Have you read a novel and you are still not sure what to make of it?

I feel this way after reading The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings. I enjoy fantasy books that are unique and don’t have sequels, and I found out about this one recently. I’m glad it did even as I try to articulate my thoughts about it.

The Ballad of Perilous Graves tells the story of an alternate New Orleans, where music as magic, rules the city. The dead and living are together in everyday life, and the city is in trouble from an antagonist that wants to destroy the city’s spirit forever.

Our protagonist, Perry Graves, notices a powerful magician appearing in uncommon places while the songs of the city start to disappear. Along with his little sister, Brendy, and love interest Peaches, and a few other characters will do everything they can to save the city.

While reading the novel, I felt there were too many elements for them to come together as a cohesive narrative. The worldbuilding with New Orleans as the setting was well done. Music as magic was appropriate for the story. I believe characters were the issue from embracing this unique fantasy novel as much as I should have. Perry Graves resembled a supporting role instead of the protagonist, and the antagonist intent on city destruction felt one-dimensional. As I write this, it’s possible that this alternate New Orleans, served as both the driving force and the opposing obstacle within the novel.

I found The Ballad of Perilous Graves to possess all the components I look for in imaginative fiction; however, the experience of reading it was akin to enjoying a meal made of your most beloved dishes, only to find yourself wanting more afterward. This book is quite good, though it feels a bit crowded, much like New Orleans itself. Alex Jennings definitely writes a novel much needed in fantasy, and it may take another reading to get everything he was writing.