The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

This book was absolutely fantastic, and I look forward to rereading it. It gives a firsthand account of  Masada, a palace held by the Jews after the destruction of the Second Temple, which was laid siege to by Romans. The POV switches between 4 women, all dovekeepers, who come to Masada for a safe place to live and deal with their own personal issues, including surprise pregnancies, abandonment, sisterhood, and what it means to be a warrior. 

This is likely how Masada looked in 70 CE.

If I were a hashtag person, the top three which would describe this book are #femininity, #defense, and #stories. These 4 women are dealing with the events which most impacted their lives. Despite death, poverty,  losing their men to war, and the destruction of their most sacred place, these women redefine strength and sacrifice. 

The women likely dressed like this.

As I've probably said before, I love female empowerment stories. This doesn't mean I like men being put down or made fun of, but more I enjoy books which appreciate the hardships women endure, especially women from the past. Their secretive schemes in a male-dominated society include witchcraft, warfare, and Jewish worship in unique tones. The religious studies aspect of my brain was well-satisfied with the practices which were described in the book; Hoffman definitely did her research.

 

For example, this is a mikveh, a small pool women dipped into to purify themselves after committing a sin or menstruation. 

Their resourcefulness was inspiring, and so was their love for each other and their families. The POV switch wasn't confusing, and the book would make a wonderful miniseries. There was enough twists to keep me interested, and I fell in love with the characters. Hoffman's other books were also of this high caliber, and I appreciate that she's kept up the quality. 

Goodreads link