Title: Watership Down
Author: Richard Adams
Publisher: Rex Collings LTD (original publisher); Avon
Publication Date: 1972; April 1975
Genre: Young Adult Fiction/Children’s Fiction/Fantasy
Series or Stand Alone: Stand Alone
Synopsis can be found here.
I purchased this audiobook for review.
Review:
Fiver, a small rabbit who suffers from visions, tells his brother Hazel that they must leave their family warren because danger is coming. So Fiver, Hazel, Big Wig and others leave their warren, the only home they’ve ever known, and branch out to find a new home. Along the way, they encounter enemies in the forms of other animals and their environment. But nothing could prepare them for the meeting of the General and his band of tough rabbits. Will this brave group of bunnies find the home they need? Or will nature get the best of them?
Loved.
I don’t know why I waited so long to read this book. My father in law gave me his copy years ago and told me that I would love it, but like many books it winds up in my To Read pile and takes forever for me to find it again. Besides it being a wonderful story, I think Dad gave it to me because we have two bunnies of our own.
Oh, here they are now!
Annabel and Carter
They liked this book too!
It’s more than a children’s story as Watership Down carefully weaves the beautiful tale of loyalty, friendship and bravery through the rabbits’ quest for survival.
The rabbits are characters to be admired, with all of the depth and warmth of real people. The story moves quickly, having this brave group encounter rivers, foxes and dogs. And the end is perfect. I may have been crying in the car, listening to the audiobook on the ride into work. It is a children’s story but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the adventures and challenges that the rabbits faced. The tale has themes of folk lore and religion, morals of stories sliding to the forefront during the tales of their rabbit folk hero El-ahrairah. I loved the chapters of the El-ahrairah stories that were interspersed between the main plot.
Audiobook is very well done. Read by Ralph Cosham, I downloaded it from Audible.com. His reading is slow and holds you close, like a father telling a good night story to his children. It captivated me every car ride.
Brave Big Wig, clever Hazel and sweet Fiver. All the rabbits had distinct voices and personalities. I loved their relationships to each other and how they worked together to achieve their goals. There’s a reason why this story is a long time favorite.
What are you waiting for?
Forget that it’s a children’s book.
Enjoy the beauty of the story and get lost with these rabbits as they search for what we all search for.
Home.
Rating 10 One of the Best
Kimberly majored in Songwriting and currently works full time in the music industry. When she's not listening to music, knitting or writing, you can find her outside reading her favorite genres: Young Adult, Adult Fiction, Mystery, and Romance.
I had no idea it was about rabbits until you told me. I totally thought it was like this crazy, intense war book or something. Now I really want to read it. Ilove bunnies!
Bunnies! I loved it. So did Annabel and Carter!
My SF&F book club read this before I joined it, and I have been meaning to read it. Your review has made me move it to the top of the list. 🙂
Thanks Pam! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
Awe this sounds cute and I love your bunnies. We have a lion-headed bunny named Ashes.
You have a lion head bunny? I love them! They are so cute!!! Your bunny should def. read this book! 🙂
What cute bunnies!
I’m glad to hear you liked it-I’ve been wanting to read this one since I saw the movie as a kid!
Have you read the Warriors series by Erin Hunter? They, like this book, are for kids, but the stories are wonderful. And they’re about cats, which I thought was cool 🙂