This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

Most people would think Maggie is just another 26-year-old who hasn’t found herself yet. Post-pandemic she has drifted from job to job, and is currently delivering groceries.  And, like many of us, she has escaped from a bad day at work by immersing herself in her favorite series - in her case, two fantasy novels set in the city of Kair Toren, focusing on the power struggles of eight royal families. Maggie has read them so many times she knows them as well as their mysterious author. 

So when she wakes up in Kair Toren itself, she recognizes where she is immediately and, as an avid reader, she is very familiar with all the fantasy tropes that might have governed her magical appearance: beautiful princess, haughty villainess, even a saucy chamber maid. Instead, she wakes up “choking on rainwater in a muddy ditch. Naked. Without any magic powers.”

To say this was not the way I envisioned spending my Sunday would be a criminal understatement. Today would’ve been my one day off. I should’ve spent it watching Netflix, nibbling on a pizza, and reading while lounging on my couch in my tiny apartment, in my soft sweatpants, warm and dry. Not wrapped in a dirty rag, shivering in a grimy alley, while the sky dumped gallons of cold rain on my head.

The only thing Maggie has as currency is her encyclopedic knowledge of Kair Toren and her ability to barter this information to create a place for herself in this dangerous world. Then, when she should have tried to figure out a way to get home, she feels compelled to try to save Kair Toren from its evil ruler and underworld of criminals and killers, despite the danger to herself. She learns that she cannot be killed but she can definitely suffer pain, so she surrounds herself with a found family that includes warriors, a fierce family matriarch, a maid, and a frightened 12-year-old boy, as she plots to change the outcomes of her beloved books.

This is a very clever, imaginative, and suspenseful story by a husband/wife writing team who have apparently written several bestselling NYT series. Maggie is a very appealing heroine, loyal to those around her, and determined to expose the corrupt leaders of Kair Toren, even when she is terrified. Although she may prefer sweatpants, she can appreciate (and looks good in) an elegant gown, and manages to take her place as a seemingly high born lady, although it is clear to the enemies she acquires left and right that she appeared out of nowhere. Maggie is capable of intricate plotting – although often things do not go as planned, and her blend of courage and humor is extremely entertaining.

With a few exceptions, I am not a big fantasy fan but found this book irresistible. I might have given it 5 stars except I had difficulty keeping track of all the characters (a list, even if at the back of the book, would have been helpful – maybe for the paperback?), disliked the authors’ use of contractions, and was quite annoyed by the cliffhanger ending after 470 pages! Once I did not have to worry about spoilers, I went to the website of this husband/wife writing team and saw that the sequel is not coming out until the second half of 2027! That is a long time to wait but Maggie has been waiting for book 3 in the Kair Toren series for at least ten years . . . .

Title: This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me
Author: Ilona Andrews
Publication: Tor/Macmillan, hardcover, 2026
Genre: Fantasy/series/suspense
Source: Library