Friday, August 31, 2012

Watership Down

Finished Watership Down by Richard Adams. I listened to an audiobook recording of the novel, read by Ralph Cosham. Cosham's voice and the voices he uses for the various characters is so engaging. It really added to my enjoyment of the book. Many people read this book in high school. It makes perfect sense as a book to read for logic class. The problem solving that the rabbits accomplish as they attempt to establish a new warren is an excellent example of how to think out-of-the-box.

The rabbits' adventure is epic. Hazel, the protagonist, is an admirable sympathetic hero. Bigwig, although initially a bully, grows in many ways and acts with extreme valor. Fiver, the rabbit who has premonitions, is a wonderfully mystical character. My favorite character is Kehaar, the seagull. His phraseology is hilarious. The story is laced with rabbit folklore, reminiscent of Kipling's Just So Stories and The Jungle Book. I adored this book.

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