The LEGO® 40291 Creative Personalities set is a unique and interesting addition to the world of promotional sets. This set celebrates Hans Christian Andersen, a prolific author and one of Denmark's most famous historic citizens. The model is based around a book and depicts Andersen writing a fairy tale, perhaps inspired by his rural surroundings.
The box is well-designed, displaying the open book against a row of unmistakably Danish buildings. The reverse shows some of the smaller details and accessories that are included, but unfortunately, the box features a thumb tab rather than tape seals, so it may be damaged unless you are particularly careful when opening it. The set contains a total of 307 pieces, which is quite exceptional for a gift-with-purchase at shop.LEGO.com!
The instruction booklet is made using a higher quality paper stock than one might expect for a set of this kind and includes images of other inspirational models, depicting a selection of Andersen's most famous and beloved fairy tales. These could replace the pond which occupies the right-hand page of the book. The set includes two minifigures, a child and Hans Christian Andersen, which are both well-designed, although the latter's design could have been more detailed.
The book is constructed around a central spine, to which the open pages are then attached using clips. The resultant design looks fantastic, closely resembling a real book and including several splashes of bright colour that contrast with the earthy tones of the cover and pages. The left-hand page displays Andersen sitting on a bench and authoring one of his fairy tales. The cobblestones around the bench and the black lamppost look good, although a trans-yellow lamp would have been better than trans-neon green.
The pond on the opposite page is excellent, with its irregular banks and the fountain as well as the pink flowers which are reasonably rare, having been used in just eleven other sets. However, the swan appears rather crude, the shaping of the neck looks odd when compared with the real animal.
Overall, I think the LEGO® 40291 Creative Personalities set is a great display item, the smooth pieces used by the designer makes the structure stand out. The effort is shown, although it's a promotion set. The book is the highlight of the set, with its realistic design, and the minifigures are well-designed too. The pond is also a great addition, but the swan could have been better. Overall, it's a great addition to any LEGO collection.