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Loading... Watership Down : a novel (original 1972; edition 1972)by Richard Adams
Work InformationWatership Down by Richard Adams (1972)
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This story about human struggle in an epic quest is disguised as a children’s book about rabbits. In his introduction, author Richard Adams says that this work began as a series of stories he spun for his daughters, but it is far deeper and more complicated than that. Nevertheless, it is certainly still a story for children, at least with some parental guidance. Adams imagines a rabbit language, which he calls lapine, although it is used sparingly, and there is a great emphasis on storytelling throughout. Memorable characters abound, from the visionary Fiver, the wise Hazel, the fearless Bigwig, to the violent General Woundwort, and these rabbits infused with human consciousness and some primal need for heroic stories full of acts of bravery, purpose, and honor. A delightful book, even better the second time around. This classic tale has something relatable for everyone. While yes the characters are rabbits, the overall tale is one that can easily be applied to people as far as a tale of survival and perseverance. The story shows the resilience and determination. Sensing danger a brave group dares to set out and build a new home. Just as many refugees, the rabbits have their struggles yet their legends and myths help guide them and by sticking together they succeed. There are lessons throughout this book that can teach us all something.
Watership Down offers little to build a literary cult upon. On the American-whimsy exchange, one Tolkien hobbit should still be worth a dozen talking rabbits. This bunny-rabbit novel not only steers mostly clear of the usual sticky, anthropomorphic pitfalls of your common garden-variety of bunny rabbit story: it is also quite marvelous for a while, and after it stops being marvelous, it settles down to be pretty good- a book you can live with from start to finish. It simply isn't possible. At this date, you cannot write a story about rabbits, 413 pages long, and hold a reader riveted. But Richard Adams has done exactly that in Watership Down (Rex Collings, £3.50). This is a great book, establishing a more than plausible and totally fascinating psychology and physiology for its rabbits, together with their own mythology and language. It sounds formidable, perhaps; yet what one's aware of, reading, is a story of the most exciting kind, remaining taut over all those pages. It's set in a precise part of Berkshire (map provided) – the hejira of a group of rabbits who accept a clairvoyant companion’s prophecy that their warren will be destroyed; their establishment of a new home and their search for mates – this leading to war with a warren ruled by the protectively totalitarian General Woundwort. A whole world is created, perfectly real in itself, yet constituting a deep incidental comment on human affairs. Belongs to SeriesWatership Down (1) Is contained inHas the adaptationInspiredHas as a student's study guideAwardsDistinctionsNotable Lists
Classic Literature.
Fantasy.
Young Adult Fiction.
HTML: Fiver could sense danger. Something terrible was going to happen to the warren; he felt sure of it. They had to leave immediately. So begins a long and perilous journey of survival for a small band of rabbits. As the rabbits skirt danger at every turn, we become acquainted with the band, its humorous characters and its compelling culture, complete with its own folk history and mythos. Fiver's vision finally leads them to Watership Down, an upland meadow. But here they face their most difficult challenges of all. A stirring epic of courage and survival against the odds, Watership Down has become a beloved classic for all ages. Both an exciting adventure story and an involving allegory about freedom, ethics, and human nature, it has delighted generations with its unique and charming world, winning many awards and being adapted to film, television, and theater. .No library descriptions found.
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)823.914Literature English English fiction Modern Period 1901-1999 1945-1999LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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I read the author's forward and particularly took liking to the fact that he said that "Watership Down was never intended to be some sort of allegory or parable. It is simply the story about rabbits made up and told in the car." The fact that Adams wrote this for the purpose of entertaining his children and not providing some big, hidden narrative just really makes me like this book even more.
Without a doubt I'll be buying my own copy of this and rereading it in the future.
(Also I just want to be honest and say I literally cried like three times while reading this. Yeah, I'm a woman in my twenties crying over fictional rabbits. It be like that sometimes. ¯_(ツ)_/¯ ) ( )