Reviews

Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante

stheyphanie's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

elienore's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

jordreads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

chloe_601's review against another edition

emotional funny sad

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

I really like this book but I also don’t know exactly how to classify it. It opens with queer trans woman whose best friend has died, and she processes both her grief and her unrequited love for her via an encyclopedia of all the characters from their favourite tv show they would watch. Each entry has footnotes about her best friend, and the things she remembers about her (both good and less good).

Reading through it, at first I had a hard time picking up on the emotions the main character felt in the wake of her best friend’s passing. And I wasn’t sure if I would like reading about characters from a fake tv show. But i ended up really enjoying the descriptions of the show and how pieces of it stuck with them, just as pieces of the friend are always there. It also was neat to go down through the alphabet and watch her process of recounting her friendship, and letting you understand how much she meant to her, even if the best friend was complicated and had inner demons.

Overall, I liked the approach this book took and I think it worked really well. There is not really a plot to it, but the ending felt like a culmination of all the main character’s grief and love they were trying to process through, and I definitely should not have been reading it in public on the bus.

ciarafrances's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

valentinechild's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

pennym_'s review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

alyssarider's review against another edition

5.0

really more of a 4 but extra points for the concept

ashheinrich's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

“The joy of having known you is starting to paint over the pain of having lost you.” 

mwaskom's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

A great no plot, just vibes book. Interesting format and comedic elements sprinkled in. I love queer love