Rating: 
Summary: The book that keeps you reading
Review: Grim Tuesday was a great book. I read the book from beginning to end without even taking a break. Garth Nix keeps the readers on edge with the twists and challenges he throws to his still developing character, Arthur Penhaligon. Things are stirried up when Arthur visits the "Far Reaches" of "The House". He meets new characters, and he learns new things about the old ones. If you haven't read the first book in the series "Mister Monday", pick it up quick. Garth Nix carries on the story from the first book strait over to the second one. The series is developing into a must read series simular to Harry Potter.
Rating:
Summary: Grisly
Review: After being bowled over by the incredible imagination and relentless pacing of Mr Monday, I awaited the 2nd in this series with eager anticipation.
Once again, the writing is a joy and the pacing brisk. Garth Nix has an amazing imagination (the story contains a gigantic creature mutated from someone's lost eyebrow), and he has created an impossible yet believable world peopled with vibrant three-dimensional characters. Arthur, the central character, continues to charm - ably assisted by the delightful Suzy, and not so ably assisted by the 'Will.'
So why, when I gobbled my way through 'Mr Monday' in less than a day, did I find myself plodding through 'Grim Tuesday' over an entire week? The answer: I found it rather formulaic and episodic. Oh yes, there's a great cliff-hanger at the end of every chapter - but the protagonist usually overcomes the obstacle within the first couple of pages of the next chapter, then marks time until the next chapter-ending cliff hanger. Lots of little story arcs - but not really any decent or challenging big ones.
The resolutions were just too darn convenient and required little thinking or effort on the part of the characters - and as such they did little to grow or develop throughout the narrative. For example: at one point they're stuck on a sort of glass pyramid whilst under a hail of fiery missiles. However, the creature they just happen to have with them just happens to have a glass-cutting diamond hidden in its mouth. Aarghhh!!! This kind of convenient resolution occurred with such regularity, that I no longer cared about the plight of the protagonist - certain that whatever tight corner he found himself in, he'd overcome it a page or two later with the minimal of mental effort.
That being said, it's still a jolly good book. If, like me, you've read the first part and intend to keep on reading until Sunday's book - then it's a must read. Really sorry I couldn't give it 5 stars! I liked it - but it just didn't have the class of 'Mr Monday'. Here's hoping 'Drowned Wednesday' will be a return to top form!
Rating: 
Summary: A very grim Tuesday
Review: Arthur left The House on Monday thinking he wouldn't have to go back for another five to six years. Boy was he wrong. It turns out that Grim Tuesday, who is in charge of the Far Reaches, has some different ideas of his own and is threatning Arthur's position of the Head of the Lower Atruim. Not only is the Grim stirring up chaos in the House, but in Arthur's world too. The Grim's Grotesques, his seven ugly, mishapen servants, are up to no good and Arthur's family is on the verge of a financial crisis. So once again Arthur must return to The House and retrieve the Second Key from Grim Tuesday to save everybody. Soon he finds himself a worker in the Grim's Pit and befriends Japeth, a Denizen that talks like a thesaurous. Of course Suzy is also there to help, after being sent by the Will to assist Arthur. Soon Suzy and Arthur find themselves battling Nithilings, stealing a Sunship, harpooing sunsprites, and trying to knock some senses into the Second Clause of the Will, which is in a bear form. Of course everything leads to the final showdown with the Grim, but unlike Monday, this won't be a contest of strength and swords, but creativity. The second book in this series was a definite improvement over the first one. Japeth provided some much needed comic relief and Soot was just funny. I also loved Tom, and I definitely hope he returns again. Oh, and the bear was a definite improvement over the previous Clause of the Will. Overall much better than the first one. I can't wait to read Drowned Wednesday and meet Lady Wednesday! (yeah a woman!)
Rating:
Summary: an entertaining and intriguing novel
Review: Arthur Penhaligon has assumed the role Master of the Lower House and the powers of the First Key. He has cured the Sleepy Plague by releasing a Nightsweeper and now is ready for some well-deserved rest. What else could he be needed for? Plenty, it seems, when the Will calls upon Arthur's assistance early Tuesday morning. Arthur is told that Grim Tuesday has found a loophole in the Agreement and has laid claim to the Lower House and the First Key as payment for debts owed by Mister Monday over the last thousand years. The Will tells Arthur that he must come to the House and stop Grim Tuesday before he takes over Arthur's newly acquired position and the world. Arthur is furious at having to enter the realms of the House again so soon and is baffled when the connection to the red old-fashioned telephone the Will gave him is cut off because his credit is being revoked by the Court of the Days. He then observes two Grotesques of Grim Tuesday putting up a magical SOLD sign outside his family's home. Arthur learns that he must get to the House by noon before his life in the Secondary Realm is ruined. Arthur discovers that getting into the House will not be easy this time around. While looking for a visible entrance, he notices some sort of Nithling lurking in a garden across the street. Arthur is wary of the thing and decides to look it up in the Atlas. He reads that the strange creature is not just any Nithling but a Scoucher that soon chases Arthur and tries to attack him with its deadly tentacles. Arthur hears his friend Leaf call his name and hides in her house when she notices the Scoucher following him. The two friends hide in the garage while they try to find some silver to vanquish the creature. They are able to defeat the Scoucher with a medal but not before Leaf is seriously injured. As Arthur applies first-aid, Leaf tells him how to get into the House through a dream she has. Arthur is worried about Leaf's condition but she convinces him to leave, knowing that help is on the way. With only minutes to spare, Arthur heads over to the old mill that Leaf described. Once inside the mill, Arthur sees that a Grotesque is up to no good and has to fight him in order to get inside the House. He manages to do so and notices that much has changed since the last time he was there. The Lieutenant Keeper of the Front Door helps prevent the boy from having an asthma attack and tells him that he must go to The Far Reaches in order to reach Grim Tuesday's domain. Arthur doesn't want to go, but the Lieutenant is persistent and helps disguise the boy as an indentured Denizen. All indentured Denizens work in the terrifying place called the Pit. On the journey towards the Pit, Arthur meets a Denizen named Japeth, who tells him about the life of indentured Denizens and the system they work in. Arthur becomes anxious at the thought of having to work alongside Grim Tuesday's train as an indentured servant. He grows tired and Japeth stays behind to help him as the rest of their group continues traveling to the Pit. Arthur's friend Suzy Turquoise Blue shows up along the railway in a stolen wheel contraption. Suzy informs her friend that they have to use ascension wings to get out of the pit and climb across the ceiling of the Far Reaches in order to get to the spire of Grim Tuesday's Treasure Tower and find Part Two of the Will. Suzy and Arthur arrive at the Tower but not without some frightening encounters involving Nothing and a meeting with one of Grim Tuesday's eyebrows named Soot, who only wants to get to Tuesday's treasure. The friends are wary of him, but with Soot's assistance they get into the Tower. Suzy and Arthur continue their search with the help of a strange mariner named Captain Tom Shelvocke, who claims to be one of the sons of the Architect and the Old One. The trio then travel to the Sun to retrieve Part Two of the Will on an island by way of a magical spaceship. However, there are many dangers that still await them. Will the second part of the Will be retrieved and can Grim Tuesday be stopped? What is the hideous surprise that lurks in the shadows of Nothing? Will Arthur ever make it home in time to save his family? These and many other questions are raised in this entertaining and intriguing novel, Garth Nix's second installment in his Keys to the Kingdom series. --- (...)
Rating:
Summary: the journey continues
Review: Auther and Suzy are even deeper in danger now. They have destroied the natorious Mr. Monday but now they have to face the even more powerful Grim Tuesday!!
Auther, heir to the kingdom has to return to the house to face even greater perils this time. will he make it out in one piece. Not likely, or so it seems.
this book will keep you reading for hours without you even realizing it. before you know it you will be done! you are going to be glued to this great book, especially if you were glued to Mr. Monday! I know I was!!!
Rating:
Summary: Didn't quite meet my expectations, but good anyways
Review: Grim Tuesday, which is the sequel of Mister Monday, starts off when Arthur Penhaligon gets a phone call from the Will. The Will tells Arthur that Grim Tuesday wants to claim the Lower House as his in order to pay off all of Monday's debt. A little while later, things start going from bad to worse for the Penhaligon family and Arthur has no other choice but to enter the House and try to defeat Grim Tuesday. Though the plot is a bit better that Mister Monday, I find Arthur's role a little too cheesy. Though he does encounter some problems, I find that he always ends up defeating the enemy no matter what and this is starting to become a bit too repetitive. However, I guess that if Arthur were to die, there would be no point in continuing the story, so this heroic act is acceptable. Overall, the book is quite good, and I'm definitely looking forward to Drowned Wednesday.
Rating:
Summary: Nix keeps it coming!
Review: I have been reading all of Garth Nix's books--and they keep getting better and better. Mr. Monday was a wonderful start to a promised 7 volume series filled with rich, imaginary characters that keep developing and expanding through amazing adventures that temper them as people. Grim Tuesday does not disappoint. We are all thirsty for Wednesday. Mr. Nix cannot write these fast enough! Arthur Pentiagalon, an asthmatic boy, is a hero that we all want to root for--from his endearing humility to his cleverness in beginning to solve the problems of "The House". He is accompanies by Susie Turquoise Blue and "The Will" from Mr Monday's introduction. The key takes on a new personna in Grim Tuesday-- To get into the plot etc would be to deprive you of an exciting trip into another region of "the House" and the denizens that inhabit it. Do not stop. If you havent read Mr. Monday--do so immediately (and while you are at it, buy Grim Tuesday--as you will want to start it within the hour you finish the first book!).
Rating:
Summary: The Most awesome book
Review: I loved this book. I also loved Mister Monday. I have read Garth Nix's Seventh Tower,Sabriel, Lariel, and Abhorson. Garth Nix is my favorite author. I cannot wait until Drowned Wednesday comes out. Wonderful book!!!
Rating:
Summary: I'm ready for Drowned Wednesday!
Review: I really, really, really, really enjoyed this book and am anxiously awaiting the next in the series. I especially liked the "stickit fingers". They were cool.
Rating:
Summary: The Keys to the Kingdom - Grim Tuesday RULES!!!
Review: I truly enjoyed both Mister Monday and Grim Tuesday and I'm looking forward to Drowned Wednesday. I'm an avid reader and a mom. This series may have been recommended for young children but I borrowed the books from my 15 year old son. He loved them and so did I. Garth Nix is the first author my son ever chose to read for fun. I think this is due to Mr. Nix vivid descriptions of the surreal, supernatural and odd environments, characters and situations. His stories are well thought out and he keeps you on the edge of your seat. In this series he's chosen a hero in an intelligent young boy who happens to be hindered by asthma. In the beginning he believes himself to be a loser, but eventually he becomes our modest hero. I think Arthur's a character that all teenagers can relate to. Even the most athletic and popular teenager can feel isolated by their own insecurities. I also appreciate the message behind the strong, loving family that treats Arthur no differently even though he's adopted. They aren't the focus of the story but they are the backbone of Arthur's strength. This is a great series for drawing kids away from the TV and video games and into the wealth of their own imagination. And its not a bad escape for parents still in touch with their inner child.
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