Richard Adams’ first published book was Watership Down, a tale of wild rabbits and a few tame ones, and a beautiful fantasy world set amidst the English countryside.
Adams began this story in the best way: by answering that old familiar plea, “Tell me a story!” Over time, the story grew and Adams added to it. The girls loved it so much, they wanted him to write it down. We owe a lot to his little daughters!
“Now, why would I read a book about a bunch of bunnies?” you might ask. “Isn’t this a kid’s book?”
Well, it can be.
But it’s also a book for adults.
Which is what makes a good book, I think: It can be enjoyed on many levels, by many people, young and old. And at the same time, it can be enjoyed as yes, a book about a bunch of bunnies.
A group of rabbits that leaves their warren, their home, for a new land. Fiver, a small rabbit, is a seer. He is the spiritual leader of the group. And Fiver sees that destruction is coming to their home. He and his brother Hazel eventually convince a small number of rabbits to leave the only home they have ever known, and travel with them to a new place that Fiver has seen in his visions.
Along the way, there are adventures, battles, struggles. While Hazel had been an unimportant rabbit in the old warren, now he is the leader of his new little group, with his brother Fiver advising him. Cunning, wit, and common sense lead the little group eventually to their new home, where they learn that Fiver had been right: their old home had been destroyed by humans. But in their new warren, with rabbits pulled together from several other places along with Hazel and Fiver’s group, they form a new family and a new life.
In the end, there is a sweetly sad scene in which Hazel dies, but the death scene is not described. The mystic rabbit that comes and takes dead rabbits to their afterlife, comes for Hazel, and he simply hops away with new strength and joy, down a new path that carries no pain, no illness.
It’s a sweet story, but don’t be fooled. There are some strong battle scenes. Who knew bunnies could kick and bite?! There is worry about enemies, both human and other rabbits. There are hardships.
But every story worth telling must have hardships to be overcome, and the journey that leads people – or rabbits – to succeed, to keep going, to survive.
And the scenery of the beautiful, tranquil English countryside, the description of woods, brings you along. I want to walk down one of those paths.
And that is good reading, when it makes us care, and want to walk alongside those new friends.
_ Roberta Jackson
