Okay but that thumbnail has so much power I choked on my non existent drink

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

I really should bring out the lion costume more often

Okay but that edition of Narnia is GORGEOUS 🥲

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

The best thing about it ❤️

Aslan thirsting over Mr. Tumnus is the Fan-Fiction we should have more of. #TurkishDelights

Omg “get your fuckin hand away from me” 💀😂 Edmund’s face after 🤣🤣🤣 I can’t!!

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

He was shook!

"The whole "uncle usurps the throne and murders the nephew" ...I feel like this has been done before" Yes dear, that's Hamlet...

His Dark Materials series was Phillip Pullman’s response to Narnia and that bit about Susan not getting into heaven

@annchovey2089

7 ай бұрын

But w have hints that Susan does make it to heaven. Hi check out the “Into the Wardrobe” then look for thee we one about Susan.

I bought a gorgeous set of Chronicles of Narnia back when I visited Scotland and binge read the series. I literally threw the last book against a wall and screamed for a couple of minutes, just repeating wtf just happen like a mantra. I still have loving memories attached to the movies because Prince Caspian but the books are not amazing, especially that last book 🤣

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

This reaction is so justified!

@fralanasko2900

Жыл бұрын

The last book is totally fucked tbf..... especially Susan. Wtaf

@JeantheSecond

Жыл бұрын

I read them as a child and I loved all but the last. Even my tiny, underdeveloped brain was like are you kidding me?!

@SaudadeCB

8 ай бұрын

Is it because you hate Aslan and won't get to his country?

*Drops everything to watch one and a half hours of cozy perfection * 🦁🤩

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Eek hope you enjoy! 🥰

Ben Barnes is the most perfectly sculptured man.

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

He’s gotten better with age too!

I had so much nostalgia attached to it when I was a kid. Reread it as an adult and.... Well... I'm so glad it all went over my head as a kid!

this asslan cosplay has me DEAD! the only daddy we stan🕺🏻

@MelReads

Жыл бұрын

honestly couldn't have done it without you! cheers to leaving this on the bookshelves and never pulling it out again🍷

Take a swig of water every time Gavin says “Whimsical”. Your skin will clear up.

@redblaquegolden

Жыл бұрын

This is the best type of drinking game! Hell yeah.

@nel4154

Жыл бұрын

😂

Fair enough that you don't enjoy fantastical wars, but I just wanted to add, that just like LWW is an allegory to Christianity, it also has parallels to WW2, The White Queen occupying a country, making it always winter (symbolism!), and them having to defeat her (Hitler) and her evil creatures (nazis). It was published in the beginning of the 50s, so you can also consider it a way for the children of that time to cope with the trauma of WW2. A way for them to indirectly understand the horror.

@fralanasko2900

Жыл бұрын

I believe some of them are even called 'secret police'....

@rikkebay8548

Жыл бұрын

@@fralanasko2900 I forgot that! 😃 You are right, there is a 'secret police' and spies (the trees) and snitches!

Susan isn’t excluded because she’s vain, that’s just part of explaining she’s too “of the world.” She’s excluded because she’s lost her belief and memories of Narnia and is in denial that it ever existed. To give you the Christian phrasing, “she lost her childlike faith”.

@fralanasko2900

Жыл бұрын

I've always thought a book about Susan's life after her entire family dies would be really interesting.

As a POC gay christian fan who fell in love with the stories and had a gay awakening seeing Edmund in the movies, I can't really defend the problematic points of the stories because they were a product of his beliefs at the time, but CS Lewis kind of make a small effort to make his female characters a little stronger when he met his wife to be Joy Davidman. It's hard to explain the elements that makes them too christian without sounding brainwashed (like Aslan letting Peter kill the wolf without training or Eustace's undragoning), but they were interesting points and thought provoking to the faithful. But Susan's fate is never stated to be over but her redemption has to happen in the real world. Also like Susan, Lewis had a phase of unbelief until he met LOTR's author Tolkien and they became friends. Anyway, KZreadr Into the Wardrobe can explain it better :)

It wasn't the fear of aslan imo.... it was that she saw the reality of what would happen if she got the shallow thing she thought she wanted. She is already not wanting to make that wish to come true by the time aslan shows up in the page. I always saw it as more a comment on general morality and finding deeper meanings etc... VS pursuing shallow ends etc... she then goes and helps her friends instead of making a selfish choice.

I’ve been toying with wanting to read this series for a while - as a child/teen I definitely read some but not all of it but barely remember them. Also would you and Mel consider doing His Dark Materials together as well since that was written almost in response? I think that would be really interesting!

Amazing review, as always ❤❤❤ The only thing I would say is that though some of the criticism is valid for an adult audience while reading these books one needs to remember that they are aimed at kids. That's why the pacing is very fast and that is why some of the most obvious things are written out in detail (like the fact that time in Narnia is different). I read these to my cousin when she was about six, and much like Susan, she was unable to put two brain cells together until I read the dialogue about the whole time thing out loud. Children are just not the brightest creatures and their attention span is pretty much non-existent, which makes the book perfect for them but maybe not ideal for anyone older than fifteen

Its the "uhhh, ahhh, that's it. I am not going!" for me.... that got me so hard because as you said uhhhh.. I said the rest with you knowing exactly were your head was going with this. I love it.

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

That Grinch moment has unified us and as it should, it’s a powerful and iconic moment 😂

I absolutely love ur reading vlogs. The beginning took me out 😂😂😂😂😂

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Aslan? Aslayyy 💅🏼

Here to say i just started watching “only murders in the building” PURELY because of your excitement & love for it and I’m LOVING it as well!!

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

YYEEESSSS I’m so glad you gave it a chance and you’re enjoying it 🥰

@snayres_

Жыл бұрын

@@GavinReadsItAll INCREDIBLE!!

Growing up as a good Christian kid, I was obsessed with this series but also read them in the “wrong” order 😅 and only got to magicians nephew, LWW, prince caspian, and horse and his boy and then fell out of reading. As an adult I decided to re-read it/finish it. It doesn’t have the wonderful writing I remembered it having even though it seems like some of the themes are meant to appeal to adults who are having to read it to their kids. Also it’s clearly a product of it’s time. BUT I do think some things, like the comment about it being better to be a slave that be rejected, is to appeal to a kid who can relate to that in a team sport setting, not to make a statement on slavery. Dawn treader is actually my favorite because I felt all of the different places they go were described so much more vividly and they are all so distinct. I hated the movie. I wanted to see the giant sea and wall of lilies at the entrance to Aslan’s country and they didn’t do it. Also, would recommend looking up “holy trinity” if you want to understand why he seems like God AND Jesus. Prince Caspian got exiled to the bathroom reading basket. My copy is twice the size and twice as beat up because it sat in humidity for like 8 years. It looks like I love it the most but it’s actually my LEAST favorite. I hated it so much. Jadis in the Magicians nephew gave me nightmares as a kid and as an adult she’s still kinda scary but so over the top dramatic it’s hard to take her seriously. But I remember feeling smart spotting the parts about the magic tree and the lamppost and the professor as a kid too and it’s actually super obvious as an adult 😅. My favorite part of Last Battle is seeing everyone come back like rip van winkle but it felt very anticlimactic during the actual battle. I will say the whole idea of masquerading as aslan and brainwashing society to believe it is kinda terrifying. There are plenty of real world non religious applications of this.

@fralanasko2900

Жыл бұрын

Agree Dawn treader was also.my favorite and I think the comment about slavery was supposed to be a job more at how shit Eustace was that has rightfully not aged well VS any kind of comment on actual slavery.

@aerongrimm3162

Жыл бұрын

oh my god FINALLY someone who acknowledges how awful the dawn reader movie is lmao! I think I remember the BBC one being better? Which is saying a LOT 😂 The book is incredible and the movie is a CRIME LMAO

The extended cat on head sequence was my absolute favourite!

The best long-form content on this platform bar none. Bravo Gavin.

This edition looks gorgeous! I tried to read the full series years ago but only managed Magicians Nephew / Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian. I just couldn’t get on with the others

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

You made the right choice!

I’ve seen the first Narnia movie and I never realised you played a brilliant role in it. P.S. I had the biggest crush on William Mosely. He was so cute and alpha as Peter.

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

William was so cute!

Thank you for reading book series I never have any interest in but making the experience through your eyes so freaking enjoyable. I think they seem magical as children because you don't disect and analyze the hidden meanings. You read about a taking lion, it's a talking lion.

OH MY GOSH! 😂😂😂 I am DYING with you dressing up and doing the scenes! “Woof woof” 💀😂

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

🦁 lion or dog, the script didn’t say

Thank you Gavin for reaffirming my beliefs that I would not enjoy this series! After watching your vlog I cannot get over the fact that this is still celebrated as one of the best series created for children.

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

The first book I can understand, but after that? Really shouldn’t be considering children’s books!

I.AM.DYING. I LOVE GAVIN SO MUCH!!!!!

I popped in to see your [intro] cameo in the movie. 👑🦁 I will loop back to this video once I’ve read the books. ✌🏻

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Hope you enjoy them more than I did 😂

23:00 - All of the Chronicles of Naria suffer from the "it was good until Aslan showed up, then it became The Aslan show".

I've never read the books but have seen the movies and enjoyed them back when I watched them. I am curious to eventually, maybe, probably one day read the series. 😅 But I have to admit that edition is gorgeous 😍 I lost it with your asslan update 🤣 Also, your cats are adorable!

HAHAHAHA the self insert clip cracked me up so much!!

Gavin I just love your content, ive been binge watching your videos and am having such a good time, love on you

I am a new subscriber, and I am loving this channel. The edits are 💯. Don't get Me started on the content. I absolutely love it.

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much 😭

I laughed so much at your Nania Skit that I nearly wee'd 🤣🤣🤣 best interpretation of Aslan EVER!!!!

This is my favorite book series but I understand your viewpoints. Great video and commentary nonetheless!

The first Narnia movie played so much on TV that I still remember it and Tilda Swinton was so fierce. Liam Neeson and James McAvoy are ❤

Saw the title and ran to watch bc I’ve maintained for years that Aslan is just Jesus Christ’s fursona ETA: the movies also introduced me to Ben Barnes which kickstarted my long and complicated history with Leo men

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

You were so right about Aslan 😂

@andraste6746

Жыл бұрын

Jesus’ fursona. 😂

It is so interesting to see what Gavin thinks about this and what so many people in the comments seem to say - I read the entire series as a kid, and I will admit that Horse and His Boy, Silver Chair, and Last Battle I found a bit boring at the time, but Voyage, TLTW&TW, and especially The Magician's Nephew were massive favorites of mine as a child and early teen. I was actually quite enchanted and entranced by CS Lewis's works in general, The Great Divorce and his sci-fi series (especially Out of the Silent Planet) were some of my favorite novels ever. I enjoyed how he approached Christianity - but I haven't read anything since I was 14 or 15. I am very curious to re-read the books through adult eyes now. Sad though they mostly don't seem to be good books.

I love that you keep changing Clive’s middle name to different items of stationary 😂

You should really consider reading all of the Redwall books.

What a beautiful edition! I did enjoy The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe as a child but I never had any interest in the rest of the series and still haven’t read past the first book! 💕

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

You never need to read the rest now 😂

@MissGemmaAnn

Жыл бұрын

True! 😂

I hated these books as a child and as an adult and that's with me not even noticing the religious imagery for the most part 🤣🤣 I'm living for the rants and also your verison of Asslan which would make the films watchable for me 👀

your essay... perfection

I think I like the cozy and whimsical way more than the war part too.

I think the "heavy handiness" comes from the fact that the books were written for a younger audience (8-12 ish, from what I could see online) and written in 1950. And if you read C.S Lewis' non-fiction they are Christian books so they are going to feel heavy-handed, but I find them a lot more complex, whereas Narnia is a lot easier to follow. I also read them for the first time as an adult Christian :) And plan to reread them this December. I find it funny that you enjoyed The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe until Jesus showed up. 🤔(This comment only covers that first book FYI).

@geeky5185

Жыл бұрын

Wow, that sounds like a sad Anti-Christian sentiment.

This was bloody fantastic haha Cackling at the first Aslan skit. I really hated this series (except Wardrobe it was fine) but the final book enrages me, Susan was done really dirty in that one.

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

She really was, and so glad we are on the same page with this series

@bentheoverlord

Жыл бұрын

@@GavinReadsItAll oh one thing I’ll say, I’ve read two “childrens classics” that have aged well (and only two) Anne of Greengables and Little Women, although I will say Anne is much better

I feel like it’d be really nice to do a video recommending alternative books for each of these disappointing childhood classics. I’m sure you’ve read others that have similar elements without all the problematic propaganda

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

This is a great idea!

(as someone who adores the Narnia series and has done since they were seven) dear fucking CHRIST Gavin I did *not* expect fury content from you before 2023! 😉

Ass land 😂🦁😂 I've searched for that edition as well. I found it at a second-hand shop, and you would have thought it was a Superbowl win.

All I have to say is I'm mad I'm laughing this hard so early in the morning 😂😂 so good!

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Haha I'm not sorry 😂

All I remember is having THE biggest crush on Edmund lol

"it was the first time i saw ben barnes with my eyes and ... my god?" felt this deeply in my soul

Watching this before work to make my day better before it starts hahaha

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Ahh I hope you have an awesome day 💙

I remember reading the first couple books when I was young and enjoying them. Then I got to the third or forth book and was just bored. Also kind of funny as you started talking about The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Lion King came on the TV.

"Are you fuckin stupid?" Barely started this vlog and I nearly choked on my breakfast this morning. Fuckin 10/10

Your videos are the best vibes ☺

Five minutes in and I am dying. Ha to switch to the big screen.

Great video off to watch Mel🦁

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Yay enjoy!

The Last Battle was my least favorite as a child and now I understand why! My favorite was The Horse and His Boy, but wait hear me out!!! I was a horse girl and I remember reading that book laying on my horse's back and wishing he would start talking to me lol. Did not realize back then how problematic the book was, I just was thrilled about the talking horses. Thank you for ruining my childhood! :D

@fralanasko2900

Жыл бұрын

Haha same! I just loved talking animals and rags to riches stories.

This video had me screaming! 😂❤❤❤

The title 😅😂 the thumbnail 😂😂

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Credit to Mel for the title 😂

i wish that barnes and noble version was available to purchase again... its the prettiest edition ever..

Hi Gavin. I recently found your channel and have been enjoying the contents. Thank you for all the work that goes into your posts. I have just finished watching the Disney posts, books that inspired the movies. This was a great post and got me thinking. As you've done a Disney would you consider doing the same for studio gibhli (I think that's the correct spelling). I would love to have a post of either books inspired by the studio or novels that became/influenced the movies. I am a huge Spirited Away and KiKi fan. I understand that you plan these posts in advance but if you could consider a post like this I think it would be well received. Again, thanks for all the hard works. It is much appreciated 😉

Firstly: you're cats are adorable 😺 I read the series for Christmas (literally just last year) I had to leave the book unrated on Goodreads. Most of rating for the individual stories were under four stars, except 'The Last Battle' which I rage quit Dnfed at chapter 3. Throughout most of it, I repeatedly commented on how rude Aslan was.

Lol, I would love to see you ripping The Wingfeather saga after this, I love Narnia and listening to your opinion was refreshing, and I want to see more of you ripping different kinds of cristian fiction.

lol the beaver bit lol😂

I wish you could do goosebumps most wanted on October this year

The Aslan bit is impeccable!!! 😂

The LWW is a known allegory for the crucifixion and resurrection. Consider Susan and Lucy witnessing and standing vigil until Aslan is reborn. Mary and Mary Magdalene etc.

I read this a while ago when training to be a teacher, I decided this series would not feature in any classroom of mine!

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

A wise decision ❤

"Thats it, Im not going." 😂😂😂😂😭😭😭😭😭

Lol, maybe I should reread this? Maybe it doesn't deserve to be on my favourites list anymore! I remember I loved this when I was like 11 but I think it was mostly for the talking animals. That's all a book needed to get my tick of approval back then. But I do remember not liking the series as much as it went on. 🦁

After hearing all of this, I’d love to hear your thoughts of Roald Dahl’s books!

The Narnia Chronicles made me love fantasy again when I was 19. I thought I had outgrown fiction especially fiction.

I loved The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe when I was a kid and had been considering reading the Narnia books as I'd never read the others. Perhaps I won't bother now... 😕

I took these books out of my church's library because I thought it presented a weird conservative worldview I didn't want to promote. The Wrinkle in Time series is like the hippy alternative if you're looking for obviously Christian fantasy kids books. I remember friends reading this growing up. Loving it, and not picking up on the religion stuff at all. I think you're right about the beginnings being better and more exciting, and then kids fill in their own stuff as they move into the boring sections. And because it's boring there's more room for their ideas and opinions. At least I'm pretty sure how kids who enjoy Narnia absorb the books.

I freaking can't with these videos omg!!! Lmfao

Goodness, my family has recommended I read this series many times as both a kid and adult. My agnostic self is very happy that I never gave into it because the preaching would have driven me to possibly tossing out a book.

I am glad you read them so I don’t have to! 😀

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

I am happy to have done it for you ❤️

My brother got me the 7-in-1 book from Borders that was advertising the movie. The cover is a picture of Aslan.

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Oh I think I’ve seen this edition!

I remember I was forced to read The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe when I was 10. That's it. That's all I remember.

Love those films, hate these books for everything I'm worth lol. For all the reasons you mentioned :P

I've also tried to read Narnia this year and I decided on chronological order. So I've read the Magician's Nephew and noped out of the series)

im gona have to comeback tomorrow not hihg on sleeping pìlls and write a mini essay about this

I agree I don't think children's classics are as good as we remember. Also soo cute little Torbu and Ash getting scared of you in the lion outfit 😂

I agree with almost all of your opinions about this series and it makes me feel better about my own anger toward it. That said, I think reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as a child was my first introduction to the word "queer" which as I grew up I associated with the wonder of the "strange" things in this series despite however it was used, I thought of it in association with the only good things I kept from reading this as a child. So to me queer as weird or other also meant curious and intriguing in a good way. It was one of the few good take-aways I had other than the love of the first half of the book and portal fiction for that feeling. Finding out that wasn't how others took that word was devastating. All else from the book felt like a waste of potential wonder and whimsy to me.

Poor kittens afraid of the lion costume. Thank you so much for this video. Now I don't need to reread these books.

I live for your cats

I haven't watched the video and will probably update after I'm done, but i genuinely need to know if others agree with me: Am I the only one who loved the movie but hated the books? I watched the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe when I was in elementary school and loved it (still love it honestly) and so I tried to read the books because I wanted to see what they were like. I read the first two and HATED them. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was almost exactly the same as the movie but I thought it was so much more boring :/ And I read the book before it, the Magician's Nephew and did not care at all. The story also didnt make sense to me because it felt different from how Aslan talked about the worldbuilding in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Maybe I didn't like them cuz I didn't grow up with them? Edit: Looking at the comments I've now realized a lot of people agree.

16:28 I don't think that is what he meant it was more of like when grilse have to fight it means that that's wean it gets real bad and this bat till does not nead that (and in the last book woman do fight)

Also, why would Susan be thrown under the bus when Peter or Edmond cut off someone's head.

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Okay this!!!

childhood memories unlocked i was never enchanted by the "magic" of narnia the only thing in the series that ever stuck with me was that susan got left out and for WHAT. my b liked lipstick literally God forbid. also ben barnes. me at the theatre at 13 in the front row like 👁👄👁

Surprise vlog 😱 I'm in Heaven!

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

Hope you like it 😊

38:04 - Oh, hi 😍 I completely agree with the idea that a lot of children's classics are not what we think they are. I read The Secret Garden as an adult and I feel like no one talks about some of the questionable parts of it. For example, the girl freaks out in the beginning because the house maid, I think she was, assumed she'd be Indian (since she moved to England from INDIA) and the girl FREAKS OUT on her, saying like "how dare you assume that!" and was totally offended about it... However, I re-read the Anne of Green Gables books as an adult and absolutely adored them! So, that's good haha.

I’m so glad I’m not the only that hates Narnia! It’s literally the most racist, sexiest, Christian propaganda I’ve ever read. I hate it so much.

I loved this series as a child and am a Pagan now. The talking animals, trees and mythological creatures dancing in the forest clearly left a bigger impression than the Christian allegory. 🌿🦫🦉🐍🦁

susan was not on the train when it crashed and she would return in her own way to narnia after her work on earth is done.

@GavinReadsItAll

Жыл бұрын

The book never really said that. I mean I hope she does eventually “find Narnia” but since the series ends with her not in Narnia/Heaven, it’s very unsatisfying and feels like a huge snub to Susan for no reason.