The Ballad of Perilous Graves
WINNER OF THE 2023 COMPTON CROOK AWARD
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 WORLD FANTASY AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL
SHORTLISTED FOR THE LOCUS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL
‘Wild, witty, and profound. . . a cosmic storm of talent’ Victor LaValle
Put on your dancing shoes and step into New Orleans as you’ve never seen it before in this vibrant and imaginative debut.
Nola is a city of wonders. An alternate New Orleans made of music and magic, where spirits dance the night away and Wise Women help keep the order. To those from Away, Nola might seem strange. To failed magician Perilous Graves, it’s simply home.
Then the rhythm of the city stutters.
Nine songs of power have escaped from the magical piano that maintains the city’s beat, and without them, Nola will fail. Unwilling to watch his home be destroyed, Perry will sacrifice everything to save it. But a storm is brewing and even if they capture the songs, Nola’s time might be coming to an end.
Praise for The Ballad of Perilous Graves:
‘A hallucinatory wonder of a debut‘ Walter Mosley
‘Gripping and inventive fantasy’ Guardian
‘An enchanting, energetic, wild ride of a story set to a staccato melody. The electric prose leaps off the page in a riot of colours and sounds’ Leslye Penelope
‘A wild, dark and joyful love song to New Orleans, the power of stories, and hope in the face of destruction’ H. G. Parry
‘I ached to live in their world. A stunning debut that is sure to become a classic’ Elizabeth Hand
‘Alex Jennings writes with an energy and a profusion of imagination and vividness that carries you off. Brilliant!’ Katherine Addison
‘A beautiful song full of magic and rhythm, darkness and delight. A profoundly gorgeous debut’ Christina Henry
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2023 WORLD FANTASY AWARD FOR BEST NOVEL
SHORTLISTED FOR THE LOCUS AWARD FOR BEST FIRST NOVEL
‘Wild, witty, and profound. . . a cosmic storm of talent’ Victor LaValle
Put on your dancing shoes and step into New Orleans as you’ve never seen it before in this vibrant and imaginative debut.
Nola is a city of wonders. An alternate New Orleans made of music and magic, where spirits dance the night away and Wise Women help keep the order. To those from Away, Nola might seem strange. To failed magician Perilous Graves, it’s simply home.
Then the rhythm of the city stutters.
Nine songs of power have escaped from the magical piano that maintains the city’s beat, and without them, Nola will fail. Unwilling to watch his home be destroyed, Perry will sacrifice everything to save it. But a storm is brewing and even if they capture the songs, Nola’s time might be coming to an end.
Praise for The Ballad of Perilous Graves:
‘A hallucinatory wonder of a debut‘ Walter Mosley
‘Gripping and inventive fantasy’ Guardian
‘An enchanting, energetic, wild ride of a story set to a staccato melody. The electric prose leaps off the page in a riot of colours and sounds’ Leslye Penelope
‘A wild, dark and joyful love song to New Orleans, the power of stories, and hope in the face of destruction’ H. G. Parry
‘I ached to live in their world. A stunning debut that is sure to become a classic’ Elizabeth Hand
‘Alex Jennings writes with an energy and a profusion of imagination and vividness that carries you off. Brilliant!’ Katherine Addison
‘A beautiful song full of magic and rhythm, darkness and delight. A profoundly gorgeous debut’ Christina Henry
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Reviews
The Ballad of Perilous Graves is not only an engrossing adventure but a potent homage to the beating heart of one of the world's most magical cities
A wild, dark and joyful love song to New Orleans, the power of stories, and hope in the face of destruction
An enchanting, energetic, wild ride of a story set to a staccato melody. The electric prose leaps off the page in a riot of colours and sounds
Jennings weaves a brilliant tapestry . . . The Ballad of Perilous Graves is a remarkable debut
Wild, witty, and profound. . . a cosmic storm of talent
His lyrical prose dances to a rhythm all its own
A slice of delightfully disorientating and whimsical magic
An unforgettable story
A beautiful song full of magic and rhythm, darkness and delight. A profoundly gorgeous debut
A hallucinatory wonder of a debut'
I ached to live in their world. A stunning debut that is sure to become a classic
The two worlds of this gripping and inventive fantasy are so vividly depicted that reading it is a bit like taking a fabulous city break
Scary, sweet, lyrical, and real
Alex Jennings writes with an energy and a profusion of imagination and vividness that carries you off. Brilliant!
A beautiful song full of magic and rhythm, darkness and delight. A profoundly gorgeous debut
Hugely infectious fun