A review by vivelarevolution
The Dovekeepers by Alice Hoffman

Did not finish book. Stopped at 59%.
Yael's age is not stated. I assumed that she was a young adult for most of this book. Her brother Amram is a year older than her. Aziza is sixteen when she is introduced and begins a secret romantic and sexual relationship with him. This means that either Yael was a teenager when she had an affair at the beginning of the book, or that Yael's brother Amram is an adult in a relationship with a sixteen year old.

I don't feel comfortable continuing to read the book with this information in mind as I feel the author presented both relationships as consensual and between peers. That cannot possibly be the case. I don't understand the widespread inclination in historical fiction to portray pedophilic relationships as acceptable and understandable just because of the time period, and I don't condone it.

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