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Kim
Rating:
 
Review
This book has been on my Eventually Read list for years. I happened upon a copy that was featured at Bookpeople in Austin, Texas, which is a very cool independent bookstore, and worth the trip. But now back to the book. The story takes place outdoors somewhere and sometime in England, where wild rabbits run the show, have their own language (Lapine), play organized games (bob-stones) and fight with other rabbits over warrens and potential mates. There are many main characters, but not so many that this reader couldn't keep them all straight. Hazel is a very logical rabbit, his brother, Fiver "sees" the future, Bigwig is, well, big for his age, and Dandelion, Silver, Hawkbit, Speedwell and Blackberry all play crucial roles in the group, along with a mouse that Hazel befriends, and a white bird named Kehaar. I loved the stories that the rabbits told of a legendary and very clever hero named El-ahrairah, and the tale of the Black Rabbit of Inle' was better than the best campfire ghost story ever. I also liked the introduction by the author too, where he explains how this story became a book from a simple tale he spun for his daughters during a road trip. If you've not read this book, do. You'll look at rabbits in a totally different light.
Best Line:
speaking of the rabbits, "They, too, like the hillside jungle, were tumultuous with evening, but from the remote height turned to stillness, their fierceness tempered by the air that lay between." I don't recall ever being "tumultuous with evening", but I'd like to try it at least once.
Suzanne
Rating:
Review
I stayed up late several nights reading this rousing adventure story - who knew rabbits could inspire such page turning? Watership Down really took me by surprise. It's a tale of survival, as rabbits Hazel and Fiver break away from their warren and set off to establish a new one of their own. The rabbits who follow their lead are a diverse bunch of characters, and there's plenty of action, suspense, and danger. The whole saga takes place in the fields and forests, and the story can be read on multiple levels. For instance, a theme that's just as relevant with people is how some societies are connived or coerced into giving up their freedom for safety, and what sad, pale imitations of life those societies are. What stands out is the value of each rabbit for his own talents (Fiver's intuition, Hazel's leadership, Bigwig's strength, Blackberry's cleverness) and how the group is able to survive by making use of everyone's special qualities. They're quite courageous and inspiring! Trickery is highly valued among rabbits, too, and plays a big part in their mythology. The whole thing is marvelous. Just read it.
Best Line:
"Hah!" said Bigwig. "If I meet a stoat, it'd better look out, that's all." (pg. 256)
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