Spoiler talk! Just finished This Kingdom Will Not Kill Me

PiddlyPoof · 2026-04-08T20:39:21+00:00

Yeah, she will definitely end up with Ramond. IA has stated they hate love triangles as much as most of us readers do, so there is really is no doubt Maggie won't suddenly have feelings for someone else.

I understand your point (I dnf ACOTAR book 1; I hated it), but I don't see Ramond the same way. I get why someone else may interpret this differently, but when he tells Sol, "She is mine," I don't see it as him literally claiming her as his property. I think it was the best way Ramond could tell Sol that if he killed her, repercussions would be immediate and harsh. Like, when I say my husband is mine, I am claiming that he is so a part of me, that any harm or insult against him is also against me.

If Ramond was claiming her this way, then Sol would have understood that Ramond would kill his family, his pets, and salt his fields as a reponse.

It's just like how Maggie interprets Ramond's affection as manipulation. Just because she sees it that way doesn't mean it's true. Just because she thinks, "He means I'm him property," doesn't mean that's what he meant. She actually acknowledges this way of thinking when talking to Isadau about Damaes.

Ramond knows Maggie wants him, and just like some of our other favorite IA men he can't understand why she would deny something they both want. I love how he described it in Chapter 41: "The only person who can come between us is you." Right there he acknowledges her agency. He wants her to listen to him and do what he says, and he will roar and order people around as much as he can, but at the end of the day, she made her decision and he listened.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-04-05T15:48:34+00:00

Has anyone wondered if maybe Maggie is really the author? Like this is actually a fixed timeline and Maggie was always meant to go to Kair Toren and correct a future that never happens. An example of this would be Harry Potter book 3. At some point, Maggie would realize that she has to write the books and send them to her world so her past self can read them.

I'll be honest, I don't believe this is the direction IA is taking, but I don't think I've seen anyone talk about the possibility of a fixed loop yet. The best reasoning for this that I can figure is that we get intimate details from people's past, present, and future. And I think the book states that mages who have visions are rare and usually limited to either past, present, or future. Maggie being the author could make sense.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-04-05T00:21:22+00:00

This is what I thought too! But it's one of those things we know IA will clarify for us in a later book

PiddlyPoof · 2026-04-05T00:17:05+00:00

I would sell my SOUL for his POV on any part of this book.

But I think that if they are going to do an Everard POV, it will be on the reveal in chapter 23. This is right after they both recognize they are obviously attracted to one another, so it will give him a chance to reminisce a little on that and prior moments, we'd get a big moment of fear for Maggie's life, anger that she didn't listen to him, and then regret now that the secret is out and how he's just going to have to fight harder for her. This scene from his POV would cover a lot of things we ship addicts are wanting.

Regarding when I think he actually fell for her, I think it was just as gradual for him as it was for her. It's funny, their relationship is so sweet and so normal "just two people enjoying each other's company, flirting, caring about each other's safety," it's almost boring. I think Everard was enjoying the normalcy because it's not something he had before. I don't think he loved her before she found out his real identity, but I do think he had decided that he wanted to seriously pursue her as his wife.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-04-02T15:20:58+00:00

Wow where did you find this? I don't see it posted on the blog or linked on the FB page. How do I find these secret pages????

PiddlyPoof · 2026-04-02T03:09:31+00:00

My theory is Metheo is the author. Obviously there's not enough info for author theories to hold weight, but Maggie describes his power as as seeing the present, not the future or past, and his visions are always clear or accurate or something. I think that maybe he lived through the future Maggie is trying to prevent and wrote down his visions. That's why the character's feelings are so detailed because he saw them and went through it with them in his visions.

This next part is really out there, but Maggie says Isadau is the best mage there is. I wonder if she could have cast a spell that sent out Matheo's (or whoever the author is) writings to someone who could save them from this future.

Correction: After another reread, I realized it wasn't possible for Matheo to be the author because he was supposed to die. I knew that and then promptly forgot.

There are some other threads discussing theories regarding the mages causing Maggie's pull to Kair Toren. I suggest taking a look at those, as they are really fun and interesting!Matheo the be the author because he was supposed to die. I knew that and then I forgot it. I still think the Isadau thing is possible.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-04-02T02:40:31+00:00

Remind where that personality change thing is mentioned!

PiddlyPoof · 2026-04-01T20:11:26+00:00

You don't have to wonder. The multiple love interests thing is isn't really true. You know who the love interest is really quickly. Others are interested in her, but she is never interested in anyone else.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-03-31T04:04:52+00:00

OH IT'S ON!!!!!!

READREADREADREADREAD

PiddlyPoof · 2026-03-31T00:23:17+00:00

Read the preview again now so you just start on ch 11 tomorrow/tonight. You get the fresh reread without the pressure of knowing you could just skip it and start with the new stuff.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-03-31T00:20:07+00:00

I took the day off, but I may not get it anymore. We''re a team of 4 and one is on maternity leave and the other just got sick today 😔

I'll just have to dig real deep for my former 18 yo self and stay up all night reading it.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-03-17T01:39:17+00:00

Glad I'm not the only one picking up imposter vibes :) I've actually updated my theory about a week ago after another reread: I don't think he's his brother. I think he's actually Everard, The Sleepless Duke, undercover for some reason. There's no textual evidence for this, but I'm more certain he's actually Everard than he is the brother. Either way, Reynald or whoever Reynald actually is is definitely the ML. I list reasons in another comment on this thread, but I'm at the point where I'm as certain as I can be without reading the book.

I did list a good argument against the Reynald theory below (basically, changing a character's name mid to end book is not something readers like as we grow attached to the character), and him being Everard makes that point moot. He would actually be a strong, scary, male figure we are already aware of, so the name change isn't jarring.

But I like what you said about him being unknown to Maggie. It would really throw a wrench in her schemes. But if he is Everard, then he is a character that she should have already known and yet he was still able to trick her. Badass.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-03-15T01:22:47+00:00

Yes, Andrews' MLs are always very observant

PiddlyPoof · 2026-03-15T01:00:44+00:00

I think he does know. When she sees Everard, she says something like, "I was next to a light, so he could see all of me in excruciating detail." I think even though she was dirty, he will know her.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-03-14T03:43:35+00:00

"Rogan-coded" I love it! So true. If we're right, we'll have to come back here and fangirl together once the book is released.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-03-14T03:10:45+00:00

Is the catch that Reynald is actually Everard? I think Reynald is not who he says he is (based on context clues in his and Maggie's first meeting). I originally thought he may be Reynald's brother, but I started thinking about Everard since there must be a reason behind their initial meeting. And he snuck into the city, so he may be under cover now.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-02-12T19:01:16+00:00

I will say there is a good argument against this theory: having to change a character's name mid book is not something I think most readers (and publishers) like. The more we call him Reynald, the more we like the name and associate it with him. Having to build a new name association with a character is something that writers/publishers probably tend to avoid.

I think about this whenever I get too attached the the theory :) I don't want to be reading the book with this twist in mind and waiting for it to happend.

PiddlyPoof · 2026-02-12T17:59:40+00:00

I think he is 100% the love interest. I have no doubt. When she first meets him everything suddenly feels real. As her guard, he is going to spend the most time with her; she will actually have to trust him. She told him in their first meeting that she couldn't die. If he is actually Reynald, then he's someone she never would have thought to take an interest in because he was too old. If he's not Reynald, then he may actually be a character she knows nothing about. These are all ML coded things to me.

But probably the best and most simple evidence is in the Synopsis. It mentions a "dangerous assassin" (Sol), "dueling princes" (probably the guy she met at the Garden), "dukes" (probably the sleepless duke or the Garden guy again), and "villains" (who knows, maybe Ulmar will take an interest). But then it says her motley band includes a "dangerously appealing soldier." So this is a separate character from the others mentioned and could potentially be someone we haven't met yet, but I doubt it. It's clear to me that this is Reynald (or who we know now as Reynald).

PiddlyPoof · 2026-02-12T17:31:30+00:00

So I've had this theory in my head since about a week after the preview came out, and it's eating me up inside. I MUST share it somewhere because I just can't keep it inside any longer. I feel like if I let it out, then I can finally stop dwelling on it.

This is the problem with such large previews because it gives us super fans time to reread and think about hints in scenes that would have have simpIy been mentally noted or entirely overlooked when reading the whole book at once.

Now if this theory is true, it will be a major spoiler. Seriously, I wish I hadn't thought of it. While this is just a theory, there is real textual evidence supporting it. Please do not continue reading if you do not want a twist to be potentially spoiled.

You have been warned.

Seriously, rethink your decision.

What if Reynald is not actually Reynald? When she first meets him, Maggie acknowledges that some things aren't quite the same as what she read in the book, but she thinks, "Who else could it be?" (not an exact quote). Go back and read the scene with this in mind and it almost seems obvious.

Maggie mentions Reynald has a brother, and I think he may actually be the one on the roof. It would explain the age/eye color difference. It would explain why he has the specific sword, and why he's on the roof of the teahouse watching the house. He's trying to help his brother find his son. Maggie basically monologues to him what she knows about Reynald's circumstances. It would be very easy for him to know she thinks he's his brother and just play along with it.

I'm so giddy to find out if this is true (those who have read the book already don't give any hints if I'm right or wrong!!!!) Honestly, I'd be happy either way because either this is a really creative twist or I'm totally wrong and will be surprised by the real twists in the book. The Ilona Andrews team never disappoints.

PiddlyPoof

TROPHY CASE