Keys to the Kingdom: Drowned Wednesday-Garth Nix

	Title: Keys to the Kingdom: Drowned Wednesday Author: Garth Nix Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy Format & Pages: Paperback, 389 Publication: Scholastic, 2005 Source: Own Rating:

Wednesday has rolled around, and Arthur Penhaligon has an invitation to return to the House that he can’t refuse. Drowned Wednesday has sent a ship to pick him up from the hospital…even though his hometown is miles from any ocean.

From hospital room to the high seas, Arthur finds himself on an adventure that will pit him against pirates, storms, explosions of Nothing-laced gunpowder, and a vast beast that eats everything is encounters. Through it all, he is drawn deeper into the central mystery of the House. Arthur must find the third part of the Will and claim the Third Key-not just for himself, but for the millions (if not trillions) who will suffer if he doesn’t.

The first step? Surviving life abroad a ship on the Border Sea…

Disclaimer: This is the third novel of Garth Nix’s Keys to the Kingdom series. The first in the series is Mister Monday, while the second is Grim Tuesday. I will try to keep spoilers to a minimum, but nonetheless, I suggest you read those two books first.

After Arthur’s experience in the Far Reaches, he was more than willing to settle down and let his broken leg heal. It seems the Morrow Days had other plans for him, with Lady Wednesday, now known as Drowned Wednesday, sweeping him and his friend Leaf away with a giant wave. Leaf accidently gets rescued instead of Arthur, which leads to a series of terrifying events for both parties.

While Leaf sails away, Arthur is left stranded on his slowly sinking hospital bed. When he thinks he has found a ray of hope in the form of a floating buoy, he becomes marked with the Red Hands, leading the pirate Feverfew to stalk him for thievery. Leaf, on the other hand, makes a deal with the Raised Rats brought to the house by the Piper, to save her life.

We also find out more information about the Morrow Days when Arthur finally has his luncheon with Drowned Wednesday. We learn that she wanted to hand the Third Key and the Will over to someone more fit to deal with the Border Sea than she was. She went to Saturday, who in turn stole the Will. Wednesday wants to help Arthur and give the Key to him, but she does not give a whole lot of information before she starts to go out of control with hunger.

Drowned Wednesday really gives the reader a new look into the complexities of dealing with the Morrow Days. Not only is the Rightful Heir being manipulated and fought, but it seems that Saturday is pulling strings to control the lesser days as well. While this book didn’t grab my attention as much as the first two in the series, it was definitely necessary as it introduced necessary characters and gave us needed insight into the coming battles.

Previous Prediction: Correct, Drowned Wednesday is most definitely the embodiment of Gluttoney.

Prediction: Sir Thursday, I believe, will be wrath. We do not get much information from him, so I came to my conclusion by reading the back cover of his book. Since we do get more information about Saturday, I think she may be Pride, though Envy or Lust are equally probable, especially when you take into account how closely related Envy and Lust are.