City of the Plague God

City of the Plague God

by Sarwat Chadda

New York: Disney Hyperion, 2021

 

Thirteen-year-old Sik wants a simple life going to school and helping at his parents' deli in the evenings. But all that is blown to smithereens when Nergal comes looking for him, thinking that Sik holds the secret to eternal life. Turns out Sik is immortal but doesn't know it, and that's about to get him and the entire city into deep, deep trouble.

Sik's not in this alone. He's got Belet, the adopted daughter of Ishtar, the goddess of love and war, on his side, and a former hero named Gilgamesh, who has taken up gardening in Central Park. Now all they have to do is retrieve the Flower of Immortality to save Manhattan from being wiped out by disease. To succeed, they'll have to conquer sly demons, treacherous gods, and their own darkest nightmares.

First, let's just take a moment to look at that cover. Even if I didn't love the Rick Riordan Presents imprint, I would have picked this up based on that image alone. I've been looking forward to this one for awhile, and was fortunate enough to see Sarwat in a virtual panel earlier this fall. This novel focuses on the deities and mythology of Mesopotamia. City of the Plague God follows Sikander Aziz, the son of Iraqi Muslim immigrants, as he works in their deli and continues to process the loss of his older brother, who died two years ago. His world is disrupted when minions of Nergal, the god of disease and war appear, demanding the treasure his brother stole. What follows is an action packed tale as disease and pestilence grips the city, while Sik finds himself in the company of Belet and Ishtar. Themes of family, loss, and prejudice are masterfully woven throughout. It's always wonderful to see less familiar mythologies get a chance to shine in these books, and this is one of the best examples. City of the Plague God is highly recommended for Percy Jackson, mythology, and adventure fans of all ages. It will be available from Galesburg Public Library after the January 5, 2021 release date.  Thank you very much to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC.