Mister Monday
Seven days. Seven keys. Seven virtues. Seven sins. One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world – where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets.
Arthur Penhaligon is not supposed to be a hero. He is, in fact, supposed to die an early death. But his life is saved by a key shaped like the minute hand of a clock.
Arthur is safe – but his world is not. Along with the key comes a plague brought by bizarre creatures from another realm. A stranger named Mister Monday, his avenging messengers with blood stained wings, and an army of dog-faced Fetchers will stop at nothing to get the Key back – even if it means destroying Arthur and everything around him.
Desperate, Arthur ventures into a mysterious house – a house only he can see. It is in this house that Arthur must unravel the secrets of the Key – and discover his true fate...
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Garth Nix
In Garth Nix’s worlds, the dead rarely stay quiet, magic obeys ancient and perilous rules, and courage often looks like a teenager holding a bell, a sword, and the weight of two realms. Best known for the Old Kingdom series, Nix has carved out a space in fantasy literature that hums with mythic resonance and emotional depth—where necromancers clash with free magic creatures and heroines face destiny with grit rather than grandeur.
Born in Melbourne, Australia, Nix grew up in Canberra, absorbing stories that blurred the line between the ordinary and the extraordinary. He worked in bookstores, publishing, and even the Australian Army Reserve before turning his attention fully to fiction. That eclectic journey quietly shaped his writing—there’s a sense in his stories that the fantastical doesn’t sit apart from reality, but seeps into it through forgotten doorways and ancient bloodlines.
The Keys to the Kingdom
The Keys to the Kingdom consists of seven books. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.
Reviews and Comments
Book review: 3 Treasure Boxes Arthur is close to death from an asthma attack when he notices two strange men who seemed to appear out of nowhere. One of the men, Mister Monday, gives Arthur a key and a small notebook because he thinks Arthur is about to die. However, the key has healing abilities which help to restore Arthur to good health. When Mister Monday realizes this he tries to recapture the key. Arthur does everything in his power to protect himself and the key from these evil men. Garth Nix has written numerous young adult books and series including: the Old Kingdom series, The Seventh Tower series, and The Keys to the Kingdom. Mister Monday is part of The Keys to the Kingdom series and it is a fantasy story that is told in the third person narrative primarily from the point of view of the main protagonist, a 12 year old boy named Arthur Penhaligon. Mister Monday sets the premise of series by introducing the characters and the world that the story revolves around. As Arthur learns about the key he received, both he and the reader learn about the Keys to the Kingdom, which are the keys to the House. The House is the center of the universe and anything outside the House, like the earth and the solar system are part of the Secondary Realms. There are seven keys for the seven territories within the confines of the house, with each key governed by a master named for a day in the week. This first book covers the Lower House and is ruled by Mister Monday. Arthur’s adventure takes place both on earth as well as in the House. This series is great for children of all ages, starting from age 7 and it is very well written.I really enjoyed this book. I loved all the characters and found Arthur to be a likeable protagonist, who shows compassion to those around him. Garth Nix has a great writing style, creating an interesting universe and a unique concept of creation. The house is the center of creation and the idea of the seven days of the week each ruling one part of the house alludes back to the seven days of creation in Genesis. Throughout the book there is a big emphasis on the written word and its impact on creation. This is a standalone book, but it is also just the beginning of a bigger story. It ends with an introduction to the next book in the series. I recommend Mister Monday as a very good read and I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Grim Tuesday. for more of my reviews go to http://books-treasureortrash.com