Reviews with content warning for Blood - Unten am Fluss - »Watership Down«: Roman | Ein ergreifendes Spiegelbild der Gesellschaft und die fesselnde Geschichte eines langen Weges in die Freiheit

Reviews tagging 'Blood'

Unten am Fluss - »Watership Down«: Roman | Ein ergreifendes Spiegelbild der Gesellschaft und die fesselnde Geschichte eines langen Weges in die Freiheit by Richard Adams

48 reviews

seascapesandstars's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous dark tense

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

korvid's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Content Warnings

_mimizuku's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I understand now why this book is regarded as a classic and why a book about rabbits is studied in classrooms. As someone who just finished a year of Greek lit, Roman lit, and Shakespearean lit courses (and as fan of Lord of the Rings), I see exactly where Adams draws his inspirations. Yes, it's about rabbits, but it's realistic and immersive, and has a bit of a military tone if you completely forget that they're rabbits. But Adams never does let you forget his characters are rabbits, as much as they are compared to humans. The journey from Sandalford to Watership Down is not unlike Aeneas' voyage from Troy to Italy, or Odysseus' journey, and just like Tolkien's rich descriptive imagery, Adams also gives picturesque descriptions of the environment (but in a much easier and condensed read).

Most of the rabbits who we follow have distinctive personalities and character traits that set them apart and it was so so easy to grow attached to them, but there arent so many that it becomes overwhelming. The background characters aren't constantly mentioned that you'd need a character description sheet like Warrior Cats.

And just like Warrior Cats there are some violent and some very sad gruesome parts. Like the genocide of the Sandalford warren. This part is recounted to us by Captain Holly who's turnaround is incredibly sympathetic. The line where he very sorrowfully acknowledges he is now a completely different rabbit from when we first met him made me feel so sad. Another sympathetic turnaround character was Strawberry. When he begs the main company to take him with them it really pulled at my heartstrings.

Fiver's speech after they rescue Bigwig stuck with me too. That was his MOMENT and i loved it. The respect he gains from all the others when they finally listen to him really makes you feel proud. It's so immersive and emotionally provoking that I feel like i made this journey with them. And Hazelrah! I love Hazel so much. I love a kind, supportive, harmonious, open-hearted main character.

The myths and folklore really make it feel like a real society. Like the stories of the trickster rabbit El-ahraira interspersed throughout the book. Sometimes id groan about it but halfway through when the story would be interrupted by one of the rabbits being restless, just like a kid id get impatient and be like "okay but what happens to El-ahraira next??"

And by the end of the book when Hazel is dying and sees a rabbit spirit and is like who are you? The spirit says oh you know me very well, i was inbetween giddiness and tears.
The El-ahrairah myths are like a meta plot device in hindsight, each one has a little lesson for the rabbits to be resourceful and tricky in order to survive, but by the end of the book you realize Hazel played the role of El-ahraira.

Normally my reviews are more constructive but I just wanted to rave about how much i loved this book. Some parts dragged (mainly the descriptive bits) but it doesnt take away from the 5 stars im giving this.

Content Warnings

snugglor's review against another edition

3.75

dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

I read this to exorcise the absolute terror the animated film inspired in me as a child, and really, the book is not as frightening as I remember the film being, although it is certainly violent and does not shy away from the brutality of nature, or human interaction with it.

However, there were things that, as an adult, really rubbed me up the wrong way. For example, the female rabbits are basically referred to as breeding stock and not developed as characters at all. The rabbits are repeatedly compared to "primitive people" in their simplistic society, in an example of a really gross colonial attitude that is pervasive throughout the novel.

For me, the highlights of the novel were Peter Capaldi's narration, and the rabbits' own mythology.

Content Warnings

finozbleck's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

It's still just as good as I remembered when I read this in high school. It's just as intense as I remember it being when I initially read this well over a decade ago. Definitely still fits into the classics category for me. I don't regret reading it when I did, both in high school and now more than a decade later as it's a fantastic book.

Content Warnings

apple_bloom's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

A worthy classic is an understatement. I personally loved this book and the contents. I find that it could be a great read for almost anyone, young and old. Whether you love animal fables, classics, or just a good compelling story, this book is a must.

Content Warnings

cursed10fold's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: N/A

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

I think aspects of the book are dated (both socially and in terms of rabbit science) but I think the inner lives of animals are an interesting topic to explore especially for a fantasy novel.

I appreciate that the author didn't anthropomorphize the animals too much in terms of their behaviors or make the rabbits too cuddly/Disney-esque as I find that sometimes people have a tendency to sanitize nature when nature can be fairly brutal and unforgiving (especially when you're a member of a species that's on a low tier of a food web).

I thought that the novel provided a really interesting thought experiment in what it must be like to live such a life and how bizarre/terrifying they must think humans are.

All that being said, I think I enjoyed the graphic novel adaptation more as it streamlined the story and cut some of the most dated lines. I mainly enjoyed the novel for the extra El-ahrairah stories.

Content Warnings

ellies_beez's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

If you’ve turned your nose up at Watership Down because you think it’s just another silly kids book about talking animals, you’re missing out.
This book starts with Fiver (who is a seer) and Hazel’s calm, idyllic summer evening being interrupted by Fiver’s vision of their Warren being destroyed. They manage to gather a small group of other rabbits and leave on an expedition to find a new place to settle. Throughout their journey and the trials faced building their new home, the rabbits learn more about themselves and the world around them.
The book doesn’t shy away from depictions of death or violence, but it is not gratuitous in nature. Adams took the time to research real life rabbit social structures and behavior, so the rabbits’ world is able to have fleshed out mythology, spirituality, language, and politics while still remaining somewhat grounded in reality.

Content Warnings