Like Animal Farm Mixed With LOTR

When Englishman Richard Adams created this 426-page novel in the early 70s, he may have been influenced by world events, such as the bitter reality of the Vietnam War and President Nixon shaking hands with the Russian president. Watership Down is seemingly set in the English countryside, told in third person omniscient as Adams relates the thrilling adventures of a band of determined, likable and humanized rabbits in a classic good versus evil tale that reveals man’s innate goodness as well as terrible inhumanity. Picture Orwell’s Animal Farm crossed with The Lord of the Rings if you can. The question remains: is it for children, adults or both?

The story begins by introducing the good characters whom we’ll follow throughout the novel. They live in a warren on a hillside that one of the rabbits, a visionary, sees in a dream covered in blood soon. Note that these are not your ordinary rabbits! This nervous rabbit has never lied to his brother and convinces him that they must leave to found a new warren. With only their friends and a couple of officers from their warren, they break out into the unknown with only their wits to guide them…or maybe not. The sometimes hysterical rabbit with visions seems to know where to go if the others would just listen!

You might take notice of the names of these rabbits. There are no Peter or Bugs. Instead you’ll find Hazel, Bigwig, Fiver (the weird one), Dandelion, Pipkin, Captain Holly, Hyzenthlay and Thethuthinnang (from Woundwort’s warren) and more. They show personality and are fairly interesting. They’re not very complicated characters and pretty much have one dimension to keep things simple, but even if I didn’t become emotionally involved with them, they were entertaining as little children who are becoming independent would be.

You really won’t be inundated with lots of exclamation marks as if it’s mostly dialogue for there’s a good bit of scene description, action and thoughts of the rabbits and Adams, but the passage makes it understood how spiritual their journey or mission has been. Some people will comment that there’s little difference between spirituality and fantasy and that may be so, but it should be called to your attention. Not every fantasy has noticeable spiritual elements. These good rabbits try to overcome an evil rabbit full of hate through a call to his compassion, then by wits and tricks and lots of faith. You won’t be surprised by the ending, but will have to read it for yourself if you’re interested.

Another thing to consider is that this tale may have talking rabbits, but they are pretty serious for the most part and there’s not much to laugh at here, unless you count the funny-talking animals or the unnatural things the rabbits do or their ignorance of highways and rivers and such. You will learn from Adams how real rabbits act and feel, which these good rabbits often demonstrate too, so any rabbit lover will enjoy that aspect, but remember that it could really frighten some young children if not lose their patience in the description and commentary by Adams.