Cover of The Ballad of Perilous Graves

The Ballad of Perilous Graves

core novel 2022 The Ballad of Perilous Graves

Record

First published2022
Original language EN
Work typenovel
Canon statuscore
Reader rating3.55 (3,245 ratings, collected 2026-09-02)
Page count450
First-edition ISBN9780759557192

Synopsis

The Ballad of Perilous Graves is set in a version of New Orleans where magic and music are woven into the fabric of the city, and follows Perilous Graves, a young mage attuned to its rhythms. When nine powerful songs escape from the enchanted piano that sustains the city's heartbeat, and the mysterious Great Magician begins turning up in places he should not be, Perry recognizes that his home is in danger of collapse. Alongside his sister Brendy and his best friend Peaches, Perry sets out to recover the missing songs before the city fails, even as it becomes clear that an ancient, vengeful force known as the Haint of All Haints has stirred to threaten New Orleans' very existence. The novel combines magical realism with a deep engagement in the city's music, family bonds and cultural history.

Where it sits

Awards (verified)

  • Mythopoeic Award (Adult Literature), 2023: nominated; Finalist, did not win. Sourced via File 770's report of the Mythopoeic Society's own May 17, 2023 announcement; the Society's live finalists page itself could not be directly fetched (robots.txt), so this is a well-corroborated secondary source, not a first-party fetch.

Notes

  • Standalone novel; no sequel published or announced.

Sources

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