Reviews

Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian) by Hazel Jane Plante

Only show reviews with written explanations

sunshowersy's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.0

I finished Little Blue Encyclopedia! It's a wonderful book, if a little cagey (which is the point, I think). The structure is really interesting, and the premise, that it's a fan-encyclopedia for a fictional TV series, is awesome. The fandom that frames the story seems very wonderful and active for a series that was made in 2001. The series itself seems... different from the ones I'm used to, but I'm not a western series superfan so maybe there are a number of similar little quirky series like (the fictional) Little Blue.

Despite being different, I think I'd have taken a shot at watching the series. I would probably not finish watching it, but still.

Wonderful book in terms of relatability. The prose is no-frills, but that completely fits with the framing that it's an encyclopedia written when the grief hits the hardest. The anecdotes that Zelda chooses really are scattershot, and that's completely the point I think: living as a confident transfem, Vivian has many layers, and you have to pick them apart just like you pick apart the tangled cast of the series.

sjparker98's review against another edition

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emotional reflective

4.0

A beautiful, original, heartbreaking, queer, complicated take on love, loss and grief.

incunabula_and_intercourse's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

Singular, weird, poignant. I can't say much more that the blurb doesn't already summarize; the unique encyclopedia format interwoven with the entries on Vivian and the narrator

Zelda

learning to live her life again spoke so perfectly to the way fiction bleeds out into our lives and shapes them in small and delightful ways. A beautiful work of metafiction and an ode to grief.

This little blue book is going to stick with me for a while.

jb4nay's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

This book is a loving tribute to the author’s friend, Vivian, an obscure TV show, and transness as a whole.

The format of being an encyclopedia with bits of memoir and reflection mixed in was odd, but enjoyable.

The book is short enough that it never got tedious. I’ve never heard of the show sure talks about and I probably won’t watch It because of this book. I think there’s a lot of context I didn’t because of that. Still an enjoyable read

Content Warnings

abbie_'s review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I’ve been a bit stingy with my five stars this year - or actually, I just think I haven’t been reading much deserving of five stars! I scoured my Scribd list for something I’d been looking forward to (I still have an annoying habit of ‘saving’ books for an unspecified time) and landed on Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian). My prediction skills were clearly on top form that day because I loved every second of this odd, moving little book. I wish it had been 200 pages longer. It’s framed as a journal/memoir but is very much fictional, a trans woman mourning the loss of her best friend and unrequited crush, another trans woman - Vivian. Unsure how to sort through her tumultuous feelings and grief, Zelda settles on writing an encyclopaedia of their favourite obscure show, Little Blue (also fictional and bizarre in its concept). I’ve got no idea where Plante came up with this idea, but it’s legit perfect for the story. It just works. Amongst the backgrounds and lives of fictional (fictional) characters, we get anecdotes and memories of Vivian, beautiful and joyous and flawed and loving and so robustly alive - despite being dead before the novel begins. Just a gorgeous ode to trans sisterhood, friendship and grief. Loved every page.