List Price: $5.99
Amazon Price: $3.57
Average Customer Rating: 
(38 reviews)
Editorial Review: Arthur doesn't think he will ever have to return to the strange house that nearly killed him on Monday -- the house that contains an entire world. But Tuesday brings new challenges -- in the form of an enemy named Grim Tuesday, who threatens the well-being of both Arthur's family and his world. Arthur must retrieve the Second Key from Grim Tuesday in order to save everything -- an adventure that will include stealing a Sunship, surviving a very weird work camp, befriending a bearlike spirit, fighting the voidlike Nithlings, and traveling to the scary Far Reaches for the ultimate showdown.
Customer Reviews:
1 of 1 found this review helpful:
Exciting part two!, 2006-11-05
In this second part of the Keys to the Kingdom series, the protagonist, Arthur, faces a much darker enemy than in part one. It forces him to descend into the lowest part of The House, where there is no light and the continuous rain contains all-dissolving Nothing. Arthur needs all of his resources, his courage and his friends to make his way out of this hell hole. You'll be begging your Mother for a sic-day off school to finish it!!
2 of 3 found this review helpful:
the drive behind the story too similar to Mister Monday, 2006-10-08
After _Mister Monday_, I was hoping the author would take _Grim Tuesday_ a step further and really draw the readers into the story. I wanted to know more about the House and the Will, and see Arthur and Suzy really grow as characters. Unfortunately, none of those things happened. Arthur and Suzy seem exactly the same as before, the drive behind the story is exactly the same (Arthur needs to get the Keys in order to save his family), and that made the story very predictable and boring. Disappointing.
Granted, the drive behind every story in this series will have to be similar, because Arthur is the heir apparent and must eventually inherit all the keys to the kingdom. But it's the author's job to keep his readers interested, so he must give us new and exciting aspects to the House, the Will, and the characters in each book. Unfortunately, he didn't do that here.
This also had a rushed-out-the-door feel to it. The writing was clumsy in places, with a lot of telling instead of showing. It felt as if the author were laying the groundwork for further stories. If so, then the best thing to do would be to keep the important pieces, cut the rest, and add it to the real story.
The most intriguing part was the end, where we see how Arthur will meet Wednesday. Wednesday sounds like an intriguing and dangerous character, much more so than Tuesday. It's too bad Tuesday couldn't have been as well.
4 of 5 found this review helpful:
And you thought Mondays were bad, 2006-07-02
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, July 1, 2006
2 of 3 found this review helpful:
another fun read by an author with great imagination (4.5 stars), 2006-03-28
Rating System:
1 star = abysmal; some books deserve to be forgotten
2 star = poor; a total waste of time
3 star = good; worth the effort
4 star = very good; what writing should be
5 star = fantastic; must own it and share it with others
THE STORY:
Arthur Penhaligon is once again drawn into the mysterious House where he has to defend his right as the heir as Grim Tuesday gets access to the Secondary Realms and threatens Arthur's family and friends and society if Arthur doesn't hand over ownership of the Lower House to Grim Tuesday.
THE GOOD:
As with the first book in the series this is a wonderful exploration of places and people that leaves the reader wanting more. Nix's imagination in the creation of the House and its denizens continues strong in the second book as we are whisked away to the Pit of Nothing or sailing into the middle of a star.
Normally sequels fail where the first book was strong but overall this book keeps the pace, action, story and interesting characters as with the first book. Its obvious in the first book that this story is going to span a minimum of seven books and it leaves one thinking what more could the author give us, but the surprises keep coming.
Also, Arthur actually grows as a character in this book. By the end he has made up his mind about a thing or two where before he was in denial or avoidance. For a book about discovery, it was nice to see some character development.
THE BAD:
My only complaint with this book is that Nix leaves the physical problems of Arthur's asthma in the first book for a different physical challenge in the second. Yet for making such a big deal about it all, the ailment didn't seem to turn the tide of the story, nor did any of the bad guys try and take advantage of his ailment. Left me thinking, "What's the point?!"
THE OVERALL:
Read the first book and you'll be hooked on this series. By the time you get to this book you'll want the next book in the series after this one right away. Great imagination! Great sense of discovery! Great series!
1 of 4 found this review helpful:
Not worth the money, 2006-03-19
Grim Tuesday was just a remake of Mister Monday. The whole plot is the same- Arthur must find his way into the House and navigate his way to Tuesday's key. The story moved very slowly and did not hold my interest well because I was not particularly interested in any of the characters. Arthur has no special abilities that would make me like his character. He is just a boring, normal boy who follows orders from the Atlas. Suzy Blue is an annoying character with very little appeal, and all of the members of the House are like robots with no real impact on the novel. I couldn't finish the book because of the monotony and I don't recommend it to anyone who likes a fast-paced book.
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