Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I'm afraid this review of Alice Hoffman's latest novel, "The Dovekeepers", is going to be unpopular with her fans. I understand because I'm also a fan of Hoffman's novels - usually. But I think that in "The Dovekeepers", readers are just going to be overwhelmed with too much of the things that we usually like about Hoffman's novels. I'll try to explain: "The Dovekeepers" is the story of the Roman defeat of the Jews at Masada ~70 C.E. told from the perspectives of four women who had sought refuge there in the stronghold built by King Herod. Each narrator's section of the story is quite long and detailed. Each contains much much much Hoffman-trademarked magic, omens, superstitions, potions, spells, witches, angels, demons,ghosts, amulets, symbols, beasts...you get the idea. I think if each of these stories had been shortened and had less of the "other-world"-ness it would have moved along better. But, maybe that's just me. Maybe readers who really get into the magical, spiritual, ethereal stuff will just ADORE this novel. For me it was too much of what should be "just enough"; an avalanche of what should have been a sprinkling. However, I'm still a Hoffman fan, and will certainly look forward to her next offering.