Review: LEGO 40410 Charles Dickens Tribute

Without transition, today we are also interested in the LEGO set 40410 Charles Dickens Tribute, the other product offered on the occasion of the VIP weekend of 21/22 November 2020, then during Black Friday / Cyber ​​Monday from 27 to 30 November 2020. You will have to pay at least 150 € to be offered this small box of 333 pieces that pays homage to Charles Dickens and his book A Christmas Carol (A Christmas Carol).

The aesthetic bias here is a little different from that of the set 40291 Creative Storybook which paid homage to the Danish storyteller Hans Christian Andersen in 2018: Exit the concept of the open book with the scene placed on the pages, here it is on the cover of a closed book that things happen. The book to build here and which will serve as a support for the Cratchit family's apartment does not open, but the edge still hides a small drawer that will allow you to possibly store only one of the three minifigs provided.

The scene which reproduces Ebenezer Scrooge's visit to his employee Bob Cratchit is quickly assembled, the fifteen stickers quickly stuck and the whole will undoubtedly end its career on the corner of a shelf before being put away while waiting for the next ones. Christmas and New Year. The edge of the book is rather successful but I would have gladly exchanged the too cramped drawer for a more successful finish at this point of the construction.

The front of this mini diorama is quite successful with its sections of walls whose construction will appeal to fans of Modulars, the rear of the construction is on its side much more summary but does not demerit. No one will display this product from the back anyway. No furniture in the apartment of the Cratchit family but we still get a pretty fireplace with a decoration of the occasion and a micro Christmas tree.

As it stands, I am no more enthusiastic than that about the theme developed: the Dickensian tale was not really my bedside book during my younger years and the virtual certainty of not having subsequently other products using exactly the same principle prevent me from imagining a possible collection of tributes to different authors.

Three minifigs representing the main characters of this tale are delivered in this box valued by LEGO at 24.99 €: Tim Cratchit (Tiny Tim), his father Bob Cratchit and Ebenezer Scrooge.

All three feature flesh-colored heads, a rare detail at LEGO when it comes to unlicensed promotional products. Regulars to the LEGO Harry Potter range will have recognized the Ron Weasley torso used here on Tim Cratchit's minifig. Ebenezer Scrooge's is also Cornelius Fudge's and only Bob Cratchit's torso is exclusive to this small set.

The head of Bob Cratchit is also that of a slew of rebel soldiers from the LEGO Star Wars range, those of young Tim and Scrooge are unseen. Special mention for the pad printing of the face of Ebenezer Scrooge which is really very successful.

The minimum purchase amount of 150 € requested by LEGO to be offered this pretty little box is high. We can also take comfort in telling ourselves that spending at least 150 € on the official online store is no feat. Many products blithely exceed this threshold and those who anxiously wait for the VIP weekend to accumulate the offers already have their plans. I know that some already count on the resale of this small set via the secondary market to amortize their purchases of the weekend, the calculation is not uninteresting.

LEGO values ​​this set at 24.99 €, if you hesitate, ask yourself the following question: would you have bought this box if it was available for sale instead of being offered? The answer will undoubtedly help you to judge of its real interest in your eyes.

Note: The set presented here, supplied by LEGO, is as usual in play. Deadline fixed at November 30, 2020 next at 23pm.

Update : The winner was drawn and was notified by email, his nickname is indicated below. Without a response from him to my request for contact details within 5 days, a new winner will be drawn.