This was not my first Garth Nix novel.  I whole-heartedly enjoyed the Abhorsen Trilogy.  So I was very intrigued when this book came to my attention.  I immediately checked it out from the library and gave it a whirl.  After a complete reading, I have decided that this series isn't for me.  To provide another viewpoint, I am posting a link to the review that got me interested in the book in the first place, here.

Mister Monday (the first in the Keys to the Kingdom series) is the story of Arthur Penhaligon, a serious asthmatic, and the adopted son of a brilliant medical researcher and musician.  Arthur is thrust into adventure, rather unwillingly, when he suffers what should be a fatal asthma attack but is saved by the appearance of a mysterious key which is literally thrust into his hands.  I don't want to give too much of the plot away, so all I will say is that this key is related to the original forces which created the world.  These forces have been twisted and are currently being used for no good by those very beings who were put in place to protect them.

Mister Monday is very fast moving.  There are plenty of great moments in this book, and it really never lags.  After I finished reading, it was hard for me to put my finger on what I didn't like about the book.  After two days, I'm still unable to provide a concrete reason, except to say that I found the premise a little difficult to follow.  It is difficult to talk too much about the parts of the book I found somewhat confusing without giving plot details away, so I will refrain.  Basically, I felt that Nix tried to paint a grand canvas with this story, but it came out a bit jumbled.  All I can say is, give this book a whirl and see if you like it any better.  I have a feeling I am in the minority after reading other reviews.

One caveat, I would not recommend this book to those who are offended by novels which have plot lines involving the creation that may differ from a Christian perspective, such as the His Dark Materials series (which I enjoyed very much).  I will definitely continue to look for new novels by Nix, but I won't be continuing on with the Keys of the Kingdom.