How do spells function in the novel? What is the relationship between Shirah’s Jewish beliefs and her use of magic? If you have read other Alice Hoffman novels that include mystical elements-such as Practical Magic or Fortune’s Daughter-how do they compare to The Dovekeepers and its use of magic? In what ways does Wynn come to bring the women together? Compare Yael’s relationship with Ben Simon to her relationship with Wynn. The figure of Wynn, “The Man from the North,” who comes to serve the women in the dovecote, is based upon archeological finds at Masada. What did animals mean to the people of this ancient Jewish society, and what specific symbolic forms do they take in the novel?
What does she mean by that? Are there other relationships in the novel that could be described in the same way?įrom Yael’s setting free the Romans’ lion, to Shirah’s childhood vision of a fish in the Nile, to the women’s care of the doves, animals are an important component in the book. Yael describes her relationship with Ben Simon as “a destroying sort of love” (p.
Which of these women did you find most appealing, and why? Were you surprised to find you had compassion for characters who were morally complex and often made choices that later caused guilt and sorrow? The novel is split into four principal parts, with each of the main characters-Yael, Revka, Aziza, and Shirah-narrating one section.
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