Set in the South of England, we enter a world where rabbits can talk and each warren of rabbits has their own culture. Other animals can also talk, with accents differentiating each species (mice, birds, cats).
Watership Down is an adventure story featuring Hazel and his friends and the natural world they inhabit. The rabbits face real dangers from men and the animals that hunt them and they're ultimately seeking a safe environment to live in peace and procreate.
I instantly warmed to Hazel, Fiver and his friends and in fact the rabbit names warmed the cockles of my heart in a way that I just can't describe. Rabbit names included: Buckthorn, Haystack, Strawberry and the infamous Bigwig, all with their own personalities.
Featuring snippets of rabbit mythology and occasionally including tales told by storyteller rabbits (rabbits love to listen to stories), Watership Down can be enjoyed by adult, YA and Middle Grade (MG) readers alike. Those seeking deeper meaning will enjoy the themes of leadership, sacrifice, freedom and peace that underly the various stages of the adventure story, making it a classic that I'm sure will endure for generations.
I loved Watership Down and will be recommending it widely.
My rating = *****
Carpe Librum!
P.S. I read the Kindle ebook and don't you just love the cover?
This has been on my TBR list for years! I really should read it.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of my all time favourite books & I love seeing it get the love it deserves :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Amy, hope you get to it real soon.
ReplyDeleteAnd Brona, now I'm on your side and will love seeing other readers fall in love with this book the way I have.
I read this as an older teen (and young mom) when this was first published and remember being stunned that it was called a children's book. Older children, perhaps.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that the story has held up well into this century. One of the best!
I agree Debbie, there are many mature themes, but I think it'd be a great book for a parent to read a child, able to explain things and answer questions as they go.
ReplyDeleteThanks
ReplyDeleteHope you liked it Thezadoo.
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