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Keys to the
Kingdom Series # 3: Drowned Wednesday
Garth Nix Scholastic, Inc. © 2005 |
Arthur Penhaligon is in the
hospital on Wednesday when he receives an invitation to have lunch with
Drowned Wednesday, the Duchess of the Border Sea. His friend, Leaf, comes in
and asks how he's doing. Then she starts asking about all the strange things
that have been happening and then complains because she can't go on an
adventure like Arthur. Then the sound of running water grabs their attention.
All of a sudden, the water comes in from where the one wall was before and
wipes them out of the hospital and into the Border Sea.
Soaking wet, Arthur and
Leaf go up and down a few waves before they see a ship. The ship comes towards
them and throws two ropes over. Leaf grabs hers and goes up, but Arthur
doesn't. His broken leg had restricted him from getting his rope, and
he was now stranded on his hospital bed to drift aimlessly over the sea.
He eventually gets to some sort of buoy before his bed sinks. As he's trying
to tread water, he climbs into the buoy after he gets this red mark
on his hand. A signal of some kind flies out and circles around him crying,
"Thief, thief!" Then it flies off towards the horizon.
As it gets darker, a
ship approaches. The crew brings him aboard the Moth and then
brings on the treasure that the buoy had marked. Then the crew's doctor, Dr.
Scamandros, notices that Arthur has Feverfew's mark - the Red Hand. They try
to throw him overboard because Feverfew kills or enslaves anyone who steels
from him, but he tells them that he knows the Mariner so they let him stay.
He doesn't tell any of
them that he's Arthur Penhaligon because he doesn't fully trust them yet, but
eventually, he's going to have to meet with Lady Wednesday, get the third key,
the third part of the Will, rescue Leaf, and escape from Feverfew alive.
Like Mister Monday
and Grim Tuesday, Drowned Wednesday was an extremely
exciting adventure. After I read the first two, I went out and bought The
Seventh Tower series. I'll say this: anyone who's enjoyed The Seventh Tower
Series will love this book. I'd mainly recommend this novel to all
children, looking for a spellbinding voyage at sea, ages 13 and older. Mr.
Nix is a very accomplished writer, and eventually I'll have to read Sabriel,
Lirael, and Abhorsen because all of the other ones I've read
have been wonderful!
~ Kayla Aldan, 10th grade, Boardman High School