At the end of the previous book, Drowned Wednesday, Arthur and Leaf had planned to return home to check what was happening in their world until they discovered that a spirit eater had found a way through the door of the House and was impersonating Arthur back home. Leaf volunteered to return to Earth to locate the item belonging to Arthur that the spirit eater was using to feed its power. Meanwhile Arthur and Suzy remained to try and sort out some of the problems occurring in the House. However when Lord Thursday drafted Arthur into the army for one hundred years, life became even more complicated for Arthur.
In the first half of this novel Garth Nix tells the story by alternating chapters explaining what is happening to Leaf, Arthur or Suzy interspersed with an occasional general chapter. In the second part of the book a chronological occunt of events is provided focussing on Arthur and his encounters with Sir Arthur, part four of the Will and the Piper. Another exciting installment in the series.
Lady Friday is the fifth volume in the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix.
The story this time starts when Leaf returns home only to discover that her aunt, along with hundreds of other people, has been transferred to a different world by Lady Friday who has enjoys experiencing the memories of people from Earth. Leaf has to return to at least rescue her aunt.
Meanwhile Arthur is watching what The Piper is doing to avoid further battles. He also needs to rescue Suzie and Fred who, as former Pipers Children, find themselves once again under his power.
Much of the action of the novel occurs in various parts of Lady Friday's Scriptorium and there are many references to old style binding of books and printing methods. Eventually Arthur locates part five of the Will and also locates the Fifth Key. Arthur plans to return home to ensure that his mother is safe, however he knows that he also has other issues to resolve in the House.
In this book we meet Superior Saturday who has ordered her denizens and Piper's children to build a tower of cubes so that she can reach the Incomparable Gardens, commanded by Lord Sunday, situated above the tower. Sorcery is her main tool and she has lookouts to ensure that no other sorcery enters her world to threaten her plans. She is also intent on destroying the sections of the house below the Upper House and causing havoc in the other realms.
Meanwhile the sleepers had returned to Earth, guided by Leaf and Arthur. Not long after their arrival Arthur receives a message from his brother alerting him that part of the city is about to be attacked by the army. Arthur places a shield around the hospital but knowing that this is not a permanent solution returns to the Kingdom to finish his quest and save his family. Leaf stays to try and save the sleepers.
Arthur realises that it is too late to worry about turning into a denizen. He understands that he must use his powers to complete his quest to retrieve part six and part seven of the will and the two remaining keys. Arthur and Susy must find a way into the tower unseen and once again receive help from the Raised Rats. Once in the tower Arthur and Susy encounter a world of bureaucracy and sorcery. In each section of the tower the denizens carry umbrellas of different colours indicating their rank. Arthur and Leaf have to avoid the Sorcerous Supernumeraries and especially the Internal Auditors if they are to be successful in their quest. The book ends with a series of cliff hangers which lead the reader into the final volume of the Keys to the Kingdom.
The seventh and final volume of the series, The Keys to the Kingdom, by Garth Nix continues where book six finished. In the previous books Arthur has rescued the first six keys and parts of the Will but the seventh key and final part of the Will remain to be located and it is unlikely that Lord Sunday will give in easily.
Meanwhile Suzy and Leaf are also involved in the battles that are systematically destroying the Lower and Middle houses, trying to save what is left of the House and the Outer Realms, including Arthur and Leaf's home and families back on Earth. Initially they carry out the orders of Dame Primus, with the help of Dr Scamandros and Giac, to open and enlarge elevators to take the troops to the Incomparable Gardens and into Lord Sunday's domain.
As the story draws to a close Arthur continually strives to remember that he is a boy with feelings and compassion and has to resist the urge to destroy his enemies which occasionally surges through him as his power increases.Once he gains part seven of the Will and the seventh key there are still hard decisions to be made.
NB: March 2022
My eleven year old grand-daughter and I have just finished sharing the reading this series which we started at the beginning of 2021. She became totally involved as the story evolved and identified with the characters, particularly Suzy and Leaf as well as Arthur. As we read the books we discussed how the author created different settings in each book, explored new vocabulary, enjoyed the cliff hangers and talked about what might happen next. When we came to sections primarily with dialogue spoken by Susy or Leaf or both of them, my grand-daughter would make sure that she read those sections. As well as all the action and plot twists we enjoyed the humour throughout the books and how characters or events in earlier volumes reappeared as the story progressed. During this time my grand-daughter has developed from someone who read because she had to into an enthusiastic reader. Thank you Garth Nix.
When we were unable to read together in person due to COVID-19 lockdowns or weekends or holidays, we continued the reading via online sessions.
Meanwhile my nine year old grandson (almost ten), who has occasionally listened to his sister reading parts of the books, has now decided that he also wants to read The Keys to the Kingdom series. We began Mister Monday this week.
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