From the Bookshelf of Catching up on Classics (and lots more!)…

Watership Down (Watership Down, #1)

Richard Adams

Start date: May 1, 2016

Finish date: May 31, 2016

Discussion: New School Classics- 1915-2005

Why we're reading this: May 2016 New School Group Read
[close] May 2016 New School Group Read

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New School Classics- 1915-2005

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What Members Thought

Jan 06, 2010 Teri-K rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, audio-recommended, great-to-re-read

One of those books I should have read ages ago, but never did. :) Truly wonderful. I will reread this often, I'm sure.

Upon Rereading -
This book was very popular when it came out, and for a long time afterwards. Somehow I never read it then, but a few years ago I tried the audiobook, and fell in love. Recently I spotted a copy at the library and decided to reread it. I hoped I'd still enjoy, and I did. In fact, I read this much more slowly than usual because I didn't want the story to end!

The wri ...more

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Jul 06, 2015 Kacie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: i-own-a-copy, audio-book

!!! Oh I loved this book. Wonderful story telling. Great characters. Exciting adventure. Would highly recommend.

I have heard of the title and I know many high-schoolers have read it, but I had no idea what "Watership Down" is (it's a location...the name of a "down" in the English countryside).

I also wondered if it was like Animal Farm. Or uh, Peter Rabbit?

Nah. The rabbits can communicate and have some of their own adorable lapine words and can sort of communicate with other creatures.

A review I !!! Oh I loved this book. Wonderful story telling. Great characters. Exciting adventure. Would highly recommend.

I have heard of the title and I know many high-schoolers have read it, but I had no idea what "Watership Down" is (it's a location...the name of a "down" in the English countryside).

I also wondered if it was like Animal Farm. Or uh, Peter Rabbit?

Nah. The rabbits can communicate and have some of their own adorable lapine words and can sort of communicate with other creatures.

A review I read upon completion suggests Watership Down is an allegory to many themes, and also has parallels with the Odyssey. I haven't read the Odyssey (yet) so I can't comment.

In the intro to the latest edition, the author states it isn't meant to have greater meaning -- it's just a story he made up for his daughters, who then urged him to write it down.

I plan to read this one again some day, hopefully to my children, or maybe read it all separately and then discuss later. Probably middle school-high school ages, or at least late elementary. I can't quite say. There is some violence at times (yes, bunnies can fight!) and I know my little ones would be scared at times.

Not sure how well an older child would be able to grasp it, but I think it's a story that works for adults and hopefully youngers on some level. (Oh and reminder to self, I read much of the book while holding a sick baby A.).

It took me a few chapters to get into it, and I almost gave it up about a quarter of the way in because I thought it was moving a bit slow and I wasn't sure where the story was going. Stay with it. I feel the last 3/4 are rewarding, and you may not even feel the way I did about the beginning.

I really enjoyed the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter. They were so fitting and just an extra treat. Also, I enjoyed the folktales told within. I understand there is a follow-up to Watership Down, Tales from Watership Down and I plan to read it.

Totally see why this is considered a modern classic.

Read it! ...more

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Oct 10, 2009 Theresa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, fantasy, classics, favorites

This is one of those books that sat on my shelf for years. When I finally decided to read it so that I didn't have to move it around any more, I immediately fell in love. I absolutely adored this book! The characters are in-depth and so well done, that they felt quite real. The story is captivating and complex. This is one book that I made sure to pass on to my teens and told them they MUST read it. ...more

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May 15, 2011 Barbara rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: children-s-books

Not at all what I expected. I expected a lot more suspense and death, maybe because I saw the movie when I was little and couldn't watch the whole thing because it was to scary and never since took the time to watch it. Still an enjoyable read with here and there some moral overtones but not so that it gets in the way. ...more

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