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Summary: A Rabbits Journey
Review: Watership Down is the story of a small band of rabbits traveling to find the perfect place to settle down and build a warren. A great danger had been predicted to come to their old warren by a young rabbit named Fiver. On their search for a new home, the rabbits encounter elil (other creatures that eat rabbits) and other warrens with horrible secrets. But when they finialy reach the perfect home, they realize that they have no does, and without does, the warren fails. So they decided to steal some does from a warren who had to many already. But that warrens cheif rabbit does not want to share. This story starts out in Sandleford Warren and progresses through Frith Copse, past Nuthanger farm, and ends in Watership Down. In many ways, the story seems real except for the fact that there are talking rabbits, and the Lapine (rabbit languge) is unique and fun to learn. There are about 3 main charicters, Hazel, the leader of the group, Fiver, a small rabbit who predicted the fall of Sandleford Warren, and Bigwig, a tough rabbit who helped a lot in the ultimate plan to get does. This book is wonderful and thrilling. It leads you through a world of danger where your only pretection is your own cleverness. It gives you a swirl of emotion, sometimes sad, sometimes exciting, sometimes extremley happy. You never know what will happen next. The charictors, plot and description all add up to a perfect book.
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Summary: Extraordinary
Review: This is my first review and I only have a short time me being in school and all. I thought that the author was able to really capture the hardships and life of a rabbit, even though this was quite fictional. I actually believed that I was there watching the rabbits. It had a good plot and story line and never let me down once. My name is Astal and the next chance I get i will have a better and longer review. Look for me on other books and I wil be around. Again this has been my favorite book of all time and will remain till I can find a better one.
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Summary: The Rabbits Rock the Literary World
Review: Richard Adams's incredible novel 'Watership Down' is not just about rabbits, as one first suspects. With its artful and satirical plot, painstakingly etched characters, and superb portrayal of a society, Adams has created a milestone of modern literature.
Our story begins in a warren of rabbits where two brothers- Hazel and Fiver- are living a comfortable life when they're not being bullied and bossed around by the Owsla, or rabbit military regime. When Fiver begins to have visions and apprehensive feelings, he convinces Hazel that something evil is about to descend on the warren. The Chief Rabbit, Threarah, listens patiently to Fiver's claims and then shrugs the two off, convinced that if something devastating were coming to the warren, he would already know about it. Left to their own devices, Fiver and Hazel decide to leave the warren in search of something better. They bring with them a brave band of rabbits who together struggle, learn, and above all survive. This is a truly great story about comradary, the pursuit of the truth, and the unbreakable hope and spirit that is in all living things- be they human beings fighting for their rights in a terrorized society, or rabbits fighting to survive.
Adams uses better techniques than just satire, however. He has a raw skill and talent to make the rabbit's problem hit a human chord that even the most primitive of people can understand. Adams also gives the rabbits an extensive history, religion, folktales, and fears. Several times throughout the novel, Adams has delightful digressions where he relates these folk stories through Dandelion, one of the rabbits to leave with Fiver and Hazel who tells stories to the new warren at Watership Down. The reader will have no trouble getting through the rich imagery, atmosphere, and hopeful appeal this novel wears so very well.
'Watership Down' deserves every word of praise it gets now and will continue to get for generations to come. This timeless treasure of American literature stands as a towering landmark to good story-telling, flawless talent, and a return to a style the reader will not have felt since childhood. But make no mistake; 'Watership Down' is NO children's book. Its intelligence, craft, and moveable feel with take its readers to an unforgettable place they will be sorry to leave as they turn the last page.
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Summary: Fantastic fiction--one of the best all time novels
Review: This is a marvelous, delightful, intelligent, suspenseful and utterly engaging story with a perspective unlike any other. This novel is written with extraordinary character development, remarkable emotional depth and page-turning excitement. Unlike some other imaginative fiction with non-human characters (Lord of the Rings comes to mind) that is best read while in high school, this novel works best for college-age students capable of appreciating the richness of the prose, and it works equally well for older adults (unlike perhaps LOTR). I read this book when I was 23. I'm now 49, and this book remains on my Top Five fiction list.
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Summary: Greatest Book Ever!!!!!!!!!!!! :^)
Review: The book Watership Down is a book about rabbits.
Now I now you are thinking great a book about muddy
burrowers. But it really is'nt, if you have read the
book Fire Bringher then you'll find that it has
copied Watership Down. Watereship Down is mostly
about a quite scrawny rabbit called fiver. He, just in Fire Bringher, Has seeing powers. He sees that builders are going to
develop the rabbit warren, so he and his brother, and
a few assorted rabbits willing to leave the warren. They pass thruogh many adventures in this great book.
If you like adventerous books about spiecies that can
hardly protect themesevles (such as hobbits in the Lord
of the rings.) This is a great book for you!!!!!!:)
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Summary: Fantastic
Review: I will keep my review short and sweet, as I have read the other reviews and they sum up the jist of what I've got to say. On the cover of the book it states, "Everyone who can read english should read it." I agree whole heartedly. The book was great. Richard Adams' ability to write from the perspective of a small woodland creature amazes me. I never thought i could be inspired by a character that was a rabbit, or other animal for that matter. This book was easy to read, funny, and when finished it leaves a warmness in your heart.
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Summary: Powerful
Review: After reading Watership Down, I think your perspective on the other creatures who share our planet will change: Never again will a rabbit be just a rabbit. A moving, heartwarming story of courage, a fight against oppression, and yearning for freedom. This is a story that never grows old, whether told about rabbits or man.
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Summary: Marvelous book for all ages
Review: I picked up this book from the "give away" pile at home to read on a horrendously long plane ride and I found it so engrossing that I couldn't put it down. It is incredible how the story makes the characters human enough to create sympathy and interest in the reader and yet they remain true to their species, so they do not seem "humanized". The characters are dynamic, learning from each other and from their circumstances, gaining maturity and wisdom. There is a good balance between developing the plot and description (necessary for the reader to understand the dynamics of rabbit communities and to appreciate how rabbits view the world). I found the rabbit mythology, their own form of religion which reminded me of the greek myths, fascinating. These "myths" were very naturally woven into the plot, stories that rabbits told each other to amuse, inspire, distract. I suppose the most unbelievable part of the book, is the fact that despite facing the most dire circumstances, none of the main characters die (only peripheral ones do). I was also disappointed that there were few, if any, memorable female characters (though the lack of females in the community drives the plot in the latter part of the book, so I suppose females are not entirely marginalized, but they are objectified). One might think a book about rabbits as just "fluff" (no pun intended), but this story explores so many important themes: vision, loyalty, courage, faith, being true to oneself, acceptence of others/cooperation, etc. I think the animal element would appeal to children, yet the content of the book would be equally interesting for an adult.
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Summary: a timeless adventure
Review: Quite possibly one of the most entertaining and insightful books I have ever read, concerning the various aspects of the world and the panorama of life that moves within it. This is a delightful and cherished tale that touches on different points of human society and civilization, and carries with it a depth that only a literary masterpiece can achieve.
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Summary: One of the best for all ages
Review: I'm just chiming in to back up some of the younger reviewers below. This is an excellent book, definitely one of my top ten. I was 46 when I first read the book, and it spoke eloquently to me. I think I'm going to start rereading it tonight...
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