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Guide to the Crystal Gems (Steven Universe) by Rebecca Sugar
Introducing the Crystal Gems from Steven Universe! The Crystal Gems—Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl—are three of the toughest heroes on earth. They are also mentors to Steven Universe, a gem/human hybrid boy whose mother was a great Gem leader. This guide, told from Steven’s point-of-view and written by the show's very own creator, Rebecca Sugar, is packed with facts about the Crystal Gems' powers, abilities, and origins, It also includes original art and a special introduction from Rebecca Sugar. This book is a must-have for any Steven Universe fan!
Unknown Binding
First published January 1, 2015
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985 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Sugar
42 books314 followersRebecca Rea Sugar is an American animator, composer and director. She is best known for creating the Cartoon Network series Steven Universe, which has made her the first woman to independently create a series for the network
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
October 16, 2015
This is a fantastic little tie-in to the popular television show on Cartoon Network, Steven Universe. Like its title promises, it's a guidebook; it's not a storybook and doesn't contain any adventures, it's just an outline of the characters, primarily told in the voice of the protagonist, Steven Universe himself.
Anyone who likes the television show will probably like this book; it's primarily information we already know from watching the show, but it's nice to have it all in one place, and there ARE bits of it that are essentially new information or clarifications of things we haven't really heard spelled out before. Of course, being that (like the show) it's from Steven's point of view, it's far from an omniscient tell-all. Steven only passes the reins to another character once--letting Garnet explain Fusions since she's basically the professor and poster child of all things Fusion--and other than that, it's all presented in a great approximation of the child character's voice. That's one of the best things about both the show and this book: Steven is a realistic child character whose perspectives are colored by his youth, and it's just a wonderful thing to observe.
On the art:
I love how pink the book is. It's just aesthetically pleasing to me. The backgrounds are very similar to what you see in the show: a lot of pastels and sparkly stripes with shines on them, and little decorations all over the place, like stars, Cookie Cats, and Crying Breakfast Friends stickers.
The little illustrations of the characters popping up and decorating pages is great. Some of them are new for the book, like a drawing of Rose Quartz in a car with the other three Gems in their outfits from when Greg first met them, being adorable in the car. The characters each have different fonts to distinguish them, but they're all quite readable, which is very smart. Pearl's font is a thin, delicate font; Garnet's is blocky and bold; Amethyst's is stylish and casual and a little messy; Steven's is childlike and straightforward. Their talk bubbles are also color-coded, with Pearl's being blue-green, Garnet's being red, Amethyst's being purple, and Steven's being pink. That way some of the talk bubbles belonging to offstage characters are easily attributed.
While some of the art is original and some is delivered through screencaps from the show presented as snapshots of specific moments, occasionally when the characters pop up and comment on the content, the Gems' outfits are inconsistent. In the show, when their bodies get damaged and they have to generate new ones, sometimes they regenerate with new outfits. Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst have all come back with a new design at some point in the show, and even though they're supposed to be narrating from "now," sometimes their pre-regeneration outfit is what they're pictured in, or in rare cases it's some weird mixture, or there are little errors like Garnet having the gems on her hands switched. (The ruby gem is the square one and it's supposed to be on her left hand; the sapphire gem is the triangular one and it's supposed to be on her right hand. Sometimes it's pictured as the reverse.)
On the content:
The opening statement is really cute. Rebecca Sugar, the creator of the TV show, introduces Steven and says he wrote the guide, and suggests he knows how to talk to Gems and how to talk to humans because he's half of both, so he's the natural guide to teach YOU how to talk to Gems. It's just cute to imagine kids reading this book and imagining they might actually talk to a Gem one day. :)
The book begins with a section on the Crystal Gems. I like that it's specific about "Crystal Gems" being different from just "Gems," because I know some fans don't have the difference figured out. The book doesn't explain it in detail, but according to some information from the show, "the Crystal System" seems to be the designation for Earth and its surrounding area of space, so named by the Gem homeworld. So it stands to reason that the Gems who live on Earth and defended it against Homeworld are "Crystal" Gems.
Each of the Gems Steven lives with seems to have her own simplified driving force in this book. Amethyst stresses the importance of enjoying freedom on Earth (because unlike the other Gems, she was made on Earth, not in space); Pearl constantly brings up devotion to Rose Quartz and her goals and mission (since Pearl was incredibly dedicated to Steven's mom and considered herself Rose's knight, not to mention she was and is straight-up in love with her); and Garnet is always bringing up love and relationships (which is interesting since in the show she speaks about that subject much more sparingly and rarely lets you know what she's thinking).
Even though a table of contents outlines a page for each of the Crystal Gems to be introduced, Steven introduces us to them with a cute personal ramble first.
He explains Amethyst first (with a cute "aw shucks" reaction from her at the end), discussing her origin in the Kindergarten and pointing out that she likes to eat, sleep, and collect junk--very much like him, even though Gems don't need to eat or sleep.
Garnet is the next to get the Steven spiel, and it's quite a nuanced description of her for a kid to offer--explaining her status as a Fusion and how she exists because two other Gems loved each other so much that they wanted to be one entity all the time. It's nice that he acknowledges all the reasons this makes her a good leader, and how he speculates that she might be so quiet because of several things that set her apart from the others--she might be in a private conversation with herself, or looking at visions of the future, or pondering leadership problems. He's an observant little tyke for noticing that stuff.
And of course his description of Pearl outlines her love for his mother and her loyalty to her, as well as how Pearl worries about everything and strives for perfection, inspiring him to be better at what he wants to do too.
The section wraps up with a little speech about how you, the reader, can also "be" a Crystal Gem if you believe in their doctrine of love and defending even those you don't understand. It's a pretty complex little manifesto there--a step beyond "hooray for love" that you see in so many kids' shows. Before going into factsheet-type explanations of each character, they also point out that the group fights monster-like battle-damaged Gems and also Gems from the Homeworld, and Steven's really nice about it--how he's hoping to heal the damaged Gems and protect Earth from whatever Homeworld is trying to do.
Each factsheet for the characters includes the following checklist items: species, gem type, alignment, hair color, clothing, gem location, weapon, fun fact, and a quote. Everyone included in the collection has a species of "Gem" except for Steven, who's "Human-Gem Hybrid," and Stevonnie, who's three-quarters human, one-quarter Gem. Steven's also got an extra category the others don't have: it specifies that his "gem type" is quartz but there's an extra category for "gem" which specifies his gem is rose quartz. Jasper and Amethyst are also both quartzes, and their specific jasper and amethyst gem types are not mentioned. And where Pearl is a pearl and Peridot is a peridot, Garnet isn't explained as anything other than a Fusion type. Her component ruby and sapphire gems are not given "types," so we don't know what they call their class of gem yet, if it has a name in this universe.
"Alignment" refers to where their loyalties lie, so it's Crystal Gem vs. Homeworld Gem. "Gem location" just describes where their gems are on their bodies. They don't discuss eye color even though they do specify hair color. For each of his Gem guardians, Steven just mentions the color of their hair, but for himself, his mother, and Opal, he also mentions their hairstyle. (The color specifics ought to help some of those cosplayers out there! I've seen arguments about what color Pearl's hair is. Yes, it is pink. So is Steven's shirt. And Amethyst's hair is pale lavender, not white.) Pearl has obvious big blue eyes, but in most shots nearly all the other characters have featureless black eyes and you can't see details (like Garnet having three different-colored eyes) unless the shots are very close. Interesting that they don't give eye colors.
The "fun facts" are interesting bits about the characters that we may not have known, and the "quote" section is always something memorable they have said in the show.
There is a very interesting section about how Steven's birth is possible that might be of interest to people who are curious about that. In the show, it's clear Gems aren't born the way humans are and they're made in the ground, and the bodies we see them using aren't "real" bodies (as in, they're not organic). So there's been plenty of speculation as to how a Gem could even have a baby, especially one that's somehow a hybrid. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl explain more about how Rose Quartz made Steven with Greg Universe, which is cool because it's about the level of explanation you'd expect from a sex ed book for kids (and that's kind of what that page is, for them). So . . . read that bit if you're curious how shapeshifting aliens have babies with humans. (Weird.) Also includes some stuff on Rose's motivation for making Steven. People who watch the show wonder about that a lot too. (And it's cute how Garnet makes analogies about fusion to explain Steven.)
Steven's section discussing his powers is a lot of fun, partly because he proudly states that he's really good at breathing and eating and sleeping because he's good at "human stuff." (And don't forget his musical talents!) After discussing his other more obvious abilities, he mentions that he is able to perform fusion with his friend Connie and talks a little about what that's like. They haven't really covered what Steven thought of his fusion experience in the show, so that was neat.
Garnet's section points out something very interesting about Ruby and Sapphire's history on Homeworld in her fun fact. We get a little bit of Steven's perspective on Ruby and Sapphire, and he seems kind of unsure about it because he's spent so little time with them. He knows Garnet, but doesn't really know Ruby or Sapphire. That seems appropriate since the only time he's engaged with them is when they're in high-stress situations. I like that Steven volunteers Garnet for your relationship advice, should you need help. That's adorable. Steven describes her as very literal and sometimes incapable of getting his jokes (or maybe he just thinks she doesn't get it because she doesn't laugh?), but he acknowledges that she does TELL jokes sometimes, and helps ground him with logic when he needs her to.
Amethyst's section has an interesting fact about her gender experimentation in her fun fact. Steven talks more about Amethyst's origin and her interests, and how she was too young for the Gem war that Garnet and Pearl fought in. The text implies that Steven feels close to her since she's from Earth and is also an alien with no authentic cultural understanding of her heritage. He discusses Amethyst's tendency to play pranks and reassures the reader that she's not actually mean. It's cute that he understands she's kidding, and that he's okay with it that she messes with him all the time. He even comments on her dynamic with Pearl and shows a surprising understanding of why they disagree so often, and suggests that when Amethyst wrestled with Garnet that she could "almost" hold her own. Well. Almost is pretty impressive if you're fighting Garnet.
Pearl's section has an obvious "fun fact" because it's about something we've seen her do many times in the show. When Steven talks about her, what comes up first is her dedication to Rose and the save-the-Earth mission. He speculates that Pearl knows more about his mom than anyone (including his dad). I would hope so--they've been together for thousands of years. I like that he doesn't seem to find this too confusing. Steven emphasizes that Pearl REALLY doesn't get humans and might not be able to understand you if you talk to her, and his advice is to just talk to her anyway because he's sure she's totally interested and cares, even if she acts like she doesn't. That's so Steven. His highlights for her include her amazing fighting skills, her tendency to make others be polite and follow rules, and her need to be right. It's adorable.
Even though Steven doesn't know his mom, there is a section for Rose Quartz. It's funny that her "fun fact" is about her laugh, because her laugh is similar to Steven's. He isn't quite sure what to say about his mom except that he's told he's a lot like her and likes many of the same things. (Like shirts. Haha.) Steven gives us some little-kid philosophy on what he thinks he is since half of him is a gemstone-based alien that doesn't exist anymore because he's using her Gem. It's a gentle but deep exploration of identity that's very appropriate for the character, for the audience, and for the type of story he's in. He also understands what his mom did for the planet, on some level, and says some very little-kid-like stuff about how he's glad their side won but he wishes they wouldn't fight. He'll be a good leader like his mom one day.
The section about the Homeworld Gems is brief, which is appropriate considering this is, after all, a Guide to the Crystal Gems. Each Homeworld Gem gets a single page, and the interesting bit is their weapons. People sometimes speculate about what the Homeworld Gems' weapons are (except Jasper, whose helmet we've seen). Lapis's weapon is just said to be water. Peridot's weapon is just said to be modern Gem technology. Neither is said to have a more specific weapon, while Jasper's page says she has a helmet AND uses a Gem destabilizer (but that's obviously not her natural weapon).
The Fusion section (narrated by Garnet) explains the nature of the Fusion relationship, including the interesting factoid that Fusions manifest partly as an expression of the fusers' effect on one another. We already knew Fusions represent relationships and that they combine physical, magical, and personality aspects of the fusing Gems, but that bit had not been mentioned--though it makes a whole lot of sense and is really interesting to think about.
Opal gets a two-page spread about her abilities and nature, including the fact that she represents a peace that Amethyst and Pearl don't often feel on their own. And Garnet suggests that Sugilite's ridiculous show-off nature isn't just Amethyst's fault--that it's fun to celebrate as Sugilite and hard to give up, and Amethyst can't really hope to balance against Garnet in that kind of relationship. Alexandrite's pages don't reveal what her actual weapon is (other than "all of them"), and Garnet basically apologizes for how they can't really get Alexandrite to behave in social situations. Malachite's page is a little scary (and it doesn't mention the location of her second gem). Garnet's obviously not a fan of their relationship based on how she describes it. Conversely, you can practically feel the love oozing off the page when she describes how much she loves Stevonnie. It's great. Fusions who have appeared later in the series are notably absent; we don't get a page on Sardonyx or Rainbow Quartz, and I really would have liked to see them! (It's especially interesting that they don't include Sardonyx, because they DO use Garnet's "Amethyst can be reckless, I can be brash" phrasing to discuss Sugilite that's lifted directly from the episode Sardonyx was introduced in.) I don't know why they decided to leave those Fusions out--unless they were worried the book would be released before those episodes aired and they didn't want to spoil the surprise--but I wish they'd chanced it, since the book feels incomplete with major Crystal Gem Fusions missing.
Other facts readers might appreciate include the approximate dates of the Gem War on Earth, specific rules about Fusions, and the actual text of Rose Quartz's manifesto.
Anyone who was expecting spoilers or truth bombs about Homeworld or sneak peeks might be disappointed by this, but I thought it was exactly what it claimed to be, and delivered in a really cute way that should appeal to everyone who loves the show. I recommend it to all fans!
Anyone who likes the television show will probably like this book; it's primarily information we already know from watching the show, but it's nice to have it all in one place, and there ARE bits of it that are essentially new information or clarifications of things we haven't really heard spelled out before. Of course, being that (like the show) it's from Steven's point of view, it's far from an omniscient tell-all. Steven only passes the reins to another character once--letting Garnet explain Fusions since she's basically the professor and poster child of all things Fusion--and other than that, it's all presented in a great approximation of the child character's voice. That's one of the best things about both the show and this book: Steven is a realistic child character whose perspectives are colored by his youth, and it's just a wonderful thing to observe.
On the art:
I love how pink the book is. It's just aesthetically pleasing to me. The backgrounds are very similar to what you see in the show: a lot of pastels and sparkly stripes with shines on them, and little decorations all over the place, like stars, Cookie Cats, and Crying Breakfast Friends stickers.
The little illustrations of the characters popping up and decorating pages is great. Some of them are new for the book, like a drawing of Rose Quartz in a car with the other three Gems in their outfits from when Greg first met them, being adorable in the car. The characters each have different fonts to distinguish them, but they're all quite readable, which is very smart. Pearl's font is a thin, delicate font; Garnet's is blocky and bold; Amethyst's is stylish and casual and a little messy; Steven's is childlike and straightforward. Their talk bubbles are also color-coded, with Pearl's being blue-green, Garnet's being red, Amethyst's being purple, and Steven's being pink. That way some of the talk bubbles belonging to offstage characters are easily attributed.
While some of the art is original and some is delivered through screencaps from the show presented as snapshots of specific moments, occasionally when the characters pop up and comment on the content, the Gems' outfits are inconsistent. In the show, when their bodies get damaged and they have to generate new ones, sometimes they regenerate with new outfits. Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst have all come back with a new design at some point in the show, and even though they're supposed to be narrating from "now," sometimes their pre-regeneration outfit is what they're pictured in, or in rare cases it's some weird mixture, or there are little errors like Garnet having the gems on her hands switched. (The ruby gem is the square one and it's supposed to be on her left hand; the sapphire gem is the triangular one and it's supposed to be on her right hand. Sometimes it's pictured as the reverse.)
On the content:
The opening statement is really cute. Rebecca Sugar, the creator of the TV show, introduces Steven and says he wrote the guide, and suggests he knows how to talk to Gems and how to talk to humans because he's half of both, so he's the natural guide to teach YOU how to talk to Gems. It's just cute to imagine kids reading this book and imagining they might actually talk to a Gem one day. :)
The book begins with a section on the Crystal Gems. I like that it's specific about "Crystal Gems" being different from just "Gems," because I know some fans don't have the difference figured out. The book doesn't explain it in detail, but according to some information from the show, "the Crystal System" seems to be the designation for Earth and its surrounding area of space, so named by the Gem homeworld. So it stands to reason that the Gems who live on Earth and defended it against Homeworld are "Crystal" Gems.
Each of the Gems Steven lives with seems to have her own simplified driving force in this book. Amethyst stresses the importance of enjoying freedom on Earth (because unlike the other Gems, she was made on Earth, not in space); Pearl constantly brings up devotion to Rose Quartz and her goals and mission (since Pearl was incredibly dedicated to Steven's mom and considered herself Rose's knight, not to mention she was and is straight-up in love with her); and Garnet is always bringing up love and relationships (which is interesting since in the show she speaks about that subject much more sparingly and rarely lets you know what she's thinking).
Even though a table of contents outlines a page for each of the Crystal Gems to be introduced, Steven introduces us to them with a cute personal ramble first.
He explains Amethyst first (with a cute "aw shucks" reaction from her at the end), discussing her origin in the Kindergarten and pointing out that she likes to eat, sleep, and collect junk--very much like him, even though Gems don't need to eat or sleep.
Garnet is the next to get the Steven spiel, and it's quite a nuanced description of her for a kid to offer--explaining her status as a Fusion and how she exists because two other Gems loved each other so much that they wanted to be one entity all the time. It's nice that he acknowledges all the reasons this makes her a good leader, and how he speculates that she might be so quiet because of several things that set her apart from the others--she might be in a private conversation with herself, or looking at visions of the future, or pondering leadership problems. He's an observant little tyke for noticing that stuff.
And of course his description of Pearl outlines her love for his mother and her loyalty to her, as well as how Pearl worries about everything and strives for perfection, inspiring him to be better at what he wants to do too.
The section wraps up with a little speech about how you, the reader, can also "be" a Crystal Gem if you believe in their doctrine of love and defending even those you don't understand. It's a pretty complex little manifesto there--a step beyond "hooray for love" that you see in so many kids' shows. Before going into factsheet-type explanations of each character, they also point out that the group fights monster-like battle-damaged Gems and also Gems from the Homeworld, and Steven's really nice about it--how he's hoping to heal the damaged Gems and protect Earth from whatever Homeworld is trying to do.
Each factsheet for the characters includes the following checklist items: species, gem type, alignment, hair color, clothing, gem location, weapon, fun fact, and a quote. Everyone included in the collection has a species of "Gem" except for Steven, who's "Human-Gem Hybrid," and Stevonnie, who's three-quarters human, one-quarter Gem. Steven's also got an extra category the others don't have: it specifies that his "gem type" is quartz but there's an extra category for "gem" which specifies his gem is rose quartz. Jasper and Amethyst are also both quartzes, and their specific jasper and amethyst gem types are not mentioned. And where Pearl is a pearl and Peridot is a peridot, Garnet isn't explained as anything other than a Fusion type. Her component ruby and sapphire gems are not given "types," so we don't know what they call their class of gem yet, if it has a name in this universe.
"Alignment" refers to where their loyalties lie, so it's Crystal Gem vs. Homeworld Gem. "Gem location" just describes where their gems are on their bodies. They don't discuss eye color even though they do specify hair color. For each of his Gem guardians, Steven just mentions the color of their hair, but for himself, his mother, and Opal, he also mentions their hairstyle. (The color specifics ought to help some of those cosplayers out there! I've seen arguments about what color Pearl's hair is. Yes, it is pink. So is Steven's shirt. And Amethyst's hair is pale lavender, not white.) Pearl has obvious big blue eyes, but in most shots nearly all the other characters have featureless black eyes and you can't see details (like Garnet having three different-colored eyes) unless the shots are very close. Interesting that they don't give eye colors.
The "fun facts" are interesting bits about the characters that we may not have known, and the "quote" section is always something memorable they have said in the show.
There is a very interesting section about how Steven's birth is possible that might be of interest to people who are curious about that. In the show, it's clear Gems aren't born the way humans are and they're made in the ground, and the bodies we see them using aren't "real" bodies (as in, they're not organic). So there's been plenty of speculation as to how a Gem could even have a baby, especially one that's somehow a hybrid. Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl explain more about how Rose Quartz made Steven with Greg Universe, which is cool because it's about the level of explanation you'd expect from a sex ed book for kids (and that's kind of what that page is, for them). So . . . read that bit if you're curious how shapeshifting aliens have babies with humans. (Weird.) Also includes some stuff on Rose's motivation for making Steven. People who watch the show wonder about that a lot too. (And it's cute how Garnet makes analogies about fusion to explain Steven.)
Steven's section discussing his powers is a lot of fun, partly because he proudly states that he's really good at breathing and eating and sleeping because he's good at "human stuff." (And don't forget his musical talents!) After discussing his other more obvious abilities, he mentions that he is able to perform fusion with his friend Connie and talks a little about what that's like. They haven't really covered what Steven thought of his fusion experience in the show, so that was neat.
Garnet's section points out something very interesting about Ruby and Sapphire's history on Homeworld in her fun fact. We get a little bit of Steven's perspective on Ruby and Sapphire, and he seems kind of unsure about it because he's spent so little time with them. He knows Garnet, but doesn't really know Ruby or Sapphire. That seems appropriate since the only time he's engaged with them is when they're in high-stress situations. I like that Steven volunteers Garnet for your relationship advice, should you need help. That's adorable. Steven describes her as very literal and sometimes incapable of getting his jokes (or maybe he just thinks she doesn't get it because she doesn't laugh?), but he acknowledges that she does TELL jokes sometimes, and helps ground him with logic when he needs her to.
Amethyst's section has an interesting fact about her gender experimentation in her fun fact. Steven talks more about Amethyst's origin and her interests, and how she was too young for the Gem war that Garnet and Pearl fought in. The text implies that Steven feels close to her since she's from Earth and is also an alien with no authentic cultural understanding of her heritage. He discusses Amethyst's tendency to play pranks and reassures the reader that she's not actually mean. It's cute that he understands she's kidding, and that he's okay with it that she messes with him all the time. He even comments on her dynamic with Pearl and shows a surprising understanding of why they disagree so often, and suggests that when Amethyst wrestled with Garnet that she could "almost" hold her own. Well. Almost is pretty impressive if you're fighting Garnet.
Pearl's section has an obvious "fun fact" because it's about something we've seen her do many times in the show. When Steven talks about her, what comes up first is her dedication to Rose and the save-the-Earth mission. He speculates that Pearl knows more about his mom than anyone (including his dad). I would hope so--they've been together for thousands of years. I like that he doesn't seem to find this too confusing. Steven emphasizes that Pearl REALLY doesn't get humans and might not be able to understand you if you talk to her, and his advice is to just talk to her anyway because he's sure she's totally interested and cares, even if she acts like she doesn't. That's so Steven. His highlights for her include her amazing fighting skills, her tendency to make others be polite and follow rules, and her need to be right. It's adorable.
Even though Steven doesn't know his mom, there is a section for Rose Quartz. It's funny that her "fun fact" is about her laugh, because her laugh is similar to Steven's. He isn't quite sure what to say about his mom except that he's told he's a lot like her and likes many of the same things. (Like shirts. Haha.) Steven gives us some little-kid philosophy on what he thinks he is since half of him is a gemstone-based alien that doesn't exist anymore because he's using her Gem. It's a gentle but deep exploration of identity that's very appropriate for the character, for the audience, and for the type of story he's in. He also understands what his mom did for the planet, on some level, and says some very little-kid-like stuff about how he's glad their side won but he wishes they wouldn't fight. He'll be a good leader like his mom one day.
The section about the Homeworld Gems is brief, which is appropriate considering this is, after all, a Guide to the Crystal Gems. Each Homeworld Gem gets a single page, and the interesting bit is their weapons. People sometimes speculate about what the Homeworld Gems' weapons are (except Jasper, whose helmet we've seen). Lapis's weapon is just said to be water. Peridot's weapon is just said to be modern Gem technology. Neither is said to have a more specific weapon, while Jasper's page says she has a helmet AND uses a Gem destabilizer (but that's obviously not her natural weapon).
The Fusion section (narrated by Garnet) explains the nature of the Fusion relationship, including the interesting factoid that Fusions manifest partly as an expression of the fusers' effect on one another. We already knew Fusions represent relationships and that they combine physical, magical, and personality aspects of the fusing Gems, but that bit had not been mentioned--though it makes a whole lot of sense and is really interesting to think about.
Opal gets a two-page spread about her abilities and nature, including the fact that she represents a peace that Amethyst and Pearl don't often feel on their own. And Garnet suggests that Sugilite's ridiculous show-off nature isn't just Amethyst's fault--that it's fun to celebrate as Sugilite and hard to give up, and Amethyst can't really hope to balance against Garnet in that kind of relationship. Alexandrite's pages don't reveal what her actual weapon is (other than "all of them"), and Garnet basically apologizes for how they can't really get Alexandrite to behave in social situations. Malachite's page is a little scary (and it doesn't mention the location of her second gem). Garnet's obviously not a fan of their relationship based on how she describes it. Conversely, you can practically feel the love oozing off the page when she describes how much she loves Stevonnie. It's great. Fusions who have appeared later in the series are notably absent; we don't get a page on Sardonyx or Rainbow Quartz, and I really would have liked to see them! (It's especially interesting that they don't include Sardonyx, because they DO use Garnet's "Amethyst can be reckless, I can be brash" phrasing to discuss Sugilite that's lifted directly from the episode Sardonyx was introduced in.) I don't know why they decided to leave those Fusions out--unless they were worried the book would be released before those episodes aired and they didn't want to spoil the surprise--but I wish they'd chanced it, since the book feels incomplete with major Crystal Gem Fusions missing.
Other facts readers might appreciate include the approximate dates of the Gem War on Earth, specific rules about Fusions, and the actual text of Rose Quartz's manifesto.
Anyone who was expecting spoilers or truth bombs about Homeworld or sneak peeks might be disappointed by this, but I thought it was exactly what it claimed to be, and delivered in a really cute way that should appeal to everyone who loves the show. I recommend it to all fans!
November 9, 2015
It's no secret that I'm a rabid fan of Steven Universe - I really think it's the best kids' show (and not just for kids!). I love how it addresses familial relationships, friendship, abusive relationships, loss, lgbta+ issues, and FEELS so many feels!
Even if, like me, you're obsessed with Steven Universe you'll still find new information about the Crystal Gems and the Steven Universe world. And if you're not familiar with Steven Universe this is an excellent starting point!
It even includes Lion!!!
March 26, 2021
what a cute book!
I have been such a fan of this series since a lot of time. I grew up with Steven and his friends, I learnt at the same time Steven learnt and I think because of that I really enjoyed his whole story.
Talking about this book, this is a little of what the gems are, their story, some fun facts and their fusions. It's quite simple because it was published when season 2 was aired so you can not find a lot of spoilers or details for the future but still a really good book for knowing what they are, their purposes and what they believe in.
Love crystal gems, really got them and can't wait to read all the books they have. I really miss them since series ended. 🥺
I have been such a fan of this series since a lot of time. I grew up with Steven and his friends, I learnt at the same time Steven learnt and I think because of that I really enjoyed his whole story.
Talking about this book, this is a little of what the gems are, their story, some fun facts and their fusions. It's quite simple because it was published when season 2 was aired so you can not find a lot of spoilers or details for the future but still a really good book for knowing what they are, their purposes and what they believe in.
Love crystal gems, really got them and can't wait to read all the books they have. I really miss them since series ended. 🥺
November 28, 2023
I've been jonesing for a Steven Universe fix and was briefly excited when I found this book in my local library's catalog that I hadn't yet read. The library has shoved it in with the juvenile graphic novels, but it is more a text-heavy picture book with brief bios, personality profiles, and facts about the various members of the cast.
Unfortunately, it's rather dull to read, but it further strengthens my notion to give the series yet another rewatch as it is my favorite animated series ever.
FOR REFERENCE:
Table of Contents:
The Crystal Gems
• Steven Quartz Universe
• Garnet
• Amethyst
• Pearl
• Rose Quartz
Homeworld Gems
• Lapis Lazuli
• Peridot
• Jasper
Fusions
• Opal
• Sugilite
• Alexandrite
• Malachite
• Stevonnie
Unfortunately, it's rather dull to read, but it further strengthens my notion to give the series yet another rewatch as it is my favorite animated series ever.
FOR REFERENCE:
Table of Contents:
The Crystal Gems
• Steven Quartz Universe
• Garnet
• Amethyst
• Pearl
• Rose Quartz
Homeworld Gems
• Lapis Lazuli
• Peridot
• Jasper
Fusions
• Opal
• Sugilite
• Alexandrite
• Malachite
• Stevonnie
April 19, 2020
Thanks Steven😿
March 14, 2017
This has to be one of my favorite TV shows of all time, so when I saw my library had this book I checked it out right away! Never mind it was a kids' show, it was STEVEN FREAKING UNIVERSE!!!
But put aside my obvious fangirl, and you got a cute little children's book about SU and it's basically a guide to just the gems in the show. But, it's kinda obsolete now since the show has gotten so far ahead and most of the revelations in the book are things that the viewers have know for almost a year now.
Either way it was still a fantastic little book for kids informing them about the complicated things that go on in show. On a level they can understand, of course. I probably would have loved this book as a kid and I recommend it younger fans of the show because it may give insight into things they really don't understand, but for older fans don't read it. The information is so outdated that just watching the last few episodes will give you more insight!
But, regardless, I loved this little book!
But put aside my obvious fangirl, and you got a cute little children's book about SU and it's basically a guide to just the gems in the show. But, it's kinda obsolete now since the show has gotten so far ahead and most of the revelations in the book are things that the viewers have know for almost a year now.
Either way it was still a fantastic little book for kids informing them about the complicated things that go on in show. On a level they can understand, of course. I probably would have loved this book as a kid and I recommend it younger fans of the show because it may give insight into things they really don't understand, but for older fans don't read it. The information is so outdated that just watching the last few episodes will give you more insight!
But, regardless, I loved this little book!
October 25, 2016
This was so cute! This is a nice guide after watching all of season one. It really feels as if Steven wrote the book and not Rebecca Sugar. But that shows what a great job she did with this cute guide! It also reminded me of how much has changed in the show since this book was published, from Steven fusing with Amethyst to Peridot joining the Crystal Gems, as well as Jasper becoming corrupted, and the cutest change of all is that now Lapis and Peridot are friends!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 24, 2015
This was so cute! Since I'm an avid watcher of Steven Universe, I already knew most of the stuff here but I appreciated some more background info about Rose Quartz & the Gem War. I loved Garnet shipping Steven & Connie, Pearl's stanning of Rose, and of course the crying breakfast friends 'stickers' everywhere lol.
Read
January 1, 2017I love this book, it is just simply adorable and sweet just like Steven Universe himself. It's as one would expect with the book: it is a guide to the Gems, both the Crystal Gems, the Homeworld Gems, and of course, the Fusions. What else can I say? I love Steven Universe!
December 29, 2020
I have no idea who this book was written for. If you've seen the show, you already know all that's in the book, and if you haven't, there isn't enough info for it to not be confusing? Maybe some people couldn't keep up during season 1? Maybe it was written to fill in the gap cause of the hiatus between S1 and S2?
Anyway it is obvious that season 1 and 2 had a very different concept for the Crystal Gems as a Resistance movement (also very clear in the book), and I personally feel, the direction of the show changed after that.
Now I want to rewatch season 2.
Anyway it is obvious that season 1 and 2 had a very different concept for the Crystal Gems as a Resistance movement (also very clear in the book), and I personally feel, the direction of the show changed after that.
Now I want to rewatch season 2.
July 24, 2017
Absolutely love how this book is written from Steven's POV and the way he talks about all the gems. Garnet is in charge of talking about the different fusions. There's cute little facts and tidbits of all gems, homeworld and crystal. I hope they update or come out with a second book for all the new gem additions from the show.
May 25, 2017
The Crystal Gems are my newest cartoon obsession. They are so queer, and intense, and wonderful. This book is a wonderful treasure to have on the shelf to reflect back on, and have as a reference for all things Crystal Gems!
August 26, 2018
This book is good for what it is, but I was expecting (or hoping for) a lot more detail. Unfortunately, it makes complete sense that a tie-in for a kids' show would be written at a fairly low reading level, though.
November 14, 2023
The biggest detriment to this book on Steven is, ironically, the fact that it's told from the perspective of Steven. If you're looking for some legitimate insight into the show I'd look for the Art & Origins book. This is more like something you'd buy from Scholostic.
April 2, 2025
Such a cute slightly deeper look into the crystal gems -- and even a few homeworld ones! I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for more media related to SU or even want something to display to show off their love for the series.
May 27, 2017
:3
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2017
I LOVE this book especially lapes
I have know idea what you are talking about soo I am saying that so how's you're day going OK bye.
I have know idea what you are talking about soo I am saying that so how's you're day going OK bye.
March 24, 2018
Cute little book for any SU fan to read up on all the facts and trivia about their favorite crystal gems AND STEVEN!
August 5, 2018
This was absolutely the cutest thing! Definitely all information I already knew but it was still worth the read. I love when I get to read something and in my head I hear the characters voices haha
December 25, 2018
Best show on television, TBH.
February 14, 2019
Super cute, easy-to-read, and fun. Younger fans who are just getting through season 1 will love having this guide.
June 21, 2019
It was good.
April 4, 2020
it was o.k.
September 18, 2020
This Was Made On My Birthday! This is Great!
December 26, 2021
Guide to the Crystal Gems by Rebecca Sugar is an awesome addition to any who loved watching the show.
February 13, 2024
AMAZING
August 19, 2024
I love this book😭😿😺
February 10, 2025
What the hell. Sure
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June 20, 2025Your words have such emotional depth. I’d really enjoy chatting sometime about what inspires your writing
August 12, 2025
An early favorite that we would read outside at the apartment.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews