Watership Down is the compelling tale of a group of wild rabbits struggling to hold onto their place in the world–soon to be a BBC and Netflix animated miniseries starring James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, and Oscar and Grammy award-winning Sir Ben Kingsley. A phenomenal worldwide bestseller for more than forty years, Richard Adams’s Watership Down is a timeless classic and one of the most beloved … and one of the most beloved novels of all time. Set in England’s Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society.more
Watership Down
By richardadams
This was my go to book for book reports in Jr High. So many pages and such a great story. You follow a group of rabbits seeking a new home and get to look into a complete society with religious beliefs and morals. So much more than you would expect of a story like this. I’ve read it 8 times and seen the movies.
This was the first “adult” novel I remember reading when I was a kid. It is also the only novel I’ve ever read all the way through twice. I found it so immersive when I was young. Just a beautiful story.
I don’t care who you are, if you haven’t read Watership Down, you need to.
This book became a classic with a huge following in spite of having the unfortunate name “Watership Down,” which makes it sound like some sort of seafaring story about a ship with water wrecking in the ocean.
This book isn’t about water. It’s not about ships. And nothing goes down. It’s an amazing story about heroic rabbits searching for a new home. The characters are so well drawn you can’t help but fall in love with them. Rabbit culture permeates everything, making you feel almost like a rabbit yourself. Their lives are full of adventure, wonder, and yes even danger and death.
Read. This. Book.
A significant read from my childhood. It influenced me and my future reading.
One of my favorite books of all time
I loved this book.
Seems sort of obvious that the author of a bunny book would recommend Watership Down but before you watch the Netflix series, I strongly suggest reading this first. This was the first book I read about rabbits when I was younger and was convinced I’d name my first bunny Fiver after a rabbit in the book. Well, my first bunny’s name was Bandit but not because Fiver or any of the other characters are forgettable. There are some uncomfortable moments in this book and it’s not all sunshine and rainbows but it’s passionate and moving which says a lot for a book about rabbits!
I absolutely love this book. Everything about it is just fantastic. It’s beautiful, heart pounding, thrilling, exciting, and the climax is out of this world, and the ending makes you want to jump up and down. I love every character, which is a rare thing for me, and there are a lot to love. Nobody is shoved into the back, but each has their own important part.
An adventure story that gives us life lessons about true friendship
This book takes place in one of England’s Downs called Watership. It is a story about a group of rabbits to decide to leave their Warren due to some foreseen danger predicted by one of the rabbits. This rabbit has been known to be a bit of a seer, so his closest friends believe him and leave the Warren together. They set out to find a place to settle down. They meet several rabbits and other creatures along the way – some who become friends, and others who become enemies. A few rabbits don’t make it to their final home, but most do.
Once settled, they start to realize they will need does to form a complete Warren. (the band of rabbits that traveled were all male). They use the help of a new friend – a bird – to search out warrens near by for does. They then take their bravest rabbits to visit the warren to see if they can encourage some of their does to follow them to their new Warren.
The rabbits overcome impossible odds to settle a new Warren and begin a new life. The guidance of their leader, Hazel, makes it possible.
I enjoyed this book. It was a slow start, I have to admit. But as I got into it, I become more and more involved in the stories of the main characters, willing them to live through every battle, and every mission. When one of the main rabbits seemed to be doomed for good, I worried what would happen to the morale of the whole group. They had come so far together, and there were so few of them from the original Warren.
The book has a whole language thought up by the author, which after awhile I started thinking about in my every day life. He has a glossary of terms in the back of the book, which was nice for when you forgot what one of the “rabbit language” words meant.
This is a mature book – definitely suited more for middle school students, but children ages 13 and over would enjoy the story. I say give it a try. The battle scenes went on a little long in my opinion, but don’t let those get in the way of enjoying the overall story of this book
Brilliant creativity from a master. In a way I reminds of Gulliver’s Travels in its deeeply veiled comments about the human condition. No matter what genre you prefer, this is required reading If you ask me (no one did but I’m saying it anyway).
Brilliant book to read
Good read, one of my favorites.
It’s shocking to me how a book about rabbits could be crafted into a groundbreaking epic. Even more so than Lord of the Rings, this book demonstrates to me the excellent story-building that the great fantasy writers in the 20th century were able to accomplish.
Wonderful tale, a great yarn.
Want to get traumatized by a book? A good book, but one with parts that may actually turn your stomach? Watership Down for the win!
From page one, you enter the world seen from the eyes of the beloved characters in a world usually gone unnoticed. You feel their joy, fear, pain and their struggle to survive. I have read this book over 5 times and each time I have been swept away into their world and fall deeper in love with this book. After reading this book, your view of the wild rabbits around you will be forever changed!
“Watership Down” is my idea of the perfect book. I love the characters and have trouble naming a favorite (probably Fiver). You feel the urgency of the characters’ plight. The world building and mythology Adams created was complete and inspiring, even the odd atheistic rabbits.
And “Frith on a biscuit” is my favorite swear.