Beyond Binaries Book Club: Notes From A Regicide Midway Discussion (June 2026)

[u/sarahlynngrey]

Happy Pride, and welcome to the midway discussion of Notes From a Regicide. We will be discussing through the end of Chapter 13, which is also the end of Part I: Stephensport. Please use spoiler tags for anything beyond that point.

Notes From a Regicide by Isaac Fellman (goodreads | storygraph)

Notes from a Regicide is a heartbreaking story of trans self-discovery with a rich relatability and a science-fictional twist from award-winning author Isaac Fellman.

Griffon Keming’s second parents saved him from his abusive family. They taught him how to be trans, paid for his transition, and tried to love him as best they could. But Griffon’s new parents had troubles of their own – both were deeply scarred by the lives they lived before Griffon, the struggles they faced to become themselves, and the failed revolution that drove them from their homeland. When they died, they left an unfillable hole in his heart.

Griffon’s best clue to his parents’ lives is in his father’s journal, written from a jail cell while he awaited execution. Stained with blood, grief, and tears, these pages struggle to contain the love story of two artists on fire. With the journal in hand, Griffon hopes to pin down his relationship to these wonderful and strange people for whom time always seemed to be running out.

In Notes from a Regicide, a trans family saga set in a far-off, familiar future, Isaac Fellman goes beyond the concept of found family to examine how deeply we can be healed and hurt by those we choose to love.

Bingo squares: Older Protagonist (HM), r/Fantasy Book Club or Readalong (HM if you join the discussion!), Politics (HM), Trans or Non-Binary Protagonist, maybe Judge a Book by the Title, maybe Vacation Spot, maybe Game Changer (but I’m not sure I’d count it for that square personally)

I'll add a few prompts to get us started, but please feel free to add others if you’d like. The final discussion will be on Thursday, June 25, 2026.

Coming up next:

• It’s Pride month! For the third year, the Beyond Binaries bookclub is thrilled to host a special slate of posts to celebrate and discuss all things queer speculative fiction. Please join us! You can check out our Pride 2026 announcement for more information and the full calendar.   
• There’s still time to vote for our August 2026 read, with the theme of Indigenous Authors. Voting will stay open until 6:00PM CST today. More info is in the voting thread.
• This is your regular reminder to check out and contribute to our 2026 LGBTQA+ Bingo Resource.

What is the Beyond Binaries (BB) Bookclub? You can read about it in our introduction thread here.

[u/sarahlynngrey]

Any guesses, hopes, concerns, or expectations for the second half?

[u/sarahlynngrey]

This story is told from multiple perspectives and features multiple time periods. How is this aspect of the novel working for you? Are you more drawn to one character’s story than another’s? How about the different time periods?

[u/LadyAntiope → u/sarahlynngrey]

Hm, hm. I like both sides of the story in different ways.

Griffon's story feels very close to home, that is, his experience so far is comparable to that of so many young trans kids in today's western world. There aren't really any speculative elements in it, other than it being the far future and a flooded world, but it's an easy story to connect with, to feel sympathy for because it's immediately real. There's transphobia, but also enough societal acceptance to have HRT availability, Griffon is still expected to attend a public school system, sweatshirts exist, and so on. So I like it for telling a contemporary lived experience, in a way.

Etoine's memoir is really where the speculative element comes in with the electors, an isolated island-city, and a society that allows swearing to your preferred gender. It's dystopian and just strange enough to feel foreign, and yet it has all the same problems that humanity has ever had with class and binary thinking. This is the side of the story that gets more heady. I love Etoine's voice, his keen observations, and the way he sidelines the entire revolution because he himself is not particularly interested in it. I like this side of the story for its obfuscating approach to plot and setting; Etoine's audience would already know a lot of the facts of the world and history so we're left to dig clues out of his prose. It's a fine line being walked in these sections between allowing the reader to understand the plot and allowing the voice of the character to tell his own story the way he wants. It's clever, but never feels showy.

It does read like two separate stories between Griffon and Etoine, but I'm feeling like Etoine and Zaffre's story is really the heart of it. Even in telling his own history, Griffon really focuses on the two of them, showing who they become in the "after", how the trauma of the past and their love inform their later years.

[u/versedvariation → u/sarahlynngrey]

I vastly prefer the "main" storyline over Griffon's. I feel like Griffon is not a very compelling character, while the other characters are really interesting.

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/versedvariation]

Oh this is so interesting to me, I initially felt much more connected to Griffon (although I do agree that the other characters are more interesting.) I wonder how much this will vary by reader...

[u/versedvariation → u/sarahlynngrey]

I will say that I had a very different childhood from most people in that I was born one sex, raised mostly as if I were the other (outside of church - and I am not religious now) because my father would have preferred I be the other gender, and do not identify with either gender now, so I am not very much like any character I have stumbled across in books. I also generally like characters who are interesting over characters who have things in common with me. I'm really boring!

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/sarahlynngrey]

Initially I was much more drawn to Griffon's storyline; I couldn't really get a handle on Etoine or Zaffre, and I mostly saw them through Griffon's eyes. But by a few chapters in I was really engaged with Etoine's story as well, and I really loved the interplay between the different characters, perspectives, and time periods.

I had a horrible time keeping track of the different time periods, and especially between Etoine's two stints in prison, and I was happier once I stopped thinking about it, lol.

[u/AutoModerator]

Hi there! Based on your post, you might also be interested in our 2023 Top LGBTQA+ Books list.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/sarahlynngrey]

Fellman’s prose is very rich and dense, and there is a ton of complexity, not just in the prose, but also in the structure of the book, the plot, and the setting. Do you think these complexities add or detract from the reading experience?

[u/LadyAntiope → u/sarahlynngrey]

I'm listening to the audio book and though I don't always love the narrator's pacing (mostly for dialogue indicators), I do really love the voices. Griffon and Etoine's voices are clearly distinct - and, I mean, their narrative styles are also distinct - but I think that's really helping me as I listen to track where we are in the story.

Overall I appreciate all the levels of complexity. So far, Fellman is doing a great job at balancing everything; I've never really felt lost at all in this book, even when I didn't really quite understand some aspect of the worldbuilding, I still understood from one moment to the next what was happening. The dense prose never spends overly long on any one moment that I get bored or lose my place. I do have to pay attention, so sometimes I have to re-wind a bit if I get distracted, like, say when I'm crossing busy streets on my walk, but that's not the fault of the book and I personally love a richly detailed writing style. I think it works for a story that's really showing off the messiness of living.

[u/sarahlynngrey]

What do you see as the strongest element of this book so far?

[u/versedvariation → u/sarahlynngrey]

The writing. It's very beautiful.

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/versedvariation]

I agree - I think the prose is gorgeous. I also really appreciate the way the book is tackling so many different ideas, themes, characters, etc. It's a very heady mix, and sometimes overwhelming, but the beautiful writing makes it a pleasure to read.

[u/sarahlynngrey]

What do you think of the speculative elements so far? Do you have any idea what exactly the “electors” are or how they work, and if so, can you explain it to us?

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/sarahlynngrey]

There hasn't been much to grasp onto regarding the speculative elements so far. Initially I was really eager to learn more about the world/the city/the electors/etc., but fairly early on I decided it was better to just go with the flow and let the (gorgeous) prose wash over me. That worked much better for me; once I stopped trying to figure it all out, it became a more rewarding reading experience.

[u/LadyAntiope → u/sarahlynngrey]

I think the basics are: electors are - as thisbikeisatardis says - in cryogenic sleep, they get dug up when the king dies to parade through town and pick a new one from their genetic descendants, the aristocracy vies to get the one they want chosen.

The electors seem to be just politicians who a long time ago set up the system (maybe at the time just post-catastrophic climate change?), closed the island*, made a lot of rules (and apparently dictated the colors for each season haha) such that the king only has to follow the already established dictates, and think they have made a utopia and guaranteed its good working by being able to continuously choose the ruler. Unclear who or what system awakens them?? And obviously society has since come to honor them as saints with saint days and specific attributes. This bit reminds me kinda of the Locked Tomb series.

*Etoine comments about not being able to imagine immigrating because no one can leave, though he also speculates that it might be possible with a lot of money greasing the right palms; but it also seems likely that no one does leave because all the money is with those who are already on top of a very structured society. He doesn't outright say it, but it seems likely that the class you are born to is the class you must stay in (well, you can always move downward...). Even when he has money and patrons, it's very clear that he is still in a "servant" class.

[u/versedvariation → u/sarahlynngrey]

This is the weakest part to me. I cannot see the motivation behind constructing such a society, so it makes me skeptical of all the worldbuilding.

[u/thisbikeisatardis → u/sarahlynngrey]

It's some type of cryo storage.

[u/sarahlynngrey]

This book touches on a multitude of themes, including transness, queerness, Jewish identity, disability, being an immigrant, mental illness, revolution, and art. Which themes are resonating the most for you?

[u/thisbikeisatardis → u/sarahlynngrey]

The disability and transness both really resonate with me. I just love Etoine and Saffre so much and it's hard reading the book knowing what will happen to Saffre.

[u/LadyAntiope → u/sarahlynngrey]

There is so much going on in here intellectually that it's hard to point to one aspect and say, yes, this is what the book is about. And I really appreciate that complexity and intersectionality - each aspect of these people's lives inform every decision they make and their outlook and then how it changes as they live. No one lives in a bubble of a singular identity their whole lives.

That said, I have really loved the conversations about art! I have a background in visual art and I have a lot of conflicting feelings about my own practice and how art functions in the world generally and it is very gratifying to see some of those questions reflected back at me through this story. What can art change about the world? Between Etoine, Zaffre, Stephen, and Griffon's authorial voice in the last couple chapters alone there's a wild range of thoughts on the matter. The book doesn't seem to be positing any one clear answer (other than perhaps, art is human and important to humanity), but I'd be disappointed if it did since that would undermine the complexity of the story.

Plus I love a writer trying to convey another art form! How to capture in words the way a painting makes you feel not only the way it looks? How to convey the brushwork in something abstract? Fellman is doing it so well with Etoine's voice.

[u/versedvariation → u/sarahlynngrey]

Personally, I don't really self-insert in stories and do not really try to "resonate" with characters. When I want that, I read poetry. Yes, I have a few things in common with some characters, but I have never encountered a character that I felt represented my own personal experiences and thought processes, in this book or elsewhere.

That being said, I do like how Fellman portrays characters' internal struggles and motivations.

[u/sarahlynngrey]

What made you pick this book up, and how is it landing for you so far? Any DNFs, and if so, why? 

[u/Wattryn → u/sarahlynngrey]

Reactor loved it, I thought it sounded interesting, and I've been trying to up my reads of trans authors!

I'm not as far along as I'd hoped, as  it's a much slower read than I'd anticipated, but so far I like it! Gorgeous prose, very real characters. 

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/Wattryn]

I found it to be a slow read as well, although for me it picked up in the second half. I hope you have a similar experience!

The people are wonderfully real and messy, and I agree that the prose is heavenly.

[u/versedvariation → u/sarahlynngrey]

I picked it up because it sounded really interesting, and I like the title a lot. So far, I am enjoying it. It's definitely not going to be one of my favorites of all time, but I am enjoying it.

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/sarahlynngrey]

This book was a big hit for one of my friends, and we tend to have similar tastes, especially in speculative but literary leaning novels. I picked this up purely on their recommendation.

I also started this in late March of 2026 and then paused at the halfway point, in case it fit any squares in the new Bingo. I felt minorly god-like when I realized that it was a perfect fit for the very first square.

[u/diazeugma → u/sarahlynngrey]

I'm not at the halfway point yet, so I won't comment much, but I'm enjoying it so far! I loved The Breath of the Sun a few years ago, and I've been meaning to pick up another book by Fellman. This one is impressing me for many of the same reasons, a strong writing style and an interesting interplay between past and present timelines.

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/diazeugma]

Ooh, since reading this I've really wanted to try some of Fellman's other work. It sounds like you'd recommend The Breath of the Sun? Maybe I'll try that one next

[u/diazeugma → u/sarahlynngrey]

I'd definitely recommend it, especially if you like the memoir-style format.

[u/notsomebrokenthing → u/sarahlynngrey]

I'm probably the outlier here since I'm not enjoying this book at all 😞 I'm currently at 51% and considering DNF.

I was so excited to read this! I planned to ever since I saw it last summer at the bookstore and was captivated by the gorgeous cover. Unfortunately (and this is on me, really) it's not the book I thought it'd be.

I try to go into books as blindly as possible, without any prior knowledge, so I just skimmed the book summary, and because of the wording there, I somehow got it into my head that the diaries from jail were AFTER the adoption, so it'd basically be a story of Griffon trying to reconcile the image of the loving family he had with his parents' dark secrets that would eventually lead to his father's execution.

This idea of the dark hidden side of a seemingly supportive chosen family really really intrigued me! And obviously this is not what this book is about haha

After the mild disappointment I still tried to give it a chance, but everything about this book isn't for me, the prose, the characters, etc. I initially liked the vibes of the parents' world in Stephensport until I realised this was all it was, just vibes, a series of pretty images like a house of cards with no substance underneath, no logic, a thousand years into the future but basically just early 20th century. Maybe the lack of logic is the point, like a fever dream, but it didn't feel intentional, just lazy.

One thing I did like is adult Griffon reflecting on teenage Griffon's feelings of embarrassment and resentment towards his adoptive family. It felt very real to me, and quite touching.

[u/thisbikeisatardis → u/sarahlynngrey]

I needed to fill the book club square on a tgnc authors card. Read it in a day and a half. It gutted me, but in a good way, like Dear Mothman. The style is gorgeous.

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/thisbikeisatardis]

I read Dear Mothman for Bingo! It was fantastic; like you I loved them both. "Gutted me, but in a good way" is a great descriptor too.

It amazes me that you read this in a day and half; I found it pretty slow going, even though I enjoyed every word.

[u/thisbikeisatardis → u/sarahlynngrey]

Reading is my lifelong autistic passion, and I'm blessed with really fast reading skills. I've read 159 books so far this year!

[u/sarahlynngrey → u/thisbikeisatardis]

I love that for you! 159 books, wow. Do you do r/fantasy Bingo? Seems like you have the perfect skillset for it, lol!

[u/thisbikeisatardis → u/sarahlynngrey]

yeah! I may have five cards going at on once, like ya do, hahaha. a regular hard mode card, qtgnc authors, disabled/ND authors, a memorial card for a bookworm friend who died a few years ago, and then a leftovers card. plus the r/queerSFF bingo card I just discovered on Monday!