I dont like books that describe ancient times, because i can rarely relate to them. Two women and five children survived the massacre, according to firstcentury jewish historian josephus. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman fantastic fiction. A trip through her enormous body of work for adults and young people is a jarring ride, from the loveliness of illumination night. Ever since her beginners success, alice hoffman proceeded to write 24 novels, 3 books on short fiction stories, and 8 books for children and young adults. Her fiction has been published in more than 20 languages and more than 100 editions throughout the world. Based on this tragic event, alice hoffman weaves a spellbinding story about the lives of.
Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the dovekeepers. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman is set during the first jewishroman war which lasted from 66ad73ad. The first edition of the novel was published in october 4th 2011, and was written by alice hoffman. This novel is a testament to the human spirit and to love rising from the ashes of war. Ive never read alice hoffman before and with close to 600 pages, i feared i may not make it to the end. Below is a list of alice hoffmans books in order of when they were first released. The dovekeepers is alice hoffmans most ambitious and mesmerizing novel. 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. The story of the last zealot stronghold in judea is told from the point of view of four fictional women in the. In 70 ce, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on a mountain in the judean, desert, masada.
The dovekeepers is a 2011 historical novel by american writer alice hoffman. The dovekeepers is alice hoffman s most ambitious and mesmerizing novel. Hoffman has written a number of novels for young adults, including aquamarine, green angel, and green witch. The dovekeepers, by contrast, is set in judea in ad70, during the first jewishroman war. Continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Hoffman wrote the screenplay for independence day although not the famous one. Alice hoffman books, author biography, and reading level. At 500 pages, the dovekeepers is a relatively long novel, and the. 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 television film. She lives in boston, massachusetts with her husband. Hoffman wrote her first novel, property of, when she was 21 and a student at stanford. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against.
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 may be the most uneven writer in america. Hoffmans novel, here on earth, was an oprah book club. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on masada, a mountain in the judean desert. I must admit i had been skeptical before i started reading this book. 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. Buy a cheap copy of the dovekeepers book by alice hoffman.
Alice hoffmans latest book, nightbird, is for middlegrade readers and tells the story of 12yearold twig, whose family has lived under a witchs curse for 200 years. The story of life in this last stronghold in the war between the jews and the romans is told in the novel the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. Review in her remarkable new novel, alice hoffman holds a mirror to our ancient past as she explores the contemporary themes of sexual desire, womens solidarity in the face of strife, and the magic thats quietly present in our daytoday living. 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. Over five years in the writing, the dovekeepers is 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, or ice in their hearts, greenfingered ghosts. 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.
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. I am still reeling from the dovekeepers from the history alice hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. Named a favorite book of 2011 by npr, the seattle times and the st. My first alice hoffman book, but definately not my last. The novel is much too long and, for most of its 500 pages, its four. Book looks with cathy stetson the dove keepers by alice hoffman. October 6, 2020 preorder here purchase the 25th anniversary edition of practical magic here the world that we knew paperback preorder here.
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. Magic lessons alice hoffman the story of maria owens the prequel to practical magic release date. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of romans on masada, a mountain in. Hoffman grounds her expansive, intricately woven, and deepest new novel in biblical history, with a devotion and seriousness of purpose entertainment weekly. Her novels have received mention as notable books of the year by the ne. Many of her works fall into the genre of magic realism and contain elements of magic, irony, and nonstandard romances and relationships. 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.
They possess different histories, but are forced to confront a common enemy. Mar 31, 2015 the dovekeepers is based on alice hoffman s novel of the same name, which tells the story of female dovekeepers in israel circa 70 ce, as an impending invasion from the roman empire forces an. These dove keepers are not a happy alliance, cohesive in their womanly tasks. Never before has a book entranced me the way the dovekeepers by alice hoffman has. Although the story is about war and conquest, the novel focuses on the lives of four fascinating women and how they ended up at masada. The main characters of this historical, historical fiction story are aziza, yael. About the author alice hoffman wrote her first novel, property of, when she was 21. The dovekeepers is based on alice hoffmans novel of the same name, which tells the story of female dovekeepers in israel circa 70 ce, as an. Her first job was for the american publishing company doubleday, which later published 2 of her own works. Nearly two thousand years ago, nine hundred jews held out for months against armies of. The dovekeepers tells the story of nine hundred jews living on masada in the desert, under siege by the romans. 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. A letter from alice hoffman once in a lifetime a book may come to a writer as an unexpected gift.
It is the story of the dove keepers of masada before and during the time of the roman invasions. 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. Beautiful, harrowing, a major contribution to twenty first century literature. Be warned it is a bit gruesome in parts but it was a time of war and some of the descriptions are graphic. Toni morrison, nobel laureate in literature i am still reeling from the dovekeepersfrom the history alice hoffman illuminates, from the language she uses to bring these women to life. And so i did read alice hoffman and i liked alice hoffman. Oct 04, 2011 alice hoffmans the dovekeepers is a splendid entertainment, a harrowing, thrilling, feminist historical novel fueled to fever pitch by a rich imagination her mastery of historical detail is impressive, evoking the time and place, enriching her characters, creating a story that engages emotions as well as intellect. Aug 30, 2012 the dovekeepers is alice hoffmans masterpiece. Alice hoffmans the dovekeepers is a splendid entertainment, a harrowing, thrilling, feminist historical novel fueled to fever pitch by a rich imagination her mastery of historical detail is impressive, evoking the time and place, enriching her characters, creating a story that engages emotions as well as intellect.
Practical magic and aquamarine were both bestselling books and hollywood movies. This novel is a sprawling tale based on another event in history. In her world, rooted for the most part in the modernday. Dovekeepers is the first book ive read of alice hoffmans. Used books may not include companion materials, some shelf wear, may contain highlightingnotes, may not. Alice hoffmans judean rebels head for their desert fortress. Alice hoffmans going a different way the boston globe. The novel is alice hoffmans latest book, the dovekeepers, which. 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 thin. Rather than surrender to or be captured by roman forces the sicarii, a group of religious zealots who took refuge at masada in first century judea, chose to sacrifice themselves.
Oct 04, 2011 an ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic. The dovekeepers book by alice hoffman official publisher page. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman i must admit i had been skeptical before i started reading this book. The dovekeepers was the book selection for the month.
The dovekeepers ebook by alice hoffman rakuten kobo. It was our largest book to date at 500 pages but almost every member managed to finish it in time for our meeting. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book cover, description, publication history. A lice hoffman, the author of more than 20 novels, has established a reputation for stories that blend the mundane with the miraculous. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman book club discussion. This study guide consists of approximately 1 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the dovekeepers. Now, the name masada might ring a bell for some of you folks who. 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.
Perhaps this is a testament to hoffmans storytelling. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 504 pages and is available in hardcover format. In a career spanning three decades, alice hoffman has published more than two dozen novels for adults and teens, many of which are suffused with magic. Yael was born of a dead mother and father who knows how to become invisible.
This is a feminist tale, a story of strong, intelligent women wedded to destiny by love and sacrifice. Oct 04, 2011 alice hoffman may be the most uneven writer in america. According to the ancient historian josephus, two women and five children survived. It features the siege of masada by troops of the roman empire towards the end of the first jewishroman war. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman an ambitious and mesmerizing novel from the bestselling author of rules of magic. Perhaps this is a testament to hoffman s storytelling.
In fact, one evening my wife looked at the book while i was reading in bed and said. Alice hoffman books list of books by author alice hoffman. Many of her books have hit the big and small screens with memorable characters and dazzling scenes. Pdf the dovekeepers book by alice hoffman free download. I live in a retirement community so you wouldnt think a finding a book club.
Alice hoffmans dovekeepers builds on lives of jewish heroines. In 2007 little brown published the teen novel incantation, a story about hidden jews during the spanish inquisition, which publishers weekly chose as one of the best books of the year. 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. Yet because this book describes masada, which i have always been fascinated with. The dovekeepers by alice hoffman and a great selection of related books. 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. Over five years in the writing, the dovekeepers is alice hoffmans most ambitious. She has published a total of 14 books of fiction and 6 books for children. Jun 27, 20 continuing with a theme of reading historical fiction the book group read the dovekeepers by alice hoffman. Alice hoffman became a published novelist in 1977 with the novel property of. She has published a total of 28 works of fiction, including practical magic which was a major film starring nicole kidman and sandra bullock. 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.
454 475 1085 1367 1211 1323 1433 1498 262 1542 167 510 527 253 867 161 156 568 891 855 196 1418 1468 578 331 1120 664 1065 255 1379 243 183 1056 1393 874 1094 61