Already a huge fan of Garth Nix, via Sabriel & co. , I admit I came into Mister Monday with rather high expectations. As far as story goes, Mr. Nix certainly did not disappoint. It is captivating from beginning to end with an extraordinary imaginative quality that is his trademark. However, 2 qualms I have with the book prevent me from giving it full marks. First, the overuse of what seems to be the main character's (Arthur) only fault: his asthma. The first asthma attack successfully helps readers to sympathize with Arthur. However, by the end of the first 100 pages, you feel like screaming, "GET AN INHALER AND SHUT UP!" So much so, I jokingly told my friend that Mister Monday's real title is The Amazing Adventures of Asthmatic Arthur. The belaboring of this point is very distracting, though humorous. Secondly, the narrative isn't up to par with Mr. Nix's previous work. It's often choppy or unclear and I would imagine that its targetted age group would have difficulty following his train of thought. But, overall, Mister Monday is a page turner that's so creative and captivating, its shortcomings are largely made up for
The first asthma attack successfully helps readers to sympathize with Arthur