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kimberlydeanne's review against another edition
4.0
City of the Plague Gods
**I received this from NetGalley for an honest review. **
I have always love Rick Riordan, and when I burned through all his published books I knew I had to get my mythology fix somewhere.
Sarwat does an amazing job of bringing Mesopotamian mythology and action packed adventures all in one book! I also really enjoyed the snarky humor, with my favorite character being Sik. I’m surprised myself, as the main characters are rarely my favorite.
Aside from a thrilling ride, this story also delves into grief and anger. Portraying it in a way that middle-grade and adult readers alike can connect to without feeling overwhelmed.
If you are a lover of anything mythology with well-rounded cast of characters then Chadda’s book is for you!
My rating scale:
5☆ - I will own this book someday, I loved it that much!
4☆ - Near perfection and enjoyed losing myself in the book!
3☆ - I liked this book.
2☆ - I didn't really care for this book.
1☆ - I did not like this book at all and probably did not finish it.
**I received this from NetGalley for an honest review. **
I have always love Rick Riordan, and when I burned through all his published books I knew I had to get my mythology fix somewhere.
Sarwat does an amazing job of bringing Mesopotamian mythology and action packed adventures all in one book! I also really enjoyed the snarky humor, with my favorite character being Sik. I’m surprised myself, as the main characters are rarely my favorite.
Aside from a thrilling ride, this story also delves into grief and anger. Portraying it in a way that middle-grade and adult readers alike can connect to without feeling overwhelmed.
If you are a lover of anything mythology with well-rounded cast of characters then Chadda’s book is for you!
My rating scale:
5☆ - I will own this book someday, I loved it that much!
4☆ - Near perfection and enjoyed losing myself in the book!
3☆ - I liked this book.
2☆ - I didn't really care for this book.
1☆ - I did not like this book at all and probably did not finish it.
booksnorkel's review against another edition
5.0
Geared for an older audience this riordan presents brings us the mythologies of Mesopotamia. The epic of gilgamesh is the original hero story. And now we have Sik in modern New York. He's helping his parents run their deli and dealing with the loss of his beloved older brother. Until demons show up and a place starts Sil is expected to fight Nergal from the stories.
Darker and more visceral Chadda gives us a story that takes us on adventure. For 13 on up I can't wait for the next book in the series.
Darker and more visceral Chadda gives us a story that takes us on adventure. For 13 on up I can't wait for the next book in the series.
ssione5's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
katieproctorbooks's review against another edition
5.0
This was a lot of fun! Especially for fans of Percy Jackson and all the other RR Imprint books.
hidingzeus's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
A good entry to the mythologically-driven stories. I have always loved the Epic of Gilgamesh so that bit was fun. I really enjoyed feeling as though I was immersed into Sik's life, right down to the vocabulary.
A good entry to the mythologically-driven stories. I have always loved the Epic of Gilgamesh so that bit was fun. I really enjoyed feeling as though I was immersed into Sik's life, right down to the vocabulary.
courtsport3000's review against another edition
3.0
My enjoyment of this book is definitely a case of "it's me, not you". Yet again I was enticed by a really cool synopsis, even though I know that the Chosen One trope frequently leaves me more exasperated than entertained. So shame on me. But regardless of my weird tastes, this book really delivers!
The good news is that the actual intended audience for this read will love it! Middle Grade readers will enjoy the snappy dialogue, Sik's witty remarks, and all of the nonstop action. All the things that didn't land with me as a boring adult reader will absolutely hit the mark with all the young readers Chadda aims to educate and entertain.
There are so many things Chadda does really well in this book. The mythology is really cool and he does a great job introducing characters that will be new for most readers in a very approachable way. Even though we don't get to know them as well as we could throughout an entire series, Chadda makes sure that readers take away the specific defining features for each character. AND he accomplishes all of this without being preachy or making it feel forced - introductions are woven into the action sequences in a seamless way that made the story move along really quickly. Fun note: kids will especially love the PG body horror some of these descriptions include! Personally, I enjoyed the cats (you'll see!)
Much like he weaves the myths into his tales, he also incorporates a lot of real world issues just as casually. Characters encounter racism and religious persecution, harmful stereotypes and some of the darker sides of the immigrant experience. These instances are stark and they stand out in Chadda's work, while being written so smoothly. Just like the myths, Chadda makes sure his readers are experiencing and learning as they go along. Nothing feels forced or unrealistic. It never feels like Chadda was writing off of a checklist of hot button issues. He just makes it work and it's really beautifully done.
Same skill level applies to how Chadda writes grief. It's very raw and confusing and can sometimes be combined with other conflicting emotions. I respect the heck out of the fact that he decided to bare all of those truths on the page. It's an unfortunate reality that many kids will relate to that journey, but it's just as important for those who can't to see it played out on the page, too. Added bonus points for not sugar coating anything for child audiences. Elements of Sik's story represent life for so many and I appreciate Chadda not being afraid to serve it up as it is just because his work is for younger audiences.
Aside from the many things that the author does really well, I also just enjoyed the fantastic Muslim and Iranian rep. There is even a bit of queer rep, although very subtle. Chadda crafts some great characters in these pages and I love thinking about how youngsters who don't often get to see themselves positively represented in media will have this epic hero tale to find themselves immersed in.
All in all, definitely a cool mythological adventure exploring relatively uncharted territory. Sassy characters, fast-paced action, and a ton of heart make this a really well-rounded standalone that any young reader would enjoy.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Rick Riordan Presents for a review copy.
The good news is that the actual intended audience for this read will love it! Middle Grade readers will enjoy the snappy dialogue, Sik's witty remarks, and all of the nonstop action. All the things that didn't land with me as a boring adult reader will absolutely hit the mark with all the young readers Chadda aims to educate and entertain.
There are so many things Chadda does really well in this book. The mythology is really cool and he does a great job introducing characters that will be new for most readers in a very approachable way. Even though we don't get to know them as well as we could throughout an entire series, Chadda makes sure that readers take away the specific defining features for each character. AND he accomplishes all of this without being preachy or making it feel forced - introductions are woven into the action sequences in a seamless way that made the story move along really quickly. Fun note: kids will especially love the PG body horror some of these descriptions include! Personally, I enjoyed the cats (you'll see!)
Much like he weaves the myths into his tales, he also incorporates a lot of real world issues just as casually. Characters encounter racism and religious persecution, harmful stereotypes and some of the darker sides of the immigrant experience. These instances are stark and they stand out in Chadda's work, while being written so smoothly. Just like the myths, Chadda makes sure his readers are experiencing and learning as they go along. Nothing feels forced or unrealistic. It never feels like Chadda was writing off of a checklist of hot button issues. He just makes it work and it's really beautifully done.
Same skill level applies to how Chadda writes grief. It's very raw and confusing and can sometimes be combined with other conflicting emotions. I respect the heck out of the fact that he decided to bare all of those truths on the page. It's an unfortunate reality that many kids will relate to that journey, but it's just as important for those who can't to see it played out on the page, too. Added bonus points for not sugar coating anything for child audiences. Elements of Sik's story represent life for so many and I appreciate Chadda not being afraid to serve it up as it is just because his work is for younger audiences.
Aside from the many things that the author does really well, I also just enjoyed the fantastic Muslim and Iranian rep. There is even a bit of queer rep, although very subtle. Chadda crafts some great characters in these pages and I love thinking about how youngsters who don't often get to see themselves positively represented in media will have this epic hero tale to find themselves immersed in.
All in all, definitely a cool mythological adventure exploring relatively uncharted territory. Sassy characters, fast-paced action, and a ton of heart make this a really well-rounded standalone that any young reader would enjoy.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Rick Riordan Presents for a review copy.
rebeccazh's review against another edition
4.0
This was really fun and reminds me of the best of MG fiction. I love the themes of familial love, heroism, and personal growth. It was such a ride watching Sik go through various trials and I loved learning about Mesopotamian mythology.
jazzyjan94's review against another edition
Dnf'd at page 100. I just couldn't get into it, but it might just be now is not the right time for me to read it and I will give it another chance.
jtryckman's review against another edition
2.0
This book had promise. Mesopotamian gods! Demons! Adventure!
First, the elephant in the room: the timing of this book could not have been worse. A book about a plague god decimating New York City, coming out in the midst of a global pandemic? As much as both Rick Riordan and Sarwat Chadda try to cover that issue, the book itself just feels...icky. Not that it's taking advantage of the situation, but just that it's missing some of the empathy and depth that should be required for a story like this. The fact that this came out in 2021 means they had time to do some editing to manage this and either didn't or were just incapable of it.
Bad timing aside, there are other issues that cannot be ignored. The protagonist is just...not great? Not that he's a bad person, but he doesn't particularly grow and there isn't much to like about him. After the story drags its feet a little at the beginning, it suddenly jumps from one big set piece to the next, but doesn't give enough time to actually deal with the emotional weight of some of these events. To avoid spoilers here: several massive events occur which should have resulted in large emotional moments by characters are just...shrugged off, mostly so they can just jump to the next moment. As long as the book is, it oddly feels like it could have used more time to properly handle some of the situations that occur.
First, the elephant in the room: the timing of this book could not have been worse. A book about a plague god decimating New York City, coming out in the midst of a global pandemic? As much as both Rick Riordan and Sarwat Chadda try to cover that issue, the book itself just feels...icky. Not that it's taking advantage of the situation, but just that it's missing some of the empathy and depth that should be required for a story like this. The fact that this came out in 2021 means they had time to do some editing to manage this and either didn't or were just incapable of it.
Bad timing aside, there are other issues that cannot be ignored. The protagonist is just...not great? Not that he's a bad person, but he doesn't particularly grow and there isn't much to like about him. After the story drags its feet a little at the beginning, it suddenly jumps from one big set piece to the next, but doesn't give enough time to actually deal with the emotional weight of some of these events. To avoid spoilers here: several massive events occur which should have resulted in large emotional moments by characters are just...shrugged off, mostly so they can just jump to the next moment. As long as the book is, it oddly feels like it could have used more time to properly handle some of the situations that occur.
jasonlaw77's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0