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
The Aeneid with Rabbits. A terrific story whose allusions and themes speak to adults as well as children. The last hundred pages…now that’s how you end a book! I’ve read it many times in my life, and expect I will read it many more.
In the same basket as Animal Farm, but much more descriptive. Eye opening especially in this day and age.
I first read this book when I was about 22 years old. I was walking through a bookstore on main street Coral Cables, Florida. I bought the paperback version because I couldn’t afford the hardback version. At first I thought, “a book about talking rabbits?” Yes it is… but it’s so much more than that. You start to read and you do not want to put this book down. You want to know what’s going to happen next. No reading ahead. Stay focused and keep your mind on reading this book, page-by-page, because skipping ahead to find out what happens isn’t the way to read any book, especially one as fantastic as this. I kept my paperback copy for years, passing it on to my kids as they got old enough to understand and enjoy the book. Then it went on to grandkids before finally being so worn, tattered and tired, this book was retired to a revered place on the bookshelf. Read this book, you will never regret the time spent doing so.
Not really a children’s book. Perhaps for tween and early teen, but the concepts are quite adult. Younger children would find the book unsettling.
A very special book. Like another reader, I originally bought the paperback as funds were scarce with 3 small kids and only my husband working. 4 years ago my daughter gave me the hard bound copy and I treasure it. I also downloaded the audio book and enjoyed it as much as reading.
Although the rabbits are given human qualities for the most part it is believable and very easy to transfer the rabbit’s life to situations we live with as humans.
I have read this many times. I loved it. I think it speaks to many of our current day issues.
I really enjoyed this story, though it took me through rather unfamiliar territory as it was told from the point of view of rabbits. The political comparisons to the real world were insightful as it allowed for the mixed reality of various personalities within harsh systems and those fighting for freedom. It was a terrific launching pad for family discussions when we used it as a homeschool read-aloud. The characters have stayed with us through the years, and we can still refer to certain names and events in the story, and everyone in the family understands the deeper implications. A profound read.
Rabbits, you say? Fluffy quiet creatures, gentle friends of Disney Princesses who help spread Easter cheer, right?
NOT in this book!
Mr. Adams uses Rabbits to tell an often brutal story of survival. Memorable characters. Intense action. Great story telling.
I reread this decades after my initial reading. It first captivated me when I was a teen and I can see why. It’s beautifully written and compellingly told. The series is now available on Netflix, and I’ve watched the first episode. So far, it’s well done.
I really enjoyed reading this wonderful story. I have read that the author claimed that the story was intended just to be about rabbits and nothing more, yet the story is very much in many ways our story as well. The characters are well defined and unique individuals. This is a well told story about the struggle (i found) that all living creatures must endure in the search for something better. A classic story that in my opinion may not be for the youngest of children.
Love this book!
I avoided this book until I was in my 20s. I mean…all it had on the old paperback cover then was a picture of a rabbit. As a hip and happening lad (in my own mind, at least), I was too cool to read a book about, well, rabbits.
Remind me to tell you sometime about all the other things I’ve been wrong about in my life.
Let me simply say this about Mr. Adams’ masterpiece: it is a thrilling, gripping, edge-of-your-seat adventure about rabbits. Little fuzzy rabbits with individual personalities and quirks, strengths and weaknesses, faith and political systems. More than that, it’s a moving story of love, friendship, faith, honor, and courage.
It’s bloody brilliant. Since the first I time I read it, I’ve returned to the novel once every couple of years. I intend to study it (again…it’s about rabbits), but there are moments in the book that move me to tears EVERY DAMN TIME and I swear I’m going to figure out how he did it but I can’t. I become enthralled by the world he created and I just have to keep reading.
Give it a try. It’s well worth your time.
A wonderful story from the animals’ point of view. A classic children’s book.
My original copy of Watership Down dates back to when I was thirteen years old. Since then it has been reread so many times that the pages have all come loose and it’s held together with rubber bands, but I won’t replace it because I love the cover art on this edition, which is no longer in print. Watership Down is one of my top five favorite books in the world. It is about so much more than a colony of rabbits. It is a riveting, epic adventure about refugees and renegades and the fight for autonomy and freedom, and about heroic acts of bravery and of heartwarming love and friendship. Most of all it is about the primeval urge to survive, not only as individuals but as a species. If you haven’t read Watershed Down yet, do yourself a huge favor and make this your next read.
A story from a rabbit’s point of view. These characters are wild rabbits and have personality, but are limited– they are wild rabbits. They don’t have deep thoughts; they are concerned about the weather, the vegetation around them and having a safe place underground to sleep at night.
The story is oh so simple. A bunch of rabbits leave their warren to go live somewhere else. What makes this story so interesting is the characters. There are a handful of rabbits with very developed characters, and a double handful of less developed characters. It works well. As the rabbits travel, they have many unique experiences that culminate in a struggle to establish a new warren (burrows with young). As simple rabbits, each experience tests them – their understanding of what is occurring, how they adapt and handle each unusual situation.
What is ultimately charming about the book is that the rabbits are just rabbits. They are not magical, they are not furry humans — they are rabbits, that act like rabbits. You will find yourself getting anxious about some adventures and what will happen to some of the characters.
One of the best bits of the book is that is does not leave you hanging. It ends on a very satisfactory note. When you put it down, you’ll have a smile on your face, thinking, that’s how a book should end!
This classic may be based on rabbits, but don’t let there warm fuzzy exteriors fool you. The world and characters are so well built that you could easily identify with these intrepid adventurers and there desire to survive the hardships of the world. Sounds human, yes? That’s because it is but via the same token you’ve read something that honestly should be reread to be wholly appreciated for the richness it portrayed.
This a great book for children o read, teenagers will relate to the characters social interactions with the characters. An enjoyable read.
The book is special.
Watership Down by Richard Adams was a remarkable story full of cunning, adventure, and resourcefulness!
Hazel, The H, and his companions made for an enjoyable reading experience.
My favorite quotes from the story, provided such an accurate description of what can be expected from this imaginative tail.
“They had become warier, shrewder, a tenacious band who understood each other and worked together.”
“They had come closer together, relying on and valuing each other’s capacities.”
I feel richer for having read this story!
(Audio edition) Author, Richard Adams, says in the opening remarks that Watership Down is “a story about rabbits,” that he told to his daughters while traveling on vacation. Nothing more. Nothing less. However, anyone reading Watership Down will find the power of story within a story. The rabbits of Watership Down face many trials and struggles that rabbits in the wild face; weather, wild animals, sickness, hunger, and men. The stories they tell each other of El-ahrairah remind the rabbits of their heritage and create inspiration and unity in their community. The power of a good tale can help us conquer fears and take action when needed, and the rabbits certainly do that in this story. Although Mr. Adams claims Watership Down is not a religious allegory, there are spiritual elements in the story that reflect some biblical themes. Every year I try to read a classic that I have never read before, and I will say this is a classic well worth reading. Long after I finished the story I had Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, Dandelion, Pipkin, and Blackberry on my mind. If you prefer audio books, I recommend listening to the version of Watership Down by Ralph Cosham.