Keys to the Kingdom: Grim Tuesday-Garth NIx

	Title: Keys to the Kingdom: Grim Tuesday Author: Garth Nix Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Format & Pages: Paperback, 321 Publication: Scholastic, 2004 Source: Own Rating:

Arthur Penhaligon didn’t think he would ever have to return to the very strange house that nearly killed him on Monday-the house that contains a fantastical and sinister realm inside.

But the next day brings new challenges-in the form of an enemy named Grim Tuesday, who threatens the safety of both Arthur’s family and his world. Arthur must retrieve the Second Key from Grim Tuesday in order to save everything-an adventure that will force him to steal a Sunship, survive a very weird work camp, befriend a bearlike spirit, and fight the void Nithlings. And even after all that, he will still have to venture into the scary Far Reaches for an ultimate showdown.

The stakes are high. And time is ticking.

Disclaimer: This is the second novel of Garth Nix’s Keys to the Kingdom series. The first in the series is Mister Monday. You can find my review for that, here. I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum, but nonetheless, I suggest you read Mister Monday first.

Poor Arthur. In this second book of the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix, there is no rest for weary Arthur. Grim Tuesday has found a loophole allowing him to claim the First Key and the Lower House from Arthur as payment for products bought under Mister Monday. Not only that, but the payment extends to Arthur’s family and world, causing widespread financial chaos.

As Arthur travels back into the House, he ends up as an indentured worker in the Far Reaches, a massive pit that mines Nothing. We also get more familiarized with Nithlings. They are not a creature specifically, more a category of creatures that are created when enough nothing gathers. There are various types, like the Flecthers and the newly introduced, Scouchers.

Grim Tuesday by ~Pythosblaze

Arthur must battle his way through the far reaches, avoiding detection from not only Grim Tuesday, but his Grotesques. Grim melted his Dawn, Noon, and Dusk together, then split them into 7 smaller beings, resembling twisted versions of the 7 dwarves. Again Nix sticks to the 7 pattern. We also discover that Arthur has remnant power in his hands from the first key. This helps him out greatly throughout his adventure.

As in the first novel, we come across someone almost as old as the Architect herself. Her adopted son, The Mariner. He is also the brother to The Piper. They are both sons of the Old One. The Mariner offers considerable help in finding the second part of the Will in Grim Tuesday’s treasury as well as helps Arthur gain the second key.

This is definitely a good follow up to the first novel and keeps the narrative going. We learn more about the Morrow Days, not too much, but just enough to keep us wanting to read.

Previous Prediction: Correct, Grim Tuesday most definitely represents Greed.

Prediction: Drowned Wednesday represents Gluttoney.