In the thrilling novel Keys to the Kingdom: Mister Monday, published on July 1, 2003, Garth Nix writes about the journey of 12-year-old Arthur Penhaligon, a boy destined to die from an asthma attack. After moving into a new suburban neighborhood, Arthur attempts to complete a cross-country run; however, this proves to be near fatal as he ends up suffering a severe asthma attack. On the brink of death, Arthur sees a bright light in the corner of his eye, and with it, an old man named Mister Monday and his attendant, who after a discussion, convinces Mister Monday to give Arthur a key that resembles a clock’s minute hand that allows Arthur to breathe again. After a heated battle due to the attendant’s attempt to overthrow Mister Monday, the two men disappear into thin air, leaving only a notebook titled A Compleat Atlas of the House and Immediate Environs behind. The following Monday, Arthur elects to skip his cross country run, choosing instead to stay in the library to attempt to understand the Atlas, where he is attacked by a man named Noon and his dog-faced henchmen, who are revealed to be one of Mister Monday’s loyal followers. Once the battle is over, Arthur realizes that whoever the dog-faced henchmen touch are infected with the Sleepy Plague, a plague that causes the victim to sleep forever. Based on the things he has observed, he concludes that the solution to this problem lies in the House, the residence of the Architect, who created the human world. Arthur begins the journey with traveling companions the Will, a frog created by the Architect to carry out her will when she is gone, and Suzy Turquoise Blue, a girl who survived the Black Plague by escaping to the House. Throughout his journey through the House, Arthur also meets Dusk, one of Mister Monday’s followers who wants to return Mister Monday to Mister Monday’s former self. The story doesn’t stop there though as the rest of the journey is filled with treachery, action, and adventure which compels me to encourage others to read the book to find out what happens next.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who loves an underdog hero or enjoys adventures full of magic and suspense. People who desire for a good underdog will love the theme of heroism shown through the main character's thoughts and actions. Arthur’s courage to face the unknown and save his family and friends strongly displays heroism despite being an underdog. He is proof that a hero can be a physically weak, but strong when it comes to willpower. In addition, Garth Nix does a skillful job allowing the reader to be Arthur and fully immerse themselves in the experience of being in Arthur’s world. I love how some of the chapters end on cliffhangers, because it builds up the excitement for the next chapter, and how the ending of the book leaves the reader with the desire to read the next book right away! Many authors don’t do this well and instead leave the reader with no interest to read the next book. Even though this book has a lot of good aspects, it also has some areas which could be improved upon. Throughout reading the book, I felt that Arthur should have faced more of the challenges by himself as this builds character. In my opinion, you won’t always have friends to back you up when you are in trouble. Nonetheless, I would still highly encourage students to read this book because it is an easy read that shows how the Hero’s Journey is different for every individual. Even though I recommend students to read this, adults can also enjoy reading this book because it is an exhilarating adventure of an average boy who wants to save his family.