Watership Down by Richard Adams -Book review

What is Watership Down by Richard Adams about?

When Fiver foresees the destruction of his home, he and his brother Hazel lead a small group of rabbits on a dangerous journey to find a safe place to live. Along the way the face predators, hostile warrens and impossible odds, relying on courage, intelligence and friendship to build a new home.

Discover our Review and Summary of Watership Down by Richard Adams

When Fiver senses something wrong in the warren, he and his brother Hazel, along with their friends, must leave. A group of rabbits set off on a long and perilous journey.

Fiver lives in a peaceful meadow with other rabbits. They call it the Warren. It is ruled by the Threarah, the leader of all the rabbits at Stanford Warren. Fiver is known for being able to foresee the future, so when he warns Hazel of a horrific danger ahead, they know they must act. Gathering all the rabbits willing to follow them, they begin their adventurous journey.

They soon find themselves in several difficult scrapes: becoming trapped among deceptive strangers who are concealing a horrifying truth and later encountering the fierce and oppressive rabbits of Efrafa. The group must rely on their wits—and on Fiver’s intelligence to lead them to safety.

Can Fiver and his friends achieve what they ultimately set out for: a new, safe home? A new warren?

My favourite character is El-ahrairah, King of the Rabbits. He’s a mythological figure mentioned throughout the rabbits’ stories—a legendary hero. I like El-ahrairah because of his wits, cleverness and trickery. When everyone in the kingdom of animals was against him, he used his intelligence and cunning to get what he wanted.

My favourite part is when Fiver and his group meet some very strange rabbits from another warren. They soon uncover hidden secrets about them and slowly unravel their truth. I like this part because of how they used their wits and strengths to defeat the enemy.

Is Watership Down Worth Reading?

Overall, this book was great to read, and I really enjoyed it. I particularly thought the author’s style of describing landscapes and personalities captured me the most, depicting the similarities between rabbits and humans in lifestyle and relationships.

I rate this book 5/5 and recommend it to anyone seeking a great read filled with many adventures awaiting!

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Holes by Louis Sachar, a survival adventure book about friendship, mystery and resilience.

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll, a middle grade novel celebrating autism, kindness, courage and standing up for what’s right.