Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
The Rick Riordan Presents books are so wonderful for those who love his books and now get to be exposed to other backgrounds and cultures (and mythologies). This one follows a similar pattern and would be engaging for those who love all the others.
I really really enjoyed this. The sense of adventure. The exploration of grief. Yes, I do wish I could have read this before I really understood what the word quarantine meant. However, I finished wanting a sequel. What a great introduction to a new pantheon of gods, such a great depiction of a religious/spiritual main character, and AWESOME imagery.
This book is basically about a pandemic.
It's crazy to think about this book having been written in 2018 but published in 2021. The world has changed so much in that time, and I understand why the author might have felt a certain way about publishing this last year when it had first been scheduled to come out. A city overrun by plague and disaster probably seemed like such a fantastical idea at the time of writing, and yet, here we are today.
This book was an interesting read, but I simply could not rate it any higher than the 3.25/5 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.
**I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
Follow Me Here Too: My Blog || Twitter || Bloglovin' || Instagram || Tumblr || Pinterest
It's crazy to think about this book having been written in 2018 but published in 2021. The world has changed so much in that time, and I understand why the author might have felt a certain way about publishing this last year when it had first been scheduled to come out. A city overrun by plague and disaster probably seemed like such a fantastical idea at the time of writing, and yet, here we are today.
This book was an interesting read, but I simply could not rate it any higher than the 3.25/5 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.
**I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.**
Follow Me Here Too: My Blog || Twitter || Bloglovin' || Instagram || Tumblr || Pinterest
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
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:
Complicated
Anything published by Rick Riordan's imprint catches my attention and this certainly lived up to my high expectations! Sikander Aziz works in his family's deli and has an average life for a New Yorker, until he is met with demons from Mesopotamian mythology one night. He quickly finds himself immersed in the world of goddesses, ancient heroes, a plauge and a battle for good and evil. Sikander is also dealing with the loss of his older brother, who frequently travelled to Iraq to retain a sense of their culture and homeland.
Chadda deals with the themes of this story in a very approachable way, while still staying true to the culture being represented by Sikander and his family. Arabic phrases are used by the characters frequently, with an included glossary. I appreciate that there was mention of xenophobia and stereotyping, which were both handled well for the target audience. The introduction written by Riordan and the acknowledgments section both serve to highlight that this book was authored prior to the 2020 pandemic, but editing was certainly done to make subtle references to current events.
I enjoyed learning about Mesopotamia's early civilization back in middle school, but was never exposed to the mythology of this time. I wish that were the case, as there had been no shortage about information about Greek and Roman mythology, even outside of Latin courses. Prior to reading this, I was familiar with The Epic of Gilgamesh in name only, but will now certainly add it to my list of must read books. I'll also be on the lookout for more books from this author. Unfortunately, this seems to be a stand alone within the Riordan universe, and although it is ended nicely and more is not needed, I would gladly read a companion novel or sequel.
Chadda deals with the themes of this story in a very approachable way, while still staying true to the culture being represented by Sikander and his family. Arabic phrases are used by the characters frequently, with an included glossary. I appreciate that there was mention of xenophobia and stereotyping, which were both handled well for the target audience. The introduction written by Riordan and the acknowledgments section both serve to highlight that this book was authored prior to the 2020 pandemic, but editing was certainly done to make subtle references to current events.
I enjoyed learning about Mesopotamia's early civilization back in middle school, but was never exposed to the mythology of this time. I wish that were the case, as there had been no shortage about information about Greek and Roman mythology, even outside of Latin courses. Prior to reading this, I was familiar with The Epic of Gilgamesh in name only, but will now certainly add it to my list of must read books. I'll also be on the lookout for more books from this author. Unfortunately, this seems to be a stand alone within the Riordan universe, and although it is ended nicely and more is not needed, I would gladly read a companion novel or sequel.
Growing up, I adored the Percy Jackson novels, and this book delivered the same feelings I had back then as a young pre-teen. I was inquired to read this novel by my coworker who works in kids books, and I can truly express this is a great novel! I loved the realism the book brought, such as not being afraid to comment on how many Arabs/Muslims are type-casted in Hollywood. ~~ While I know the plague part might seem a bit concerning with everything happening right now, the description of the plague is very different from Covid. I found this to be a bit comforting. The plague is a pivotal point of the plot, however there is very little interaction with actually infected citizens, so I believe that children could read this novel without any issues. If inquired about any concerns, my only comment would be regarding the train scenes and watching one’s kids around railroad tracks. ~~ Overall, I highly suggest this book as it is a spectacular read filled with diversity and enjoyment!
City of the Plague God is a roller coaster of a read with lots of emotional moments as well as heart felt ones. 13-year-old Sikander helps run his parents’ deli after school and on weekends. Ever since his brother Mo died in a motorbike accident he’s been grieving from his loss. One night whilst locking up Sik hears a noise and goes to investigate, soon he finds himself face to face with Sidana and Idiptu who claim to be demons from Kurnugi and are intent on finding a treasure their boss claims Sik’s brother Mo stole on a trip to Iraq. Sik has no idea what they’re talking about and refuses to give them any treasure whatsoever, all this results in Nergal releasing a mysterious plague upon Manhattan that causes everyone including Sik’s parents to fall ill, now Sik must find a way to stop this treacherous plague from turning its inhabitants into zombies. Before long Sik teams up with Belet the adopted daughter of Ishtar and bad-ass ninja sidekick who offers to help Sik track down Nergal and bring the plague to a close. Fast paced book with lots or action this is a quick read with relatively short chapters.
City of the Plague God shows us there is “light at the end of the tunnel” and we too can get over this.
Sarwat Chadda has done a brilliant job of combining Mesopotamian mythology with the modern era, I have never read anything quite like this before. I will definitely be checking out his other books.
City of the Plague God shows us there is “light at the end of the tunnel” and we too can get over this.
Sarwat Chadda has done a brilliant job of combining Mesopotamian mythology with the modern era, I have never read anything quite like this before. I will definitely be checking out his other books.
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
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:
Complicated
I admit, books set in NYC that get small things wrong make me cranky: the location for this deli was one such oops. Beyond that, however, this is a great way to introduce readers to the Gilgamesh story - taking the mythology, gods and goddesses of Mesopotamia and bringing them into our day and age via Sik, the remaining son of the deli owners. Sik's older brother was a botanist, killed in Iran a few years before the story; Sik, sadly, hasn't taken over the community garden and tended the seeds sent back from abroad. Then the deli is destroyed... and Sik, self-adopted brother Daoud and Belet, a girl that insists on getting involved have to save the world from a plague.
The mingling of Islam, older beliefs and American culture is done so well, a trademark of the Rick Riordan imprint. This isn't the start of a series, but it certainly could be.
eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.
The mingling of Islam, older beliefs and American culture is done so well, a trademark of the Rick Riordan imprint. This isn't the start of a series, but it certainly could be.
eARC provided by publisher via Netgalley.