Mister Monday (Keys to the Kingdom #1) Nix

Nix writes exciting unusual stories whether they are as complex as Sabriel and its companions or Keys to the Kingdom. I suspect that Lemony Snicket readers would enjoy this series. Arthur becomes the rightful heir to the lower realm when Mister Monday is tricked into letting him have the lesser key which is really a minute hand. The lower realm is apparently the lower levels of a very large magical old house. Weirdways (roads of varying sizes, shape, direction) appear and disappear at random. Inhabitants can be hurt but apparently not killed. Their injured parts regenerate eventually. Stairways can appear by imagining them. All is in chaos as Mister Monday is into power, lots of steam baths, decadence, not leadership. Its about time someone put things to rights and Monday's assistant seems to have seen to that. Arthur must obtain the greater key from Monday, combine it with the lesser key and set the intent of the will (which is a small green frog) into action. Monday has unleashed a plague on Arthur's realm in an attempt to get the lesser key back from him. It threatens to kill almost everyone. If Arthur can obtain the greater key, set the kingdom to order he will also be able to stop the plague. There are seven parts of the total will and only one has escaped from its prison. There are seven days of the week. There are seven sometimes wacky, sometimes tense adventures in this series. Read all seven. JDW 8/4/09