Codex Regenesis: Five Fables of Magick Misused

by Hannah Batsel

Unlock the secrets of a mystical tome through gorgeous illustrations, clever paper mechanics, and a mysterious story. This interactive book will keep you and your friends immersed for hours!

You have been cast as an expert on occult texts and tasked with solving a literary mystery. An antiquarian bookseller recently vanished under strange circumstances, leaving only a copy of Codex Regenesis behind. This intriguing volume contains five fables from across time and geography, each of which holds a clue. You’ll need all five clues to solve the final riddle, unlock a secret compartment, and discover the full story of the book’s mysterious powers.

Author, artist, and paper engineer Hannah Batsel has concocted a delight for bibliophiles packed with striking linocut illustrations and clever interactive mechanics. Codex Regenesis blends elements of myths, fairy tales, and legends within a deeply moving story about seeing things as they really are and living true to yourself. After the mystery is solved, the book remains a beautiful art object to be treasured and shared for years to come. This fantastically original work is for anyone who loves browsing in antiquarian bookshops on the off chance they might find a book of actual magic. . . .

INTERACTIVE MYSTERY BOOK: With five fiendish puzzles to solve, using clues from the narrative, the illustrations, and the paper mechanics, Codex Regenesis captures the excitement of an escape room in the form of a book. It's perfect for cozy solo puzzling or as an analog group activity for friends and families.

MUST-HAVE FOR MODERN MYSTICS: Batsel blends deep historical research and timely themes with a generous sprinkling of magical and occult aesthetics. This book is a must-have for tarot fans, antique book collectors, and fans of all things witchy and arcane.

RISING STAR CREATOR: Hannah Batsel has earned a devoted following on TikTok, where she shares her historically inspired prints, intricate paper designs, and other distinctive creations. Her handmade artist books and children's books are beloved for their clever construction, mesmerizing artwork, and meaningful stories.

ENGAGING STORY: Codex Regenesis turns the classic cautionary tale about eternal youth on its head, questioning who deserves to relieve their youth (with a particular nod to the queer experience). The story delivers memorable characters and vivid settings that span history and geography, offering a fully immersive reading experience.

Perfect for:

● Fans of logic puzzles, brain teasers, crosswords, or seek-and-find books
● Anyone who enjoys Murder Most Puzzling or Murdle books
● Escape room players
● Readers of dark, magical, witchy stories
● LGBTQ+ readers
● Art book and vintage book collectors
● Fans of Hannah Batsel’s books and online content
● Halloween and holiday gift shoppers

Genres: Fantasy

84 pages, Hardcover

First published October 7, 2025

Reviews

[Larkin J · Rating 5 out of 5]

BATSEL YOU ARE THE GOAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tens tens tens tens tens. Beautiful, clever, devious and heartwarming all in a punchy, creative delivery. I've been following the author online for years, and Batsel's craft is second to none. I'm so happy to have this piece of art, and I'm so happy others get to experience this as well.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

EDIT: I've now figured out how to solve all 5 puzzles :) just took a little help from another set of eyes! love the detail in this book!!

LOVE the artwork and the frame story is so heartwarming. the short stories were interesting, though truthfully I still don't understand how you were supposed to solve the puzzles for 2 of them -- I'm admittedly not a puzzle master! however, you can feel the passion for the craft in this book, and I'm so glad to have it!

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun and interactive read! I loved all five of the fables in this book and it was fun looking for the clues to solve the mystery and open the chamber at the end of the book. The overall style of this book was so neat and made for a really interesting reading experience.

Thank you @chroniclebooks for the gifted copy of the book.

[Katherine Kurzweil · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute puzzle book with an epic twist! So happy I found this

[gladys · Rating 4 out of 5]

the art is gorgeous, the stories are fun, and the puzzle at the end stumped me for a bit :-)

robert's letter was my favorite part of this book. so beautifully written.

[Sarah AK · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully crafted puzzle of a book to which I am 1000% the target audience. I spotted the ouroboros on its vintage-style cover from the checkout line at a bookstore, and immediately abandoned the line to go investigate. When I read that it was actually a puzzle of sorts, I NEEDED it. I love all forms of puzzles, whether they be jigsaw or logic, but this form of escape room-style decodery is my absolute favorite (which I usually imbibe in the form of fancy PostCurious games... I am utterly obsessed with those). Essentially, if it's a solo puzzle, I'm in. Naturally, I went into this with very high hopes. It didn't quite live up to my high expectations, but I still really enjoyed it, particularly the "prize" at the end.

I chose to read the book straight through before attempting to solve the puzzles. They weren't feeling immediately solvable, so I figured I'd go back to them after I'd read the whole book. The stories were decent, but to me, the real stars here are the art and typography. The whole aesthetic is incredible and feels like you really are reading an ancient occult text (just on really crisp and thick new paper).

Of the 5 stories, the last two were immediately solvable for me. Like, so easy I didn't even have to think about it. I locked those answers into place, then went back to try to decipher the first three, which I realized I had been overthinking (these were a lot simpler than I was expecting). That said, simpler doesn't necessarily mean easier, and I was still feeling stumped. If you just can't figure it out, you don't need to despair. You have clues in the form of your possible answers, and you can always "cheat" your way through by spinning the wheels until the locked compartment gives a little, and you have your answer. I had to do this for 2 of them. Knowing the answer made one of those puzzles make sense pretty quickly (I'd have probably figured it out eventually, maybe), but one of them I still don't understand. Alas, I moved on and opened the back compartment.

I won't spoil what's in there, but it was very, very sweet and I enjoyed it more than the actual tales. Overall, a great ending, a little bit of cheating, and a really fun and unique reading experience which I wish there were more books like.

[Thea Kisby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original and creative work.
A wonderful and interactive storytelling. Fun and unexpected twists and riddles.

Not too hard to solve, but still made me scratch my head and huff.

Simpler is better when solving the riddles. no need to overthink it.
I really appreciate that solving the riddles can be achieved without breaking or damaging the book, as many other puzzle/riddle games require.

The artwork is simply too precious to destroy or alter. A beautiful conversation piece and addition to any collection.

This was my first encounter with the artist/author. However i do hope for more publications from them in the future.

[Lourdes Ubidia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fan of Hannah’s work and I’m so thankful to be able to physical hold and interact with one of her works. A wonderful read, I adored every moment of going through each page, soaking up the craftsman ship and details, and of course, solving the puzzle! I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys interactive books and beautiful art.

[k0ntrasty · Rating 5 out of 5]

ta książka to najlepszy fun, jaki miałam w tym roku. przy każdej zagadce czułam się jak naukowiec na skraju rozwiązania okultystycznej łamigłówki, ilustracje są przepiękne, sam mechanizm tej książki to coś niesamowitego!! sama przyjemność

[Brooke Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeously produced and a super fun concept. Every element was executed to an incredibly high standard, from the illustrations to the flaps to the puzzles and narrative. Just a truly beautiful peice of art.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, deeply cool to see an artist's book made available at this scale and price point! The artwork is beautiful and the interactive elements are very clever and well done. I hope to see more from this author and more of these types of books out in the world

[Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the artwork of Hannah Batsel and was excited to work through this book. It consists of five fables that solve a puzzle which unlocks the secret of the book.

[Madeleine Dodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was incredibly, delightful, so cool, WOW wanna read it all over again

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was just so awesome, the stories themselves are great but the the way it’s framed and presented is just incredible. i highly recommend going into this as blindly as possible.

[Jordan Marzka · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh my God!!! these bitches gay!!!

[Rima Sash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cool book, beautiful