Book review: Mister Monday & Grim Tuesday
Having a birthday leads to birthday gifts, which leads to another book review. I got 6 books from the Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. And I've already finished reading the first two (Mister Monday & Grim Tuesday), which always indicated that it was a mighty good read.
I've previously read the Old Kingdom series of the same author and loved them. Compared with this series, it becomes clear to me that Garth Nix has a certain style. His stories are very much full-on fantasy. But not in a "Lord of the Rings"-rip off sort of way. It's more of a 'magical dreamworld', where everything is filled with wonderous sights rich with imagination.
The main character travels through many places and each is full of atmosphere, which sucks you into a magical journey. I guess it's a bit like "Droomvlucht" in that regard (yes, I recently went to the Efteling again). It may sound a bit cheesy, but it is fun.
However, Garth Nix does not forget about the heart of every story: its characters. The people are fleshed-out and the main character isn't your standard hero (he is frequently troubled with serious asthma attacks). Also, there are some spunky females, which is always a plus to me.
So what is the story actually about?
The House, which is the centre of the Universe, was created by the Architect, who also created the Secondary Realms (which include Earth). After the Architect left, the seven Trustees where supposed to execute the Will. Instead, they decided to rule themselves over after one of the seven parts of the House. The seven Trustees all have a day of the week in their name, which is equal to the book title.
The series begins, when the first part of the Will manages to break free and find himself a rightful heir: the main character Arthus, who is a normal teenage boy from Earth.
It should be clear from then on what it is, that Arthur has to do. It may sound a bit dull (hero goes to defeat seven evil foes, one in each book). But because of the previously mentioned rich and opulent surroundings, it isn't. Also, Arthur is a good character with his own flaws and desires, which are not always in line with the Will. The other characters are also amusing and endearing... they're just plain fun.
Technically, these are children books. However, the books are also a bit scary here and there (a character at end of the second book would've FREAKED ME OUT when I was a child. Now it only freaked me out in small-caps). So the books are more an adolescent-thing.
To conclude: Garth Nix is awesome in creating magical world with real characters. If you like atmospheric fantasy, then they are a highly recommended read.
I've previously read the Old Kingdom series of the same author and loved them. Compared with this series, it becomes clear to me that Garth Nix has a certain style. His stories are very much full-on fantasy. But not in a "Lord of the Rings"-rip off sort of way. It's more of a 'magical dreamworld', where everything is filled with wonderous sights rich with imagination.
The main character travels through many places and each is full of atmosphere, which sucks you into a magical journey. I guess it's a bit like "Droomvlucht" in that regard (yes, I recently went to the Efteling again). It may sound a bit cheesy, but it is fun.
However, Garth Nix does not forget about the heart of every story: its characters. The people are fleshed-out and the main character isn't your standard hero (he is frequently troubled with serious asthma attacks). Also, there are some spunky females, which is always a plus to me.
So what is the story actually about?
The House, which is the centre of the Universe, was created by the Architect, who also created the Secondary Realms (which include Earth). After the Architect left, the seven Trustees where supposed to execute the Will. Instead, they decided to rule themselves over after one of the seven parts of the House. The seven Trustees all have a day of the week in their name, which is equal to the book title.
The series begins, when the first part of the Will manages to break free and find himself a rightful heir: the main character Arthus, who is a normal teenage boy from Earth.
It should be clear from then on what it is, that Arthur has to do. It may sound a bit dull (hero goes to defeat seven evil foes, one in each book). But because of the previously mentioned rich and opulent surroundings, it isn't. Also, Arthur is a good character with his own flaws and desires, which are not always in line with the Will. The other characters are also amusing and endearing... they're just plain fun.
Technically, these are children books. However, the books are also a bit scary here and there (a character at end of the second book would've FREAKED ME OUT when I was a child. Now it only freaked me out in small-caps). So the books are more an adolescent-thing.
To conclude: Garth Nix is awesome in creating magical world with real characters. If you like atmospheric fantasy, then they are a highly recommended read.