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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Second Episode in a Stunning Fantasy Series, 29 Jun 2004
After being bowled over by the incredible imagination and relentless pacing of Mr Monday, I awaited the 2nd in this series with eager anticipation. Once again, the writing is a joy and the pacing brisk. Garth Nix has an amazing imagination (the story contains a gigantic creature mutated from someone's lost eyebrow), and he has created an impossible yet believable world peopled with vibrant three-dimensional characters. Arthur, the central character, continues to charm - ably assisted by the delightful Suzy, and not so ably assisted by the 'Will.' So why, when I gobbled my way through 'Mr Monday' in less than a day, did I find myself plodding through 'Grim Tuesday' over an entire week? The answer: I found it rather formulaic and episodic. Oh yes, there's a great cliff-hanger at the end of every chapter - but the protagonist usually overcomes the obstacle within the first couple of pages of the next chapter, then marks time until the next chapter-ending cliff hanger. Lots of little story arcs - but not really any decent or challenging big ones. The resolutions were just too darn convenient and required little thinking or effort on the part of the characters - and as such they did little to grow or develop throughout the narrative. For example: at one point they're stuck on a sort of glass pyramid whilst under a hail of fiery missiles. However, the creature they just happen to have with them just happens to have a glass-cutting diamond hidden in its mouth. Aarghhh!!! This kind of convenient resolution occurred with such regularity, that I no longer cared about the plight of the protagonist - certain that whatever tight corner he found himself in, he'd overcome it a page or two later with the minimal of mental effort. That being said, it's still a jolly good book. If, like me, you've read the first part and intend to keep on reading until Sunday's book - then it's a must read. Really sorry I couldn't give it 5 stars! I liked it - but it just didn't have the class of 'Mr Monday'. Here's hoping 'Drowned Wednesday' will be a return to top form! P.S. Why do people bother writing a 3 or 4 line review after reading only 6 chapters of the book? For future ref: please finish the book first and then give me your INFORMED opinion.
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14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
And you thought Mondays were bad, 5 Jul 2006
If you're going to read this book, I strongly recommend that you make sure that you've read "Mister Monday" first. That way you see, I don't have to explain all about the Architect and the Will, and the seven hidden fragments and the treacherous trustees and all that. Just call me lazy if you like.
Our young and most unlikely hero has barely returned from Mister Monday's domain, when the telephone hotline starts ringing again. Arthur quickly learns that Grim Tuesday has found a convenient loophole in the Trustee agreement, and that all Mister Monday's substantial debts have been passed on to him as the new Master of the Lower House. Grim T. means to collect one way or the other, and as the world's economy gets turned on its end, Arthur realizes that he has no choice but to go back and sort it all out, and of course get the second key and some added responsibility that he can well do without.
Greedy Grim Tuesday runs a huge "nothing" mine using slave labor, and makes all the gadgets and widgets and doodads needed by the Days and anybody with the right currency. Lots of new and deadly creatures await Arthur, some of whom are allergic to salt and some to silver, but all have the common goal of inflicting upon him as much pain as possible. With the help of his friend Leaf (from book one) he finally finds the entrance to Tuesday's mineshafts, and begins his new quest, going deep, deep undercover as one of Tuesday's slaves.
Fortunately for him, he gets a little help from Suzy Turquoise Blue, Japeth the walking Thesaurus, Captain Shelvocke the sea-faring brother of the Pied Piper, and to a lesser extent a hairy, materialistic bit of fluff formally known as "eyebrow". Soon he's sailing off into very strange waters to retrieve the second fragment of the Will, with a heavy heart, a broken leg and almost more problems than he can bear.
Exciting and imaginative, although sometimes a tad long on description, Nix wraps this one up rather quickly at the end, and gives a tantalizing glimpse into Wednesday's woes. A must-read if you've completed your Monday reading.
Amanda Richards
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The gripping sequal to Mr Monday, 2 Jul 2004
This is the second book in Garth Nix's series The keys to the kingdom.
This book sees the return of Arthur Penhaligon; an orphaned, asthmatic teenager; his friend Suzy Blue, and what can only be known as his "mentor," the Will.
The book takes off only hours alfter the exusting events of the day before, Monday.Grim tuesday has found a loophole in the agreement signed by The Morrow days and is exployting it to get at Arthur and the Lower House.
This book is very well written, though i think it doesn't quite get to the same level as the first. It delves deeper into the strange and twisted world of the house. This time the dangers that face Arthur are much more dangerous, though sadly seem easyer to overcome. As mentioned before by another reviewer the problems are all solved by fantastic coincidence. For example he is cornered by an evil bloodthirsty monster that is almost impossible to kill. But, suddenly he learns that the only thing that can kill it, silver, is in a box right next to him. this is a shame for the more avid and reflective reader, but will probably not trouble the less avid readers.
Also, this book seems to be aimed at a higher age groupe than the first book. some of the move violent action sequences are writted so descriptivly that younger readers may get frightened.
Hovever this is still a great book an worthy of comendation.
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