Grim Tuesday

In the midst of a fatal asthma attack, Arthur was given a smidgen of magical power. Using it, he was able to not only survive the attack, but also stage a revolution against the languid Mister Monday. After claiming Monday's powers for his own, Arthur granted them to a Steward so he could return to the mortal world to continue living life as a child. But the second Monday ended, Tuesday began--and Grim Tuesday was fearful that Arthur would do to him what he'd already done to Mister Monday. And so once again, Arthur was forced into a magical world where he was magically out-classed and far too physically delicate.

Arthur is wonderfully unique, and his travails always thrill. His first opponent was the epitome of a man made lazy and show more entitled by unchecked privilege. The second, Grim Tuesday, could easily be read as a personification of industrial progress at the expense of ecology or human rights. I'm interested to see what the third one will be! show less

We listened to this as well as read it. Feels like a hopeless situation, and yet manages to bring hope and skill and optimism into it at the end. The continuing saga of Arthur Penhaligon as he fights against wrong in a struggle that did not seem to be his own. The images Nix paints of The Pit, the ceiling, the glass pyramid, and the treasure house are so vivid. And you're swept along with the excitement, even when the whole situation seems dire and untenable. Wonderful.

I so like Garth Nix. He creates genuinely interesting worlds and dilemmas and his characters, even when sparingly drawn, variously evoke empathy, interest, fear, admiration, and other emotions. This second installment begins as poor Arthur, exhausted by his Monday encounters, is quickly drawn back into a conflict with (and on) Tuesday. Perhaps the best way to read the series would be one a day for a week, in order that the reader identify even more closely with Arthur's desperation for a little down time. With this second book, the terms of the overall story arc seem to be established, so the reader can focus instead on the quality of Arthur's character. As in the Seventh Tower series, the young male protagonist gropes to understand a show more strange new world and his significant role in it. Arthur is much less churlish and more open to new experiences than is that series's protagonist Tal; it remains to be seen whether this renders him ultimately less interesting. show less

_Grim Tuesday_, Garth Nix's second book in the _Keys to the Kingdom_ series, starts off almost exactly where the first novel, _Mister Monday_, ends. Young Arthur Penhaligon, who after defeating Mister Monday has become Master of the Lower House and keeper of the first Key, has returned to his home on Earth to try and pick up his prosaic life where he left off. However, the "Will", a sentient portion of the written guidelines for the House, immediately recalls him to deal with Grim Tuesday, who controls a portion of the House called the Far Reaches, and his dire machinations.

_Grim Tuesday_ is essentially the same as _Mister Monday_, sharing the same basic story structure as well as the same fine qualities of intense creativity and fluid show more description. As before, Arthur is more of a stereotypical Hero rather than a truly multidimensional protagonist, but, really, that's not very unusual for the genre and doesn't detract from the success of the story. In most fantasy novels, I've found, the strange and delightful secondary characters often threaten to overshadow the Hero.

Arthur's characterization does give rise to the book's one real flaw: he complains. Constantly. He vocally bemoans his fate, makes it clear that he wants nothing to do with anything related to the otherworldly House, and if any character he comes across doesn't make it his singular goal to help Arthur complete his quest and get him the heck out of there, he flies into a rage. He does possess many of the virtues of the Hero--he's courageous, honorable, honest and brave--but he's also petulant and whiny (I mean, even Luke Skywalker would tell him to get a grip). Compared to many YA fantasy protagonists, Arthur is distinctly unlikeable, and I hope that he does, in fact, get a grip in the books to come. Still, it's a great read and the writing alone makes it a superior addition to the genre. I'll be seeking out the other books in the series soon. Four stars. show less

Still really enjoying the series, but the physicality in this one was a little tough for me. Walking for miles and miles on the dark, and crawling for hours and hours across the ceiling with stupid wings banging constantly, then breaking a leg in a horrific fall - I don't know how one kid survived that long. And then to have an unsuspected talent burst forth in a competition, well, it was all a little much.
Still, this is the most magnificent world building I've encountered in a while, I love Susie, and (squeee!) the Ancient Mariner! And he's the Pied Piper's brother! Fantasy does not get more lovely than that.

This is a ***spoiler warning*** for the first book in the series, Mister Monday.

Arthur has just returned home from defeating Mister Monday and taking control of the Key to the Lower House. He chose to return home as a mortal, appointing the Will as trustee, and saved everyone from the sleepy plague. Now, it's Tuesday morning, which means that the next denizen - Grim Tuesday - has some power in the Secondary Realms, which includes Arthur's home. The Will informs him of trouble in the House, and Grim Tuesday's servants are troubling Arthur's family in an attempt to take the first Key from him. Will Arthur be able to survive the Far Reaches and gain control of the second Key?

Listening to the audiobook confirmed for me that I prefer show more listening to this series. Allan Corduner's narration and interpretation of the characters makes the story that much more interesting, the pace that much more exciting. I'd forgotten a lot of the details of the story, and enjoyed it just as much the second time around. Arthur just wants to be a regular boy, but he has a sense of right and wrong and what he must do for himself, his family, his friends, and his home. Suzy Turquoise Blue is funny and loyal and has an interesting back story in her own right. I'm looking forward to rereading - er, listening - to Drowned Wednesday, the next book in the series. show less

Poor Arthur is not left in peace to recover from the ordeal he suffered in Mister Monday; instead someone is fiddling with the laws of the Realms and he will not be left alone for an instant. Grim Tuesday has placed a claim on all that Arthur won in the first book and then some, sending his Grotesques to the second Realm (Earth) to wreak havoc by claiming in their debts ( ie, Arthur's step parents' house, his sister's uni course, his father's tour fees, etc). Arthur soon realises that this will not stop unless he journeys back to the House and faces Grim Tuesday. After finally finding an entrance to the House, Arthur is plunged into Grim Tuesday's mine - a pit where Grim takes pieces of the Nothing and makes copies ( or changed copies) show more of the Grand Architect's works and sells them for a huge profit.
When all hope seems lost, Suzy comes to the rescue and with the help of the Ancient Mariner Tom, they travel to a world inside a bottle (by ship of course) to free the next part of the Will which has taken the form of a lazy sun-bear.
Can Arthur defeat Grim Tuesday in a battle to win the second key ( which are gauntlets) and then hold back the Nothing that threatens to escape from Grim Tuesday's Pit and engulf them all?
Great fun, great characters and setting and keeps the momemtum and interest of the reader the whole way through the novel. show less