Set a thousand years in the future, a trans man named Griffon pieces together the complicated lives of his adoptive trans parents—artists and former revolutionaries—through his father’s prison journal, uncovering a legacy of love, trauma, and political upheaval. The novel explores themes of found family, generational trans identity, grief, and the messy aftermath of revolution, all within a lightly speculative world where personal and political histories intertwine.

Reader Review Summary

Set in a far-future world that feels both familiar and speculative, this novel follows Griffon Keming, a trans man grieving the loss of his adoptive trans parents, Etoine and Zaffre. The narrative alternates between Griffon's present-day reflections and his father's bloodstained prison journal, written while awaiting execution for regicide. The story explores the aftermath of a failed revolution in the fictional city-state of Stephensport, where political power is maintained by cryogenically preserved electors, and follows the family's subsequent life in New York. The book is structured as a memoir within a memoir, with timelines that interweave and shift, focusing on themes of grief, trans identity, chosen family, art, trauma, and the complexities of generational experience. The speculative elements, such as the undead electors and the shifting city names, serve as a backdrop to the character-driven exploration of love, loss, and self-discovery.

Readers praised the book's deeply developed characters, particularly the nuanced portrayals of Griffon, Etoine, and Zaffre, and the way their individual transitions and identities are explored across different social and historical contexts. The depiction of found family, especially among older trans characters, resonated with many, as did the honest treatment of mental health, addiction, and trauma. The prose was frequently described as beautiful, deliberate, and emotionally charged, with many readers highlighting the book's ability to capture the messiness and reality of queer and trans lives. The narrative's focus on art, the meaning of artistic creation, and the intersection of personal and political identity also received positive attention. The audiobook narration by Avi Roque was noted as a strong point by those who listened to it.

Some readers found the book's structure and pacing challenging, describing it as disjointed, meandering, or confusing, with frequent timeline jumps and a narrative that sometimes felt overstuffed with themes. The speculative and science fiction elements were seen by several as underdeveloped or incidental, with some wishing for more immersive worldbuilding or clearer explanations of the setting. A number of readers struggled to connect with Griffon as a narrator, preferring the sections focused on Etoine and Zaffre, and some felt the book's emotional intensity and density made it difficult to read in long sessions. The complexity of the narrative and the lack of a tightly woven plot were cited as barriers for those seeking a more straightforward or action-driven story.

The book has been subject to review bombing due to its trans themes, which some reviewers noted when discussing the average rating. Content warnings mentioned by readers include suicide, alcoholism, self-harm, homophobic and transphobic language, child abuse, domestic violence, and depression. The novel is categorized as science fiction, literary fiction, and LGBT/queer fiction, and is described as being more of a character study than a traditional genre novel. The story is noted for its exploration of trans experiences across generations, the aftermath of revolution, and the role of art in both personal and political contexts. Several readers expressed that the book would appeal most to those interested in literary fiction with speculative elements and complex, introspective character work.