Available later this month with qualifying orders comes the latest LEGO Ideas gift-with-purchase – but how well do books and cosiness translate to plastic bricks?
Designed by Polish fan designer Fr_An as part of the LEGO Ideas challenge Me, Myself, and I, 40698 Books Are My Passion was born out of a prompt to create a build for Singles' Day. Builders were asked: If you could do anything for yourself, what would that look like in LEGO bricks?
For Fr_An, that activity was reading. Since then, the LEGO Ideas designers have fine-tuned the original submission into a 285-piece final build, available with orders above £130 / $130 / €130 from October 28 to November 11, or while stocks last. But is it worth timing your purchases to pick up 40698 Books Are My Passion?
Release: October 28, 2024 Price: Free with orders over £130 / $130 / €130 Pieces: 285 Minifigures: 1 LEGO: Shop now
A build that’s as cosy as the end result
For such a small build, 40698 Books Are My Passion keeps you entertained without being repetitive – and that's saying something, considering the majority of the build is rows of bookshelves. However, just like a real bookcase, there are a variety of books of different colours, arranged on the shelf in different angles and with some jutting out further than others.
That means every row brings something new, keeping you remarkably engaged in such a short build. 40698 Books Are My Passion screams cosiness and it's the perfect easy build to do quickly in an evening, now that they're getting shorter (at least in the northern hemisphere). Despite not having much space to play with, there's enough to make it feel detailed and fulfilling, from the plant in the foreground to the printed minifigure head that acts like a globe on the top shelf.
While most of the books are simply plates and designed to be kept on the shelf, the minifigure – who bears a striking resemblance to the fan designer – has a book of her own to read, adding to the charm of the set and offering some posable options, whether you want her reading or simply holding her book in her lap.
Practical purpose that’s too perfect to ignore
Keeping the build small and compact lends it perfectly to the ideal practical use: a bookend. At just under 10cm deep, it will fit on even the narrowest of shelves and is ideal for book lovers who want a little splash of LEGO scattered among their novels. After all, who better to guard your library shelves than an avid reader with her head in her own book?
It's worth noting that the set isn't that heavy, so perhaps won't be the sturdiest of bookends. However, the wide base means it's a prime opportunity to mod into a taller or more rigid build that could work as a functional bookend. If you aren't looking to keep your books in place, its original look is more than enough to perch on the end of a shelf full of your favourite reads.
Comparing to the original project
There are, as often happens with LEGO Ideas projects, some changes – but all for the better. The ladder has been moved behind the chair, which opens up the whole space and offers more room for the plant that only adds to the cosiness and adds an extra pop of bright colour. The table and bookshelves are virtually identical, only losing the lamp, which doesn't impact the overall build too much.
All in all, the LEGO Ideas designers have captured the charm of Fr_An's original design and added a dash more colour that brightens the set overall. When sat on a shelf among books, the lighter colours and varied palette help draw the eye even more.
This set was provided for review by the LEGO Group.
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Honest opinion: A must-have for those who love books as much as LEGO and well worth timing your next LEGO order for.
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