First published in 1972
I love this book.
When I first read Watership Down (once
again, a result of the fantastic children’s library at my old uni), it rose
immediately to the top of my favourite books list and it has never really
shifted. When I read it again recently, for the purposes of this blog, I was as
hooked as when I read it the first time. None of the charm, the magic, was
lost. I skipped gym classes because I had to keep reading. I was as invested
and caught up in the story of Hazel and his rabbits as if I had never met them
before. In fact I’d say Watership Down
is one of the defining books that made me want to write my own stories for
kids.
The level of
invention here is inspiring. I feel like this book matters. And not just
because of the supposed parallels between the world of Watership Down and what
it might be saying about contemporary political and social states, especially
at the time of publication. For me, the allegorical nature of the book has
never been a deciding factor. All that stuff about tyranny and freedom, utopia
and dystopia, the individual and the corporate state – yes, I can see where it
might come from. But I don’t think Watership
Down has these at its heart.
For me, it was always
about the epic nature of the quest. I love a good journey story. I love all
those epic themes of exile and survival and heroism and the banding together of
all the character’s individual qualities to create something much larger than
just a story about a group of rabbits. Watership
Down has all this in droves. Every new scene, every new set-up, every new
complication, is as compelling as the last. Who will make it through this time?
Which rabbit will shine? What will be won, and lost? I think Watership
Down is far closer to Homer and Virgil than any political statement. This,
for me, is where the book draws its power – by tapping into old myths and
making the story about the heroes – who, in this case, just happen to be
rabbits.
And what a fantastic
bunch of rabbits. Out of the main bunch, we certainly get to know some more
than others, but Adams still gives each rabbit a distinct personality, a
quality, that enriches the story and the colony as a whole. I’ve always loved
Bigwig. Who doesn’t? He is, quite simply, awesome. He is tough and no-nonsense
and fierce, but also loyal and clever. He beats General Woundwort, mentally and
physically. He has great spirit – I love his line: “silflay hraka, u embleer rah”. I also have a soft spot for
Blackberry and Dandelion, and love that they get a chance to really shine in
the final plan to defeat Woundwort. And the gull character – Kehaar – he is
pretty awesome aswell.
And what I also love
is that Adams, while clearly making Woundwort the enemy, does not make him a
clear-cut evil character. Adams writes of him with admiration and dignity. He
gives him reasons for being the tyrant he is, he makes Woundwort brave and
clever and strong. At the end he is defeated, but there is the sense that he
hasn’t really lost. And what a great choice to turn him into a ‘bogeyman’
(bogeyrabbit?) character at the end, still capable of frightening and drawing-into-line
when need be.
I also love me some
antrhomorphised characters. I love when an author can take a distinctly
non-human character, and make them so familiar and so compelling. Adam’s
rabbits live in their natural environment and do very rabbity things, but Adams
gives all these rabbity things a very human reasoning. I love that they have
their own language, culture, and mythology. It is fascinating. The figure of
El-ahrairah (a sort of folk hero), looms large, and the inclusion of his many
feats and tricks (as told by Dandelion) serves the main story well.
I also love Watership Down because it is so
seamlessly plotted. The seeds of many events are planted chapters and chapters
before; a small detail can pack a lot of meaning and interest the first time it
is given, but then later on it will come to factor in such a large way and the
pay-off is so rewarding. And none of it is clunky. Just clever and brilliant.
And the love Adams had for the English countryside is also apparent, too.
Personally, I just
think Watership Down is near
perfection. The narrative is compelling on its own – both emotionally and
suspense-wise. But then you add in how consistent, comprehensible and enthralling
Adam’s world is, and the scope of it all is of the finest quality. Watership Down has my heart. You will
never meet a more awesome bunch of rabbits. An absolutely beautiful story.
Previous entries, my fav Children's Books:
1. The Raven, narrator of Marcus Sedgwick's The Raven Mysteries series. I read a couple of these after I had written What the Raven Saw, because I was interested to see another fictitious raven in action. I guess ravens are rather cranky by nature, because this one, too, is a ball of sly, sarcastic and outraged fun. Maybe they are cousins?
