Christmas wouldn’t be right without a Lego set to build on my time off, and this year was no different. What better than a set from one of my favourite franchises, that doubles as a feature for my ever growing collection of books.
It’s not often that I get struck with nostalgia when building a Lego kit, but the Harry Potter Book Nook struck all the memory chords for me. The memorable Kings Cross scene from the first film, and the fact I grew up about half an hour from the station; when it still looked like it does in the films.
But that’s only the tip of the iceberg, and in this review I’ll be picking the set apart as thoroughly as I built it to give you all you need to know before making the purchase.
Building nostalgia
It’s worth saying from the get go, that as charming as this set is, the building techniques
involved won’t blow your mind. Both sides of the set use almost the same pieces and steps with the only differences being the part of the train you’re building.
Because of this, the set does feel quite repetitive and it doesn’t offer many challenges. Which is reflected throughout the instructions, where some pages have overly simple steps which only require the placement of one piece at a time.
However, you have to keep in mind that there’s only so much you can do with a set that doesn’t offer much room to fill. Plus, given the space the designers have they’ve managed to fit heaps of detail into every space they have whilst keeping it true to the scene.
Go figure
One of the most memorable parts of any of the Lego Harry Potter sets is the minifigures that are included, and thankfully this kit is not different.
The Harry Potter Book Nook contains two exclusive minifigures that are unique to this set; Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. Both of which look as if they’ve been pulled directly from the film.
The outfits are a spitting image of the clothes they wore on the original Hogwarts Express, even down to the small details on their shirts and jackets. The only thing missing is a couple of wands, but their hands are already full with their trolleys and luggage.
To be honest, I’d say that the choice of minifigures couldn’t be better for this set. Especially as all the other characters that Harry meets are introduced after the platform scene.
On display
Even though parts of the building process can be a bit repetitive here and there, the finished display looks absolutely amazing. So many intricate features are bundled into this set, that it’s often hard to keep your eyes still for more than a second.
From the station architecture and platform signs, to the train engine and roomy carriages; not a single bit of space is wasted. Especially when it comes to the usage of stickers throughout. Any flat surfaces have been given brick details and the signage on the platform and train are vibrant and detailed. All of which is really important when you consider that this kit is a 360 degree model when not accompanied by books on each side.
Play or display?
Unlike most other kits, this set is literally designed to be placed on a shelf, and it suits the
purpose perfectly. It’s a well weighted kit which can hold its place on the shelf fairly well, but I would be very wary of leaning books against it as you’ll have quite the mess on your hands if it topples over.
Also, despite having two fixed layouts for display, the designers have managed to even include a viewing hole on each side where you can look inside the train itself. Doing so reveals chocolate frogs and sweets inside the carriage, and the workings of the engine up front.
Value for money
Although I often argue that Lego is overpriced these days, this set definitely feels like a value for money when you consider the practicality of the kit once you’ve finished building.
That being said, I would definitely recommend picking it up during the sales for the best price per piece value and overall satisfaction. As it is definitely not the kind of kit I would buy for myself at full price.
Nonetheless, out of all the Lego kits I’ve built lately, this has been the most charming of them all; and not just for the nostalgia I got from it. The genius idea of a book nook played to my book nerd weaknesses and placed itself on my must have list of lego kits to get.
So, if you have a space in your bookshelf that’s begging for a delightful Harry Potter shaped object to fit in, then look no further.
