A review by purplepenning
The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings

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.
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