Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me is a portal fantasy, but it quickly subverts the genre’s typical wish-fulfillment tropes when Maggie arrives powerless in a muddy ditch. How effective did you find this gritty, realistic approach to the isekai concept? Did it meet, challenge, or defy your expectations for this type of story?

2. Ilona Andrews is known for urban fantasy series like Kate Daniels and Hidden Legacy. How does this foray into epic fantasy compare to their other work you may have read? Do you see common threads in their world-building, character development, or romance, or does this feel like a significant departure?

3. The novel ends on a dramatic cliffhanger, with Maggie being kidnapped by Estol Silveren. What was your immediate reaction to this ending? Do you feel it was a fitting conclusion for the first book in a trilogy, or did it leave you feeling frustrated?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Maggie’s encyclopedic knowledge of the book series proves to be dangerously incomplete when confronted with the living reality of Rellas. Have you ever had an experience where your expectations, built from reading or research, were completely upended by the real thing?

2. After rescuing them, Maggie forms an unconventional household with Reynald, Clover, Kaiden, and the Magnars. What about this found family resonated with you? What qualities do you think are most important for building trust and loyalty among a group of people who start as strangers?

3. Maggie constantly adapts her identity to survive, shifting from a craftsman’s wife to a noble lady. We all present different versions of ourselves in different contexts. In what ways do you find yourself adjusting your own persona for work, family, or social situations, and what purpose does this serve?

4. Ramond vi Everard maintains his disguise as Reynald for a significant part of the novel, leading to a major betrayal of Maggie’s trust. Have you ever felt let down by someone you trusted who wasn’t who you thought they were? How did that experience shape your ability to trust others afterward?

5. Maggie is burdened with the knowledge of a coming civil war and feels responsible for preventing it. If you had the ability to see a future disaster, do you think you would feel obligated to intervene, even if your actions might have unforeseen and dangerous consequences?

6. Clover decides to keep the name given to her by the mistress who betrayed her, declaring she will make her enemies regret it. How do you feel about this act of reclamation? Have you ever reclaimed something, as Clover did, in the wake of trauma or injustice?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The kingdom of Rellas operates on a feudal system where power is decentralized among the king and the Eight Great Families. How does the novel use this political structure to explore loyalty, corruption, and the precarious nature of authority? Can you draw any parallels to modern power dynamics?

2. Ulmar Hreban’s use of public violence, like the “contemplation,” is a deliberate political strategy to instill fear and assert his power over the law. In what ways do leaders or institutions use public displays of force or punishment to control populations, either historically or in the present day?

3. The novel features several powerful female characters, including Maggie, Galiene, Isadau, and Clover, who navigate a patriarchal world through intelligence, strategic alliances, and sheer resilience. How does the book’s exploration of female agency and power within a society that seeks to limit them resonate with contemporary conversation about gender and power?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Maggie’s resurrective ability is central to her identity as “the Undying,” yet each death is physically and emotionally agonizing. How does the narrative’s treatment of her power subvert the idea of immortality?

2. Ramond vi Everard’s deception is a major plot driver. What purpose does hiding his identity as the Sleepless Duke serve for his character arc and for the overall narrative suspense? How does the reveal ultimately reshape his relationship with Maggie?

3. Oaths and contracts highlight different forms of power. How does the contrast between Hreban’s magical life-chain contracts and the honor-based, spoken vows made by other characters develop the novel’s commentary on tyranny versus leadership?

4. The political maneuvering and shifting allegiances of the Great Families are central to the plot. How does this intricate “game” in Rellas compare to the power struggles depicted in other epic fantasy series, such as George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire?

5. The narrative timeline itself is an active force in the story, “resisting” Maggie’s attempts to change it by shifting events rather than preventing them. What does this concept suggest about the nature of fate and free will in this world?

6. How do Maggie’s changing outfits and disguises function as more than just practical tools? What do they say about her developing character and role in the narrative?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Your task is to write the synopsis for the second book in the Maggie the Undying trilogy. Based on the cliffhanger, what key conflicts, character developments, and plot twists would you include?

2. What kind of hereditary magic, similar to the Fatefire or Mirror Heart, would you want if you were the head of a ninth Great Family in Rellas? What would its strengths and weaknesses be, and how would you use it to navigate the kingdom’s politics?

3. Imagine you are Solentine Dagarra and must write an official report for the Demarr family archives, detailing the sudden appearance and formal adoption of “Marigold Demarr.” How would you explain her mysterious origins, her value, and the potential risks she brings to the family?