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The Keys to the Kingdom #7
Lord Sunday
On the seventh day, there was a choice.
The House is falling apart, and when it is destroyed, all existence will be destroyed with it, Arthur Penhaligon and his friends Leaf and Suzy are caught in the chaos, separated by events but drawn together in their fight to survive. They must use every power at their disposal - magical or practical - to defeat the enemies attacking them from all sides.
For Arthur, the biggest challenge comes from Lord Sunday, the most illusive of the trustees of the will. Lord Sunday's magic is unlike any Arthur has encountered before - and his secrets have the potential to destroy not only Arthur but also the people he holds most dear.
On Monday, Arthur Penhaligon was just an ordinary boy thrust into an extraordinary situation. From Tuesday to Saturday, he emerged as the Rightful Heir to the Architect who created everything within the House. Now, on Sunday, he will face a choice of astonishing proportions - the remarkable conclusion to a completely unforeseen adventure.
The House is falling apart, and when it is destroyed, all existence will be destroyed with it, Arthur Penhaligon and his friends Leaf and Suzy are caught in the chaos, separated by events but drawn together in their fight to survive. They must use every power at their disposal - magical or practical - to defeat the enemies attacking them from all sides.
For Arthur, the biggest challenge comes from Lord Sunday, the most illusive of the trustees of the will. Lord Sunday's magic is unlike any Arthur has encountered before - and his secrets have the potential to destroy not only Arthur but also the people he holds most dear.
On Monday, Arthur Penhaligon was just an ordinary boy thrust into an extraordinary situation. From Tuesday to Saturday, he emerged as the Rightful Heir to the Architect who created everything within the House. Now, on Sunday, he will face a choice of astonishing proportions - the remarkable conclusion to a completely unforeseen adventure.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
About the author
Garth Nix
215 books14.5k followersGarth Nix was born in 1963 in Melbourne, Australia, to the sound of the Salvation Army band outside playing 'Hail the Conquering Hero Comes' or possibly 'Roll Out the Barrel'. Garth left Melbourne at an early age for Canberra (the federal capital) and stayed there till he was nineteen, when he left to drive around the UK in a beat-up Austin with a boot full of books and a Silver-Reed typewriter.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
Despite a wheel literally falling off the Austin, Garth survived to return to Australia and study at the University of Canberra. After finishing his degree in 1986 he worked in a bookshop, then as a book publicist, a publisher's sales representative, and editor. Along the way he was also a part-time soldier in the Australian Army Reserve, serving in an Assault Pioneer platoon for four years. Garth left publishing to work as a public relations and marketing consultant from 1994-1997, till he became a full-time writer in 1998. He did that for a year before joining Curtis Brown Australia as a part-time literary agent in 1999. In January 2002 Garth went back to dedicated writer again, despite his belief that full-time writing explains the strange behaviour of many authors.
He now lives in Sydney with his wife, two sons and lots of books.
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October 6, 2019
Lord Sunday (The Keys to the Kingdom #7), Garth Nix
Lord Sunday is the seventh book concluding Garth Nix's The Keys to the Kingdom series. The book was released on 1 February 2010 (Australia). Falling from the Incomparable Gardens in Superior Saturday, Arthur, having won the Sixth Key, escapes impalement on Saturday's Tower by entering the Improbable Stair. His uncontrollable falling leads the Stair to spit him out somewhere completely unexpected - he is under attack from sentient insects somewhere in the Secondary Realms, and is unable to concentrate to use the Fifth Key to escape. Meanwhile, Arthur's friend Suzy Turquoise Blue plots to escape from her prison in Saturday's Tower while battle rages above and below her. Saturday's forces are pressing into the Incomparable Gardens, but are also engaged in a fierce struggle to keep the Piper and his army of Newniths at the bottom of the Upper House. Suzy is being held captive by the intelligent but forgetful Giac, a Sorcerous Supernumerary (meaning he failed his final sorcery exams). She, with some help from the sixth part of the Will, persuades Giac to free her and accompany her to the Citadel in the Incomparable Gardens. On Earth, Leaf, responsible for the Sleepers from Lady Friday, struggles to cope with the aftermath of a nuclear strike and desperately needs help, especially since she herself has become a target for intruders from the House, namely Lord Sunday's Dusk and his 'pet'. Within the House, Nothing continues to rise and must be stopped before it can destroy the entire House and Universe.[3] Sunday intends to hold Arthur to ransom by controlling Leaf and his mother; to this end, he dispatches the "Reaper" (Sunday's Dusk) to take Leaf through the Front Door. It is then revealed that the Door is filled with Nithlings and is collapsing through contamination by Nothing. The Lieutenant-Keeper of the Door is vanquished in battle with the Nithlings; the Reaper comes to his aid a few minutes too late, and the Keeper dies, handing over the post to an unwilling Leaf. As the new Lieutenant-Keeper, Leaf cannot be compelled to leave the Front Door, so the Reaper goes back to Lord Sunday to report his failure. Arthur returns from the unknown planet in the Secondary Realms by a supreme effort of will and control over the Improbable Stair, because his ear was shot off before he fully entered the Stair; once healed, he believes he has returned to his bedroom on Earth, but as he searches his house he finds his mother (who went missing during the events of "Lady Friday") in the living room. As he approaches her he realizes that she can't see him. It is later revealed that Arthur's mother is trapped in a time loop and is being displayed as an exhibit in the Incomparable Gardens. He cannot interact with her; when he looks out of the windows he can see nothing but green leaves draped against them. Soon after, a Piper's child (employed as a gardener) enters the house with a flaming pitchfork; Arthur grabs and deactivates it, then forces the boy to lead him out of the house. The boy professes not to have heard of the upheavals among the Trustees; he thinks Arthur is the Reaper (leading Arthur to suspect that the Reaper is Sunday’s Dawn, Noon or Dusk). ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز ششم ماه اکتبر سال 2014 میلادی
عنوان: لرد یکشنبه؛ نویسنده: گارت نیکس؛ مترجم: مریم رفیعی؛ تهران: بهنام، 1392؛ در 272 ص؛ شابک: 9789645668974؛ موضوع: داستانهای نوجوانان از نویسندگان استرالیایی - سده 21 م
نقل از پشت جلد: «عمارت در آستانه فروپاشی است؛ آرتور پنهالیگون و دوستانش سوزی و لیف در جریان هرج و مرجهای داخل عمارت از یکدیگر جدا افتاده اند، ولی نبردشان برای زنده ماندن، آنها را به یکدیگر پیوند میزند. آنها باید همه قدرتهای جادویی و غیر جادوییشان را به کار گیرند تا بر دشمنانشان پیروز شوند. بزرگترین چالشی که آرتور پیش رو دارد لرد یکشنبه، مرموزترین متولی وصیتنامه معمار است، کسی که رازهایش میتواند نه تنها آرتور بلکه عزیزان او را نیز نابود کند. آیا وارث بر حق معمار میتواند بر آخرین چالش پیش رویش پیروز شود و عمارت و قلمروهای ثانویه را از نابودی نجات دهد؟» پایان نقل از پشت جلد؛ نقل از متن:«باد شدیدی که میوزید چشمهایش را سوزاند و به موها و لباسش چنگ انداخت. آرتور از سوراخ حاصل از دژکوب شنبه رد شد و از کنار ریشه ها و شاخکهای گیاهان کف باغهای بیهمتا گذشت. اکنون در حال سقوط از بین ابرها بود، و بخش کوچکی از وجودش میدانست که اگر زودتر دست به کار نشود، محکم با برج شنبه برخورد میکند و به احتمال زیاد چنان جراحات سنگینی برمیدارد که حتی جسم جدیدش هم نمیتواند از آنها جان سالم به در ببرد. بدون شک یا میمُرد، یا آرزوی مرگ میکرد.» پایان نقل. ا. شربیانی
Lord Sunday is the seventh book concluding Garth Nix's The Keys to the Kingdom series. The book was released on 1 February 2010 (Australia). Falling from the Incomparable Gardens in Superior Saturday, Arthur, having won the Sixth Key, escapes impalement on Saturday's Tower by entering the Improbable Stair. His uncontrollable falling leads the Stair to spit him out somewhere completely unexpected - he is under attack from sentient insects somewhere in the Secondary Realms, and is unable to concentrate to use the Fifth Key to escape. Meanwhile, Arthur's friend Suzy Turquoise Blue plots to escape from her prison in Saturday's Tower while battle rages above and below her. Saturday's forces are pressing into the Incomparable Gardens, but are also engaged in a fierce struggle to keep the Piper and his army of Newniths at the bottom of the Upper House. Suzy is being held captive by the intelligent but forgetful Giac, a Sorcerous Supernumerary (meaning he failed his final sorcery exams). She, with some help from the sixth part of the Will, persuades Giac to free her and accompany her to the Citadel in the Incomparable Gardens. On Earth, Leaf, responsible for the Sleepers from Lady Friday, struggles to cope with the aftermath of a nuclear strike and desperately needs help, especially since she herself has become a target for intruders from the House, namely Lord Sunday's Dusk and his 'pet'. Within the House, Nothing continues to rise and must be stopped before it can destroy the entire House and Universe.[3] Sunday intends to hold Arthur to ransom by controlling Leaf and his mother; to this end, he dispatches the "Reaper" (Sunday's Dusk) to take Leaf through the Front Door. It is then revealed that the Door is filled with Nithlings and is collapsing through contamination by Nothing. The Lieutenant-Keeper of the Door is vanquished in battle with the Nithlings; the Reaper comes to his aid a few minutes too late, and the Keeper dies, handing over the post to an unwilling Leaf. As the new Lieutenant-Keeper, Leaf cannot be compelled to leave the Front Door, so the Reaper goes back to Lord Sunday to report his failure. Arthur returns from the unknown planet in the Secondary Realms by a supreme effort of will and control over the Improbable Stair, because his ear was shot off before he fully entered the Stair; once healed, he believes he has returned to his bedroom on Earth, but as he searches his house he finds his mother (who went missing during the events of "Lady Friday") in the living room. As he approaches her he realizes that she can't see him. It is later revealed that Arthur's mother is trapped in a time loop and is being displayed as an exhibit in the Incomparable Gardens. He cannot interact with her; when he looks out of the windows he can see nothing but green leaves draped against them. Soon after, a Piper's child (employed as a gardener) enters the house with a flaming pitchfork; Arthur grabs and deactivates it, then forces the boy to lead him out of the house. The boy professes not to have heard of the upheavals among the Trustees; he thinks Arthur is the Reaper (leading Arthur to suspect that the Reaper is Sunday’s Dawn, Noon or Dusk). ...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز ششم ماه اکتبر سال 2014 میلادی
عنوان: لرد یکشنبه؛ نویسنده: گارت نیکس؛ مترجم: مریم رفیعی؛ تهران: بهنام، 1392؛ در 272 ص؛ شابک: 9789645668974؛ موضوع: داستانهای نوجوانان از نویسندگان استرالیایی - سده 21 م
نقل از پشت جلد: «عمارت در آستانه فروپاشی است؛ آرتور پنهالیگون و دوستانش سوزی و لیف در جریان هرج و مرجهای داخل عمارت از یکدیگر جدا افتاده اند، ولی نبردشان برای زنده ماندن، آنها را به یکدیگر پیوند میزند. آنها باید همه قدرتهای جادویی و غیر جادوییشان را به کار گیرند تا بر دشمنانشان پیروز شوند. بزرگترین چالشی که آرتور پیش رو دارد لرد یکشنبه، مرموزترین متولی وصیتنامه معمار است، کسی که رازهایش میتواند نه تنها آرتور بلکه عزیزان او را نیز نابود کند. آیا وارث بر حق معمار میتواند بر آخرین چالش پیش رویش پیروز شود و عمارت و قلمروهای ثانویه را از نابودی نجات دهد؟» پایان نقل از پشت جلد؛ نقل از متن:«باد شدیدی که میوزید چشمهایش را سوزاند و به موها و لباسش چنگ انداخت. آرتور از سوراخ حاصل از دژکوب شنبه رد شد و از کنار ریشه ها و شاخکهای گیاهان کف باغهای بیهمتا گذشت. اکنون در حال سقوط از بین ابرها بود، و بخش کوچکی از وجودش میدانست که اگر زودتر دست به کار نشود، محکم با برج شنبه برخورد میکند و به احتمال زیاد چنان جراحات سنگینی برمیدارد که حتی جسم جدیدش هم نمیتواند از آنها جان سالم به در ببرد. بدون شک یا میمُرد، یا آرزوی مرگ میکرد.» پایان نقل. ا. شربیانی
December 6, 2010
OH MY GOSH I cannot believe the ending to this book!
[This review does contain spoilers like whoah.]
Not in a bad way. I'm staggered by the ending, though. Staggered. It's totally unexpected and, while things come out (sort of) okay in many ways, it's terribly tragic in others. The author also does a good job not making every single thing follow neatly or tie up the way one expects. This adds a sense of realism - although also, as you might expect, some confusion.
Small but slightly twitch point: the last part of the Will, and Lord Sunday, both fail at telling Arthur important stuff (somewhat relative to their differing definitions of "important"). They try to, but they keep getting interrupted and stuff. Ka-fail. The power of plot compels you!
BUT, I mostly enjoyed the book. I felt it was a little slow to get started, and some of the writing a tad clunky, but once it grabbed me, it didn't let go. Following are the highlights of my reactions to this book. These showcase some of the unpredictability that I admired - and they are also chock full of spoilers, so if for SOME REASON you're STILL READING THIS REVIEW, and you haven't read the Keys to the Kingdom series yet and think you might do so sometime, stop reading the review now for the love of all that is awesome!
1. Wow, they nuked the hospital. I, uh, really didn't think they'd nuke the hospital. Where were Leaf's family when this happened again?
2. Arthur's transformation is pretty neat. GRAAR ARTHUR SMASH.
3. WHOAH WHOAH WHOAH the Will's been murdering the Trustees!
This is one of those excellent plot twists that jars you when you first read it, but then you go, "Of course!"
4. So THAT'S why the elephant's there. (I like Elephant in this book, but I do think it's a slight faltering that when it appears a couple of books back, there's kind of a, "whuh?" sense that didn't really leave until this one makes use of Elephant.)
5. I KNOW you did not just kill Suzy Turquoise Blue, you heartless bastard! I DREW FANART OF HER!
6. So the Architect . . . oh, then . . . that makes sense! Oh, wait, no it doesn't.
(Seriously, though: she had to do all that just to free the Old One? Wouldn't it maybe make more sense for Nix to have just said that the Architect couldn't destroy herself without destroying all her creation, and leave it at that? It's really kind of weird that she had to destroy all of everything to break bonds that, um, she created. And all.)
But still WHOAH MOTHER OF ALL PLOT TWISTS! (Possibly literally!)
7. So . . . Arthur and the New Architect . . . whoah. This is trippy. (Also, didn't the New Architect specifically say he wasn't going to split off a part of himself like the previous one had? Guess he just changed his mind?)
Even though it's POV-hopping, which happens sometimes in this book and annoys me a little, I really like the line where the New Architect tells Arthur he's mortal . . . and is lying.
Also OH SNAP Arthur's mother is dead! That's really sad!
*Delayed reaction after putting down book* Hey, most of the other dozens of named characters we've met at various times are also dead! Everyone in the House who wasn't on the Elysium! Is dead! I mean, none of these characters was very deeply characterized, but still!
***
I'm not actually sure whether the New Architect just said, "Wacky powers, remake everything that's in this book, but with these few changes, and make it snappy!" or whether he actually spent untold ages reforming things according to the snapshot saved in the Atlas. The new Arthur awakes thinking it's been just moments, but the new Arthur is wrong about a few other things, isn't he?
I am kind of amused by the not-really-resolution of my, "Will Suzy or Leaf become a romantic interest for Arthur?" question. Neither of them does within the book. This might just be because they kind of don't have enough time together to manage it, but I still sort of appreciate that Nix doesn't toss in an obligatory hero-gets-the-girl at the end somewhere. Though it cracks me up that Arthur will go back to Earth with Leaf (where he will presumably live out his life until the day when the New Architect deems the time right to tell him that he can't die?) while the New Architect, having taken the form of a twenty-one-year-old Arthur, will now be fixing up a brand-new House with the assistance of *cue wacky powers* twenty-one-year-old Suzy!
It does make me think that Lord Sunday, during the MORE THAN TWELVE HOURS he has Arthur imprisoned, some of which he spends scolding Arthur, could have explained things. Heck, even if he'd made a just slightly more generous offer to Arthur re: saving the Universe, Arthur might have actually accepted. Maybe Lord Sunday could just have said, "Look, for now, let's fight off the Piper and the Nothing together, and then I'll be happy to give you the Seventh Key after you and I have a little chat about the motives of the Will and the Architect." I don't know, SOMETHING.
***
I wonder, too, whether some of the events of this book were actually a result of things unplanned by Mister Nix. He may have dug himself into some holes that didn't have neat, tidy ways out. Either way, I think it works quite well.
I'd probably give the book five stars if the writing were a little better. Otherwise, good stuff.
[This review does contain spoilers like whoah.]
Not in a bad way. I'm staggered by the ending, though. Staggered. It's totally unexpected and, while things come out (sort of) okay in many ways, it's terribly tragic in others. The author also does a good job not making every single thing follow neatly or tie up the way one expects. This adds a sense of realism - although also, as you might expect, some confusion.
Small but slightly twitch point: the last part of the Will, and Lord Sunday, both fail at telling Arthur important stuff (somewhat relative to their differing definitions of "important"). They try to, but they keep getting interrupted and stuff. Ka-fail. The power of plot compels you!
BUT, I mostly enjoyed the book. I felt it was a little slow to get started, and some of the writing a tad clunky, but once it grabbed me, it didn't let go. Following are the highlights of my reactions to this book. These showcase some of the unpredictability that I admired - and they are also chock full of spoilers, so if for SOME REASON you're STILL READING THIS REVIEW, and you haven't read the Keys to the Kingdom series yet and think you might do so sometime, stop reading the review now for the love of all that is awesome!
1. Wow, they nuked the hospital. I, uh, really didn't think they'd nuke the hospital. Where were Leaf's family when this happened again?
2. Arthur's transformation is pretty neat. GRAAR ARTHUR SMASH.
3. WHOAH WHOAH WHOAH the Will's been murdering the Trustees!
This is one of those excellent plot twists that jars you when you first read it, but then you go, "Of course!"
4. So THAT'S why the elephant's there. (I like Elephant in this book, but I do think it's a slight faltering that when it appears a couple of books back, there's kind of a, "whuh?" sense that didn't really leave until this one makes use of Elephant.)
5. I KNOW you did not just kill Suzy Turquoise Blue, you heartless bastard! I DREW FANART OF HER!
6. So the Architect . . . oh, then . . . that makes sense! Oh, wait, no it doesn't.
(Seriously, though: she had to do all that just to free the Old One? Wouldn't it maybe make more sense for Nix to have just said that the Architect couldn't destroy herself without destroying all her creation, and leave it at that? It's really kind of weird that she had to destroy all of everything to break bonds that, um, she created. And all.)
But still WHOAH MOTHER OF ALL PLOT TWISTS! (Possibly literally!)
7. So . . . Arthur and the New Architect . . . whoah. This is trippy. (Also, didn't the New Architect specifically say he wasn't going to split off a part of himself like the previous one had? Guess he just changed his mind?)
Even though it's POV-hopping, which happens sometimes in this book and annoys me a little, I really like the line where the New Architect tells Arthur he's mortal . . . and is lying.
Also OH SNAP Arthur's mother is dead! That's really sad!
*Delayed reaction after putting down book* Hey, most of the other dozens of named characters we've met at various times are also dead! Everyone in the House who wasn't on the Elysium! Is dead! I mean, none of these characters was very deeply characterized, but still!
***
I'm not actually sure whether the New Architect just said, "Wacky powers, remake everything that's in this book, but with these few changes, and make it snappy!" or whether he actually spent untold ages reforming things according to the snapshot saved in the Atlas. The new Arthur awakes thinking it's been just moments, but the new Arthur is wrong about a few other things, isn't he?
I am kind of amused by the not-really-resolution of my, "Will Suzy or Leaf become a romantic interest for Arthur?" question. Neither of them does within the book. This might just be because they kind of don't have enough time together to manage it, but I still sort of appreciate that Nix doesn't toss in an obligatory hero-gets-the-girl at the end somewhere. Though it cracks me up that Arthur will go back to Earth with Leaf (where he will presumably live out his life until the day when the New Architect deems the time right to tell him that he can't die?) while the New Architect, having taken the form of a twenty-one-year-old Arthur, will now be fixing up a brand-new House with the assistance of *cue wacky powers* twenty-one-year-old Suzy!
It does make me think that Lord Sunday, during the MORE THAN TWELVE HOURS he has Arthur imprisoned, some of which he spends scolding Arthur, could have explained things. Heck, even if he'd made a just slightly more generous offer to Arthur re: saving the Universe, Arthur might have actually accepted. Maybe Lord Sunday could just have said, "Look, for now, let's fight off the Piper and the Nothing together, and then I'll be happy to give you the Seventh Key after you and I have a little chat about the motives of the Will and the Architect." I don't know, SOMETHING.
***
I wonder, too, whether some of the events of this book were actually a result of things unplanned by Mister Nix. He may have dug himself into some holes that didn't have neat, tidy ways out. Either way, I think it works quite well.
I'd probably give the book five stars if the writing were a little better. Otherwise, good stuff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 2, 2023
Bittersweet ending to a very good series. It is Lewis Carroll's Alice, but with more consequence. It is Rowling's Harry Potter, but with more protagonist activity. It is C.S. Lewis Chronicles of Narnia, but not Christian.
Through its strengths and weaknesses, Lord Sunday and The Keys to the Kingdom series is an engrossing tale full of memorable characters, exaggerated realities, and a boy struggling to remain human.
Through its strengths and weaknesses, Lord Sunday and The Keys to the Kingdom series is an engrossing tale full of memorable characters, exaggerated realities, and a boy struggling to remain human.
January 29, 2020
4.5 Silver Stars
with Golden Sparks
RTC after re-read
my top favourite in the series
the end is near
I liked how it ended. how the series ended.
{I love both covers of this one!}
I liked the innovation in naming titles:
Mister Monday: ★★★★(★)/5
Grim Tuesday: ★★★/5
Drowned Wednesday: ★★★/5
Sir Thursday: ★★★/5
Lady Friday: ★★★/5
Superior Saturday: ★★★★/5
Lord Sunday: ★★★★(★)/5
with Golden Sparks
RTC after re-read
my top favourite in the series
the end is near
I liked how it ended. how the series ended.
{I love both covers of this one!}
I liked the innovation in naming titles:
Mister Monday: ★★★★(★)/5
Grim Tuesday: ★★★/5
Drowned Wednesday: ★★★/5
Sir Thursday: ★★★/5
Lady Friday: ★★★/5
Superior Saturday: ★★★★/5
Lord Sunday: ★★★★(★)/5
July 16, 2024
Overall Rating : A
"Whatever else I may have become, I am also Arthur Penhaligon."
The final battle for all creation. Arthur - mortal turned Denizen, up against the final Trustee - Lord Sunday - along with the Piper and Lady Saturday. With time running out before the Nothing destroys everything, can Arthur find Part Seven of the Will and the Key, and finally fulfill The Architects design?
The final part of the "Keys to the Kingdom" series, and it was as epic as it promised. You feel on the edge of your seat as all the players come together and you finally figure out what exactly The Will has been planning since the beginning.
The ending was satisfying and ambiguous enough that it leaves you to wonder and believe what else could happen. No sequels needed, it was real, bittersweet and hopeful.
"Whatever else I may have become, I am also Arthur Penhaligon."
The final battle for all creation. Arthur - mortal turned Denizen, up against the final Trustee - Lord Sunday - along with the Piper and Lady Saturday. With time running out before the Nothing destroys everything, can Arthur find Part Seven of the Will and the Key, and finally fulfill The Architects design?
The final part of the "Keys to the Kingdom" series, and it was as epic as it promised. You feel on the edge of your seat as all the players come together and you finally figure out what exactly The Will has been planning since the beginning.
The ending was satisfying and ambiguous enough that it leaves you to wonder and believe what else could happen. No sequels needed, it was real, bittersweet and hopeful.
November 20, 2012
Arthur Penhalligan was just an ordinary kid (albeit one with extraordinarily bad asthma) when he was randomly chosen to recieve the first part of the Architect's Will. Although no one expected him to be able to hang on to it (in fact, the plan was for him to expire just moments after being handed it), he not only lived, he managed to free several other parts of the Will as well. As each part is freed from its prison, the Will grows stronger and the various "trustees" of the Will grow more desperate to stop Arthur. This is the final showdown.
And what a showdown it is! Armies on the march, nuclear bombs, death-trap clocks--and Arthur has to use more and more of the Will's powers to survive it all, losing a little piece of his humanity every time he does. It's enthralling and enraging and fantastic.
The worlds created for this series are absolutely fascinating, from Superior Saturday's transparent and perpetually raining tower where clerks work frantically underneath umbrellas, to Drowned Wednesday's world of pirates and Raised Rats, to Tuesday's perpetual war amidst lands that move every sunrise. Arthur's world is just as interesting, because it's like an alternate universe version of our own, but with frequent pandemics and slightly futuristic tech.
The characters are another bright spot, from Arthur's solid moral center (even when it costs him and his allies) to Suzy Turquoise Blue's stubborn ability to thrive in any situation. They all felt like real people from early on, and by the end of this seven book series I felt like I knew them as well as I know anyone. In fact, I miss them. I hope Nix choses to write some short stories or something with them, because I'd snatch them up.
And what a showdown it is! Armies on the march, nuclear bombs, death-trap clocks--and Arthur has to use more and more of the Will's powers to survive it all, losing a little piece of his humanity every time he does. It's enthralling and enraging and fantastic.
The worlds created for this series are absolutely fascinating, from Superior Saturday's transparent and perpetually raining tower where clerks work frantically underneath umbrellas, to Drowned Wednesday's world of pirates and Raised Rats, to Tuesday's perpetual war amidst lands that move every sunrise. Arthur's world is just as interesting, because it's like an alternate universe version of our own, but with frequent pandemics and slightly futuristic tech.
The characters are another bright spot, from Arthur's solid moral center (even when it costs him and his allies) to Suzy Turquoise Blue's stubborn ability to thrive in any situation. They all felt like real people from early on, and by the end of this seven book series I felt like I knew them as well as I know anyone. In fact, I miss them. I hope Nix choses to write some short stories or something with them, because I'd snatch them up.
July 22, 2020
پایان یک نوستالژِ و مجموعه دلنشین. این چهار ستاره برای کلیت داستان بود. ایده و پرداخت و دنیا سازیش رو دوست داشتم. ولی خوب اگر ده سال قبل تر می خوندمش برام جذابیت بیشتری بود. با این حال این چیزی از خوب بودن مجموعه کم نمی کنه. حیف که زیاد این مجموعه شناخته شده نیست . خیلی بهتر از مجموعه های آبکی نوجوان موجود در بازاره که استقبال بالاتری داشتن
December 8, 2019
Wow, I did not anticipate that ending. As a seventh and concluding book, it had a tough job of carrying out a grand and satisfying conclusion, but it managed it.
Book 6 ends on quite a cliffhanger (almost literally), and Book 7 picks up right there. There is a lot that happens in this rather short book, so it’s jam-packed. POV alternates between Arthur, Leaf, and Suzy. Arthur is forced to confront Lord Sunday rather early on, whereas in most of the other books he doesn’t meet the Trustee until the end. Sunday’s domain is the Incomparable Gardens, so all his minions are plant-based people and creatures.
(The narrator gives Sunday a rather odd American accent. It’s like part New York, part Chicago, part Western. And why doesn’t everyone else get an Australian accent? I’m pretty sure Arthur is Australian.)
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say I enjoyed the pacing, the characters, and the bittersweet — and surprising — ending.
Clean content; some violence involving fantastical creatures/beings
Book 6 ends on quite a cliffhanger (almost literally), and Book 7 picks up right there. There is a lot that happens in this rather short book, so it’s jam-packed. POV alternates between Arthur, Leaf, and Suzy. Arthur is forced to confront Lord Sunday rather early on, whereas in most of the other books he doesn’t meet the Trustee until the end. Sunday’s domain is the Incomparable Gardens, so all his minions are plant-based people and creatures.
(The narrator gives Sunday a rather odd American accent. It’s like part New York, part Chicago, part Western. And why doesn’t everyone else get an Australian accent? I’m pretty sure Arthur is Australian.)
I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll just say I enjoyed the pacing, the characters, and the bittersweet — and surprising — ending.
Clean content; some violence involving fantastical creatures/beings
September 29, 2021
And he sticks the landing! Cheers all around!
This series had such fascinating world building. It was like the pieces of an intricate clock, and it all fitted together so well.
This series had such fascinating world building. It was like the pieces of an intricate clock, and it all fitted together so well.
February 14, 2020
Gründe, die den Ausschlag für vier Sterne gaben:
- Suzy
- Daisy
- Griac
- Leaf
- Arthur wird seine Naivität zum Verhängnis
- Daisy
- coole Architect-Storyline
- Daisy
- Suzy
- Daisy
- Griac
- Leaf
- Arthur wird seine Naivität zum Verhängnis
- Daisy
- coole Architect-Storyline
- Daisy
March 5, 2022
Dieser abschließende Band hat mich wieder versöhnlich gestimmt, nachdem sein Vorgänger so geschwächelt hatte. Ich mag es, wenn das Ende einer Geschichte rund ist und alle Fäden wie hier zusammenlaufen.
Abschließend möchte ich sagen, dass die "Die Schlüssel zum Königreich" eigentlich nicht so wirklich eine Kinderbuchreihe ist, obwohl Arthur ein Kind ist. Sie ist doch erstaunlich tiefsinnig und gibt enorm viele Gedankenanstöße, wie das bei Parabeln so üblich ist. Ein 11-jähriger Leser mit sich allein gelassen wäre mit diesen vielen philosophischen Fragen meiner Meinung nach überfordert. Und das wäre schade, denn die Bücher schaffen Redebedarf.
Abschließend möchte ich sagen, dass die "Die Schlüssel zum Königreich" eigentlich nicht so wirklich eine Kinderbuchreihe ist, obwohl Arthur ein Kind ist. Sie ist doch erstaunlich tiefsinnig und gibt enorm viele Gedankenanstöße, wie das bei Parabeln so üblich ist. Ein 11-jähriger Leser mit sich allein gelassen wäre mit diesen vielen philosophischen Fragen meiner Meinung nach überfordert. Und das wäre schade, denn die Bücher schaffen Redebedarf.
November 22, 2010
Alas! Due to a gig, I was unable to read Lord Sunday entirely on Sunday. I did read most of it, though, and finished it on my train ride this morning. That was pretty unfortunate, when I got to the part where Elephant plays his part, because it made me cry, as Elephant always has, in this book. I knew Garth Nix wouldn't treat Elephant well. I am shaking my fist at you, sir. Oh, it was meaningful and lovely, and well done: bringing in a soft toy and bringing it to life could easily be over-sentimental, even for a soft toy lover. But this wasn't. It was just touching, and I ached to be able to bring my own soft toy -- a hippo -- to life.
As the end to the series, I found it appropriately exciting, vivid and satisfying. I'm not disappointed it's over -- it was all followed through quite well, and it doesn't leave me wanting, I guess is what I mean. I do want more of Garth Nix's writing, but he ended in just the right place, here.
As the end to the series, I found it appropriately exciting, vivid and satisfying. I'm not disappointed it's over -- it was all followed through quite well, and it doesn't leave me wanting, I guess is what I mean. I do want more of Garth Nix's writing, but he ended in just the right place, here.
May 29, 2018
What a great ending to this series!
I was quite surprised at how this ended, but I'm really happy about it. It wasn't a perfect happily ever after, but it was good and felt realistic. I loved how Arthur's friends helped him with this War and retrieving the keys of the kingdom.
Arthur's humanity and his friendships were probably my favorite part of this series. It's weird, it doesn't feel like the series is over. Also, we finally get the whole story about the Architect, which I have been waiting for the entire time. Now everything makes sense and I can go on with my life lol.
I kind of wish there was an extended epilogue since I'd love to see Overall, this was such a great series and it was really easy to read.
I was quite surprised at how this ended, but I'm really happy about it. It wasn't a perfect happily ever after, but it was good and felt realistic. I loved how Arthur's friends helped him with this War and retrieving the keys of the kingdom.
Arthur's humanity and his friendships were probably my favorite part of this series. It's weird, it doesn't feel like the series is over. Also, we finally get the whole story about the Architect, which I have been waiting for the entire time. Now everything makes sense and I can go on with my life lol.
I kind of wish there was an extended epilogue since I'd love to see Overall, this was such a great series and it was really easy to read.
July 3, 2015
Ach. Zas koniec jednej série. Ale bolo to úžasné a koniec, s ktorým Nix prišiel, som sčasti očakávala a v niečom ma prekvapil. Každopádne môžem v tejto chvíli povedať, ze viem, čo je to cítiť absolútnu spokojnosť.
September 11, 2013
Arthur, in this last book,
I don't like the ending. While it seems inevitable (especially given the direction of the last few books), it is also deeply sad, and I found it disappointing. I have no patience for
A few notes on the series.
I don't like the term Nothing. I am bothered by it because But while this annoyed me throughout the entire series, it is really a minor point.
One of the interesting aspects of the Keys to the Kingdom series is that each of the seven trustees is afflicted with a deadly sin. Monday is afflicted with It would be easy for there to be a sense of sameness to all these, but instead, each feels different. Monday seems different, and differently expressed, than either Tuesday or Wednesday, or any of the other trustees.
I don't like the ending. While it seems inevitable (especially given the direction of the last few books), it is also deeply sad, and I found it disappointing. I have no patience for
A few notes on the series.
I don't like the term Nothing. I am bothered by it because But while this annoyed me throughout the entire series, it is really a minor point.
One of the interesting aspects of the Keys to the Kingdom series is that each of the seven trustees is afflicted with a deadly sin. Monday is afflicted with It would be easy for there to be a sense of sameness to all these, but instead, each feels different. Monday seems different, and differently expressed, than either Tuesday or Wednesday, or any of the other trustees.
March 30, 2010
I think I'm going to start a book review series called "the problem with finales."* I have had the bitter-sweet pleasure this week of reading two final books from two of my favorite series. One of them was this book, "Lord Sunday" by Garth Nix. The 7th and final book in the Keys to the Kingdom series. Often, as in the case of this book, the last book in a series is delayed and as anticipation grows so does expectations. Is it possible for any concluding book in a series to live up to expectations? They have a lot riding on them: the pressure to answers any and all questions, to close the story, and live up to the quality of the previous books in the series.
It kind of breaks my heart to give this book only 4 stars. I've been waiting so long and I truly wanted to love this book. That is not to say I didn't like it or that is wasn't a great book; but, with in the context of Keys to the Kingdom and the amazing writing of Garth Nix I thought this book fell a little short. There was something off about the whole story, the characters seemed stiff and the ending seemed rushed and all at once. While in all of the other books in the series we spend pages learning about the realm and the nature of each day's domain, we spend almost no time learning about or experiencing the Incomparable Gardens.
I don't want to discredit the book, or the series, because I know the challenge it must be to complete a series. And it Mr. Nix's credit the ending was not what I expected at all. All I could have wished for was more time in the Gardens and perhaps more for shadowing in the previous books about the events / character changes that were coming in the book.
Book Rating 8/10
*Oddly I only see this only being a problem with books that go beyond a trilogy, that is 4 or more books. For Example: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Breaking Dawn, etc
It kind of breaks my heart to give this book only 4 stars. I've been waiting so long and I truly wanted to love this book. That is not to say I didn't like it or that is wasn't a great book; but, with in the context of Keys to the Kingdom and the amazing writing of Garth Nix I thought this book fell a little short. There was something off about the whole story, the characters seemed stiff and the ending seemed rushed and all at once. While in all of the other books in the series we spend pages learning about the realm and the nature of each day's domain, we spend almost no time learning about or experiencing the Incomparable Gardens.
I don't want to discredit the book, or the series, because I know the challenge it must be to complete a series. And it Mr. Nix's credit the ending was not what I expected at all. All I could have wished for was more time in the Gardens and perhaps more for shadowing in the previous books about the events / character changes that were coming in the book.
Book Rating 8/10
*Oddly I only see this only being a problem with books that go beyond a trilogy, that is 4 or more books. For Example: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Breaking Dawn, etc
March 2, 2012
The last installment of this series deserved 5 stars for the ending alone. But overall, this was a great book.
I loved loved loved how Nix was able to turn everything we thought we knew about EVERYTHING on its head. I NEVER saw that ending coming and I never even assumed that she was she and he was them and it was so sad about him and her.
Yes, I know that last sentence was a bit confusing, but once you read the book, you'll understand. Arthur went through so much in this last installment and it made my heart ache to see what Pride can do to an otherwise strong and wise individual.
Every doubt and anxiety I had while reading these books were answered and I really appreciated the fact that nothing was changed and Arthur had to suffer such an incredible loss. Most times, books for young children tend to sugarcoat what happens and gives a happily ever after ending, but I think at age 12-14 you really start learning that bad things happen to good people and even if you can change something, it doesn't mean you should.
Well done Nix!
I loved loved loved how Nix was able to turn everything we thought we knew about EVERYTHING on its head. I NEVER saw that ending coming and I never even assumed that she was she and he was them and it was so sad about him and her.
Yes, I know that last sentence was a bit confusing, but once you read the book, you'll understand. Arthur went through so much in this last installment and it made my heart ache to see what Pride can do to an otherwise strong and wise individual.
Every doubt and anxiety I had while reading these books were answered and I really appreciated the fact that nothing was changed and Arthur had to suffer such an incredible loss. Most times, books for young children tend to sugarcoat what happens and gives a happily ever after ending, but I think at age 12-14 you really start learning that bad things happen to good people and even if you can change something, it doesn't mean you should.
Well done Nix!
November 24, 2021
oh no! it’s over!
The series, I mean, and I loved it! I love Arthur and Suzy and Leaf and the Sixth part of the Will and Daisy and - Wahhhh - Elephant! Why did it have to end?
The series, I mean, and I loved it! I love Arthur and Suzy and Leaf and the Sixth part of the Will and Daisy and - Wahhhh - Elephant! Why did it have to end?
January 10, 2018
I’ve finally reached the end of the series! I read this entire book in a day, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it — the last few books weren’t my favorites, so I was dreading having just an okay ending to this series, but Last Sunday definitely doesn’t disappoint. It’s perfectly completes the series and makes those last few just-okay books worth it.
This book is basically just all action. The lines have been drawn, the war has started, and now Arthur has to figure out how to save everyone and get the will and key from Lord Sunday. Lord Sunday is the perfect “final boss” so to speak; his magic is way more powerful than the other trustees and he does not play around. He doesn’t want to give Arthur the will and does everything in his power to make sure he doesn’t get it. I love how Arthur is put in super difficult situations, so he needs to think of creative solutions and try his hardest. It made for a page-turning story, because I just couldn’t wait to find out how he got out of a particularly dangerous situation.
On the other side, Leaf and Suzy are fighting another war, trying to find their way to Lord Sunday’s chambers and escape from the Nothing that is quickly eating up the entire House. They come together to find their friend so they can help him with the final battle. I really enjoyed that they put their rivalry on hold to help their greater cause, though there are glimpses of it throughout their interactions.
Overall, it was suspenseful, the characters continue to be amazing and surprising, and I absolutely was NOT expecting the ending. Of course, with the description listed above and with various hints throughout the series, I knew that it wasn’t as straightforward as it all seemed, but I wasn’t expecting the entirety of it. Definitely recommend this series if you enjoy adventurous middle grade fantasies. It’s a delight.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
This book is basically just all action. The lines have been drawn, the war has started, and now Arthur has to figure out how to save everyone and get the will and key from Lord Sunday. Lord Sunday is the perfect “final boss” so to speak; his magic is way more powerful than the other trustees and he does not play around. He doesn’t want to give Arthur the will and does everything in his power to make sure he doesn’t get it. I love how Arthur is put in super difficult situations, so he needs to think of creative solutions and try his hardest. It made for a page-turning story, because I just couldn’t wait to find out how he got out of a particularly dangerous situation.
On the other side, Leaf and Suzy are fighting another war, trying to find their way to Lord Sunday’s chambers and escape from the Nothing that is quickly eating up the entire House. They come together to find their friend so they can help him with the final battle. I really enjoyed that they put their rivalry on hold to help their greater cause, though there are glimpses of it throughout their interactions.
Overall, it was suspenseful, the characters continue to be amazing and surprising, and I absolutely was NOT expecting the ending. Of course, with the description listed above and with various hints throughout the series, I knew that it wasn’t as straightforward as it all seemed, but I wasn’t expecting the entirety of it. Definitely recommend this series if you enjoy adventurous middle grade fantasies. It’s a delight.
Also posted on Purple People Readers.
November 14, 2012
Plodding...plodding...more stuff...secrets oh my! But I can't tell you what they are because then I won't have enough words for my books. Plodding...oh, the ending!
Which was crap. I don't want to give any spoilers here, but the end was...it felt like...
You know how you have this idea in your head about what's going to happen? And even though you've watched all the science fiction shows and read a large portion of science fiction-y stuff in your life, you think you have this nailed? Or that you actually KNOW what time travel does to not only your thinking but to the world/universe at large.
You know all this and still you read to the end thinking that the story has to follow SOME law of SOME science fiction.
But no. It doesn't. And the book ends and you're left thinking What the...? I just read 7 books and spent hours of my life on this series I can never get back and THIS IS THE ENDING?
I almost want the plodding back.
Which was crap. I don't want to give any spoilers here, but the end was...it felt like...
You know how you have this idea in your head about what's going to happen? And even though you've watched all the science fiction shows and read a large portion of science fiction-y stuff in your life, you think you have this nailed? Or that you actually KNOW what time travel does to not only your thinking but to the world/universe at large.
You know all this and still you read to the end thinking that the story has to follow SOME law of SOME science fiction.
But no. It doesn't. And the book ends and you're left thinking What the...? I just read 7 books and spent hours of my life on this series I can never get back and THIS IS THE ENDING?
I almost want the plodding back.
September 25, 2019
2019: feelings are still solid. I needed to re-listen to this one even just because last time I was speeding through the end so much that I didn't take time to properly think about it. I love this book series and I wish it had better covers and was more popular.
I'm giving this one five stars because this so perfectly capped the series, and I enjoyed the whole thing thoroughly. The way things tied together, the ENDING which I loved, and didn't see coming (not all aspects of it, anyway) and the entirety of the world building in general. I still found the Abhorsen books more personally resonant (Lirael especially) but this series was so good and I've already been recommending it to my students. Can safely name Garth Nix as one of my favourite authors now.
I'm giving this one five stars because this so perfectly capped the series, and I enjoyed the whole thing thoroughly. The way things tied together, the ENDING which I loved, and didn't see coming (not all aspects of it, anyway) and the entirety of the world building in general. I still found the Abhorsen books more personally resonant (Lirael especially) but this series was so good and I've already been recommending it to my students. Can safely name Garth Nix as one of my favourite authors now.
March 1, 2017
This book is like a painting that was painted by the most talented painter on this planet. Just in a ideal way, as in literature. Arthur is such an amazing character. He is brave and an easy to love character. In this outstanding conclusion to the Keys To The Kingdom series, many truths are revealed and many positions are claimed. A true literature master piece. I could not let go of this book. If I remember correctly, I stayed up till about 2 in the morning just to read the ultimate ending to an epic series. Simply outstanding.
Read
September 20, 2022Darker than i expected
April 7, 2010
As a book, it was a great book, but you can't really review the last book in the series on its own.
The series finished with an ending. That's about all I can say. It wasn't the great ending that I felt it deserved, but it wasn't a bad ending.
I think Garth Nix was just glad to finish the series. Along the way, he would forget about certain things like the Mariner's Medallion. It's described as metallic in this book, but was originally described as bone. Every time something like that came along, it lessened the credibility and impact of the series.
That said, would I read the series again? Definitely. It's a good coming of age series. You feel you could have been or even could be Arthur in such things as his desire to avoid the draft, and his acceptance once he is a part of the army for one example.
Nix's imagination for different worlds is amazing. His supporting characters are "real" with dreams and desires of their own. His writing is easy and flows well. Above all, I love the cliff-hangers at the end of most chapters.
The series finished with an ending. That's about all I can say. It wasn't the great ending that I felt it deserved, but it wasn't a bad ending.
I think Garth Nix was just glad to finish the series. Along the way, he would forget about certain things like the Mariner's Medallion. It's described as metallic in this book, but was originally described as bone. Every time something like that came along, it lessened the credibility and impact of the series.
That said, would I read the series again? Definitely. It's a good coming of age series. You feel you could have been or even could be Arthur in such things as his desire to avoid the draft, and his acceptance once he is a part of the army for one example.
Nix's imagination for different worlds is amazing. His supporting characters are "real" with dreams and desires of their own. His writing is easy and flows well. Above all, I love the cliff-hangers at the end of most chapters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2023
The saga concludes! Well... need to take a breath and absorb that bittersweet ending. Glad to see Arthur was able to retain his humanity (probably?) by splitting off his human side from his godly side. Tough to lose both his mom and his enmagicked stuffy companion though! Talk about moving out of childhood! Loved the reappearance of the creepy puppet clock and the idea that the seventh part of the will is a caged apple tree--what a cool image! Thought Lord Sunday himself could've been developed a bit further and even though the new universe will be a copy of the old one, is it really still the same? (Feels like that rabbit hole could lead to an existential crisis.) That said, this rambling review is a testament to how much I enjoyed the series. Not quite as good as The Old Kingdom books, in my opinion, but we definitely stan Garth Nix in my house!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2016
I was concerned with how Nix would end the series. I was afraid he would take the easy way out and have everything just be a dream or a magic wand would return everything to normal. But instead he came up with an interesting and appropriate ending for this excellent series.
July 16, 2015
Quite unexpected... :)
January 17, 2019
A re-listen. Astonishing world-building and intriguing characters. This remains one of my favorite children's fantasy series, and Alan Corduner's narration is first-rate.
May 6, 2023
Deep inside the New Architect, the part of him that was Arthur cried out.
(с)
Одна часть меня грустит по финалу, а вторая хочет, чтобы автор уже врубил 21+ на полную и додал темного Артура.
(с)
Одна часть меня грустит по финалу, а вторая хочет, чтобы автор уже врубил 21+ на полную и додал темного Артура.
August 31, 2018
This a review for the series as a whole.
I read the first book when it came out (I was close to the target age), and at the time didn't have any interest in continuing the series. Now, at the urging of a friend, I've finished the whole series on audiobook, and in conclusion... I have mixed feelings. I'm glad I stuck it out to the end of the series, but it sometimes did feel like sticking it out, rather than reading something I enjoyed.
My feelings about Keys to the Kingdom are essentially the same as my feelings about classic Doctor Who. There are a lot of fantastic ideas, creative settings, and interesting characters with interesting development... but getting to them kind of feels like panning for gold. There's a lot of boring dirt to sift through for the occasional speck. That "dirt" here usually involves very visual actiony fights that felt like the same kind of padding as the endless running through corridors in Classic Who. I don't find fight scenes inherently interesting; they have to be very well written and show us something about the characters, and these largely did neither. And the areas in the House seemed cool and creative, but they were mostly used as background for the action sequences and never quite felt to me like they had any depth (also as was often the case in Classic Who.)
However, the overarching plot and Arthur's personal story made it worth it. I think this is the only middle grade portal fantasy I've ever read where I actually bought that the protagonist just wanted to go home and be normal. His family is quirky, loving, and fairly well-developed, he already lost a family once, and the House isn't a particularly nice place to be, especially for a mortal. That struggle between his desire for a mortal life and the obligations to his denizen friends was very compelling. And the grand, mythological nature of the overarching plot was interesting and satisfying.
A note about the ending:
Miscellaneous other notes:
- I really liked that the "normal" Earth Arthur came from was not quite our own.
- Arthur Penhaligon's name is an obvious reference to King Arthur, but the stories don't really parallel each other enough for that to make sense to me. Maybe I'm missing something.
- I expected the purpose of denizens being mostly immortal to be that the author could write lots of fights without having to kill too many people, and boy was I wrong.
I read the first book when it came out (I was close to the target age), and at the time didn't have any interest in continuing the series. Now, at the urging of a friend, I've finished the whole series on audiobook, and in conclusion... I have mixed feelings. I'm glad I stuck it out to the end of the series, but it sometimes did feel like sticking it out, rather than reading something I enjoyed.
My feelings about Keys to the Kingdom are essentially the same as my feelings about classic Doctor Who. There are a lot of fantastic ideas, creative settings, and interesting characters with interesting development... but getting to them kind of feels like panning for gold. There's a lot of boring dirt to sift through for the occasional speck. That "dirt" here usually involves very visual actiony fights that felt like the same kind of padding as the endless running through corridors in Classic Who. I don't find fight scenes inherently interesting; they have to be very well written and show us something about the characters, and these largely did neither. And the areas in the House seemed cool and creative, but they were mostly used as background for the action sequences and never quite felt to me like they had any depth (also as was often the case in Classic Who.)
However, the overarching plot and Arthur's personal story made it worth it. I think this is the only middle grade portal fantasy I've ever read where I actually bought that the protagonist just wanted to go home and be normal. His family is quirky, loving, and fairly well-developed, he already lost a family once, and the House isn't a particularly nice place to be, especially for a mortal. That struggle between his desire for a mortal life and the obligations to his denizen friends was very compelling. And the grand, mythological nature of the overarching plot was interesting and satisfying.
A note about the ending:
Miscellaneous other notes:
- I really liked that the "normal" Earth Arthur came from was not quite our own.
- Arthur Penhaligon's name is an obvious reference to King Arthur, but the stories don't really parallel each other enough for that to make sense to me. Maybe I'm missing something.
- I expected the purpose of denizens being mostly immortal to be that the author could write lots of fights without having to kill too many people, and boy was I wrong.
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