Welcome to Litsy!

Wonderful story & characters in a setting that the author knows intimately well, painting a picture of life through the seasons, seen through souls whose eyes move through the grasses of the down, and whose perceptions are formed from a physical place where only a human's foot passes. Although I took issue with what I saw as some character-based contrivances, they just didn't mute the novel's impact, especially in its epilogue. Recommended.

5 ⭐️s
(I spaced posting this before the end of the year… 🤦‍♀️)

New favorite book. Such an amazing read. It makes me feel the way I did after reading The Hobbit or LOTR. Small, deceptively helpless creatures go on the most metal
adventure ever.

Seriously, these rabbits are badasses. I adore them. It's hard to pick a favorite, but I think Bluebell stole the scene every time with his sense of humor.

I look forward to reading this to The Wyrmling.

"You look hungry," said Hazel to the cat. "Rats getting too clever, I suppose?"

The cat made no reply...[it] crouched almost flat on the ground, thrusting its head forward between its front paws...[then it] began to lash its tail. Its hindquarters lifted & wagged from side to side in mounting excitement.

"Can you run?" said Hazel. "I think not. Why, you pop-eyed, back-door saucer-scraper--"

The cat flung itself across the yard...

Some authors make you feel you're in expert hands. Richard Adams is one of them. The lives of rabbits, the rhythm of the downs. As I read, it's amazing how I've come to view these "boring" things: with wonder & danger, as they do. It is their world. The characters betray relatable qualities like courage, ego & recklessness - but above all, the compulsion to keep moving, keep living. This is a novel full of life, and I'm moving forward with it.

When we think of the downs, we think of the downs in daylight, as we think of a rabbit with its fur on...we take daylight for granted. But moonlight is another matter. It is inconstant...it serves no necessity...it transforms...and its low intensity...makes us conscious that it is something added to the down, to give it, for only a little time, a singular and marvelous quality that we should admire while we can, for soon it will be gone again.

❤️❤️❤️

#MidWinterSolace #Naturalitsy @Chrissyreadit @jenniferw88 @TheBookHippie #animalfiction

Reread this one for my family book club. I love these bunnies.

Last book of the year and it is a thing of beauty 🐇

I NEED this book. Watership Down is my favorite childhood book and I reread it every few years.

And another fill this week - look at all the movement in that river!

#ISpyBingo @Clwojick @TheAromaofBooks

1. Stuart Little
2. When I was in high school, my mom gave me a copy of the tagged book, just because.
3. Eating brunch at the Pump Room in Bath.
Thanks @Bklover for the tag! Cool picture @Eggs
#wondrouswednesday

Now I, too, have read this wonderful classic. This edition, which I got secondhand from someone, has a box it slots into, although even despite that the dust cover is terribly torn.

I became fully immersed and emotionally involved in this world and loved it.

Characters were brilliant: I loved how there were different characters in the group and how everyone found their place. I was afraid of starting this because I thought this would made me cry, and I was really concerned of everyone's wellbeing.

These rabbits had now and then really wise opinions to share with each other and had many dangers and adventures.

#SeriesLove23

No work today due to the rain, so I'm lazing in bed finishing up this huge project while listening to Watership Down. You won't hear any complaints about Monday from me today.

#LitsyCrafters #crossstitch #classics #rainydayreads

Totally adding "hrududu" to my vocabulary.

Wanna go for a cruise in my hrududu? ....Um?.. ABSOLUTELY. ?

#hrududu #hurdydurdy #watershipdown #rabbitlingo

Couldn‘t bring myself to pack this mug - so I‘ve taken it to work.

I work in a library, so it‘s fine…

(The rabbit is reading Watership Down - the angle makes it a bit hard to read)

(Fiver had just helped save his companion Bigwig from a deadly snare even after Bigwig's open hostility toward him. Fiver finally convinces the others to move on.)

Fiver sank down into the grass. Bigwig, still trailing his horrible, smooth peg, staggered up to him and touched his nose with his own.

"I'm still alive, Fiver," he said. "So are all of us. You've bitten through a bigger peg than this one I'm dragging. Tell us what to do."

New novel reading has commenced!

What will happen? Where will this journey take them? Will they make it to their new home? How will the journey test & change them all?

So begins the story of the 11 rabbits who left Sandleford Warren: Hazel, Fiver, Blackberry, Dandelion, Pipkin, Hawkbit, Bigwig, Buckthorn, Speedwell, Acorn & Silver.

As a reader I'm anxious along with them. But what would you do if you no longer had a home?

I‘ve never read this before, and I‘m glad I have now. There‘s some wonderful storytelling here, though it is long. I can see why it‘s a classic! The ending was sad but beautiful, and satisfying.

#bookspinbingo - got a bingo!
#marchmadness
#pop23 - book with a rabbit on the cover
#booked2023 - title starts with V or W

The animation is not the greatest, but it hits the mark on the feel you should get based on the book. You can watch the episodes on Netflix. 🐰🐇💛

Chipping away at this book. It is nothing short of amazing. Skillful storytelling, powerful moments, and subtle, deep messages that leave you thinking for days...and yes, it's a book about rabbits 😅🙃

#ya #fantasy

#2022Book94
I know this is a classic, but I would have been fine skipping it. I‘m sure it‘s an important allegory that should be taught to students everywhere, but if I had to drag myself through it, I can only imagine trying to force teenagers to read it.

Why did I never hear of this book when I was a kid? It's wonderful! #homeschoolbook #chapterbook #recommendbook

3 ✨I can see why this book is a suggested read on several platforms. I have also noted books inspired by it titles I have already read. We have a group of rabbits who follow the lead of Fiver who has a gift of prophecy. They leave their home because danger is foretold. They find other rabbits who are strange so they leave this home too. When they find their home in Watership down they realize that they need females if they hope to survive.

Changed mind wanted to read it. Library was very good she gave me access to kindle version winner !!!! Didn‘t want to give up on it just cuz of the font in paper back. Now can read it.

I had never read this and was not aware that is was a middle grade book. Learn something new everyday.
I liked this. It was well thought out and developed. I love the rabbits. The story is good. That Adams didn‘t make the rabbits do things that rabbits wouldn‘t do with the exception of speaking, is fantastic in an anthropomorphic story.
Worth the time. I see why it is a classic.

Good so far 30 pages in

Picked up from library yesterday. Remember it as child but didn‘t read it or remember it so going to give it a read. Was last borrowed august 2018 l will get it a new stamp !!!

I did it I finally managed to finish this and it was my March #BookSpin if that gives you an idea of how long I've been at it. It was good but took me too long to actually become invested in the characters and the world. I liked the non-human perspective it took but oof it was slow to start for me.
#BuriedAliveChallenge

Loved this story! It's much darker and more intense than I'd expected. Peter Capaldi's audiobook narration brought out the rabbits' personalities.

This is my #1972 entry for the #192025 challenge. @Librarybelle

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

A rare sighting of a feline reading buddy. Now that we have a dog that is very jealous of my attention I get less. Callie is brave enough to try and stake a claim. #CatsOfLitsy

Because I‘m having such a hard time connecting with this one but bailing is not an option I decided to set some mini goals for myself before each reading session. This is where I‘m starting from and where I‘m hoping to finish today.

I‘m starting to feel like my avoidance of my March BookSpin may be heading into @RaeLovesToRead #PicklesChallenge territory. I‘d bail but I‘m trying to 100% another challenge that requires this book. Rolo is also not impressed lol. #DogsOfLitsy

I‘ve consolidated my new and backlog titles for #BookSpin day to make one giant #AugustTBR. Six are very close to or over 500 pages long. (Thanks chunkster curse!) I‘m determined to make a dent this month. Just need to stop mood reading lol.

#BookReport
I didn't manage to finish anything this week but I made good progress on the two books I'm currently reading. I was kind of facing a wall when it came to the tagged but I think it may be getting more compelling.

#WeeklyForecast
My goal for this week is to finish at least on of the two books I'm reading and see if I can't start into something else.

Maybe it's me. Books this week have not been hitting right. I honestly skimmed the last 200 pages of this. Going to place this in the same category as The Hobbit and Golden Compass. I think if I had read this as a teen it might have made an impact & been beloved but reading it now I found the pacing all off and was frankly bored.

"However they are not romantic and it came naturally to Hazel and Holly to consider the Nuthanger does simply as breeding stock for the warren"

I hate to be "that feminist" but listening to the congressional hearing on abortion and then picking up this book where the female rabbits are only good for breeding is.... Yucky.
Wouldn't give this to any young girls.

1. Not often, but every now and then.
2. I first read this when I was around 14, and its stayed with me ever since.
Thank you @TheSpineView for the tag.
#Two4Tuesday
I'm late with this, so I'll tag everyone who hasn't played yet.

First time reading this. Suggested and bought at a library sale by my boyfriend. So far so good 🙌🏻

Starting a new book with my buddy Sierra at my side. Although I think she‘s more into kneading the blanket than keeping me company.
#CatsOfLitsy

Every time I read this book, I marvel at how intense this little story about rabbits is. The way the details unfold and the meaning becomes clear is something I savor. Such a treat to be reading this again with my son, especially as a break from move-prep chaos.

Happy #BookSpin Day to all who celebrate! Apparently my chunkster curse is back as the tagged is my BookSpin and Wizard‘s First Rule is my double. The rest are my tentative tbr for March. Not pictured is my book club pick The Actual Star from my kobo.

Just as you think the rabbits are safe and happy, a new danger arises that looks set to doom them, only they overcome it by working together and appreciating each other‘s strengths. As an armchair editor, I would‘ve suggested splitting the story in two, and made the whole Efrafra business a sequel (or, at least, a second volume – Watership Down 2: Back In The Warren). Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/watership-down-richard-adams/

Last time I‘ll tag Watership Down. I remembered very little but loved it then and love it now.

#WeeklyForecast

Hoping to finish my 3 current books and Cassandra at the Wedding this week plus Razorblade Tears on audio for the readathon for #Sharread. Also need to get caught up on my buddy reads. I changed my mind but didn‘t change my collage when choosing Razorblade from Sharon‘s TBR.

#BookReport

Finished both #Roll100 books:

The Wife Upstairs 2🌟 I think this was suppose to be a thriller but there was no tension or suspense.
Whereabouts 3.5🌟 Lovely writing about a single women‘s desire for connection, at least I think that was the point🤷🏻‍♀️

She Became the Sun 4 🌟 A young girl‘s desire to be great and her journey to that end. Another great #NYWD pick.

Murder on Astor Place 4.5🌟 Great start on a new to me series

Weekend plans. Top of the list is to finish WaterShip Down. Decided to hold off on Fresh Water for Flowers until I can immerse myself more fully in my reading. Too many distractions currently.