Scan barcode
ezulc's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
tense
slow-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
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Torture
agatelee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
What a great adventure. I'm in the "it's not that deep" camp as far as this book goes. The rabbits experience the horrors of habitat destruction, but the book doesn't really examine that as an ongoing theme. It's a crisis that they need to run from, and that is all, as far as I could tell. They also experience the crushing depression of living under an authoritarian regime, briefly, but again, it's mostly just an obstacle to escape from.
The thing I enjoyed the most were the rabbit folklore tales of El-arairah, and how they model his cleverness and trickery in their own endeavors. The thing I enjoyed least was how the female rabbits were characterized as passive, weak, and dispensable. It's a little slow in the first half, but the final section is epic. The final boss is an exciting villain to overcome, and the climax was delightfully chaotic. Because of its rabbit protagonists, the stakes feel much higher than in your average "save the world" story; it has down-to-earth consequences, which feel believable to me.
Overall, I found Watership Down to be an epic adventure with real and consequential dangers, and cool mythology. I recommend it.
The thing I enjoyed the most were the rabbit folklore tales of El-arairah, and how they model his cleverness and trickery in their own endeavors. The thing I enjoyed least was how the female rabbits were characterized as passive, weak, and dispensable. It's a little slow in the first half, but the final section is epic. The final boss is an exciting villain to overcome, and the climax was delightfully chaotic. Because of its rabbit protagonists, the stakes feel much higher than in your average "save the world" story; it has down-to-earth consequences, which feel believable to me.
Overall, I found Watership Down to be an epic adventure with real and consequential dangers, and cool mythology. I recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Minor: Sexism
katie0528's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
A classic I never got around to as a kid. I've heard about how traumatizing it is, and perhaps 20 years ago it would be absolutely devestating to me. I was surpised at the length of the book, but it's quite the adventure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
koplomps's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Confinement, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Physical abuse, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Rape
bootrat's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
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? No
4.0
This was far less traumatising than my memory of the film was expecting it to be, which is good! I listened to the audiobook, so I struggled a little bit with the lapine words sometimes, but other than that this was a great book.
It was also interesting hearing the introduction by Richard Adams where he explained that this was just a story he made up to tell his kids and they convinced him to turn it into a book. And he then struggled to get it published, but that it was surprisingly popular which he never expected. I think all of that comes across in the book, it's a story he wrote for himself and his kids and he refused to make any changes to make it more marketable - that authenticity of his writing and connection to the story shines through.
It was also interesting hearing the introduction by Richard Adams where he explained that this was just a story he made up to tell his kids and they convinced him to turn it into a book. And he then struggled to get it published, but that it was surprisingly popular which he never expected. I think all of that comes across in the book, it's a story he wrote for himself and his kids and he refused to make any changes to make it more marketable - that authenticity of his writing and connection to the story shines through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, and Violence
praedatrix's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Violence
mccawlmemaybe's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death and Injury/Injury detail
lou_pooh's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I loved how descriptive the book was and how you get to know all the charecters in the story. New adventures challenging, dark but inspiring around each cornor. It also had great additions in there about there beliefs and story tellings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, and Blood
Minor: Racism and War
itshrewsbury's review against another edition
adventurous
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Animal death
theteaisaddictive's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Absolutely masterful start to finish. The rabbit-lore of El-Ahrairah and his many adventures was so wonderfully atmospheric, combined with the thought and care that went into the language and inferiority of the rabbits — to say nothing of the plot itself. An absolute classic that I can’t believe I never read before now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail