The Dovekeepers

I am just not up for this right now . . . no desire to read about violence against women & children + mass suicide.

I found the reviews of this book intriguing. It's interesting to read such a wide range of opinion. I enjoyed the book; in main part because I visited Masada a few years ago. Alice Hoffman did a masterful job recreating those ancient times. For future readers, I would highly recommend googling Masada and viewing the images of the place. Though I found the story a good read, I did get lost at times in all the detail. I wouldn't describe this book as a page turner; rather an engrossing trip through the eyes of four fascinating women.

''We came like doves across the desert. In a time when there was nothing but death, we were grateful for anything, and most grateful of all when we awoke to another day.'‘

Yael. A woman cursed by her father, a woman who stands tall against demons and mortals, and one of the finest characters you'll ever encounter.
Shirah. A healer. A witch. A woman who defies everyone and everything for the sake of her love.
Revka. The mother who nurtures and protects. The mother who avenges the unspeakable tragedy that has befallen her family.
Aziza. The lover. The warrior. The faithful sister.

Masada. The eternal symbol of defiance, strength, bravery and sacrifice. The land that reminds us that slavery cannot agree with a human's existence. That Death can be a fine companion...

One of the most moving, unique, extraordinary novels ever written. A hymn to all that makes us human.

''Let us make haste. Let us avoid the evils of mankind. We prefer death before these miseries. Let us go out of the world with our wives and children in freedom.
  ‘‘Let our story bear witness that we perished out of choice, a choice we made at the beginning, to choose death rather than slavery.''