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A review by sophiemaher
Watership Down by Richard Adams
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? No
4.75
i watched the animated movie years and years ago after dad told me and b it was for children… an hour of nightmare fuel later and i had solidified the thought that i didn’t like it.
now here i am after reading the book years later - while i can now say i LOVE it, i stand by the fact that it’s quite intense for a so-called children’s story??
what a book… an ensemble of great characters embarking on an epic journey, complete with extensive insight into their rabbit culture, behaviour, politics, belief systems, language & history… it’s weird to think that such things don’t really exist (or maybe they do???? i hope so)
the writing was a big part of what made this story so immersive and magical - the way the author writes so knowingly about the natural world and the inter-connectedness of living things is suspicious….. some things i believe only a rabbit would know!!! the descriptions of the varying idyllic landscapes are especially evocative in contrast to the short, brutal and fear-filled lives they are subjected to.
in spite of (or because of?) this unfair reality, they turn to spirituality and mythology to find a sense of purpose and solace, which although i’m not religious myself, i found to be one of the most compelling aspects of the book. although they don’t understand death, they trust that the next place will be more peaceful… though a little bit haunting at times, these passages left a bittersweet feeling… which is soooo perfectly encapsulated in the song bright eyes!!!!!!!!!!
i’m not giving it 5 stars only because at some points it slightly dragged - there was at times a lot of (maybe unecessary) explanations of bunnies going here. planning this. moving outside. moving inside to a different spot. all of which could possible be cut while still retaining the overarching plot lines… but whatever!!! maybe without this i’d have been less invested. who’s to say. me, probably, and i could say SO much more but ill wait until someone else has read it to talk about everything else. so do it!!!
now the time has come to rewatch the movie…
now here i am after reading the book years later - while i can now say i LOVE it, i stand by the fact that it’s quite intense for a so-called children’s story??
what a book… an ensemble of great characters embarking on an epic journey, complete with extensive insight into their rabbit culture, behaviour, politics, belief systems, language & history… it’s weird to think that such things don’t really exist (or maybe they do???? i hope so)
the writing was a big part of what made this story so immersive and magical - the way the author writes so knowingly about the natural world and the inter-connectedness of living things is suspicious….. some things i believe only a rabbit would know!!! the descriptions of the varying idyllic landscapes are especially evocative in contrast to the short, brutal and fear-filled lives they are subjected to.
in spite of (or because of?) this unfair reality, they turn to spirituality and mythology to find a sense of purpose and solace, which although i’m not religious myself, i found to be one of the most compelling aspects of the book. although they don’t understand death, they trust that the next place will be more peaceful… though a little bit haunting at times, these passages left a bittersweet feeling… which is soooo perfectly encapsulated in the song bright eyes!!!!!!!!!!
i’m not giving it 5 stars only because at some points it slightly dragged - there was at times a lot of (maybe unecessary) explanations of bunnies going here. planning this. moving outside. moving inside to a different spot. all of which could possible be cut while still retaining the overarching plot lines… but whatever!!! maybe without this i’d have been less invested. who’s to say. me, probably, and i could say SO much more but ill wait until someone else has read it to talk about everything else. so do it!!!
now the time has come to rewatch the movie…