Celebrating my 52nd year in this world by sitting in my brother’s basement and re-traumatizing myself with the book that scarred an entire generation of grade-school children
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My grandmother read it to me when I'd sleep over as a kid. She had an illustrated calendar to go along with it. Still one of my favorite books to this day.
Can't count the number of times I've read this (been a while). So well written! Watched the animation once. The Rats of NIMH was a more traumatizing movie, imho.
Maybe explains why I started reading Stephen King at 14 (also a very long time ago) and couldn't get enough. Still can't. #ReadOn
I met Richard Adams numerous times and went to school with his niece. It was written were I grew up and I recognize all the places in the book. Must of read it 20 times at least. To this day, one of my very favourite books.
I think the CGI animated Netflix version might actually be LESS traumatizing than the original book. Mainly because we're adults now. I still love the Netflix version for the animation and the cast, but reading that book as a child was haunting.
Or healed rather than scarred some of us! Beautiful book, I read it aged 11, could not put it down, and felt a terrible emptiness on finishing it, I wanted to keep on reading it forever.
Adore this book ❤️ And despite the full on scaries, still love the animated film 😅 mainly for moments like when Kehaar told Hazel to PISS OFF 🤣 must be something I could say since it was in this kids film…
Happy birthday. Have a daisy reaching for the sun despite it being Nov (taken today) I saw that film and sobbed. Tried again at 15 thinking I was being babyish. Sobbed more. They played Bright Eyes at a dearly loved friend's funeral too. Sobbed most of all- it was repeated 10ish times due to delays
I read this as an adult knowing it is an adult book. I have no idea why parents let children read it. It's like The Neverending Story levels of trauma.
I once discussed the possibility of owning a Flemish Giant as a pet, to which my wife said we could not. When I asked why she said, and this quote has stuck with me ever since: “We can’t have rabbits of that size cause they will Watership Down all over the place.”
Slightly off topic, I still wince at the memory of buying & reading The Velveteen Rabbit to my sons - then at a foodie friend's house that night having to choke down, you've guessed it ...wabbit.
https://youtu.be/5PjOFTIZgKY
Link to my friend’s metal band
based on Watership Down:
Fall of Efrafa
#bookweek #booksky #watershipdown #distopianfiction
Such a great book! One of the first books that I can remember grieving finishing. (Things Fall Apart might have been read before this??) I missed the characters so much when the books ended. Like losing a friend or a long-time relationship.
I read this in the nineties for the first time on the recommendation of a friend. I couldn’t imagine being interested in a book about bunnies, but I’m glad I trusted my friend. Great story!
I think I was ten or so when I read that book. Absolutely loved it. Trauma is reading Bridge to Terabithia with absolutely no warning at around the same age
I literally learned to read struggling through this book. It was a bit scary for a little kid, what with the Fascist rabbits and all, but the end was triumphant! Reread it many times since 🥰
But that bloody cartoony movie, oof! Ruined it for so many
a very strong early childhood memory was being like seven years old and the animated version coming on TV and my mom making me leave the room before it even started, me protesting bc i couldn't understand how a cartoon bunny show could possibly be not kid friendly
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Apparently it WAS rated equivalently to G in the U.K. system, however, and only recently bumped up to PG after years of complaints.
when Hazel lies down at last.
A sharp poignancy.
Already scarred.
Yeah that was a mistake...
Maybe explains why I started reading Stephen King at 14 (also a very long time ago) and couldn't get enough. Still can't. #ReadOn
Trauma was real...
Perhaps this is why I'm not a self-absorbed narcissist attacking the marginalized in society.
stories impact every generation, and the individual results are as likely to be nihilism as they are empathy
https://youtu.be/lo-cp1270eQ?si=4hSeZ4QXKIoouaOa
Link to my friend’s metal band
based on Watership Down:
Fall of Efrafa
#bookweek #booksky #watershipdown #distopianfiction
The Girl in the Swing is my favourite of his. And no, it isn't about children playing in a playground with cute kittens.
The first print I ever bought from her.
I literally learned to read struggling through this book. It was a bit scary for a little kid, what with the Fascist rabbits and all, but the end was triumphant! Reread it many times since 🥰
But that bloody cartoony movie, oof! Ruined it for so many