What an adventure it is, what a captivating tale! The Watership Down warren was indeed populated with the bravest and most resourceful rabbits. After leaving their home warren due to Fiver's "feeling" that something was amiss, several bucks, led by Hazel, set off on their own to find a new location. They managed to do just that, but then they realized a major problem - there were no does to mate with and no nearby warrens to seek help from. So, a contingent was sent out to find some willing to return with them. This led to all kinds of dangers, not only from the animals that prey on rabbits but also from other rabbits in less democratic societies who wanted to persuade them to join their own populations. Some of these rabbits were quite stupid and docile, while others were evil and controlling. And let's not forget the world of men who regarded rabbits as nuisances and used them for food and their pelts. There were some fierce battles, and even better, there were times when they resorted to trickery to outwit their opponents, all done in a rabbitty sort of way. There's even a rabbit language called Lapine and a glossary to assist with understanding those meanings. Bottom line, I relished every moment of the almost 500 pages.

There were two factors that contributed to my enjoyment. Firstly, I had just completed a Cormac McCarthy novel and needed to move in a different direction from his dark world vision, so I thought this might be perfect for that, and it truly was. Secondly, I heard about a magnificent new graphic novel of this and obtained it from my library, reading it in conjunction with the prose version. I had never done that before, but I wholeheartedly recommend it. The illustrations were perfect.

I also mistakenly believed that I had read this many years ago, but I got it confused with Plague Dogs by the same author. That was a great novel too, but it wasn't Watership Down.

Lastly, I wish all world leaders could possess the caliber of Hazel. What a wonderful world we would inhabit.

In 1976, as I embarked on reading this book, I initially perceived it as being at odds with my own rather dull self. Back then, I was far from being eco-friendly. However, after being shaped by the intensive Canadian education that emphasized the importance of doing my part environmentally, I now realize that I was simply being brutally selfish.

I had allied myself with the herd, content to maintain the status quo.

Understanding the reason why I put it aside makes me cringe. There I was, a clumsy and naive teenager, simply hoping for a charming Disneyland story.

What an idiot I was!

Real animals possess intelligent thinking and wise emotions, even when they are treated cruelly. Their wisdom reveals to them that humans are not intelligent but rather irrationally erratic.

Their acute sense of self-preservation leads them to this conclusion.

And the most straightforward and honest among them are exiled as rebels.

Just as I had been in 1969, albeit for all the wrong reasons. I had rebelled against the wrong rabbits, namely the leaders. Unbeknownst to me, guilt for my political nonconformity had been subconsciously instilled in my mind by them.

Now, I simply desire to be okay (that is, right) in a world that is also okay or right. This is surely an urban myth....

But I was a crazy psychiatric patient in the eyes of the right (rebel) rabbits, who knew better.

And now, the new politically right rabbits in relation to the wrong rabbits are considered right.

Because the herd mentality dictates that they are.

When humankind fell from grace, nature unfortunately fell with us.

This book is centered around rabbits. It is of great significance to bear this in mind and attempt to think from a rabbit's perspective while reading. There are no zombies lurking around, no high-speed chases that keep your heart pounding, and not an excessive amount of that 'hold-your-breath can't-put-it-down action'. If you have a penchant for a hyperactive, action-packed book, then this one will not be to your liking.

However, if you are able to slow yourself down, step out of the hustle and bustle of modern life and enter the private realm of rabbits, then this is the perfect book for you. You will get to know Hazel, Fiver, Bigwig, and many others. You will share in their adventures, listen to their captivating legends, and even learn their unique language. When dangers rear their ugly heads, as they inevitably will in this life lived in accordance with Mother Nature's sometimes harsh rules, don't let yourself become tharn (stupefied with fear). Remember, for a certain period of time, you are supposed to envision yourself as a rabbit, and rabbits are known for their fierce spirit of survival.

I particularly enjoyed the stories that rabbit Dandelion tells about their heroes, especially in Chapter 41 of my edition, which is titled The story of Rowsby Woof and the Fairy Wogdog. All the legends in this book serve to celebrate the character of the rabbits and remind our diverse group of bunnies that they too can live as their heroes did. All they need to do is have faith in themselves and in one another.

**Edit... 12/2016 R.I.P. Richard Adams**

Dare I say it? I think I may have found another favorite book. I absolutely loved this book and the character Hazel. He alone made me enjoy this book to the fullest. If I were to ever own a rabbit, without a doubt, I would name it Hazel.

And to think that this book has been around for so long, yet not one of my high school teachers ever mentioned it or requested us beady-eyed pupils to read it. Of course, back in the day, I would have much rather wanted to read about bunnies instead of Dickens and many others.

I created a Quiz which was accessible at: https://www.goodreads.com/quizzes/res... However, Goodreads made the decision to delete all quizzes.

Audible has released a new recording with the narration by Dr. Who, Peter C. Nevertheless, I personally find Ralph Cosham’s narration to be more straightforward and easier to follow.

For the love of lagomorphs — rabbits are not part of the rodent family — who lead their lives on the edge.

This story is both fantastical and yet strangely feels real, perhaps due to its basis in observed rabbit behaviors (with a few exceptions). Adams employs anthropomorphism and allegory, vivid imagery, pathos, suspense, and a hint of the spiritual. The characters are endearing and the plot progresses smoothly. Poor bunnies — the danger they face is very real.

Scary: Classified as juvenile fiction, the book might be too intense for younger children. It contains numerous bloody and graphic fight scenes, with fangs and claws. Crows try to peck at eyeballs. Dogs and cats attack. There is a fearsomely vicious rabbit buck. And there is death.

Reading Tools and Tips: To keep track of the many characters, I referred to a list on Wikipedia. The author alternately refers to rabbits by their birth name in rabbit language (Lapine) and also by their nickname. For instance, little Pipkin is also known by his Lapine name Hlao-Roo. Additionally, a glossary of Lapine words is provided at the bottom of this review, within a spoiler tag. (The definitions are from the back of the e-book.)

Key words: One Lapine word that appears overly frequently is "hraka" for "rabbit droppings" -- these bucks seem unable to make a move without first stopping to pass hraka (think about that). Another common word is "silflay" which means "graze on grass" -- emerging from the burrow at dawn and dusk, the times when all wild rabbits indeed graze, or silflay. When rabbits go "tharn" they freeze, paralyzed with fear. Also, the Lapine word for "catastrophic death or destruction" is "zorn" -- shouted several times in the story, especially after an attack by "elil" (enemies of all kinds).

Plot Summary: Set in Berkshire, England, in a real countryside location called Watership Down, the story begins at the Sandleford warren. Fiver, a prophetic and small young buck, warns of catastrophic destruction. His capable older brother Hazel takes the warning seriously and leads 11 bucks away. After traveling several miles, scared and exhausted, they join Cowslip's wonderful warren — until they discover the horrible truth. They venture out into the fields again, and finally, their long and dangerous journey — similar to The Odyssey — concludes at Watership Down. These lonely high hills provide the perfect place to dig a new warren. Now, only one problem remains: They have no does. No does means no babies and no future. So, off they go to find some does, only to discover a GREAT EVIL in the meadow where Woundwort rules with a terror comparable to that in A Wrinkle in Time, Brave New World, and 1984. With trepidation, Hazel's bucks fight to free some desperate does from Woundwort's warren (Efrafa), facing fearsome beasties and terrifying phenomena such as trains...

The story also includes legends of El-ahrairah, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, the first rabbit from the dawn of creation. These homeless rabbits draw strength, comfort, and inspiration from this folk hero, as the beloved buck is daring and clever, outwitting his countless enemies. The myths of El-hairah also involve the rabbit god, Frith (the sun), and the Black Rabbit (a grim reaper). Excerpt:

  “All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and whenever they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you, digger, listener, runner, prince with the swift warning. Be cunning and full of tricks and your people shall never be destroyed."

My response: I was quite captivated. The writing is beautiful and the story is gripping (aside from some minor pacing issues). I enjoyed the analogies and loved seeing the rabbits form a strong bond and develop in character. Since rabbits are by nature fearful prey animals, I could almost sense their desperation as they journeyed across open country in search of a safe warren. I could almost hear their hind feet thumping, warning of danger from the earth and sky. When they finally get a chance to relax, I too let out a sigh of relief. ツ I grew to love these rabbits. Rabbits roam freely on our land. I'm not an expert, but they do behave much as described here. I also enjoyed learning to speak Lapine. Adams created a clever language. Despite their cleverness, I felt that all the legends about El-ahrairah disrupted the plot. There are at least five legends, each one an entire chapter. However, the legends are used to inspire the rabbits to solve problems, and they are quite good.

But in my opinion, the best aspect of this book is the character development. It is very well done! Without Hazel, they might not have succeeded, but Hazel relied on his entire team, especially his wonderful and loving brother Fiver, who can see into the future and hear warnings of danger, supposedly directly from Lord Frith (the sun, their god). Together, Hazel and Fiver are unbeatable, winning the trust of every buck, until eventually Hazel is named Hazel-Rah (leader, prince, royal). Hazel is not perfect (thank goodness for that -- flawless heroes are boring), but he learns from his mistakes. His greatest strengths are his willingness to put himself in danger for his friends, his shrewd wit (for example, befriending non-rabbits), and his easy-going leadership style. Hazel's introduction:

"Although he was a yearling and still below full weight, he had not the harassed look of most "outskirters"... He looked as though he knew how to take care of himself. There was a shrewd, buoyant air about him as he sat up, looked around and rubbed both front paws over his nose. As soon as he was satisfied that all was well, he laid back his ears and set to work on the grass.

Hazel also counted on Bigwig, whose Lapine name is Thlayli, meaning "fur head" (notice the mohawk-like tuft between his ears). This big buck's character developed throughout the chapters. At first, he was too brash, but he becomes more of a team player, more reflective and kind, and in the end, utterly loveable and sacrificial. This early portrayal of Bigwig changes significantly over the course of the story:
  

Hazel felt at a loss. In front of him stood Bigwig, sodden wet, undaunted, single-minded — the very picture of decision. At his shoulder was Fiver, silent and twitching. He saw Blackberry watching him intently, waiting for his lead and disregarding Bigwig's. Then he looked at Pipkin, huddled into a fold of sand, more panic-stricken and helpless than any rabbit he had ever seen. At this moment, up in the wood, there broke out an excited yelping and a jay began to scold.


Hazel spoke through a kind of light-headed trance. "Well, you'd better get on, then," he said, "and anyone else who wants to. Personally, I'm going to wait until Fiver and Pipkin are fit to tackle it."


"You silly blockhead!" cried Bigwig. "We'll all be finished! We'll-"


"Don't stamp about," said Hazel, "You may be heard. What do you suggest, then?"


"Suggest? There's no suggesting to be done. Those who can swim, swim. The others will have to stay here and hope for the best. The dog may not come."


"I'm afraid that won't do for me. I got Pipkin into this and I'm going to get him out."


"Well, you didn't get Fiver into it, did you? He got you into it."


Hazel could not help noticing, with reluctant admiration, that although Bigwig had lost his temper, he was apparently in no hurry on his own account and seemed less frightened than any of them.

Other key rabbits: Blackberry, the clever buck; Pipkin, small, loving, and loyal; Dandelion, the fastest runner and a skilled storyteller; Silver, Holly, and Buckthorn, brave fighters and good trackers; Speedwell, Acorn, and Hawkbit, foot soldiers. There is also Strawberry, the adopted "honeycomb" construction engineer, and Blackavar, an adopted "Owsla" rabbit, trained for guard duty, battle tactics, and reconnaissance by General Woundwort. One character who didn't seem to fit the story as well is Bluebell, as he is always telling jokes. Eventually, some does join the warren. The does play a relatively small role, entering the story late.

Another key character is Kehaar, the sea gull with a Germanic accent who becomes friends with Big Wig and Hazel.

Also, there are enemy rabbits, including Catspaw, Woundwort, Vervain, etc.

Quibbles: The author slows the pace by digressing, filling the narrative with unnecessary monologues about flowers, trees, animals, rivers, etc., presumably showing his own love for nature (he worked as a civil servant for the Ministry of Agriculture). Here is an example, the longest paragraph in chapter 4, and yet it has no impact on advancing the plot or characterizing the characters (not a spoiler):
  

Fu Inl'e means "after moonrise." Rabbits, of course, have no idea of precise time or of punctuality. In this respect they are much the same as primitive people, who often take several days over assembling for some purpose and then several more to get started. Before such people can act together, a kind of telepathic feeling has to flow through them and ripen to the point when they all know that they are ready to begin. Anyone who has seen the martins and swallows in September, assembling on the telephone wires, twittering, making short flights singly and in groups over the open, stubbly fields, returning to form longer and even longer lines above the yellowing verges of the lanes-the hundreds of individual birds merging and blending, in a mounting excitement, into swarms, and these swarms coming loosely and untidily together to create a great, unorganized flock, thick at the center and ragged at the edges, which breaks and re-forms continually like clouds or waves-until that moment when the greater part (but not all) of them know that the time has come: they are off, and have begun once more that great southward flight which many will not survive; anyone seeing this has seen at work the current that flows (among creatures who think of themselves primarily as part of a group and only secondarily, if at all, as individuals) to fuse them together and impel them into action without conscious thought or will: has seen at work the angel which drove the First Crusade into Antioch and drives the lemmings into the sea.

Some reviewers complain that the protagonists are all bucks -- male figures. This is true. However, it didn't bother me as it is part of the plot — the need to find does to start a family. And The Fellowship of the Ring is also dominated by male characters.

Some reviewers complain that humans are always depicted as bad (with guns and cigarettes), but the little girl, Lucy, was kind, and so was the doctor. Also, the horseback rider never caused any harm. Given the small number of humans in this story, the ratio seems balanced.

What was strange was that the point of view changed, from the rabbits to Lucy, in that one chapter, Dea Ex Machina.

I listened to this action-packed and emotionally charged story on an app by Blackstone Audio. I also read the book. Additionally, I read the sequel, Tales from Watership Down. Here is that review

Glossary of Lapine Words (not a spoiler):

Crixa, the crixa — The center of Efrafa land, at the crossing point of two bridle paths.
Efrafa — The name of the warren founded by General Woundwort.
El-ahrairah — The rabbit folk hero. The name (Elil-hrair-rah) means "Enemies-Thousand-Prince" = the Prince with a — Thousand Enemies.
Elil — Enemies (of rabbits).
Embleer — Stinking, e.g. the smell of a fox.
Flay — Food, e.g. grass or other green fodder.
Flayrah — Unusually good food, e.g. lettuce.
Frith — The sun, personified as a god by rabbits. Frithrah! = the lord Sun-used as an exclamation.
Fu Inl'e — After moonrise.
Hlao — Any dimple or depression in the grass, such as that formed by a daisy plant or thistle, which can hold — moisture. The name of a rabbit.
Hlao-roo — "Little Hlao." An affectionate diminutive of the name of Hlao, one of the rabbits in the story.
Hlessi — A rabbit living above ground, without a regular hole or warren. A wandering rabbit, living in the open. — (Plural, hlessil.)
Homba — A fox. (Plural, hombil.)
Hrair — A great many; an uncountable number; any number over four. U Hrair = The Thousand (enemies).
Hrairoo — "Little Thousand." The name of Fiver in Lapine.
Hraka — Droppings, excreta.
Hrududu — A tractor, car or any motor vehicle. (Plural, hrududil.)
Hyzenthlay — Literally, «Shine-dew-fur» = Fur shining like dew. The name of a doe

There is an ongoing discussion on Goodreads about whether friends' opinions of books influence one's own when writing reviews. Before reading this book, I would have said not really, possibly because many of my friends have similar tastes in books. However, with Watership Down, my initial instinct was to criticize it. I wanted to mock it mercilessly! But among my friends, the question seemed to be, "Is it a great book or the best book ever?!" Now, this will not be a favorite for me, but it did make me stop and think about how to evaluate the book. How could my opinion be so different from that of many people whose opinions I respect? It should be noted that there were some friends who shared my less than positive view of the book, and their opinions I also respect (maybe even more now...;-)). But there was this nagging feeling that I missed something.

What I liked about it... I listened to the Audible version narrated by Ralph Cosham. I think he was perfect for this book. I also loved the ecological message. There was a contempt for the destructive nature of mankind that I could relate to. Also, the author, Richard Adams, seems like a kind old man. I think I would have liked to have known him. And his imagination! He made up a story on a long road trip for his two daughters. His main rule was that the rabbits did what rabbits do, with no superpowers. Honestly, the world-building here was excellent. With a simple premise and the constraint of keeping the rabbits as rabbits, Adams created an extremely rich and interesting world from essentially fields of grass. Pretty amazing!

The problem was... Firstly, I'm not the target audience. I'm not a kid, and I have no kids. I'm not even around kids. Children seem to like anthropomorphized rabbits and maybe a seagull. I just don't get it. Secondly, I'm a woman of a certain age living in Trumplandia. I'm jaded and cynical, and my rose-colored glasses are blurry, dark, and spotted. A little black cloud follows me everywhere. Thirdly, I just don't get along with books written in the 70s. I don't know what was up with that decade, but it seemed to affect the creativity of adults. There is an inefficacy in the writing. I blame the decade. Maybe the writers just weren't inspired or energized. Fourthly, this book is extremely sexist. He wrote it for his little girls, and they loved it! But no! It wasn't intentionally sexist; it was accidentally sexist, which is worse. At the time, he thought he was telling a great adventure, but it was so overtly sexist.

Summary: Something bad is going to happen to the warren! Save yourselves! Bros before Does. We found a home! But there are no women to do the digging. Bros don't dig; that's Does' work! Bros find Does in an authoritarian patriarchy (Efrafa). The Does of Efrafa are unhappy and don't make kittens. The answer? Rescue the Does from Efrafa so they can come dig holes and make kittens in their warren. Lots of strategy, intrigue, and war ensue, and the good sexists prevail over the bad sexists, mainly with the help of some brothers from other mothers (species - probably also sexist). Epilogue: Happy warren with lots of kittens! We've met 4 female rabbits, one of which died during the journey. And they lived happily ever after for at least 5 or 6 litters.

Conclusion: This book is a classic? I can't even... 3 Stars as a gift to my Goodreads friends who loved it. In my defense, I didn't hate it, but it is so not a female empowerment story! Danger: Little girls may come away from this tale thinking their role in life is to dig holes, eat grass, and make kittens. You have been warned...

If you were to create a Venn Diagram comparing the longest books I read as a pre-teen and the books I reread the most, this particular one would be right in the center. I've read it at least five times, which is quite a lot for me. Additionally, I've listened to the audiobook more than once during family road trips.

On the surface, the story may seem rather silly. It's about a group of rabbits that move from one field to another. However, it's actually quite thrilling. A soothsaying crazy rabbit has visions of a rabbit den filled with blood and strange monsters (machines) attacking the land. A few believers follow him to establish a new warren. Along the way, they encounter and are tempted by several other tribes of bunnies, each with their own unique quirks. This includes the common trope of the false paradise, where everything seems to be "taken care of" for the rabbits by mysterious outside forces, which Justin Cronin seemingly borrowed in The Passage. Eventually, they decide to start anew.

Throughout the book, there is a whole language and mythology for the rabbits, including a creation myth. When I was younger, I found this aspect a bit dull, but I appreciated it more when I reread the book a few years ago. It adds an additional layer of allegory and prevents the story from being just a cute kid's tale.

Yes, the book does work on an allegorical level, but it's really only worth analyzing as such if you're in middle school. The allegories are quite obvious and not very deep. For example, what political system or real-world figure is represented by the rabbit colony Efrafra and its tyrannical leader, General Woundwart? It's clearly Stalin, isn't it? Instead, it's better to enjoy the book as a great adventure with endearing characters and an interesting pseudo-mythology.

Unless, of course, you're a girl, because all the female rabbits are rather lame.

Facebook 30 Day Book Challenge Day 20: Book you've read the most number of times.

I started reading this book approximately 2 months ago. I managed to get through the first 10 pages or so, but I quickly lost interest and put it down. To be completely honest, it seemed far too juvenile for my taste. I mean, bunnies? Seriously?

About a week ago, I found myself in a situation where I had nothing else to read. I was staring pensively at my overly full bookshelf, contemplating reading Lord of the Rings for the 12th time, when I noticed Watership Down peeking out at me with its cute little bunny face. I thought, well, it's almost Easter, so why not give it another try? So I picked it up again with the intention of reading just a few more pages. To my great surprise, I was immediately hooked.

Now, these bunnies are not your typical cute Japanese anime bunnies. They are more like the Johnny Depp of bunnies. If you picture the Rabbit of Caerbannog from Monty Python, that would probably be a closer approximation than Thumper from Bambi.

Joking aside, I truly thought this book was excellent. I had not expected to like it, which is why I am so shocked that I ended up loving it. There was so much more depth to this story than I had ever anticipated.

The characters were all great, and I loved every single one of them. Bigwig was my absolute favorite. I don't understand how anyone could read this book and not fall in love with Bigwig, also known as Thlayli.

And, finally, I have to wonder how is this a children's book? I'm still trying to figure that out. Aside from the fact that the story is about a group of animals, there was really nothing that made me think "children's book".

If you are a fan of fantasy, you should definitely check this book out. I promise you won't be disappointed. It is written incredibly well – it's no wonder it's categorized as a classic!

5 stars, without a doubt.

We do not take moonlight for granted.

It is like snow, or like the dew on a July morning.

It does not reveal but changes what it covers.

And its low intensity---so much lower than that of daylight---makes us conscious that it is something added to the down, to give it, for only a little time, a singular and marvelous quality that we should admire while we can, for soon it will be gone again.

Watership Down follows the story of a group of rabbits who are in search of a new home after they escape the destruction of their warren.

Let's provide some background to my Watership Down reading experience. I've never seen the movie, never read the book before, so I had no idea what to expect.

Watership Down is also my friend Mindi's (Instagram handle: @gowsy33) all-time favourite book, which prompted me to finally read this greatly loved story.

I love dogs and sloths and cute little animal videos on Facebook, but I wouldn't say I was a HUGE animal lover, especially when it comes to animal characters in books.

Well, let me tell you… I was NOT expecting this. I developed an intense affection for these rabbits.

When I wasn't reading, I was thinking about them and worried.

My boyfriend knew all about my love for Bigwig and Hazel and the hardships the rabbits were facing!

This book has given me a newfound empathy for wild rabbits. They just want to survive and live a good life despite facing so much adversity.

Anyway, when I first started reading, I was bombarded with rabbit names and thought I'd never remember who was who.

But by the end, I could tell you that Bigwig was the brave and strong one, Hazel was the level-headed and intelligent leader, and Fiver was an adorable bunny I wanted to take home.

They all had unique traits and personalities that made them loveable.

The story and characters are truly incredible, and I was quickly absorbed into the plight of the warren.

However, a special mention must go to Adams' writing. Some paragraphs blew me away.

The descriptions of nature and flowers were fantastic, and my edition had beautiful illustrations that made the experience even more magical.

This book is a rollercoaster of emotions. I was terrified, anxious, tense, and cried tears of joy and sadness.

I went into this thinking it was just a story about rabbits, but it's so much more. It's about friendship, bravery, community, and making a life for yourself.

I'm completely floored, and I don't think I'd have picked up this book without bookstagram.

So thank you, bookstagram (and Mindi), for enriching my life with this wonderful story about the rabbits on Watership Down. It's been emotionally trying.

Oh man, this book really pulled a fast one on me!

One day, I got a really bad haircut, so I had to keep a low profile for a few weeks. I mean, seriously, "Supercuts" my butt! They're a bunch of liars!

I called two of my toughest, most no-nonsense thug friends, Zachary and Dustin, and asked them to bring me some of their books. And this one was among them.

I had just watched a show on A&E about WWII naval battles, and I was really excited to read "Watership Down" because I love sea stories. You know, all that "man overboard," "off the port bow," and "aye aye cap'n" stuff. So I pulled my hat down and started reading.

But this book completely tricked me! There were no torpedoes, no "anchors aweigh," no old sailors telling tales of sea serpents and sexy narwhals, no peg legs, no giant squid, nothing! Instead, it was about rabbits!

Surprisingly, though, it was really awesome! Bigwig is the man! Or should I say, the rabbit man. Before I even finished the book, I took down one of my Rick Springfield posters, flipped it over, and tried to draw Bigwig protecting the rest of the warren. It didn't turn out so well because I can't draw, but I still have a kind of fat dog standing in a hole hanging on my wall. And you know what? I don't care! I still give this book five stars! You should definitely read it.

This book really tricked me, but in a good way.

Love, Rico.

********************* SPOILER ALERT!!!******************

This book has no ships, sinking or otherwise.

********************************************************

\\n  \\"I announce with trembling pleasure the appearance of a great story.\\"\\n

In 1972, Richard Adams, an unknown British novelist, published his debut novel, Watership Down. Rejected 13 times by various publishers, it was finally accepted by Rex Collings, a one-man company. Collings, who believed in the book, helped give it its title. The initial print run was only 2000 copies, but it soon became a bestseller, loved by both children and adults. The story began as a bedtime story for Adams' two daughters and was expanded during car journeys. It was based on his real-life experiences in the British Army.

The rabbits in Watership Down are both like ordinary rabbits and human-like, with distinct personalities. They face many challenges on their journey to find a new home and establish a warren. The book has been praised for its big, tense, picaresque story and has been seen as a riff on The Odyssey, an allegory for human struggle, and more. It is a wonderful story that moves and inspires readers, making them experience and think about their humanity. I highly recommend it. 5 stars.

Don't miss the interview with Richard Adams, which made me like and appreciate the book even more. He is a wonderful and lovable man who shared his beautiful book with us. May he live a thousand years.

Of all the authors in the literary world, I never in a million years expected a book centered around bunnies to bring Tolkien to my mind. But let me tell you, it truly does have it all.

There's an epic scope that unfolds, with intense battles between good and evil. The English prose is beautifully crafted and classically stylised, making it a joy to read. There are maps to guide you through the rabbits' adventures, long and arduous journeys that they undertake, and it evokes ALL the feels. So many feels, in fact, that it's almost overwhelming. And let's not forget the conlangs! Yes, seriously, Adams made up a whole language for the rabbits, and I swear it's the best thing ever.

I found myself excitedly and unexpectedly slipping into Lapine while telling my wife about the latest part I had read. ("And then the rabbits went out to silflay and pass hraka...") She was understandably stupefied. The book is even interleaved with tales of a made-up rabbit mythology, complete with a rabbit creator god and a cast of legendary heroes.

The reason I decided to read this book was because I wanted to exorcise the demons brought about by watching its 1978 movie adaptation when I was ten years old. My parents had gone out on a date and, unsuspectingly, shoved the rented tape into the VCR player to keep my younger brother and me entertained until they returned. Like many, they were fooled by the baffling and misleading Universal content rating on the cover of this seemingly innocent movie about cartoon rabbits. If it's a cartoon, it has to be for kids, right? Wrong. The movie is the stuff of nightmares.

I have never rewatched it, and although I'm sure the creators had some sort of artistic vision they were happy to fulfill, I was in no position to appreciate it at the time. I was too busy soothing my sobbing younger brother with half-hearted promises that it would be okay, the bunnies would be fine, and things in movies always work out, while the on-screen action continued to get more and more bloody, sinewy, traumatising, and gory.

So I don't know if the movie was made to be more shockingly violent than the book, but reading it now as an adult was a completely different experience. I was prepared for the worst and instead had the time of my life. This is the first book I've read in a long time that gave me a genuine sense of adventure and excitement. Hazel, Bigwig, Blackberry, and Dandelion are all heroes to me now. I love and admire those brave and cunning little furballs.

And in between all the action and adventure, there are some of the most heart-felt descriptions of the natural world that you can imagine. They're so calming that you could easily put yourself to sleep reading them. It was actually rather soothing to escape from the chaos of work and parenting and spend a few moments each day reading about rabbits lolloping over fields and nibbling on patches of clover. I had a blast from beginning to end and I'm so happy that I picked up this book.