Chapter summaries City of the Plague God Sarwat Chadda

Author’s Note: Reflections on Writing City of the Plague God

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Sarwat Chadda opens his Author’s Note by explaining he wrote City of the Plague God in 2018, a time when a global pandemic seemed unimaginable. He highlights the parallel between the fictional plague and real-world crises, noting that the story’s core — protecting loved ones and the heroism of underdogs — reflects his own values. Chadda then discusses the challenge of writing a Muslim protagonist who navigates both his faith in Allah and the presence of ancient Mesopotamian gods like Ishtar. He admits he resisted writing a Muslim-themed story for twelve years because he feared terms like jihad and Allahu Akbar would be misunderstood as sinister. The author credits Rick Riordan with breaking down barriers through his inclusive storytelling and expresses gratitude for being invited into the Rick Riordan Presents imprint. He thanks his editor Stephanie Lurie, agent Sarah Davies, and cultural consultants Saadia Faruqi and Moe Shalabi, as well as the scholars who provided the cuneiform translation from the Epic of Gilgamesh. The note closes with a personal thanks to his family.

Key Events

  1. Author explains the 2018 writing context — the story was conceived before the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Parallel drawn between fictional plague and real-world threat — the importance of keeping loved ones safe.
  3. Author reveals his twelve-year hesitation to write a Muslim-centered story due to fear of cultural misunderstanding.
  4. Acknowledgement of Rick Riordan’s influence — Riordan’s stance on diversity inspired Chadda to contribute to the RRP imprint.
  5. Listing of contributors — editor, agent, cultural consultants, Mesopotamia scholar Stephanie Dalley, and Digital Hammurabi for cuneiform.
  6. Cuneiform excerpt translated — lines from the Epic of Gilgamesh about the snake stealing the plant of immortality.

Character Development

The Author’s Note does not advance the plot, but it deepens the reader’s understanding of Sik’s core motivation. Chadda describes Sik as a kid who wants to be better than he is, to make his loved ones proud, and to fight a noble struggle — his jihad. This clarifies that Sik’s heroism is rooted in personal growth and devotion to family, not in religious conflict. The note also reveals how the author carefully balanced Sik’s Islamic faith with the mythological elements of the story, showing that for Sik, there is a distinction between divine beings and the one God.

Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

  • Jihad as noble struggle: Chadda explicitly defines jihad not as holy war but as Sik’s personal, everyday fight to be better and protect others.
  • Diversity in children’s literature: The author emphasizes the need for heroes that reflect underrepresented backgrounds, a theme that drives the entire novel.
  • Merging religion and mythology: Chadda treats ancient gods as superhuman beings while maintaining Islam’s monotheism, showing how faith and myth can coexist in fiction.
  • Real-world parallels: The plague in the book mirrors actual pandemics, reinforcing the theme that protecting loved ones matters most.

Why This Chapter Matters

The Author’s Note provides the moral and cultural framework for the entire novel. It explains why Sik’s story was written and the real-life anxieties the author overcame to tell it. Understanding this chapter helps readers appreciate the deliberate way Chadda handles sensitive terms like jihad and Allahu Akbar, and why he chose to highlight a Muslim hero in a genre dominated by other mythologies. It also acknowledges the collaborative effort behind the book, connecting the story to scholarship, editorial guidance, and community support.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why did Sarwat Chadda wait twelve years to write a Muslim-centered story?
He feared that celebrating his heritage through terms like jihad and Allahu Akbar would be misinterpreted as frightening or sinister by readers unfamiliar with their actual meanings.

2. How does the author define Sik’s “jihad”?
Chadda describes it as Sik’s noble struggle to be a better person, to protect his loved ones, and to earn their pride — a personal, everyday battle rather than a religious war.

3. What role did Rick Riordan play in the creation of this book?
Riordan’s long-standing commitment to diversity through his own mythic stories and the Rick Riordan Presents imprint inspired Chadda to finally write a Muslim hero; Riordan’s invitation made the book possible.

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