Mister Monday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 1) by Garth Nix

 3.76 STARS from 20,923 GoodReaders

Arthur Penhalion isn't supposed to be alive, let alone be the chosen heir for a remarkable Key and a dangerous quest. Yet, due to a set of remarkable circumstances, and a destiny that insists on being realized, this contemporary teenager finds himself given items of power he can hardly understand, and taking part in a quest he never volunteered for. Because, if he fails, friends and family may pay the price. Mister Monday is the first book in Garth Nix's new Keys to the Kingdom seven-book series.

Garth Nix's fast-paced new fantasy series for teens opens with a bang. Readers are introduced to the fact that things have gone horribly wrong in the universe. The Will, a document, and a force of some power, has been broken up and locked away by the Seven Trustees. But one piece has escaped, and it's determined to set things right again. Things move along very quickly as Arthur inherits half the key to the house of Monday. But in order to gain the full key and save his friends and family, Arthur must enter another world entirely and find a way to avoid the clutches of Mr. Monday and gain the second half of the key.

The author has created a book that rarely stops to take a breath and certainly never drags or bogs down in narrative. If this were a different kind of book, for a different audience, I might have more of a problem with the pace. But for a teen adventure fantasy story that will be seven books long? It works remarkably well. Character development may be light, but Nix is allowing seven books to completely create his characters. And while there may not be a great deal of time spent on narrative description, there's enough worldbuilding and imagination to create the kingdom of the House vividly enough. Nix pulls in more than a few of his own monsters, giving the story a fresh feel, and keeping things interesting.

On it's own, this is a delightful read with vivid characters and nonstop action. As the first book in the septet, it's a great kick-off and made me hungry to read the second. It's been a bit of a wait for the series conclusion, but I've managed it with Harry Potter, I can manage it with this series. The quest and adventure themselves are not incredibly new--most of the themes covered in this story have been touched on in fantasy before. An unlikely hero transformed, a multifaceted quest to retrieve magical items and embody a written destiny, good vs. evil, unusual allies and dangerous enemies. What makes it all work again is Nix's ability at storytelling and imaginative new spin. I have to admit, I had my doubts about picking up this author again after Lirael and Abhorsen, but this book has renewed my interest in Garth Nix as an author.

Any fantasy fan, and especially young readers who cut their teeth on Harry Potter will likely enjoy this adventure series.

Happy Reading! ^_^ Shanshad


MISTER MONDAY
(Scholastic)
(Keys to the Kingdom #1)

Reading Information:

Word Count: 74,016

Page Count:  368

Accelerated Reader: 5.9 / points: 12.0 

AR quiz: 70137

Lexile: 800L
--sample pages available
--other reviews available
--audio version available

updated by Pam
updated July 2014