Anyone can be a hero | City Of The Plague God Book Review

*Disclaimer – I will try and make this post as spoiler-free as possible*

‘City of the Plague God’ by Sarwat Chadda is the latest book soon to be released as a part of Rick Riordan Presents. For those of you who don’t know what this is, Rick Riordan Presents is a new series as a part of Disney Publishing worldwide. The series publishes books that Rick Riordan thinks fans of his work will like, but the authors are from under-represented cultures and backgrounds. The series gives them a chance to tell stories of myths and legends from their own cultures and heritages and make kids realise…anyone can be a hero!

I for one am a big fan of Rick Riordan’s books. I love the Percy Jackson series and think they should be just as well known and loved as the Harry Potter series. They are diverse, about kids having adventures and centred around the theme of greek mythology! So when I saw that the newest book set to be released as a part of Rick Riordan Presents was of a similar nature, adventures regarding myths but from the culture of a Muslim boy…I was instantly sold. I was very fortunate to have been sent an advanced copy of the book prior to its release. This is what I thought about it.

The book is FANTASTIC. I initially thought that I, as a 23-year-old, would be slightly too old to enjoy a book aimed at a middle-grade age range (the same age range I was when I read Percy Jackson for the first time). I was very much wrong. Whilst I think middle-grade aged readers will love this book, I don’t think they are the only age group. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and think people of all ages will have the same experience.

To give a brief overview with no spoilers: Sikander is a kid who is thrown headfirst into an adventure when some demons show up on behalf of a god at Sikander’s deli demanding he gives ‘something’ to them. Next up, in true adventure book fashion, chaos quickly kicks off and then a strange disease starts plaguing the city. No one knows what it is or how to cure it, and it is up to Sikander to put things right.

So, what makes this book so fantastic? Well for a start, it is centralised around a young Muslim boy, Sikander. Something that is somewhat rare. There are not, to my knowledge, many adventure books where the lead character is the son of Iraqui refugees and a Muslim. When I was reading it, there were parts of culture and heritage I could relate to – from joking about Turkish coffee so thick the spoon stands up, to Sikander thinking middle eastern food is the best in the world, to wondering whether he could have a fourth or fifth piece of Baklava (the answer is always yes)…it was so refreshing and heartwarming to be able to read a character, culture and heritage that I could relate to and see parts of myself and my own heritage in.

Of course, it’s not just about me. Kids all over the world can read this and recognise themselves in the book, or even learn about a new culture and heritage. This is followed through continuously with the language Sikander and Daoud (his best friend) uses, and the demons they end up battling (um…spoilers, I guess? It tells you that on the back of the book so I guess it’s not really?!). It breaks my heart, at some points in the book Daoud (who is trying to become an actor) makes a few comments, such as “guys like us [Arab or Muslims] don’t get to be heroes”, and “heroes don’t come in this shade”. Even Sikander at one point comments that “you don’t come across many  Arabian heroes”. This book is exceptional because it has proved this wrong one hundred times over. Sikander and his friends break down any stereotypes that people may have and are just some kids that get to go on these incredible adventures and become heroes proving that anyone from anywhere can, in fact, be a hero.

The book has also been cleverly written so that even if a reader isn’t familiar with Muslim culture, they can still understand and enjoy the story! In fact, I think this is a great way for people to read and learn about new cultures and myths! Representation aside, the book itself is written beautifully. The descriptions are gorgeous and Sarwat Chadda’s writing truly does paint images and expand your imagination.

The book is jam-packed from start to finish. You want an adventure story? You have well and truly got one! It has heroes, villains, magic and myths, epic journeys and fights…everything you’d want in an adventure book and more! Fans of Rick Riordan will enjoy this book sure, but it’s also a perfect book for anyone looking to be whisked away on an adventure! There are constant surprises, twists and turns. Just as I thought I knew where the book was headed and I could expect where the plot would go next, a complete change was brought in and I was left having no clue where the story was going to end up. This book may be a lot of things but you can never accuse it of being predictable! This combined with the pacing to make sure the reader is never bored kept me wanting to read and as I got closer to the end of the book I found myself getting disappointed, because after that final page…it’s over! What next!?

It’s a really fun story that can expose people to myths, gods, goddesses etc…that they may have had little to no knowledge of before, so whilst it is a fun story, it can be so much more than that. It tells of these things in a time period and place people will be familiar with and can relate to, and the way these elements of the story are told is far from boring. For all I know, this book could inspire kids to go on to read and learn more – something which can only be encouraged!

Something I really appreciated in this book is that even though Sikander is the main character, all the characters in the book get their time to shine and their own little time to be a hero themselves. Whilst the book is in short quite revolved around Sikander, the other characters are equally important and all play a part in the story. Without all of them together, I daresay taking on the demons and god they have to fight would have been a lot harder and the ending would likely have been very different. It doesn’t feel like they are side characters because their involvement is very much needed and their actions all have big consequences on the story and impact the adventure.

Whilst this story is largely an adventure novel, it does actually tackle some quite deep and sensitive themes. It covers dealing with loss and the trauma of losing a loved one, coping mechanisms that can come with that, as well as the theme of belonging somewhere. However, my own personal favourite theme that runs strongly throughout the book from start to finish is that of family. The strongest and most undying love and bond of family members. Everything Sikander does in the book is for his family – something that can not be understated. The love he has for his parents and his brother who he recently lost…I could feel the emotions through the pages. Whilst I am an emotional person, it is rare I shed genuine tears at a book…this book really pulled on the heartstrings and at one point I was crying so much I had to put the book down because I couldn’t see the words anymore. When you read the book, you won’t even need to ask – you’ll know which bit. I absolutely love how whilst these themes aren’t central to the plot, they are still present. They develop and flesh out the characters, make you feel…and the best thing? For younger readers – it can act as a reminder that it is okay to feel a plethora of emotions, they are what make us human.

And that brings us to the end! This book really is special and I loved it so much and I’m sure I will be reading it again. It is everything you want in an adventure book and more. The highs, the lows, the emotion, the fun. And I’m sure I don’t need to say it, but I will anyway: representation matters. Not just so people can see themselves, but so kids can see that anyone, from no matter what culture, heritage, country…no matter what they look like…no one can stop you from doing anything. Anyone can be a hero.

The book is out in January 2021 and you can preorder it here.