The Dovekeepers

Last night, I finished reading The Dovekeepers, by Alice Hoffman.  It tells the tale of the last Jewish stronghold during the Jewish Revolt against Rome in 73 A.D., from the perspective of four remarkable women.  Here's what I wrote on Goodreads:

I knew of the story of Masada, the last Jewish fortress to fall to the Romans in 73 A.D.  I had read the historian, Josephus, tell the tale of the Jewish Revolt.  But Alice Hoffman gives life to this story, in a truly beautiful way.  By telling it through the eyes of four women, those who were viewed as outsiders, Hoffman is able to capture the emotional tale of those who lived, literally, through hell without ever losing faith.  This is a captivating tale and I, as a historian and religious scholar, would recommend it to anyone with an interest in history, Rome, Judaism, or great historical fiction.

As much as I loved this book, I'm slightly annoyed that Hoffman wrote the story of Masada before I could!  The Jewish historian, Josephus, is filled with great material for historical fiction.