The Kingswood Complication - Chapter 40
Added 2025-04-11 16:00:04 +0000 UTCComments
Seems most likely that this would happen at the beginning of a new school year.
Rutabaga
2025-04-13 20:14:35 +0000 UTCA thought just struck me. Mark and Jazz were replacement characters to some that left Kingswood. With only 7 boys currently in 1.01, is there a replacement on the cards anytime soon?
Robbie
2025-04-13 17:26:53 +0000 UTCYeah, it's a horrible thing (and yes, I feel a bit bad for being the one putting him through it lol) but there is definitely gaslighting going on here. Poor Mikey. But if anyone's tough enough to get through something like that, it's him!
Matthew Smith
2025-04-13 10:24:27 +0000 UTCAww, thank you for that. With such a huge cast of characters, but a couple taking prominence, it can be tough to include enough time for all of the ones I would like to, but hearing that some of the less prominent characters stand out for you is really wonderful. I think Finn and Charlie really stand out for me, partly because they're outside of the actual Kingswood experience, but also because I get to play more with their sexuality than I do with the boys at the school. Eother wya, I love the entire cast and it's lovely to hear the appreciation for them.
Matthew Smith
2025-04-13 10:19:22 +0000 UTCIt's one of the many joys of such a long story, I have so much of my own history to draw on, but also the option to plant seeds forlater plot points well in advance. Sometimes I just get lucky and things happen to align by chance, but I definitely plan a lot!
Matthew Smith
2025-04-13 10:16:57 +0000 UTCGood observation...
Matthew Smith
2025-04-13 10:15:57 +0000 UTCHopefully this one doesn't go anywhere, but I thought I'd get a rpely in quick just in case!! Really can't disagree about Todd. Some characters I leave as morally ambiguous, allowing readers to make up their own mind. Sometimes though, bad guys really are just bad guys! Nicky and Gray are wonderful, but as nice as it is to get them together, it's important to remember this is the beginning, not the end. When it comes to Kingswood, there's always more drama to come! As mentioned in a previous comment, the Danny/Avery/Daniel thing still has a long way to go... Mikey helping Rob was fun to write and (mild spoiler alert) does lead to a lot of unexpectedly wonderful moments between the two boys throughout the next book. Yeah, sepsis is awful. Realistically I put Josh in situations where someone with his condition in real life wouldn't go with his condition, but occasionally creative liberties need to come into play, but the risk is always there. The question is how much did Josh hear, and how will he react? That line about Mikey was wonderful. Gray is definitely an enjoyably quotable character.
Matthew Smith
2025-04-13 10:15:28 +0000 UTCReal quick, since these comments have a nasty habit of disappearing. Todd is an asshole and a sociopath. The reader world collectively said "Aww" when Gray and Nicky finally got together. Stunning revelation about (apparently) Avery's older brother. It sounds like Levi (Mr. Trent) may be able to shed some light on things. But it's up to Danny to decide whether to connect the dots between Levi and Avery on this. Love that Mikey is trying to help Rob. Hate that he was exploited by Todd. Sepsis is a significant risk for cancer patients, even recovered ones. Among other things, the chemo treatments tend to kill off neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) that are a critical part of the immune system. It's possible that Josh's trip to the art exhibition was a factor in developing sepsis, but in truth the environment is filled with pathogens and the immune system is needed to keep them from thriving in the body. I suspect the fact that Josh collapsed while Rob was venting was mostly a coincidence, although the rant certainly didn't help. I think my quotable quote would be this: “I like Mikey,” Gray said with a gentle nod, “He’s fun. I mean, I wouldn’t wanna mess with him. He’s like Wolverine but with less hair, less claws and more freckles!”
Rutabaga
2025-04-12 19:11:04 +0000 UTCIt's sepsis. I'm not sure if Josh heard most of Rob's ranting, but even just that "especially you" would hurt Josh deeply, no doubt.
Johnny Kape
2025-04-12 15:08:29 +0000 UTCMikey is so cute, his development in the story is wonderful. Now without the voices in his head he is such a wonderful boy and friend to the others
Mr Luigi
2025-04-12 11:59:05 +0000 UTCJosh... pls be okay soon... I think Rob's words in the last chapter hit him very very hard. This is serious guys...
Mr Luigi
2025-04-12 11:51:06 +0000 UTCNicky and Gray 🥰 they r boyfriends now, yeah so cute 😃
Mr Luigi
2025-04-12 11:16:06 +0000 UTCOh, and I wonder... what's David's punishment from Rob. They would disappear and reappear at the same time. David didn't look humiliated, mortified, hurt or the like. I wonder what it might be.
Johnny Kape
2025-04-12 02:50:04 +0000 UTCI didn't remember much about Mr. Trent's crush, so I went back to book 3 to search. The story about the tragedy of Avery's big brother (should be, right?) was in chapter 19 of Kingswood Effect. Who knew that it would be brought up so much later at that time? I'm always amazed by authors like Matt who would plan the whole story so well and bring surprises to readers like this.
Johnny Kape
2025-04-12 01:53:15 +0000 UTCAbout Todd... Although there is still a tiny possibility that he's doing it with Mikey only because Mikey asked, but I think he's really expertly mind controlling Mikey. But honestly I wonder if this chapter would be c****d again due to this... Patreon is getting on my nerve now.
Johnny Kape
2025-04-12 01:47:19 +0000 UTCOk, so I'd written a second comment, which I accidentally deleted when I thought of something else I wanted to say in my first one. So, my other thought is that this book in particular has excelled at bringing other and newer characters onto my radar more strongly. Listing my top five characters in this book (in alphabetical order, to be fair): 1) Avery, 2) Danny, 3) Gray, and 4) Mikey. Number five shifts by chapter. Matt has just made the choice impossible. I'm sure there will be some shock that Chris is not in my top list here. It was a tough call. I think Danny's struggle with his mental health tipped the scales. However, this is still Danny and Chris's love story to me, so I suppose I should add Chris as number 5, and say everyone else rotates. Considering the entire series, Brian, Joseph, and two non-Kingswood students - Chris's brother Finn and Charlie from King Edward's - all stake a claim to my heart as well.
Rich
2025-04-11 21:40:08 +0000 UTCI'm really hating Todd now. He needs to be found out before he messes Mikey up mentally even more with his manipulation. Other than the Todd scene, which pained me to read, and my worries about Josh, there were some highlights for me. Mikey is once again my hero this chapter. I love that he is getting the spotlight more lately. He is being proactive in trying to heal the relationships in the dorm room, and he is working on his own issues. Plus, ginger and cute - a winning combination in my book. Nicky and Gray are still cuteness overload as a couple. It's so sweet to see them build each other up by being open about how they see the other. It's a dose of confidence that they both need. Nice work by Danny on the likely connection between Levi's friend and Avery. I'm curious to see where that leads. By the way, wouldn't it be interesting if Mikey and Rob became a couple?
Rich
2025-04-11 20:53:21 +0000 UTCOk, this Todd guy is really getting on my last Christian nerve. When he was first introduced I thought how lucky Mikey was to have someone to talk to and relate. But now he is being used for sex. I don’t know what is worse Mikey being used like he is now or the fact Todd makes him think its his own idea or to help himself out.
BayAreaSooner
2025-04-11 20:32:54 +0000 UTC
