Picked this up and just couldn't get into it, but I may try again when it's released. The concept was fascinating but I just wasn't in the headspace for it. (I don't particularly want to give it a rating, but I'll say 3 stars for the 10% I did read).

This was a lot more literary sci-fi than I thought it'd be, which unfortunately, isn't really my thing. But I know some of my friends and mutuals would really appreciate this book.

I really liked how this book showed how each of its MCs (Griffon, Etoine, and Zaffre) dealt with their transitions and their trans identities. Each character's journey felt very personal and very real, like I was reading about a friend or an acquaintance's experiences. If not for the soft sci-fi portion, definitely read this if you're looking for trans voices in fiction.

But other than that, I wanted so much more out of the worldbuilding. It's set in the far future, with undead electors who vote in a ruler, and the city state(?) that's mentioned changes names as soon as the new ruler is in power.

There was so much potential with all of this, but instead it's a character study about a couple and their adopted son that could've been written in a contemporary setting without losing anything from the story.

The book does touch on what happened in Etoine and Zaffre's past during the revolution, but it felt very last minute and wasn't enough to whet my appetite. It felt more like set dressing than anything. But then again, I'm the type of person who prefers to read about revolutions instead of the aftermath. If you're more of a lit fic reader, then it might not bother you.

I did like the author's writing though, and I'll definitely check out their previous books.

Thank you to Tor Books and NetGalley for this arc.

Notes from a Regicide by Isaac Feldman is an ambitious and thought-provoking novel that blends political intrigue with philosophical musings. Feldman’s prose is rich and lyrical, and the novel’s exploration of guilt, mental illness, addiction, political revolution, and the transgender experience is riveting in its best moments.

We follow the story of Griffon writing a book about his adoptive parents, both of whom are transgender and supported Griffon through his transition. The parents’ history revolves around their time in the fictional city of Stephensport and their central roles in its revolution told through the eyes of Griffon’s father, Etoine. Throughout Griffon’s draft of the book we explore the surreal city, walk through the dark side of addiction fueling creativity, see a first-hand accounting of 3 stories of transition, and experience violent regime change.

Feldman’s writing is rich with emotional depth and full of allegory and metaphor. It’s truly engaging, if not unrelenting. That said, the book’s pacing often falters. It took me 2 months to finish this book because of the intensity; it can be challenging to sit through long reading sessions. There’s a quote from Griffon talking about his publisher’s response to the book-within-book along the lines of “beautiful, but exhausting.” This was an apt description of my experience, and with Feldman’s skill I imagine that’s a feature, not a bug.

Overall, Notes from a Regicide is an intriguing read but not without pacing issues. Feldman’s ambition shines through, and readers who enjoy slow-burn, philosophical works swill find it deeply rewarding. However, the poetic and sometimes surreal prose makes it challenging for those seeking a tightly woven narrative.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review.

I'd never read Isaac Fellman before, so this book was a happy surprise for me. Wonderful writing and structure, great characters, and an intriguing plot. It's set about a thousand years in the future, in a post-oil world, and follows the lives of several trans characters (Fellman himself is trans), while also showing us what a non-oil-fueled world might look like. Love this one a lot.

This uses the future element perfectly to tell the story that it needed to. I was engaged with the world and the characters in this world. I thought it was a beautifully done story and had that realism that I wanted from this type of book. Isaac Fellman wrote this well and left me wanting to read more.

This was a fascinating science-fiction set in what is both our future and our past, and it is severely transgender. Also both devastating and hopeful at the same time. Absolutely adored it.