This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me by Ilona Andrews – Review

Published: March 31, 2026

Publisher: Tor Books

Series: Maggie the Undying #1

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 480 (Kindle)

Synopsis:
Outlander meets Game of Thrones in this blockbuster new epic fantasy series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author duo Ilona Andrews.

When Maggie wakes up cold, filthy, and naked in a gutter, it doesn’t take her long to recognize Kair Toren, a city she knows intimately from the pages of the famously unfinished dark fantasy series she’s been obsessively reading and re-reading while waiting years for the final novel.

Her only tools for navigating this gritty world of rival warlords, magic, and mayhem? Her encyclopedic knowledge of the plot, the setting, and the characters’ ambitions and fates. But while she quickly discovers she cannot be killed (though many will try!), the same cannot be said for the living, breathing characters she’s coming to love—a motley band that includes a former lady’s maid, a deadly assassin, various outrageous magical creatures, and a dangerously appealing soldier. Soon, instead of trying to get home, she finds herself enmeshed in the schemes—and attentions—of dueling princes, dukes, and villains, all while trying to save them and the kingdom of Rellas from the way she knows their stories will end: in a cataclysmic war.

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I had to check this out, not only because I already had it on my TBR, but because every single review I’ve seen has been glowing with praise. It’s not often that happens, but I’ll be damned if this wasn’t one of the best books I’ve read this year and I am SO annoyed that I have to wait for the sequel now! Isekai fantasy stories where the protagonist is transported to another world don’t always work for me, but this one skipped the most painful part where the person wakes up not knowing where they are.

In This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me Maggie has already been in this new world for several days and has come to terms with the fact that she’s not in Kansas anymore. She’s cold, naked, and hungry in a very dangerous world and desperate enough that she starts using her knowledge of this world from the books she’s read to rob someone at the opportune moment. At this point Maggie also discovers that she can’t die because she gets knifed and falls into the river along with the pouch of coins. In order to make a new life for herself, she starts planning how to use the knowledge she has in a strategic way – she knows that if she uses it too much or uses it poorly she’ll change the potential futures and her knowledge will be useless. Ultimately she decides to start by selling a key piece of information to the leader of the Shears, which is a group that is sort of a thieves/assassins guild hybrid. Now she needs a bodyguard, so she goes and has tea and convinces a very determined looking knight that she can help him with his slavery problem. 

I’ve seen the label “cozy” floating around in regard to this book and I would like to correct that notion. While this might occasionally give you some nice, heartwarming moments and a seriously wonderful found family trope, it is NOT cozy. There are multiple traumatic deaths (several of which happen to Maggie), there is a serial killer, there are slavers that must be murdered, and this is a harsh world with all the things that go along with that. So, perhaps readjust your expectations if that’s why you picked this book up. All that being said, it was fantastic and you should still read it!

I absolutely loved Maggie. How could you not love a heroine who wakes up in a brand new (yet familiar) world and instead of waiting to be saved she starts planning? And even when things begin changing and her knowledge isn’t as useful anymore she still manages to boss bitch her way through things, but not in that blazingly cocky way that so many fantasy heroines do. The secondary characters are such a diverse and compelling cast and the villain is truly a shit bag of epic proportions! I’d say don’t get me started on the romantic interest in this book, but I fear I may accidentally say too much if I really get on a roll and that might get spoilery. Needless to say, I have hearts in my eyes and the sad realization that this is probably going to end in some sort of tragedy because it’s not a nice world. This world is careening towards destruction that Maggie and her allies are trying to thwart, but will likely end up being bittersweet.

This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is probably within my top 5 reads of the year, though I don’t usually make a specific list for those. It was brilliant in all facets, from worldbuilding to characterization, and I’m waiting very impatiently for the sequel. This has also set me on a mission to find more wonderful books by Ilona Andrews, so keep an eye out for another review of their books in the near future!