Mister Monday: The Keys to the Kingdom, Book 1

Though not a fan of fantasy, I do read it occasionally to keep up on what my students are reading. The richly imagined descriptions in this series made it one that I enjoyed reading. An asthmatic seventh grade boy, Arthur Penhaligan, is the hero for this seven book fantasy. Handicapped and with the odds always against him, he does not give up trying to do what's right. A rich stew of surreal Alice in Wonderland-type imagery and characters, elements reminiscent of myths, an alternate universe, endless hair's breadth escapes, grisly horror, and mystery, Keys to the Kingdom never lags. However, this series is not just a vividly imagined movie in print for a happy reader to follow. Keys to the Kingdom is a thinking kid's fantasy. If one pays close enough attention, answers to the great questions of the origins of our world and our human natures might come close to being answered.Well-liked by both boys and girls in my middle school classes, this series is favored by boys; and though written at a seventh grade reading level, is also well-liked by high school boys into about tenth grade. The interest level is rated at grade five through eight. Both the complexity of the plot and the at times nightmare-like imagery may keep this from being a book for fifth grade and under, unless a child in these years is looking to be challenged and a little frightened.The series starts with Mister Monday and moves through each day of the week: Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday, Sir Thursday, Lady Friday, Superior Saturday, and the eagerly awaited and yet un-named Sunday episode.Gaby Chapman

I read this series when I was a teen and now over a decade later I'm re-reading it. It brings back great memories and is just as enjoyable to read a second time. Nix has a fantastic writing style that paints a big picture with few words. It's makes the action scenes progress quickly and to the point without feeling like any details are missing.

Arthur is a severely asthmatic 7th grader. But when he finds himself in the woods on the edge of suffocating to death, two Victorian-style men appear and once is tricked into giving the boy a magical key.This key not only saves him from death but entangles him in a conspiracy between supernatural forces going back tens of thousands of years.It starts slow. And Arthur spends too long with nothing explained, being pushed around by strange forces. But about halfway through the world begins to make sense. And at long last he moves from reactor to having a goal and some power to take steps forward. The last half of the book was good and I'm hoping the second in the series starts with the energy and clarity that we ended with.

I've always loved the writings and narratives of Garth Nix, and this book is by no means an exemption. I first read this book and began my journey with Arthur when it first came out and eagerly awaited the next installment with bated breath. And now, after all these years, I have returned to this series and it is still as captivating as when I first read it. If you're looking for a story that has an interesting plot and characters while being a fun and entertaining read, then I highly recommend picking up not only this book but the entire series.

Mister Monday is an interesting Fantasy novel that draws readers in from the very beginning. The main character, Arthur is flawed and that is what makes him the "chosen" one for the Keys to the Kingdom. In this series starter, Arthur learns what power he has as he tries to determine how to live his life with this key that he has obtained and this house and little, scary fantasy creatures that no one else can see but him.Arthur starts to think he is losing it, but a few friends from his P.E. class see the creatures too, so Arthur apprehensively goes on his journey as the reluctant hero who is bound to find a way to save his community and family.This book along with Grim Tuesday will hook readers on this series. I can't wait for the rest of the books in this series.Harry Potter lovers can definitely find a new love in this series.

There's certainly one thing to be said about everything Nix writes, and that is that it's rife with original creativity and completely new fantasy stories. However, sometimes the books themselves, although phenomenally imaginative, are hit or miss depending on how much Nix is able to flesh out the story. The Seventh Tower series, for instance, is deftly imagined, a two worlds drawn together through light and shadow, and the ability to use colored gemstones to create light beams that can do all sorts of interesting things. Unfortunately for whatever reason, Nix doesn't explore the world and the story enough. It's much more like eating watery soup than it is like consuming a good meal.The Abhorsen Trilogy, on the other hand, is a great work, and although it's not a classic literature sort of story, the world itself is fleshed out well, so that the reader can really imagine the world and lose themselves in it. I feel like the Keys to the Kingdom series is a mixture of both, and I'd love to see the world more fully explored. The first book, especially, seems to move toward that path, but as the books progress, they seem to become more and more formulaic and lacking in substance. Ultimately, Nix's imagination seems to know no bounds, but if he would slow down and put more life into these books, I think they would be much better. Not to say that the books aren't fun to read, but I believe they could be fun to read and rich. Hopefully his next fantasy series will be more like The Abhorsen Trilogy.-Lindsey Miller, [...]

Thoroughly enjoyed this exciting work of towering imagination. The plot is compelling, the type of thing that will keep you up to 3am. This is probably written for a young audience but, as is the case for all well written kids books, will be enjoyed by all ages. If you like Neil Gaiman or Tad William's I think you will love this.

I’m dyslexic and hated to read as a child. When I was in grade 7, I needed a book for a Language Arts assignment. My school’s librarian said Mister Monday would be a good book so I gave it ago. I then bought every single book as it came out.Now I’m in Teacher’s college, rereading the series to create a Language Arts unit plan for grade 7. Life’s funny that way

The book is wonderful and thank you so much Amazon for being a blessing that delivered this miracle to me!!!!

It came in fast, but a little battered in the corner. Otherwise it came in well. Thank you.

Every character is a delight. The plot is brilliant, the world building imaginative and consistant. I look forward to reading the rest of the series. I recently read The Left Handed Booksellers of London. Highly recommend that.

This is a series for younger readers that I have started after enjoying the Abhorsen trilogy. Once again Garth Nix is hugely imaginative. The mention of "Paper Wings" is the only point where this book reminded me of the other series, and in any case these Paper Wings are different things. I have read all this series now, and avidly too. No greater recommendation I can make than as soon as I put down one of these books, I started the next one and when I was done, I would like to have done it all over again.Like the Abhorsen series, the events of this book take place in two worlds - one being very like our world and one being a completely different and wholly original invention of the author. A nice touch is that the hero of the series is acutely asthmatic in our world - not some sporting super hero but an ordinary boy.There is some great humour, some dark adventures and excirement on every page. After I had read these I persuaded my daughter to start the series, and she - at the age of 9 - raced through these and ended up writing a report for school on garth Nix as her favourite author.