This was a fun, action-packed story that I think everyone will love! This story explores the immigrant experience through humor and wonderful story-telling, and I could not put this book down. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

I won this ARC from Netgalley which in no way influenced my review. Just wow, this was amazing and so much fun! As soon as I knew it was about Mesopotamian mythology and the legend of Gilgamesh I was there (and the author sealed the deal when he told me there were flying cats!) I love mythology and came into it like most do via Greco-Roman myth (which is actually my own heritage) but I quickly went to Mesopotamian. I'd read and wrote papers on Gilgamesh before I was 19 because how can you resist the world's oldest hero?!?

And wow does Mr. Chadda use him well in this! Sik is a thirteen year old dealing with more than any one should. He is proud to help his parents with their Middle Eastern restaurant in NYC, with dubious help from his older brother's friend, Douad (who wants to be not only an actor but to play the hero). He's also suffering from the loss of his brother, Mo, who died on one of his trips back home in Iraq. The last thing Sik ever expected was to be attacked in his parent's restaurant during closing by a couple of demons and thing made of insects and rot. Unluckily for Sik, the Plague God, Nergal, thinks he has the secret to something Nergal wants desperately.

In order to get it, he infects all of Manhattan in order to tip Sik's hand (bringing in themes of Islamaphobia and mistrust/hatred of immigrants). On Sik's side there's the vain Douad, Belet the martial arts trained teenaged daughter of Ishtar and the goddess herself. (Ishtar has regain her popularity in the pagan world these days. I'm sure she'd approve).

All Sik wants is his brother back and to have his parents healed. What he's about to get is a lesson on being a hero, like his hero Gilgamesh. In fact, he's about to meet his hero but nothing ever goes to plan. Sik has his own epic quest looking him in the eye.

The action in this is relentless and engaging. Had I had time, I'd have read this in one shot. All of the character come instantly to life. These are kids I would love to know (and would love to see adapted to the screen). I was sad to say goodbye to them at the end of this. It is wrapped up in one-shot but could easily be a series. I hope it is as I love Sik and Belet and want to see more of them!

I was so ecstatic when I got this review copy from Disney!! Rick Riordan Presents is the coolest thing and so far I have really enjoyed all of the books from the line that I’ve read. It started out in a way that almost felt familiar to me. It was easy to sympathise with the main character, Sik, and his voice stood out at once. It had that lovely mix of action and comedy that I’ve often seen in middle grade books and the plot was always on the move. It’s a book I would consider to be easy to binge! I also loved learning about mesopotamian mythology. It was all introduced in a way that was easy to understand for the reader and I would love to see more in this universe, though I think this was a standalone.

One thing I do want to mention is if you get queasy easily or don’t like books with a gross factor (I just made this term up) then this might not be the best fit for you. I personally don’t like any sort of gore and there were a few scenes where I had to stop reading and distract myself from the vivid descriptions. Besides from that, this was another fantastic title from Rick Riordan Presents and if you like mythology you should add it to your tbr!

This book was an interesting read, but I simply could not rate it any higher than the 3.25 stars I gave it. I wanted more from the story than I got. I wanted to dive into this world of mythology the way I had when I read Percy Jackson, and I couldn't. The mythology of it didn't feel immersive. We only meet three of the gods and don't really get into their histories, other than Ishtar. Where are the other gods? How does this mythology blend into our world, the way we see Greek mythology seamlessly woven into reality when reading Percy Jackson?

I think that this book would have worked as a series diving into Mesopotamian mythology and really exploring The Epic of Gilgamesh. It's the oldest myth from the oldest civilization, and I would have loved to know more about it. I would have loved to see a whole pantheon of gods and see what they have been doing all these thousands of years.

Then there were the characters that I liked but didn't love. Sik was alright. He was generally nice enough and always willing to do what needed to be done to stop Nergal. Belet was interesting, but I didn't necessarily like her. She had moments where I liked her and moments where I wanted to tell her to shut up. And their friendship felt a bit forced to me.

And yet, there were things I enjoyed about the story!

One of my favorite things about this book was how it tackled religion. It balances current Islamic beliefs so wonderfully with ancient Mesopotamian mythology, not negating either, but having them exists in almost separate spheres. On the one hand, Sik believes in one true god. On the other hand, he dines with Ishtar, the goddess of love and war, and fights Nergal, the god of plagues. And it all just flows and works wonderfully.

I also generally liked the writing. I haven't read any of the author's books, but his writing is easy to read.

In general, I thought the plot and the characters and everything overall was 'ok' and nothing more.

Absolutely EXCELLENT! Loved it from cover to cover. Enjoyable characters and interesting storyline. Definitely want more.

A wonderful add add on to the “Rick Riordan Presents” series! Open my eyes to a culture that I had no background to. The way he describes in details, makes it easy to visualize the characters and locations. I fell in love the characters so I hope we hear more from them and their stories!

City of the Plague God was an unexpected favorite read of the beginning of this year. I definitely underestimated the title as a middle-grade book, but it succeeds in doing so much that other books fail to do. First off, the book does a very good job of expressing and sharing Chadda's Islamic culture with the reader. It felt like I was understanding and learning so much that I had never been exposed to before because I live in American suburbia. I feel like more Middle Grade books should strive to be like this book: unapologetically engaging its readers with a culture that may be new to them while reinforcing positivity to readers that share the culture.

As a story, I was left very satisfied. The pacing is excellent, there are very intense moments, and the stakes really only ever kept being raised in exciting ways. There were many moments throughout the book where I forgot this book was still Middle Grade. It pushes the lines in some regards, but I don't think it ever pushes them too far. Characters felt meaningful and multi-dimensional, actions had consequences, and a lot of the powers and myths in the book were just really cool.

I hope many kids get to read and enjoy this book as I have. It was a fantastic start, and I hope there is more to come!

this was so much fun! I'm so glad I read this and I can't wait for more people to read this and I can't wait to recommend this to more people.

This book has a Muslim make character. As a middle school librarian, I know my students are going to be so excited about this. They love to see themselves represented in books. In the book, the main character has to use the help of the gods to defeat evil beings from taking over New York. All the while, relying on friends to help him while his parents are in the hospital.

I have always loved reading about Greek mythology and watching movies like Clash of the Titans. The City of the Plague God storyline intrigued me, especially since it was going to take a slightly different approach, ancient Mesopotamian Mythology. The story does take place in current day Manhattan with the main character, 13 year old Sik, who works in his parents’ deli. Unexpectedly, excitement and chaos enters his normal day to day life. Sik ends up fighting off demons, monsters, and dangerous gods. And in an effort to save human mortal lives from a deadly plague, he must find the Flower of Immortality. During Sik’s adventures, he befriends Ishtar the Goddess of Love and War, her adopted daughter Belet (who is a force to be reckoned with), and a talking sword, Kasusu. The descriptions of the demons and beasts are truly vivid and gross, just as I assume most young boys would appreciate. I think this story would be entertaining for any fan of mythology or Rick Riordan’s books. Unfortunately, this book was published during a real life pandemic and therefore some of the storyline might be a bit difficult for a young person to read. All in all, I felt that this book was entertaining and will be enjoyed by most middle grade boys. I have provided this honest review in exchange for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide. #CityofthePlagueGod #NetGalley

This book is told from the unique perspective of a Muslim boy. Recently, I've read MG and YA stories told from Muslim POVs, but all of them have been from a girls' perspective. The male perspective gives a surprisingly different dynamic. Chadda doesn't shy away from the fact that Muslim men don't ever get to be the heroes in Western stories---a fact that is addressed directly throughout the book. He also uses the word jihad to describe the characters' struggles. I will fully confess that I read this word and internally flinched. I've never heard it used in anything but a negative light, and it's obvious that Chadda is well aware of those negative associations and he's working to counteract them. I honestly appreciated this reminder (and repudiation) of my own cultural biases.

As I said, the MC is a teenage boy. The story follows Sik, a thirteen-year-old boy who grew up hearing stories of the epic hero Gilgamesh and his many mighty deeds. When Sik's brother dies while on a trip to Iraq, Sik feels like his family is broken in ways that can't be fixed. He pours his time and energy into his family's deli, but he feels like nothing he can ever do can make up for the loss they've experienced. Then one day, the Mesopotamian plague god shows up at his door, insisting that Sik has something precious in his possession from Sik's brother. He destroys the deli and infects Sik's parents (and, soon, the rest of Manhattan) with a deadly disease. Sik teams up with the goddess of love and war (and her daughter Belet) to try and defeat the plague god.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is how seamlessly Chadda interweaves many seemingly unrelated elements. Tiny details from the beginning of the story become important later. For instance, Sik completely misunderstands and misjudges his brother's best friend, a character who becomes vitally important by the end of the book, and seemingly bothersome details about him transform into something new by the end. The story explores the themes of love and loss, family, friendships, and what it means to fight for your homeland and those you love. It's also full of adventure that will appeal to Rick Riordan Presents' typical fans.

I truly hope this turns into a series so we can follow Sik's and Belet's further adventures!!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

City of the Plague God (Hardcover)
by Sarwat Chadda
Being recommended by Rick Roidian should make this book a best seller. The book attempts to change some of the prejudice about Middle eastern cultures. The book centers on cultures and historical stories of the middle east. Expanding on them like the stories of Author and the Round table. Looking at the heroes and legends of Ur, Gilgamesh and the gods of Samaria. The interesting aspect of making it a hero story to create cultural acceptance translates extensively. I hope this author earns recognition of her multi-cultural expansions

Sik spends most of his time working at this parents' deli in New York City. One evening when he's closing down and thinking about Mo, his adventurous botanist brother who died, he stumbles right into the path of two demons who just happen to be looking for Sik. They claim he has something valuable, and they need it to give to their god, Nergal. Nergal, god of plagues, will stop at nothing to get the Flower of Immortality and unleash chaos. Together with Belet, adopted daughter of the goddess Ishtar, and Gilgamesh, famous hero of legends, Sik must save his city and his family from a god who can unleash disease with a wave of his hand.

Going into CITY OF THE PLAGUE GOD, I knew very little about Mesopotamia and even less about Mesopotamian mythology. I loved getting a glimpse into the myths of Ishtar, Nergal, Gilgamesh, Erishkigal, and more. Author Sarwat Chadda brings them to life in a powerful way, and I particularly appreciated the fun moment of Sik fanboying over Gilgamesh. Readers are also treated to a few incredible conflict scenes between or involving the gods that are full of exciting imagery and heart pumping stakes.

Among the pillars of legends, however, is a story very grounded in the harshness of reality. Sik is grieving over the loss of his brother, Mo, and trying to sort through the feelings of love, jealousy, and even a little resentment he had for him, the brother who always went on adventures but never took Sik. Belet, Sik's friend and daughter of Ishtar, is hurting in her own way as she strives to gain the attention of her mother and prove herself worthy of the goddess of war. Even Ishtar herself, along with famed hero Gilgamesh, carry the weight of centuries of history around with them, of war and strife and violence. No matter your immortality status, you never become immune to grief or pain. These heavy themes are approached in a caring and compassionate way with perfectly placed comic relief throughout.

CITY OF THE PLAGUE GOD is a heart-pounding, high action ride of Mesopotamian myth, family, friendship, and heroism, accompanied, of course, by a plague or two along the way.

I was really looking forward to reading this book. I love books based on mythology and lore. However, I had a very hard time getting into this book. I can definitely see why people love it, however it just wasn't for me.

Sikander is just a boy who misses his older brother, Mo. He spends a lot of time thinking about and talking to his brother (in his head). His family owns a deli and Sik helps out because when Mo left he kind of felt like it was what he had to do. Mo’s friend Daoud stays with them and Sik gets frustrated with him at times because he wants to be an actor and can’t do anything to mess up his looks.

One night Sik finds some strange guys outside the deli and he knows something is not right with them and before he knows it they are trying to attack him and saying their boss wants something he has but he has no clue what they are talking about. It seems that the plague god, Nergal, thinks that Sik has something. It’s something he needs really bad because Nergal is about out of god lives. Sik gets rescued by a ninja type girl who calls Nergal uncle and from here on out Sik’s life will never be the same.

Sik ends up finding out who the ninja girl was, Beret, and that her adopted mom is Ishtar, goddess of love and war. He doesn’t believe it at first and still wants to know what all this has to do with him. He keeps saying he is not a hero, but he does have something about him that is different.

It seems that one of Mo’s adventures to Iraq he stumbled upon something that Nergal wants and now Nergal is plaguing the city, and he starts with Sik’s mom and dad. Sik will do whatever it takes to find what Nergal wants and try and defeat him but it will not be an easy feat.

I am going to be honest and even though I have had a chance to read all of the Rick Riordan Presents books this so far is my least favorite. I really know nothing about mesopotamian mythology, and the only name that was familiar was Gilgamesh and what I knew about him was not much. I think the author should have explained a little bit more about the mythology surrounding the characters in the story. I still don’t know really that much about Nergal or Ishtar. I know more about Gilgamesh because Sik was a big fan of his stories.

I thought the characters were okay but I guess I thought for a myth retelling Sik was going to be some sort of cool demigod type person especially when we find out he has a power of sorts. When I found out why he was like he was I will admit I was a bit let down. Sik, was a decent character overall. He is very loyal to his family. I feel he held his brother up on to big of a pedestal but sometimes with do that with older siblings, especially ones that have passed on. Belet was a pretty cool character, very spunky young girl who could fight. Though she has a bit of a chip on her shoulder it’s a bit understandable since she was an orphan raised by a goddess. Daoud, I felt was there just to be an irritation though he was a tiny bit better by the end of the book. Oh and the cats were super cool! Ishtar had cats that looked like regular house cats till they morphed!

I am not sure if this is a standalone or a series. It ended okay but it also has some openness to continue. I looked on Goodreads and didn’t see it mentioned as a book 1. If it was a series I might continue on and if it isn’t I am okay with that too.

I do think young readers will enjoy this and recommend you give it a try. It just wasn’t my favorite.

I went into this knowing the story of Gilgamesh and not much else. About Mesopotamian mythology. Sik is a Muslim boy of Iraqi parents who is immortal and doesn't know it.
Right there, I was hooked. I loved this book. Not only will many kids see themselves and their heritage for the first time in the pages of a story, but kids of different ancestry will learn while being entertained—win/win.

Thirteen-year-old Sik has an ordinary life of school and helping in his parents' deli, but he doesn't know that he's actually immortal. In order to save New York City, he teams up with Belet, Ishtar's adopted daughter, and Gilgamesh, the hero that has since become a gardener in Central Park. The trio has to retrieve the Flower of Immortality to save Manhattan from disease, and the way is treacherous.

City of the Plague God is part of the Rick Riordan Presents series, where authors from other cultures explore their mythology in brand new stories. In this volume, we have gods and goddesses of Muslim mythology, one that isn't often seen in American media in a positive light. Daoud even says "Guys like us don't get to be heroes, " which this volume gleefully corrects.

As a first-generation born in the United States, Sikander straddles the commercial world of American culture as well as the traditional Iraqi one. Nergal, the plague god, is nourished by the hatred that people have for whoever is different. Ishtar is the goddess of love and war, whether it's a petty fight over a parking spot or a world war, and the love fueling either helps intensify her power. It's a common theme for gods of old to survive to the present with the worship of mortals and the catastrophic chaos of the world. As with other heroes drawn into the struggles between gods, he doesn't want the responsibility. He wants to save the deli, which is the culmination of his parents' savings and efforts as refugees. And as other heroes found out, their human wants pale in comparison to the epic story that fate has in store for them.

Sik and Belet have different roles in the story: Belet's the fighter, and Sik uses diplomacy as his primary weapon. While he runs away from fighting a lot, he gathers allies, intelligence and tries to regroup. He has a quest to go on in order to reverse the damage Nergal wrought. As Rick stated in the introduction, "the plague god's gonna plague." It's an adventure that mirrors mythology, one that puts him in the starring role. He realizes that things and people aren't always what they seem and that his strengths and knowledge are still worthy to cultivate and depend on. There were details along the way that I didn't expect that led to complications and a way to fulfill some of Sik's emotional needs. The ending was so satisfying, but I was disappointed there wasn't more to read. I didn't want to get out of Sik's version of New York City, and I hope there are future books detailing future adventures that he has.

City of the Plague God excited me from the beginning, because I knew it came from Rick Riordan Presents. I also knew that it was about Mesopotamian Gods, ones I’d never really delved into before (though I know some of the myths and whatnot). There were times throughout the beginning of the book that I found myself having a tough time getting into it, but that was mostly because I didn’t understand the terminology. I also didn’t know there’d be explanations at the back of the book for each word or phrase I didn’t understand (my bad!).

Sikandar “Sik” Aziz, our 13-year-old hero, is a character that is extremely likable. He cares about his family, a lot, and is struggling with the loss of his older brother Mo. Mohammed died tragically, while on a motor bike, overseas in their homeland of Iraq. Mo had been his hero, and so we find young Sik slaving away in a deli named for his brother to hold onto a piece of him. Anyone who has lost a sibling (like me), or a close loved one, can relate to the pain he’s going through and how much he loses himself in it.

It isn’t long, however, before he’s wrapped up in a fight between Gods. Ishtar, Goddess of Love and War, and Nergal, God of war and pestilence are in Manhattan. Nergal sends his minions after Sikandar one night, looking for something that his brother “took”. Sik has no idea what they’re talking about, but soon he gets caught up in their search. And while they are searching, they decide to send plague and ruin rocking throughout Manhattan. Now, it’s up to a 13-year-old boy, a Goddess, her adopted daughter, and Mo’s diva of a best friend to stop it.

I loved this book. At first, I was only okay with this story, but soon I found myself on an exciting ride. I’m glad that I didn’t put it down at the beginning, because it was a thought that crossed my mind. From an almost “do not finish” book to a 5-star tale. I can’t say that’s ever happened to me before. I can’t wait to see what Sik gets up to next!

Following the death of his brother, Mo, Sik deals with his grief by helping his refugee parents’ deli. But when Mesopotamian god Nergal attacks the business in an attempt to find a stolen treasure, a chain reaction spreads a plague infecting the city, Sik’s parents included.

As the story explodes from here, Sik and his best friend, Daoud, an aspiring actor, team up with the goddess Ishtar and her combat-ready adopted daughter, Belet. The result is an adventure worthy of the superhero Sik and his friends most admire, Gilgamesh — who, not unexpectedly, makes an appearance in the story.

This is a fun fantasy adventure for the middle-grade audience, introducing to the readers all the Seriously Cool Bits about Mesopotamian mythology. Chadda juggles a lively story, appealing characters, and deftly deals with stereotypes and weighty topics such as Islamophobia, terrorism and anti-Arabism.

Another nifty, highly readable entry in the Rick Riordan Presents series.

City of the Plague God by Sarwat Chadda is the latest installation in Disney-Hyperion’s Rick Riordan Presents imprint. Sik always saw himself as the Enkidu to his older brother Mo’s Gilgamesh. But now Mo’s gone, Nergal the god of plagues, is after him, and Sik, Ishtar the goddess of war and beauty, and her daughter Belet are Manhattan’s only hope.

Every book in the Rick Riordan Presents imprint tells modern stories of myth and legend from around the world. Its diverse and impressive roster of authors bring their unique backgrounds and experiences to the table, and Chadda is no exception. In City of the Plague God, Chadda tells the story of Iraqi children burdened by generational trauma from not only the recent two decades of war but millennia of empires rising and falling over their ancestors’ homeland. Today, they are Muslim kids whose only home they’ve ever known has been New York City. But their connection to the Fertile Crescent is older than Islam.

The way Chadda blends so naturally Sik and other characters’ modern identities and senses of home with their familial identities and home is flawless. From the seemingly crass jokes about Shock and Awe sauces too spicy for mortals to handle to Mo’s absolute obsession with the epics of Gilgamesh and the ancient gods of Mesopotamia, the children and teens of City of the Plague God are uniquely and unequivocally first-generation Gen Zers.

It was sometimes hard to gauge how old Sik and Belet are meant to be. While this is a common issue of middle grade and young adult books featuring what boils down to child soldiers, it feels especially true in City of the Plague God. Between the image on the book’s cover, the fact that Belet is a master sword handler, and they speak with rather adult elegance, these pre-teens could easily be mistaken for older teens or young adults. When lined up next to older teenagers, their ages are more clear, but on their own, you’d be forgiven for assuming Sik and Belet were much older than they are.

The pacing in general in City of the Plague God was tough. Much of the plot for the first half of the book felt haphazard and almost difficult to follow. My attention was not well-kept until more than midway through the story. I was ultimately glad I stuck around because the second half pulls through. But I was disappointed that a significant chunk of the book is missing Belet, despite the great moments this portion does offer Sik on his own.

The main cause for my issue with the pacing is simply that the book takes far too long to capitalize on its mythological grandeur. Ishtar, Nergal, and his demons are introduced right away, but nothing new gets introduced in the mythological department for the next couple of hours’ worth of reading. Had City of the Plague God been more consistent with its incorporation of myth, it would likely have helped the first half feel less of a slog.

I absolutely love that City of the Plague God includes many better-known aspects of the Epic of Gilgamesh and ample material from other Mesopotamian myths and legends. The book shines its brightest when it introduces readers to those stories through the eyes of Sik. He reveres his late brother, who adored all things myth and legend from his ancestral homeland. So when Sik experiences things he recognizes from his brother’s stories, you can’t help but be enamored by them yourself. What is a bit less than thrilling from time to time is the repeated references to Western myths and legends. While I can appreciate that these are brought up to help unfamiliar audiences draw correlations between stories and gods, I feel like it may end up doing some unintended whitewashing, whereas those elements would certainly have been able to stand on their own without it.

City of the Plague God’s greatest strength is how it portrays its themes of home and grief. Sometimes examined independent of one another, but often in the same breath, Chadda can express these themes maturely for his young audience and older readers alike. The relationship between Sik and Belet also feels very realistically pre-teen in how they bicker, don’t always rebound so quickly, and are very quick to find themselves attached to one another over their shared experiences and traumas.

City of the Plague God took a long ramp to get going, but it’s definitely worth the build-up. The way it depicts the first-generation pre-teen is spot on, and its exploration of home and grief are poignant, even if the pacing is not always great, and it awkwardly leans on Western myths and legends for points of reference. Nonetheless, Chadda’s ability to make the reader feel as awed by the ancient myths of Mesopotamia through Sik’s eyes is masterful.