Review: 41357 Olivia's Heart Box

Tablet, wrench & robot ... some of Olivia's favorite things. Plus chocolate!
Our "techie" Friend has a mini version of Zobo for this succinct set shaped like her original icon: a Heart!

This set was provided by the AFOL Engagement of The LEGO Group for the purpose of sharing set details with fans. Opinions provided here solely reflect those of our reviewer. Photographs are property of FriendsBricks and are not directed by TLG in any fashion.

Box front of this clever heart-shaped box has real girls with their "maker" projects -- a wooden gear of course, since it's Olivia's icon. The circle inset graphic above them has a series of inter-connected gears to represent her.
The product image shows Olivia on her heart's lid with her tablet and robot Zobo -- in miniature form. From one of the side facets we can see Olivia ... yet someone else is hiding.


Box back has Olivia taking a chocolate break inside her heart box. Her (somewhat rare) printed Tablet device is used for the 1:1 size ratio for product information.
The bottom features all 5 Friends graphic versions above each of their own heart boxes -- and then they are stacked.



Now we can see Zobo on the side behind Olivia! The box bottom is hexagon-shaped and stands well. The box opens via 2 slotted tabs after slicing the tape (and sticker in my case, since this came from Denmark, it's not packaged with North America legalese) which reveals nearly Lotus-like folds. The contents stay secure with not much shifting; the folded instructions provide buffer.
When empty it's easy to store or recycle.


Box contents are: 29-page instructions booklet, two 6x6 Cool Yellow plates (new for 2019), and two non-numbered bags of parts.


Largest bag parts:
New of note:
- 3x3 plates with quarter circle in Cool Yellow
- Bright Purple (what I call bubblegum pink) 1x6 brick
- Bright Purple 2x2x2 with 65-degree Roof tile brick (slope)
- Bright Purple "Macaroni" 2x2 brick with inside and outside bow
- Bright Purple 2x4 "Olivia" printed tile

Rare:
- Cool Yellow 2x4 tile (only in this set and Olivia's Deluxe Bedroom from 2018)


Smaller bag parts:
Rare:
- Dark azure 2x2 curvy tile -- somewhat rare
- Cool Yellow 1/4 circle tile -- only Olivia and Elsa have this :-)

You'd think the pink 1/4 tile would be rare too, yet not since TLM2.


First we build Olivia and give her that nice printed Tablet -- so she can check her messages, of course.
This outfit of dark pink sweater vest over a cool yellow collared shirt, adorned with varying-sized 'gears' necklace, over a cool yellow pleated skirt is in several sets and seems to be her standard now. The dark azure belt tie in with her shoes as the third color of her palette.
In the new TV show version of her, the skirt is very knife-pleated and has a pattern of gears and tech stuff printed all around.


After building a new mini version of Zobo, we get busy building the bottom layer of the heart box. The two Roof sloped dark pink bricks add stability to the heart's curves. The finished and tiled bottom is a great visual example of her color combo!


The top heart shaped Lid starts out with the lovely dark pink 2x3 printed tile with Olivia's name over an electric-circuit graphic backdrop, and one white and pink 8-tooth gear.
The underside gets black shoe slides to help this section be easier to pick up when on your building surface/table.


The heart box is complete now. That lone dark blue 1x2 tile pulls the outline of her name well.


Last we build the Heart Box stand with those clear sloped bricks and white plate. It fits nicely -- just don't jiggle the surface too much. Even if it falls, the lid stays on.


Although the instructions next show us how to tuck everything into the heart bottom, we have to get some techie stuff done first.
Zobo is due for a check-up, since he was just built! Luckily Olivia has all his specs on her tablet. "That's a mighty big wrench," thinks her little robot helper!


Olivia is projecting a version of a "certain movie" with her tablet while enjoying a chocolate pick-me-up. Zobo isn't sure to be happy or run when seeing this "Ooooo" face! ;-)


Now it's time to recharge and everything fits so well into Olivia's Heart Box ... hmmm, Zobo is too wired to rest and can't stop wondering what to build with all those spare parts.


Here are all the 5 Friends Heart Boxes together. Box art already shows how they can stack, so here they are just side-by-side.

Summary:

As I wrote in the beginning, a pink heart was Olivia's original icon. She was always science and technology minded, and her 2018 version 2.0 gave her glasses to reinforce that aspect. I like that Zobo is included -- even if in a mini version.

This brick-built container shaped like a heart is a good way to learn building shapes beyond square. The pink 1/4 circle tiles are used so much in The LEGO Movie 2 that it seems as if Olivia is connected ;-)

Olivia's Heart Box reminds me of candy every time I look at it -- and that she gets a chocolate bar is great. Don't forget: Making candy is science too!

Truly though, no matter the specific colors or character's interests, a brick-built container in this shape is a fun build. Being a Heartlake City icon makes it easy for Friends fans to ♡ it!

~~~