2013 -
" I really wanted to like this book. Having been to the locations in the book I was sure I'd love it. It was a chore for me to get half way through then I had to give up. I think its a great story but it was too drawn out to keep my attention. I may give it another try some day. "
— Misty, 2/12/2013 -
" I look forward to re-reading some day. I enjoyed every moment that I could get back to the story. "
— Corinne, 1/27/2013 -
" I didn't want to put this book down! I loved reading the different character perspectives but also they all flowed into one great story. HIstorical fiction at its best! "
— Judy, 12/19/2012 -
" Amazing book. A great history lesson. In the same vein as The Red Tent. "
— Sue, 8/19/2012 -
" Beautiful, gripping, and harrowing. I read this for book club - my first Alice Hoffman novel, and I'll be going back to read her earlier works. "
— Kristin, 6/13/2012 -
" Fantastic. The biblical prose takes a little getting used to, but after that, it's captivating. "
— Amanda, 4/21/2012 -
" This book was a slow starter for me. But by the end of the second chapter (Book 2) I was drawn into the story. The women are all strong if somewhat anti-social so I could relate. "
— Jennweil, 3/8/2012 -
" Way to slow for me. It did not meet my 25% rule. "
— Kristen, 1/3/2012 -
" Beautiful story. Very long and a little heavy on descriptions at some parts. "
— Emily, 1/3/2012 -
" Really enjoyed this historical novel. Brilliantly interwoven lives of 4 women. Would definitely recommend if you are up for something more serious. I knew nothing of ancient Masada but now I do thankfully. "
— Heidi, 11/1/2011 -
" Having just returned from Israel, where I visited Jerusalem, Masada, and quite a lot of the desert in between, reading this book was magical. I could easily picture the places and even the people. What a great tale - woven with history and story. I really enjoyed this book. "
— Val, 9/17/2011
About Alice Hoffman
Alice Hoffman is the author of more than thirty works of fiction, including the Practical Magic series and the Oprah’s Book Club selection Here on Earth, among others. Eight of her novels have made the New York Times bestsellers list.
About the Narrators
Aya Cash is an American actress, the daughter of poet and novelist Kim Addonizio and Buddhist teacher Eugene Cash, and the granddaughter of Wimbledon champion Pauline Betz Addie and sportswriter Bob Addie. An alumnus of the San Francisco School of the Arts as well as the University of Minnesota, she has appeared on television series such as Brotherhood, Mercy, and three Law & Order series. Most recently she has appeared in The Newsroom, and Martin Scorcese’s The Wolf of Wall Street.
Jessica Hecht is an American actress known for her numerous Broadway and television appearances. She graduated in 1987 from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts and has appeared in numerous television shows including ER, Seinfeld, Law & Order, Breaking Bad, and Bored to Death, as well as in films such as Sideways, Kicking and Screaming, and The Town. She is best known for her recurring role on Friends, as Susan, the life partner of Ross’ ex-wife, Carol.
Heather Lind is an actress who has appeared in Boardwalk Empire, Blue Bloods, The Last Day of August, and other films and television programs.
Tovah Feldshuh is an icon known for her starring roles as Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in Golda’s Balcony, the longest-running one-person show in Broadway history; Irena Gut in Irena’s Vow; the title role in Yentl; her performances in Broadway productions like Cyrano, Lend Me a Tenor, Pippin, and many others; and her television roles as Helena Slomova in the internationally acclaimed miniseries, Holocaust; as hypercritical mom Naomi in Rachel Bloom’s smash hit Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; and tough-as-nails head of Alexandria, Deanna Monroe on AMC’s The Walking Dead.