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kommatator's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Bullying and Islamophobia
leahsbooks's review
adventurous
funny
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
You can find my full review on my blog:
https://leahs-books.com/2021/01/11/city-of-the-plague-god/
https://leahs-books.com/2021/01/11/city-of-the-plague-god/
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book. I am providing my honest opinion voluntarily.
Sik is the son of refugees who have settled in Manhattan and opened a thriving deli. His older brother has passed away, and Sik has taken on a lot of responsibility helping his parents at their deli after school. My heart broke seeing him deal with his grief while also struggling with his unresolved emotions about his brother. I think this was really well portrayed — a sudden death often leaves people with conflicting emotions, and Sik isn’t quite sure how to deal with these.
Sik is unapologetically Muslim, and I love that about him. He is sweet, funny, and kind, and has no idea how to fight demons or Nergal, the plague god who comes to find him. I love seeing the way that a kid like Sik is portrayed in this story, and placing characters like him front and center as a hero makes him relatable to young people who see themselves in him. Even as he believes in him faith so strongly, he readily accepts the existence of the Mesopotamian gods and goddesses. I loved seeing his character arc, and he experiences such a great change throughout the story.
Belet is the trusty sidekick in this story. As Ishtar’s adopted daughter, she fills in the gaps in Sik’s skills — where he is a smart-aleck that relies on his brains to get him out of tough spots, she’s the brawn that leans on her fighting skills and her awareness of mythology. She complements Sik very well, and they work great as a team. She’s not as in touch with her emotions, and she undergoes a major transformation during the book.
The story is full of action, and moved quickly. I enjoyed reading this way more than I expected to, and there were parts that made me laugh as well. It definitely brought back Percy Jackson vibes. There were some simple Arabic words interspersed into the text (and a glossary to explain the words at the end), and I loved how it changed the perspective around some commonly vilified words associated with Muslims. Several times in the story, Sik relates his quest to a jihad, which is explained as a righteous cause. In this case, it is saving Manhattan from the ravages of the plague god. I loved how that word was reclaimed from how it has come to be viewed. This isn’t a book to be missed!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gore, Grief, Islamophobia, Bullying, and Violence
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