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A review by gwendle_vs_literature
Watership Down by Richard Adams
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
sad
tense
medium-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
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read this book, but it’s at least 30. I originally read it in grade seven, and then because I had a copy at home that was at least third-hand and was in poor condition, and because I have always been obsessive about keeping my books pristine, Watership Down became the book I brought with me to camp (and I was in Guides Pathfinders and Rangers, so I was camping a lot). I read the whole thing an average of once per year, but usually spread out over all my camping trips.
Later, in my late twenties and early thirties, when for various mental and physical health reasons I found it difficult to read anything because I couldn’t stay focused, and found that I would have to read the same page or paragraph or sentence over and over again before I could retain enough to understand it (which caused me huge anxiety) this book became my lifeline; I had read it enough times that no matter where I was in the story I knew what was happening, so I could read and not have to notice that I’d lost focus. At one point I read it back to back to back, and I’ve never tired of it.
When I was younger I disliked the stories of El-ahrairah, but in university I developed an intense interest in fables, fairytales, and folktales, and now I appreciate the way that rabbits’ stories build and enrich their culture, and the world that Adams created.
Somehow my most recent reading was the first time that I noticed the connection between the first and final sentences of the book — and every time I read it I feel like it gives me something new.
Later, in my late twenties and early thirties, when for various mental and physical health reasons I found it difficult to read anything because I couldn’t stay focused, and found that I would have to read the same page or paragraph or sentence over and over again before I could retain enough to understand it (which caused me huge anxiety) this book became my lifeline; I had read it enough times that no matter where I was in the story I knew what was happening, so I could read and not have to notice that I’d lost focus. At one point I read it back to back to back, and I’ve never tired of it.
When I was younger I disliked the stories of El-ahrairah, but in university I developed an intense interest in fables, fairytales, and folktales, and now I appreciate the way that rabbits’ stories build and enrich their culture, and the world that Adams created.
Somehow my most recent reading was the first time that I noticed the connection between the first and final sentences of the book — and every time I read it I feel like it gives me something new.