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Codex Regenesis: Five Fables of Magick Misused
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
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
84 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 3, 2026
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.
robert's letter was my favorite part of this book. so beautifully written.
November 11, 2025
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.
May 9, 2026
Rounded up to a 4.5/5. The concept and artistic design of this book is so cool, and the novelty of the puzzles to unlock the final aspect of the story feels rewarding. The 5 fables themselves and the purpose of the codex are cute but sized reads that I would have given this a standard 3/5 but the reward of the final aspect in the back compartment of the book bumped this up. No spoilers but why a delightful and fun experience. The art style used is also amazing. Definitely recommend.
October 7, 2025
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!
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!
October 20, 2025
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.
Thank you @chroniclebooks for the gifted copy of the book.
December 29, 2025
This was such a cute puzzle book with an epic twist! So happy I found this
February 1, 2026
As a paper, puzzle and story lover, both premise and promise of this book made me buy it right after I learned of its existence. I devoured it in one sitting and it gave me more than I hoped for.
Writing a new fable that feels believably ancient is no small feat, let alone doing it five times. The accompanying illustrations have a timeless and distinctive style that makes them jump from the page.
The puzzles all work without feeling illogical, overly difficult or too easy. The paper is lovely. And then the real treat is in the story that is unlocked that is both wholly original and heartwarming. Oh what a blessing of a book!
Writing a new fable that feels believably ancient is no small feat, let alone doing it five times. The accompanying illustrations have a timeless and distinctive style that makes them jump from the page.
The puzzles all work without feeling illogical, overly difficult or too easy. The paper is lovely. And then the real treat is in the story that is unlocked that is both wholly original and heartwarming. Oh what a blessing of a book!
January 10, 2026
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.
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.
March 2, 2026
This book was given to me as a (Christmas) present and I finally just now had a chance to read it - and now it's one of my all-time favorite books. This book is a work of art on multiple levels - each of the fairytales are brilliant (individually and collectively they remind me of the movie "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs," which I also love and think is brilliant), the meta story of Norton the bookseller is beautiful and captivating (and made me cry), the artwork is gorgeous, the puzzles are gorgeous and challenging (I wasn't able to solve three of them and was only able to unlock the secret compartment through trying all the various combinations), the secret compartment in the back is amazing, the book's design/layout/typography is gorgeous... there is not a part of this book that I didn't linger over, enjoying it's beauty and uniqueness. Amazing, amazing story, amazing, amazing work of art.
March 17, 2026
The overarching story is engaging, the fables are entertaining and everything is beyond beautifully illustrated.
I really felt like a kid when handling the interactive paper art. What an absolute joy.
Loved loved loved the letters with their different fonts, the interactive elements, the overarching storyline, and the returning elements.
I repeat, what an absolute joy!
About the puzzles:
Also, the end had me bawling my eyes out.
I really felt like a kid when handling the interactive paper art. What an absolute joy.
Loved loved loved the letters with their different fonts, the interactive elements, the overarching storyline, and the returning elements.
I repeat, what an absolute joy!
About the puzzles:
Also, the end had me bawling my eyes out.
January 18, 2026
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.
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.
February 13, 2026
A most curious tome! As an art piece with a little virtue ethics narrative attached to it, I give this 5*. The illustrations and custom hand-painted typefaces are evocative and spot-on the feel for an old occult tome. The production value is extremely high: thick paper, interesting construction, and everything one might possibly want.
That being said, I picked this up because the shrinkwrap promised me fiendish puzzles and a challenging mystery. It is not that. Which is fine! It has many other merits.
That being said, I picked this up because the shrinkwrap promised me fiendish puzzles and a challenging mystery. It is not that. Which is fine! It has many other merits.
January 31, 2026
Storytelling, art, fonts (especially), typography, color scheme, characters; everything was phenomenal. It's so good to see authors focusing on the overall design of the book, and telling the stories through that design.
3 of the answers were easy to spot, 1 had to be reverse-engineered, and I am still not sure about the remaining answer, but that had to be figured out through trial-and-error.
3 of the answers were easy to spot, 1 had to be reverse-engineered, and I am still not sure about the remaining answer, but that had to be figured out through trial-and-error.
December 5, 2025
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.
November 13, 2025
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
November 16, 2025
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.
December 27, 2025
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
April 2, 2026
A fun, fantasy/mystery/puzzle book that is beautifully illustrated! Very fun read and the puzzles to unlock the final portion of the book did take a little thinking. I also really enjoyed the typeset, which helped set the tone for this book (a magically/mysterious codex).
April 6, 2026
One of the most unique books I've ever experienced ("read" doesn't seem like a sufficient enough word), and such a refreshing take on a classic subject! I was blown away by both the storytelling and the artwork, and the tactile experience of exploring the book itself was so interesting!
November 4, 2025
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.
November 9, 2025
this was incredibly, delightful, so cool, WOW wanna read it all over again
November 19, 2025
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.
December 27, 2025
oh my God!!! these bitches gay!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2025
Really cool book, beautiful
April 1, 2026
Beautiful book and fun to read
May 13, 2026
One of the coolest and most creative books I’ve ever read/interacted with. The art style is singular and gorgeous.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews