Mister Monday by Garth Nix
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Review by Indra
The first day of term at Arthur Penhaligon's new school was supposed to be his last day on earth, but instead of dying of an asthma attack, he is given a key and drawn into another realm, controlled by human-like creatures called the Morrow Days. Strange dog-like creatures are sent, by one of the Morrow Days, Mister Monday, after Arthur to try and regain the key. Monday will stop at nothing to get at Arthur and the key, even burning down part of the school and bringing a terrible plague to the Earth that threatens to kill anyone who catches it. The only chance of saving his family and everyone else is for Arthur to enter the other realm through a mysterious house in the town, that nobody else can see, and try and find a cure. However, Arthur's fate, it seems, is tightly woven into the house, if he wants to save his world, he must fight for it.
The story is fast paced, but by no means lacking in detail, you can really see the world that the characters are in, and emphasise with them accordingly. All the characters, even the strange Denizens of the house, are thus easy to relate to and recognise in daily life. Arthur himself is certainly nothing out of the ordinary, he has no 'special gifts' or magical powers, in fact the very reason he is dragged into the whole situation in the first place is simply because he was there at the time, his tale could be about anyone in the world, any reader of the book, which draws you in making the most extraordinary events seem perfectly believable.
The twists and turns of the plot in the book are very well placed and even though they are unexpected, they aren't too grand or unbelievable, and thankfully aren't merely being used to revive a dying narrative. It feels as though every word in the book has been thought about and placed on the page with great care and attention to detail, everything is there for a reason, there is no pointless over descriptive filler, just stunning, page turning writing.
Nix writes very well and this book is more than suitable for all ages, as the story can be read on more than one level, reminiscent of the kind of underlying adult themes used by Roald Dahl. This book is the type of book you finish reading at 3am, because you simply can't put it down and it leaves you with a desperate need to go to the local book store and gather up any book with Garth Nix's name on the cover, I know I certainly did! The forum on his website is full of reader's longing for Nix to hurry up and write book seven, the last of the series, even though Superior Saturday (book six) has only just been released. Praise for this series, and his others, can be found everywhere, a real cult series, and cult author in the making.
Mister Monday (The Keys to the Kingdom) (Amazon.co.uk)
Author: Garth Nix
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 448
Publication date: 2004-01-05
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
RRP: £5.99
Lowest new price: £0.98
Lowest used price: £0.01
The first in an ambitious seven-book sequence, Mister Monday is surely the publication that will prove that Garth Nix is one of the best fantasy writers at work today. In turn, imaginative, spellbinding and hugely original, this award-winning author from Australia begins an expansive multi-volume work that is sure to stand the test of time if this first episode is anything to go by.
Arthur Penhaligon is supposed to die and he almost does on a school run when he collapses because of his chronic asthma. In his dreams he is visited by the enigmatic Mister Monday, who gives him a mysterious atlas and a magic key shaped like the minute hand of a clock. But Arthur wakes up and Mister Monday wants everything back. With these "gifts", Arthur suddenly assumes new powers and with them frightening responsibilities. Arthur's family and friends are under threat from a sudden outbreak of drug-resistant influenza and it seems the cure to this curious rash of afflictions can only be found inside a vast house that only Arthur can see.
Arthur has no option but to step inside and in doing so becomes the world's most unlikely hero and champion. Battling obstacles such as dog-faced Fetchers and people with Wings, robots and unbreakable chains, Arthur fights to stay intact and for meaning to this crazy world he has tumbled upon.
There's something about the way Nix tells stories that is strangely compelling. His mix of magic and fantasy, history and future visions, are truly unique. It's difficult to guess what will follow in further volumes, but that's half the fun of reading an author like this. It could be said that Nix is in many ways the heir to Philip Pullman's throne. Suitable for readers aged 10 and over. --John McLay
Amazon.co.uk Review
Mister Monday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 1) (Amazon.com)
Author: Garth Nix
Binding: Paperback
Number of pages: 448
Publication date: 2004-01-05
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
RRP: $12.40
Lowest new price: $5.18
Lowest used price: $0.01
Breathtaking new magical adventure series from the author of Sabriel. Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world -- where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets. Arthur Penhaligon is not supposed to be a hero. He is supposed to die an early death. But then his life is saved by a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock. Arthur is safe -- but his world is not. Along with the key comes a plague brought by bizarre creatures from another realm. A stranger named Mister Monday, his avenging messengers with bloodstained wings, and an army of dog-faced Fetchers will stop at nothing to get the key back -- even if it means destroying Arthur and everything around him. Desperate, Arthur escapes to the mysterious house that has appeared in town -- a house that only he can see. Maybe there he can unravel the secrets of the key -- and discover his true fate. PLUS!! Covermounted with FREE CD-rom, featuring specially created screensavers, wallpaper, author biog and major consumer competition -- FIND THE KEY TO THE KINGDOM.
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