Scan barcode
purplepenning's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Don’t you know there ain’t even no such thing as grown-ups?…There ain't! They're all just old kids pretending.
If you've ever wondered what kind of adventure Milo from the Phantom Tollbooth and Pippi Longstocking could get into together if they were reinvented as middle schoolers tasked with saving an alt New Orleans drenched in magic expressed through jazz and blues and street art — and so much more, baby — then you're going to want to pick this one up. That's only half the plot and less than a drop of the inventive energy and Nola love here. You'll also find haunts and haints, living breathing songs, a magic compass, a couple zombies, a few talking animals, a robot, 4D graffiti, air trolleys, parallel/pocket universe, trans rep, Black culture, family core, big ideas about the layers of time and trauma and growing up, and a blend of urban fantasy, folklore, and superhero action.
It’s hard to know until the traveling and fighting and magic are done how much they change you.
It's not a book for everyone but it's an absolute ride for those willing to strap in and take it. I had no idea where we were going for much of the journey, and I'm sure I didn't completely understand the destination once we got there, but it was an experience that I'm glad I took the time for. I'm excited to see what this author writes next, even if I'm hoping it'll be slightly less frenetic. The audiobook is excellent — and helpful for those not familiar with the New Orleans names and dialect.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Blood, Gore, and Violence
uranaishi's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Confinement, and Racism
Moderate: Drug use, Violence, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, and Slavery
Minor: Medical content and Transphobia
starrysteph's review
adventurous
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This has got to be one of the most innovative & imaginative fantasy books I've read in a long time.
Welcome to New Orleans – or, perhaps more accurately, welcome to the spirit of New Orleans. The Ballad of Perilous Graves is a love song speaking to and through the soul of the city. It's a special story with a bold, fascinating presence.
Things are going wrong in this dreamlike version of New Orleans ("Nola"): nine songs are on the loose (thanks to a ghost pianist) and wreaking havoc on the city and its inhabitants. It's up to three kids (well, two slightly-magical kids and one badass superhero kid) to save their home.
Their heroic journey turns dangerous quickly as they face intense magical evils, tumble through various worlds and realities, and realize that they are more dependable than the adults who are too afraid to act.
Welcome to New Orleans – or, perhaps more accurately, welcome to the spirit of New Orleans. The Ballad of Perilous Graves is a love song speaking to and through the soul of the city. It's a special story with a bold, fascinating presence.
Things are going wrong in this dreamlike version of New Orleans ("Nola"): nine songs are on the loose (thanks to a ghost pianist) and wreaking havoc on the city and its inhabitants. It's up to three kids (well, two slightly-magical kids and one badass superhero kid) to save their home.
Their heroic journey turns dangerous quickly as they face intense magical evils, tumble through various worlds and realities, and realize that they are more dependable than the adults who are too afraid to act.
Most of our narrators are children, and therefore we get to see the magic and the music through their eyes. But while there are several child POVs, let me be clear – this is an adult book and contains dark themes. By utilizing kids as main characters, Jennings invites us to explore the complexities of their reality with a special kind of openness.
The plotting? It's madness. Like listening to a new song, you've got to embrace the rhythm of this book and allow yourself to be swept away. This story is BEGGING you to embrace the chaos and enter a world where the unexpected is expected. You WILL be confused. If you have a connection to Black NOLA or its slang, you may be less confused. But either way, there's a whole lot going on. If you are someone who requires linear storytelling and gentle worldbuilding, this is not the book for you.
We're jumping between POVs (often multiple within one chapter) and timelines and worlds. (This novel wins the prize for distinctive narrative voices, though – I never had to page flip and check who our narrator was.)
Though some twists are unveiled by the end, a lot of things are still left unanswered. This is a novel that invites a reread, and I'm sure that the next time I tackle it I'll find even more depth.
I'm sure that once more folks have a chance to read, someone will make a list of all the clever real-life references and nods to New Orleans that I missed as someone who hasn't had a chance to visit yet. Bucket list! :)
Ultimately, this is a brilliantly creative novel with a fresh voice. It's funny and deep and it has a whole lot of heart.
CW: murder, injury, death, child death, death of a parent, animal death, gun violence, mass shootings, abandonment, confinement, fire, gender dysphoria, lesbophobia
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Mass/school shootings, Blood, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Child death, Animal death, Lesbophobia, Abandonment, Confinement, Death, Homophobia, Death of parent, Dysphoria, and Fire/Fire injury
ninjamuse's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, and Mass/school shootings
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, and Child death
Minor: Animal death
More...