Customer Reviews

Lady Friday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 5)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Don't even try to start this book
Without reading the rest
Friday's very near the end
With so much to digest

Monday ruled the Lower House
Tuesday, the Far Reaches
Wednesday had the Border Sea
With its expanding beaches

Thursday moved around the Maze
And in this one we see
Friday's left the Middle House
And given up her key

The Fifth Key is now up for grabs
And so the race is on
Arthur, Piper, Saturday,
The battle lines are drawn

At once they learn the shiny prize
Won't fall into their laps
Cunning Friday's paved the way
With lots of booby traps

Though not as gripping as book four
Book five is still a must
You'll read how Friday satisfies
Her deadly sin of lust

With Suzy Blue and Fred and Leaf
The Mariner and Will
This fighting, flying adventure
Is certainly a thrill

With only two more books to go
The tension level's rising
If they don't make a film of this
It'll be very surprising



Amanda Richards, March 10, 2007


Mister Monday (The Keys to the Kingdom, Book 1)

Grim Tuesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 2)

Drowned Wednesday (Keys to the Kingdom, Book 3)

Sir Thursday (The Keys To The Kingdom, Book 4)

its been a long week for Arthur Penhaligan and unfortunatly for him, its not getting easier. only a few days after the defeat of Sir Thursday and Arthur gets a message from Lady Friday, ruler of the Middle House. it appears that she has left her domain and is seemingly handing it over, her domain, the key, and the Will. but Arthur is not alone, Superior Saturday and the Piper have received the same message and now it is a fight to the finish. meanwhile, Leaf has problems of her own. taken by Lady Friday, she must now escape from the Denizen's evil intentions and find her way back to Arthur before its to late. once again, Nix provides another enjoyable read. the characters are originall and the settings are as exotic as ever. i just hate that i'll have to wait another year for the next installment in the series. so if you love the Keys to the Kingdom series, Lady Friday will not dissapoint.

This book is quiet different from the others of this series so far. For example, Arthur is not totally helpless for he has the Fourth Key and some useful allies at his side to protect him. I'm very impressed by this book and personally thinks it's the best of the series so far. This wonderful novel is full of suspenseful action and a brilliant ending. I am, however, furious that I have to wait at least another year for the next book and terribly sorrowful that there are probably only two more books to read from this and outstanding series.

(I think there was several mistakes in the book too.)

The week is close to its end, and for Arthur Penhaligon, it can't happen soon enough.

At least, that's how it seems in "Lady Friday," the next-to-penultimate book of the Keys To The Kingdom series. Garth Nix's latest suffers from a bit of middle-book syndrome, but he keeps things interesting with a brewing three-way battle, a New Nithling ally, and a vampiric Trustee who sucks the experiences from her victims.

Arthur is struggling with a bunch of new problems, when he is given Lady Friday's resignation... and a transfer plate. The next thing, he's been transported to Lady Friday's frozen, mountainous realm. And unknown to him, Leaf has followed thousands of senior citizens (including her disabled aunt) into Friday's realm.

Arthur's dire situation becomes even more difficult when he learns that his friends Suzy and Fred have been forcibly drafted into the Piper's army (they're only allowed out with a New Nithling accompanying them). And Superior Saturday is claiming control over Friday's realm. Time is growing short for Arthur to find the fifth piece of the Will... but that can't stop Saturday and the Piper.

"Lady Friday" suffers from the "middle book" syndrome -- it's building up to the battle between Saturday, Arthur and the Piper, but not quite there yet. By the cliffhanger ending, Nix has spun up the beginnings of an epic conflict, which only promises to get nastier when Superior Saturday finally makes an appearance. And who knows what's going to arrive with Lord Sunday?

The plot is slower-moving and darker than the previous books, with lots of ruthless Denizens who want Arthur stopped, not to mention the haughty, cruel Friday stealing the good experiences from elderly mortals. And a measure of uncertainty has come into the plot, with the New Nithlings and their ambiguous loyalties. Even Dame Primus (four-sevenths of the Will) is getting unreliable.

But Nix includes the occasional quirky moment to lighten all this dark stuff, such as the rather funny Beast, and the fact that the New Nithlings just want to garden. It's a bit like Lewis Carroll writing a steampunk epic. And by the last few chapters, things speed up to breakneck pace, and even dealing with the latest Trustee won't fix things.

Arthur is under plenty of stress in this one, since every time he uses a Key, he comes closer to becoming a Denizen. So he has to rely mainly on his wits in this one, to deal with everything from savage Nithlings to Friday herself. And poor Leaf is even worse off -- she's far away from Arthur, and surrounded by some very nasty Denizens.

"Lady Friday" is the buildup to the grand finale of Garth Nix's newest series, and while it's slower than the other books, it holds the promise of a great "Superior Saturday."

The long awaited Lady Friday is not a dissapointment! Filled with Garth Nix's usual humor, intriguing fantasy settings, and wonderful characters, anyone who loves his other works will enjoy the 5th book in The Keys to the Kingdom series.


This book flips back and forth between two perspectives, Arthur's and Leaf's. At Arthur's end, he is battling many problems: His conflicting emotions, (his desire to stay human vs. his desire to fulfill his duties as the Rightful Heir to the House.) The sly Lady Friday and her thirst for mortal experiences, The Piper and Superior Saturday, who are both equally determined to reach the Fifth Key and Part Five of the Will, and on top of all of that, he's not even sure who he can trust. Leaf's not having an easy time either! Caught up in Lady Friday's weird world in The Secondary Realms, she's got to be clever enough to evade Friday's minions, and try to save Friday's victims, one of which is a relative of hers.


While possibly not the most exciting of the books in the series, this book is certainly NOT a disapointment, and it promises good things to come in the next two books. Garth Nix has done it again!!!!!

There's certainly one thing to be said about everything Nix writes, and that is that it's rife with original creativity and completely new fantasy stories. However, sometimes the books themselves, although phenomenally imaginative, are hit or miss depending on how much Nix is able to flesh out the story. The Seventh Tower series, for instance, is deftly imagined, a two worlds drawn together through light and shadow, and the ability to use colored gemstones to create light beams that can do all sorts of interesting things. Unfortunately for whatever reason, Nix doesn't explore the world and the story enough. It's much more like eating watery soup than it is like consuming a good meal.

The Abhorsen Trilogy, on the other hand, is a great work, and although it's not a classic literature sort of story, the world itself is fleshed out well, so that the reader can really imagine the world and lose themselves in it. I feel like the Keys to the Kingdom series is a mixture of both, and I'd love to see the world more fully explored. The first book, especially, seems to move toward that path, but as the books progress, they seem to become more and more formulaic and lacking in substance. Ultimately, Nix's imagination seems to know no bounds, but if he would slow down and put more life into these books, I think they would be much better. Not to say that the books aren't fun to read, but I believe they could be fun to read and rich. Hopefully his next fantasy series will be more like The Abhorsen Trilogy.

-Lindsey Miller, [...]

In this book Lady Friday abdicates her position and leaves Arthur, the Piper and Saturday to fight for her realm. Unfortunately Arthur is at a disadvantage since he falls for one of Friday's traps almost immediately. As in the other books Arthur makes his weaknesses his strength as he makes friends and achieves things in person while others use their underlings who they look down upon. Arthur also gets a better insight as to the problems of the stagnant, poorly run House and the rigid routines that the denizens have had for thousands of years leaving them starving for other's experiences. Lady Friday of course is the worst of all as she is like a vampire, draining thousands of elderly people's experiences.
This book is a little slower than the others and gives more of Arthur's friend Leaf experiences. This book also lacks some of the direct conflict Arthur usually has with the Trustees who are the rulers of the domains. I think Mr. Nix is having a little writer's slowdown in the middle of the series but this still remains a very exciting and interesting book. I look forward to Arthur's conflict with Superior Saturday as this has been Arthur's greatest enemy throughout the series. I believe the next book is coming out in August 2008.

It was entertaing, I'll give it that. It's cover was very eye-catching, I'll give it that. But it was lacking in Garth Nix's humor, imagination, and just plain talent for writing. Finding Part Five of the Will was no big challenge,it actually just leapt unto Arthur's shoulder and said, "Let's go; take me away!" well, not actually, but that's what it comes across to be as. and I don't really see why Leaf is even in the series; she's really only a distraction until the next chapter.
And it was way to short. And Arthur's constant dreading of becoming a Denizen is rather repitive. I'm still not sure how that's going to work out, though some people sure seem to be!
Well, the main thing is Arthur's searching for part four of the will, has odd run-ins, and Leaf is just in the way. Everything is to0 easy. You know, I always wanted to know what it would be like if everything was simple for the charecter; looks like I got my wish. Its not satisfying at all. Otherwise... it was worth five stars because it did keep you on the edge of your seat.

I have been eagerly awaiting this book ever since I finished Sir Thursday, and it let right into Lady Friday leaving you hanging and wanting this book. I enjoyed this book, but thought it was much to short, and could have been a lot longer. I know that is the sign of a good wirter, or at least book to make you wanting more, which all but one of this series has left me wanting(Drowned Wednesday was much too long) the enxt one. I can not wait to read Superior Saturday which unfortunately will be over a year from now, and then Lord Sunday, which will be another year after that.

I will not give to much away, except that it seems as though Arthur has finally accepted his fate, and while he still does not want to become a Denizen, he has used the Keys quite frequently and will end up being one in the end. He will not stay mortal at the end of this series, and you have to ask when that part will happen now, instead of when will he get to be with his family again, because they are already pretty much gone form the series, except the search for his mother somewhere in the universe, but not on Earth we know.

So enjoy this book, and wait for the next one as well, by reading the Abhorsen Trilogy from Nix if you have not read them yet.

Arrived promptly in time for our 'early' Christmas party. It is just want my niece wanted to finish her collection. Great for young teens/pre-teens. Our niece loves the entire set!