As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
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- Create Date：2022-08-14 07:52:04
- Update Date：2025-09-07
- Status：finish
- Author：Zoulfa Katouh
- ISBN：0316351377
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Summary
Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria。 She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home。 She had a normal teenager’s life。
Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs， helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily。 Secretly， though， she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law， Layla， gives birth。 So desperate， that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion， Khawf， who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe。
But even with Khawf pressing her to leave， Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive。 Salama must contend with bullets and bombs， military assaults， and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free。 And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day， she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all。
Soon， Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war， but a revolution—and decide how she， too， will cry for Syria’s freedom。
Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs， helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily。 Secretly， though， she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law， Layla， gives birth。 So desperate， that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion， Khawf， who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe。
But even with Khawf pressing her to leave， Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive。 Salama must contend with bullets and bombs， military assaults， and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free。 And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day， she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all。
Soon， Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war， but a revolution—and decide how she， too， will cry for Syria’s freedom。
Reviews
Bushra
，
I NEEED THIS BOOKS IN MY HANDS RIGHT NOW
Paeandbooks
，
Imagine living the life of being tagged in makeup or funny videos by your sister， and before you knew it， your country is at war。Salama， a pharmacy student was healing; her mother’s death not long before， and dad and brother arrests during protests。 While her area was protected by Free Syrian Army， it wasnt enough to keep her safe; hence she was pressed to leave， yet part of her wanted to stay。 As situation worsen， she entered a phase where talking to her alternate persona， Khawf， who slowly urg Imagine living the life of being tagged in makeup or funny videos by your sister， and before you knew it， your country is at war。Salama， a pharmacy student was healing; her mother’s death not long before， and dad and brother arrests during protests。 While her area was protected by Free Syrian Army， it wasnt enough to keep her safe; hence she was pressed to leave， yet part of her wanted to stay。 As situation worsen， she entered a phase where talking to her alternate persona， Khawf， who slowly urges her to fulfill her promise to keep pregnant sis-in-law safe。 And then she met Kenan， the boy who lost the parents。 He is adamant to stay， and Salama other half’s desire is burning。 Can she stay but may suffer agonizing end of life， or should she flee and risk her soul being dead inside？ This book almost make me sob。 Almost。 （For context， I never cried of sadness reading a book）， but this book made me choke listening to our national anthem 🥲。 The Islam， muslim representation is so refreshing; meeting at mosque and praying， pleading to God （damn that almost wrecked my heart） Ms Zoulfa makes pain sounded poetic in the best way possible， and I would give my heart to be broken again a thousand times if she wanted to。 I clutched my hand to heart countless times， but particularly when Salama talked to Kenan （damn butterflies） and the despair when she can’t save the patient。 Ah damn。 I gotta go…to cut some onions。 。。。more
Paeandbooks
，
Imagine living the life of being tagged in makeup or funny videos by your sister， and before you knew it， your country is at war。Salama， a pharmacy student was healing; her mother’s death not long before， and dad and brother arrests during protests。 While her area was protected by Free Syrian Army， it wasnt enough to keep her safe; hence she was pressed to leave， yet part of her wanted to stay。 As situation worsen， she entered a phase where talking to her alternate persona， Khawf， who slowly urg Imagine living the life of being tagged in makeup or funny videos by your sister， and before you knew it， your country is at war。Salama， a pharmacy student was healing; her mother’s death not long before， and dad and brother arrests during protests。 While her area was protected by Free Syrian Army， it wasnt enough to keep her safe; hence she was pressed to leave， yet part of her wanted to stay。 As situation worsen， she entered a phase where talking to her alternate persona， Khawf， who slowly urges her to fulfill her promise to keep pregnant sis-in-law safe。 And then she met Kenan， the boy who lost the parents。 He is adamant to stay， and Salama other half’s desire is burning。 Can she stay but may suffer agonizing end of life， or should she flee and risk her soul being dead inside？ This book almost make me sob。 Almost。 （For context， I never cried of sadness reading a book）， but this book made me choke listening to our national anthem 🥲。 The Islam， muslim representation is so refreshing; meeting at mosque and praying， pleading to God （damn that almost wrecked my heart） Ms Zoulfa makes pain sounded poetic in the best way possible， and I would give my heart to be broken again a thousand times if she wanted to。 I clutched my hand to heart countless times， but particularly when Salama talked to Kenan （damn butterflies） and the despair when she can’t save the patient。 Ah damn。 I gotta go…to cut some onions。 。。。more
Des
，
Despite the tragic setting within which the story unfolds there is remarkable hope and resilience in every page。 Above all Zoulfa Katouh weaves a beautifully told love story which deserves to be as widely read as possible。 In a way it is the simple classic love story of how two young people desperately try to find a way against all odds。 But more than that， and in spite of the catastrophic events unfolding all around them， what shines through "As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow" more than anything Despite the tragic setting within which the story unfolds there is remarkable hope and resilience in every page。 Above all Zoulfa Katouh weaves a beautifully told love story which deserves to be as widely read as possible。 In a way it is the simple classic love story of how two young people desperately try to find a way against all odds。 But more than that， and in spite of the catastrophic events unfolding all around them， what shines through "As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow" more than anything is the depth of love the central characters have for the land of Syria - its people， history， culture， the natural beauty of its land and even its cuisine。 The language is rich and evocative， bringing the reader close up to the horrors unfolding on a daily basis， whilst also conveying the every day joy and beauty that exists in even the worst situations。 Wonderful， highly recommended。 Special thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc （UK & ANZ） and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy。 。。。more
Des
，
Despite the tragic setting within which the story unfolds there is remarkable hope and resilience in every page。 Above all Zoulfa Katouh weaves a beautifully told love story which deserves to be as widely read as possible。 In a way it is the simple classic love story of how two young people desperately try to find a way against all odds。 But more than that， and in spite of the catastrophic events unfolding all around them， what shines through "As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow" more than anything Despite the tragic setting within which the story unfolds there is remarkable hope and resilience in every page。 Above all Zoulfa Katouh weaves a beautifully told love story which deserves to be as widely read as possible。 In a way it is the simple classic love story of how two young people desperately try to find a way against all odds。 But more than that， and in spite of the catastrophic events unfolding all around them， what shines through "As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow" more than anything is the depth of love the central characters have for the land of Syria - its people， history， culture， the natural beauty of its land and even its cuisine。 The language is rich and evocative， bringing the reader close up to the horrors unfolding on a daily basis， whilst also conveying the every day joy and beauty that exists in even the worst situations。 Wonderful， highly recommended。 Special thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc （UK & ANZ） and NetGalley for a no obligation advance review copy。 。。。more
Denise Forrest
，
A beautifully written story about life in war torn Syria。 Eighteen year old Salama has started studying to be a pharmacist but when war comes to her part of Syria， she has no choice but to step up as a doctor and surgeon， treating the many victims of bombings and sniper attacks。 Her dilemma is whether to stay in Syria， the land of her birth and the country she loves， or to flee in hope of a better life。 There are dangers inherent in both options。Knowing little about the situation in Syria， I fou A beautifully written story about life in war torn Syria。 Eighteen year old Salama has started studying to be a pharmacist but when war comes to her part of Syria， she has no choice but to step up as a doctor and surgeon， treating the many victims of bombings and sniper attacks。 Her dilemma is whether to stay in Syria， the land of her birth and the country she loves， or to flee in hope of a better life。 There are dangers inherent in both options。Knowing little about the situation in Syria， I found this enlightening。 The descriptions of the country， culture and customs were very well written。 The author includes what is happening now but also reflects on what life was like before the war tore the country apart。The book is long， very long。 There were times when it felt a bit of a slog keeping going as I desperately wanted the plot to move on。 However， I suppose that reflected the agony of Salama’s wait to escape Syria。 I enjoyed reading about her growing relationship with Kenan。。。 but that plot twist！！ I wasn’t expecting that！I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Zainab⁷
，
zoulfa i want you to know that this book shattered me and now you are one of my favorite authors ever 。 rtc
aem
，
4 stars！I went into this read expecting tears and that’s exactly what I got。 As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow depicts the life of Salama， a young girl living through the war in Syria who consistently fights to defend her country and protect her fellow people despite having lost her family to the tragedy of war。 Salama suffers from a case of PTSD that causes hallucinations， specifically of one person whose purpose is to remind her of everything she has to lose if she doesn’t flee。 Throughout the b 4 stars！I went into this read expecting tears and that’s exactly what I got。 As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow depicts the life of Salama， a young girl living through the war in Syria who consistently fights to defend her country and protect her fellow people despite having lost her family to the tragedy of war。 Salama suffers from a case of PTSD that causes hallucinations， specifically of one person whose purpose is to remind her of everything she has to lose if she doesn’t flee。 Throughout the book Salama fights these suppressed thoughts represented by her hallucinations of Khawf， translating to fear in English - a play on words I really liked。 This story highlights the never-ending fear of war victims in Middle Wast countries， where nobody bats an eyelash at the strikes from the US。 Salama is written as a character who is torn between fighting for her country and healing her people， or protecting the only family she has left- her sister-in-law。 Her thoughts， feelings and actions are so representative of survivors and their guilt， and her experiences as a pharmacist-turned-doctor to heal those injured by attacks touch your heart with the variety of people and tragedies they undergo。 The lack of a 5th star- at times， the writing felt immature， and sometimes it lacked enough emotion， or felt too rushed。 It does make sense considering it is a YA book， narrated through the perspective of an 18-year-old girl， so I guess it was on me for expecting a more mature， descriptive writing that tears through your soul。 （Spoilers ahead） - I think the ending may not satisfy many people。 In a book like this， the grief-stricken protagonist who has lost everyone along with all hope， typically ends in tragedy， in hopes for the most realistic representation of what these current wars look like。 I was expecting that too。 However， I enjoyed the fact that this story inspires some hope for escaping war and finding safety， if not freedom， rather than being doomed to death， despite the fact that this is not where war victims end up in current day。 It felt fitting for a YA book to have a happy ending rather than a tragic death， so I was satisfied in the end。 The only thing I will say is that this book is not meant to be an accurate representation of real life victims in Syria。 If it is read with that mindset， you’ll be disappointed， as I was when I started reading it。 If instead， you read it with the view that it is a tale about them， you’ll be more satisfied with the glammed-up version where things work out and they live happily ever after， as I was once I changed my perspective。 Overall， I enjoyed it thoroughly and would definitely recommend it to others who are looking to be eased into more mature reads about real tragedies。 Thank you to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for this ARC。 。。。more
Em
，
I’ve heard ‘As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow’ being compared to ‘The Book Thief’ and ‘The Kite Runner’ and I completely agree。 All three stories share the same magical quality of being both heart wrenching and hopeful at the same time。 ‘As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow’ is so interesting， it genuinely has so many parts to the story; it’s harrowing and unflinching， not shying away from the horrors that have and are still occurring in Syria; there’s a lot of medical references in here too which I fe I’ve heard ‘As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow’ being compared to ‘The Book Thief’ and ‘The Kite Runner’ and I completely agree。 All three stories share the same magical quality of being both heart wrenching and hopeful at the same time。 ‘As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow’ is so interesting， it genuinely has so many parts to the story; it’s harrowing and unflinching， not shying away from the horrors that have and are still occurring in Syria; there’s a lot of medical references in here too which I feel really emphasises the reality of the subject-this is happening。There’s also a bit of mystery and the most incredible twist that absolutely sucker punched me。 I audibly gasped and genuinely had goosebumps。I really feel like this book should be required reading， I know it will haunt me and I’m glad for it。 I’m ashamed that I have been so ignorant and this book inspires action。“𝔼𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕝𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕙 𝕒 𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕝𝕕， 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕕𝕚𝕖 𝕠𝕦𝕥。” 。。。more
samia | samiaslibrary
，
I need a min to gather my thoughts， will try to write a coherent review soon， but 5 stars for this devastatingly beautiful book。
Joan F。
，
A stunning must-read from a tremendous new voice！
Angela Thompson
，
As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows by Zoulfa KatouhSalama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria。 She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home。 She was even supposed to be meeting a boy to talk about marriage。Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs， helping the wounded who flood through the doors。 She knows that she should be thinking about leaving， but who will help the people of her beloved country if she doesn't？ With her heart so As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows by Zoulfa KatouhSalama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria。 She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home。 She was even supposed to be meeting a boy to talk about marriage。Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs， helping the wounded who flood through the doors。 She knows that she should be thinking about leaving， but who will help the people of her beloved country if she doesn't？ With her heart so conflicted， her mind has conjured a vision to spur her to action。 His name is Khawf， and he haunts her nights with hallucinations of everything she has lost。I really don't know where to start to review this debut book。 To say it was brilliant or a great read is an understatement。 I feel I have to thank the author for writing it ， and I've never done that before。 Ever。The emotions you go through whilst reading the trauma and horrors that the characters， and possibly real life Syrians went through is horrifying and it brings the experience of war ， and what people have to endure makes your heart bleed 。A hard read but a wonderful one。 。。。more
Zoulfa Katouh
，
Dear Reader，Welcome to the Lemon Trees family。 It's quite strange giving my own book five stars but if there's one thing I gave 110% of myself in， it's Lemon Trees。 And BTS taught me to speak myself。 So here I am， speaking myself。 This book comes from my pain， my guilt， my love， my sorrows， my dreams， and my hopes。 In short， this book comes from the raw parts of my heart。 It's going to be a difficult book to read。 Hopefully， you'll cry， but at times you will laugh， you will awww and if I'm reall Dear Reader，Welcome to the Lemon Trees family。 It's quite strange giving my own book five stars but if there's one thing I gave 110% of myself in， it's Lemon Trees。 And BTS taught me to speak myself。 So here I am， speaking myself。 This book comes from my pain， my guilt， my love， my sorrows， my dreams， and my hopes。 In short， this book comes from the raw parts of my heart。 It's going to be a difficult book to read。 Hopefully， you'll cry， but at times you will laugh， you will awww and if I'm really lucky， you'll throw it against the wall。 If you do do that， drop me a message and tell me because then I would know I have done good。 That I wrote a good book that gave you strong feelings。 But in the end， ultimately， I hope you close this book with a newfound sense of hope。 With a fire burning in your heart that 'yes， I will change the world' because this world is waiting for you。 Salama， Layla， Kenan， and all the characters in this story may be fictional， but they exist in every single Syrian out there。 These stories happened-- are still happening。 We have once said we wouldn't allow for another Holocaust to happen， and yet， we are living through genocide every single day。 Knowing their stories， their names is the first step。 The second is to tell those who don't know。 That's what this book is。 An answer to those who are looking for one。 Because no one takes to the sea， risking drowning and sharks in the water， sailing to an unknown future， if what they're leaving behind isn't something much more horrific。 And despite it all， I hope you see my Lemon Babies as more than the sadness。 We are so much more than that。 We are not what the media has written us to be。 We are proud， resilient， kind， ambitious， generous。 We changed the world。 We were the cradle of civilisation-- inventions happened because of us。 Our history is golden。 We are strong hijabi girls who live life to the fullest， and soft， kind Muslim boys who reject the toxic masculinity ideology。 We are not what they wrote us to be。 We are not a stereotype。 We are so much more than you can imagine。 Salama， Layla， and Kenan are more than their pain and loss。 They are hope。 This story has been a whisper for far too long。 Thank you for making it a shout to be heard all over the world。 🍋Z 。。。more
Sarah
，
This is SO good…a story that will stay with me for a long time。 A must purchase！
Anna
，
No words can express what a brilliant work of art this book is。 I would recommend checking TWs and adding it to your tbr！！ Proper rtc
Allyson （bookstaandbujo）
，
Bro。 It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve finished this and I’m still processing。 😭This is the story of a girl in Syria who was enrolled in pharmacy school when war hits。 She is forced to quit school and is thrust into a hospital to help， because the country is unprepared for the amount of injury and death seen each day。 She endures so much in this role that her PTSD becomes a physical manifestation in the form of a hallucinated companion/person。 She sees him， and he talks to her and she talks Bro。 It’s been almost two weeks since I’ve finished this and I’m still processing。 😭This is the story of a girl in Syria who was enrolled in pharmacy school when war hits。 She is forced to quit school and is thrust into a hospital to help， because the country is unprepared for the amount of injury and death seen each day。 She endures so much in this role that her PTSD becomes a physical manifestation in the form of a hallucinated companion/person。 She sees him， and he talks to her and she talks to him。 It’s one of the best and most visceral representations of PTSD I’ve seen in a book。 Without giving too much away， just want to say this book is HEAVY。 It is fast paced。 It is horrifying。 It is heartbreaking。 There was one reveal that had me SHOOK。 Like I literally gasped and about fell out of my chair。 IYKYK。 But it is also so joyful and hopeful， and I think that’s the beauty of it。 That even in the midst of war and bombs and snipers and chemical warfare， love and happiness are still found。 TW: （please find full list as this is not comprehensive） death of parent， medical trauma， gun violence， war violence。 severe PTSD， pregnancy loss， prison/captivity 。。。more
Kell C
，
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow delivers， from page one through its end， a propelling， unburnished view of the daily struggle。 terror， and fallout--from soup to indiscriminate bombing--of a Syrian neighborhood in revolution。 Lessons of these will engrain themselves in you: self-preservation， selflessness， community， identity， and hope。 Each coexists in the war-battered mind and open heart of a teenage pharmacist who musters the inner strength and resilience to be who she， her newly found promise As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow delivers， from page one through its end， a propelling， unburnished view of the daily struggle。 terror， and fallout--from soup to indiscriminate bombing--of a Syrian neighborhood in revolution。 Lessons of these will engrain themselves in you: self-preservation， selflessness， community， identity， and hope。 Each coexists in the war-battered mind and open heart of a teenage pharmacist who musters the inner strength and resilience to be who she， her newly found promised love， and Syrian community need desperately to sustain the best parts of themselves and to grasp for better futures。YA at its best: informative from 20，ooo， 5，000， and 1 ft alike， it challenges a personal response to the now in which character shows and grows in preparation for pursuing tomorrow's potential。 Animated by a cast of fully alive characters （mostly YA）， humming with the suspense of peril （and of young love）， anchored with uniquely Syrian detail， and a PTSD coping mechanism ingeniously providing a fascinating depth of experience， I really enjoyed the brief and fraught story of survival and escape。I recommend！ And will be looking for Zoulfa Katouh's next work。 --Thank you Little Brown & Co。 and Goodreads Giveaway for the ARC。 。。。more
bookishcharli
，
Holy heck I’m struggling to form words for this one。 This book is so beautifully written and captivating that it stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page。 I spent most of the time hugging this book while sobbing， and then I’m choke cry-laughing in the blink of an eye。 This is a book that’s not to be read lightly， it’s raw， it’s honest， it’s real， it’s IMPORTANT。 This book， much like A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara， has caused me such intense emotional damage but in the absolute be Holy heck I’m struggling to form words for this one。 This book is so beautifully written and captivating that it stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page。 I spent most of the time hugging this book while sobbing， and then I’m choke cry-laughing in the blink of an eye。 This is a book that’s not to be read lightly， it’s raw， it’s honest， it’s real， it’s IMPORTANT。 This book， much like A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara， has caused me such intense emotional damage but in the absolute best way possible。 I love this book。 You all have to read it ASAP。 Thank you to Bloomsbury UK for sending me a copy of this gorgeous gorgeous book， publishing in the UK in September。 TW: death， murder， war， torture， child abuse， sexual assault， PTSD… there’s quite a list so please look them up before diving in。 。。。more
Stephanie
，
I haven’t started yet， nor read any reviews， but I’m going to assume it plays off the line “when life gives you lemons” and the phrase “as long as the lemon trees grow” means as long as you’re alive， even with the “lemons” thrown at you， all is well。
Annie
，
Beautiful read highlighting on the ongoing conflict in Syria; this is a MUST read。 I have to warn you there are some TW to be careful of， including SA， abuse， torture and death。 This book was written with heartfelt emotion and it will break your heart; but you'll love it regardless。 Beautiful read highlighting on the ongoing conflict in Syria; this is a MUST read。 I have to warn you there are some TW to be careful of， including SA， abuse， torture and death。 This book was written with heartfelt emotion and it will break your heart; but you'll love it regardless。 。。。more
Razeena
，
Highly recommend this one！ I loved it and finished it in a day。
el
，
Rtc！ So much to unpack here
Elisha Jachetti
，
AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW by Zoulfa Katouh is an upper-YA novel set amidst the Syrian revolution。 Salama， a budding young pharmacy student， has been forced into a role at the hospital she wasn’t prepared for as many medical professionals were killed in the resistance。 Salama， no stranger to death， lost her mother after her father and brother were arrested at a protest。 Practically alone and wrestling with whether or not she should flee her home country， Salama meets Kenan， who also lost hi AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW by Zoulfa Katouh is an upper-YA novel set amidst the Syrian revolution。 Salama， a budding young pharmacy student， has been forced into a role at the hospital she wasn’t prepared for as many medical professionals were killed in the resistance。 Salama， no stranger to death， lost her mother after her father and brother were arrested at a protest。 Practically alone and wrestling with whether or not she should flee her home country， Salama meets Kenan， who also lost his parents， but is committed to staying in Syria。 As the military closes in around them， Salama’s head and heart debate over what to do。 If she stays in Syria， it seems like a matter of time before she is killed too， but if she leaves and survives the crossing， she may arrive in Europe dead on the inside。Every element of this book is fantastic。 Katouh takes Salama on the most heartbreaking， yet hopeful journey， and does so with vivid prose， serendipity， romance， and brutality。 The story never shies away from the truth of what Syrian people are facing， which allows readers to imagine themselves in that situation。 Personalizing tragedies that are happening seemingly far away forces us to not only acknowledge them， but to also not look away。 Because of that， it’s important to note the book’s setting as it may be triggering for those with a sensitivity to war imagery and devastation。 That aside， this novel， while fiction， is based on and around real historic events。 Frankly， it should be required reading and is a great introduction to what’s been happening in Syria for those who may have been previously uninformed。That being said， while this novel explores difficult and painful themes， it doesn’t make it any less magical。 Each character feels fully realized， including Syria itself。 This book comes alive on the page and is just as unpredictable as real life。 I was scared for Salama every time she walked from the hospital to home or elsewhere。 I felt her despondence every time she had a new patient she didn’t know how to save。 I felt her butterflies every time she talked to Kenan。 I cared about her deeply and rooted for her and all the other characters to survive。 There are multiple twists in the story I never would have predicted， and it kept me on my toes， just like the characters are。 In fact， I didn’t want to stop reading。 I would’ve preferred to not have an epilogue and to see everything that transpired after the last chapter。Katouh masterfully weaves many threads together to form a raw， nuanced， and deeply human plot that will make you think， swoon， and brace for impact。 AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW should be on the top of your must-read list。Review originally posted on YA Books Central: https://www。yabookscentral。com/as-lon。。。 。。。more
Kirin
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Anything I write about this YA book will fail miserably in conveying how powerful， beautiful， lingering， moving， emotional， and overall masterfully written every one of the 432 pages are; it just might be my favorite book of the year。 I do know that this will be my new standard for Muslim OWN voice stories， as the authenticity was absolutely engulfing， I'm not Syrian and I could feel it and naturally， I also verified it。 There is no pandering to a western gaze， the story and characters pull yo Anything I write about this YA book will fail miserably in conveying how powerful， beautiful， lingering， moving， emotional， and overall masterfully written every one of the 432 pages are; it just might be my favorite book of the year。 I do know that this will be my new standard for Muslim OWN voice stories， as the authenticity was absolutely engulfing， I'm not Syrian and I could feel it and naturally， I also verified it。 There is no pandering to a western gaze， the story and characters pull you in and show you Syria from the ground， there is no telling， there is no lecturing， it is mesmerizing storytelling at its finest。 The book has mental health issues， war， and a sweet "halal" romance， that I think upper YA， 16 plus， can handle and appreciate。 I hope every adult will spend time with this book， it truly is incredibly well done， alhumdulillah。SYNOPSIS:Homs is under the protection of the Free Syrian Army， but that isn't enough to keep pharmacy student Salama and her family safe。 Her mother is killed， her father and brother taken， and so she moves in with her best friend Layla， her pregnant sister-in-law， her only family left。 Working as a doctor in the hospital where anyone remaining is given responsibilities far above their skill level， education， and experience- every day is a struggle to survive。 Haunted by the physical manifestation of her fear， "Khawf，" who urges her to fulfill her promise to her brother of keeping Layla safe and getting them out of the country， Salama at eighteen years old has to find a way。 Before all the pieces come together to escape， a boy enters the picture， Kenan， who gives Salama hope， who distracts her from the death and destruction that has consumed their lives。 A boy unwilling to leave his beloved homeland。WHY I LIKE IT:I'm a crier， but this book brought out ugly angry tears， shocked tears， heartbroken tears， sentimental tears， you get the point， this book held me in its grasps and never let go。 I。COULDN'T。 PUT。 IT。 DOWN。 If this is the author's debut novel I can't even fathom what is yet to come。 I love that the characters are Muslim， and that they pray together， that they plead with Allah （swt） and meet at the mosque。 It is who they are， it is not up for debate or in need of explanation， it is what it is and it is not anything to discuss。 The parts where a character pleads with Allah for death over being taken， absolutely wrecked me。 Just as efforts to keep everything halal between Salama and Kenan made me beam。 （If I'm completely honesty， I did on occasion get frustrated， I mean come on they are being shot at， bombed， nearly sexually assaulted， scoop her up in your arms and console， her， I know haram， but it is fiction and I was invested， and there is a war。 Thankfully， I am not an author and she kept it all clean and her characters much stronger and mindful of the shortness of this world。）I love that there are political voices， but that it isn't a political book trying to give back story to the conflict。 In so many ways the news has failed to keep a light shining on Syria and books such as this， remind those of us outside Syria without strong connections to the land， that the conflict is still raging。 If this was a journalistic article it would be a human interest piece， it is character driven。 Readers see themselves in the characters that live lives that most of us of privilege could never imagine， yet here we are spellbound by the characters， their choices， their dreams， and their safety。 This book shows the power of fiction in opening our eyes to the horrors that are happening in our time， by giving us a face and a character to care so deeply about， that we are spurred to action and determined to not remain apathetic。FLAGS:Death， torture， physical abuse， sexual assault， fear， loss， coercion， war， murder， torture， child abuse， crimes against humanity， starvation， mental health， PTSD。TOOLS FOR LEADING THE DISCUSSION:I would love to use this book in a high school book club。 The story and themes of the book would open themselves up to discussion so effortlessly and the beauty of the writing would be a gift to share with students。 。。。more
Amani
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Full review will be up on pop culturalist closer to the release date。 Wow - what an emotional gut-wrenching book！！ It’s honestly one of my favorites of this year。 This is about the Syrian revolution and it’s not an easy read but it’s a must read。
Brooke
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I had to wait a day to review it because I had so many emotions and wanted to cry too much。 This book is so important to read because I did not know how horrible the conditions were in Syria during the present day， which is so upsetting and honestly an embarrassment to myself and our country。 I think everyone should read this， but they should be prepared for some really difficult to read things。 We should push through and read things that upset us because it's so important to raise awareness of I had to wait a day to review it because I had so many emotions and wanted to cry too much。 This book is so important to read because I did not know how horrible the conditions were in Syria during the present day， which is so upsetting and honestly an embarrassment to myself and our country。 I think everyone should read this， but they should be prepared for some really difficult to read things。 We should push through and read things that upset us because it's so important to raise awareness of the reality of a war that is happening under our noses。 I read it so quickly， I don't know how I had gotten through so much of the book without realising it。 。。。more
Abigail Singrey
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At times achingly tender and at times brutal， the author's prose creates a world so real you'll feel your heart shatter right along with the characters。 This book transports you to the heart of war-torn Syria， not shying away from the visceral， graphic images or the emotional toll war takes on the survivors。 In a revolutionary-held city， Salama's living with her pregnant sister-in-law Layla after her mother died in a bombing and their father and brother were taken prisoner at a protest。 Now Sala At times achingly tender and at times brutal， the author's prose creates a world so real you'll feel your heart shatter right along with the characters。 This book transports you to the heart of war-torn Syria， not shying away from the visceral， graphic images or the emotional toll war takes on the survivors。 In a revolutionary-held city， Salama's living with her pregnant sister-in-law Layla after her mother died in a bombing and their father and brother were taken prisoner at a protest。 Now Salama volunteers at the hospital and is confronted daily by the brutality of the government forces towards its citizens。 She wants to escape on a boat before Layla's baby is born， but also feels a duty to the people whose lives she saves。 She's also taunted by Khawf， a hallucination her mind has created to deal with her fears。 But as the government forces inch closer， Salama decides once and for all to try to escape with their lives。 But when she stumbles across the boy she might have married if the war hadn't broken out - he was scheduled to visit their house as an arranged match - she discovers he's perfect for her in every way except for his determination to stay and fight。 As Salama and Kenan find a bubble of happiness in the midst of death and destruction， Salama is tormented by the life she might have had: pharmaceutical student （Salama） meets artist （Kenan） who brings out her creative side， and they travel the world and eventually have beautiful babies。 Salama and Kenan's relationship bring the hope to the book， as when it becomes too much for each one to bear， they distract the other by asking them to tell them something good。 This book perfectly balances the horror and the hope and will leave you holding your breath to find out if these characters will get the chance to survive and rebuild。 TWs: sexual assault， parental deaths， murder， war and torture， child abuse， starvation， PTSD， griefThank you to the publisher for the advance review copy of this book。 。。。more
Shannon A
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Salma is a pharmacy student just trying to live a normal life when the wounded that walk through the hospital doors force her to use all her training and expand her skills。 Visions start to overwhelm her telling her to get her family to safety as the guilt of her planning to leave surround her。Even as the world outside threatens to destroy everything Salma holds dear， she finds that she has started to fall for a boy that loves animation and telling stories between documenting the human side of t Salma is a pharmacy student just trying to live a normal life when the wounded that walk through the hospital doors force her to use all her training and expand her skills。 Visions start to overwhelm her telling her to get her family to safety as the guilt of her planning to leave surround her。Even as the world outside threatens to destroy everything Salma holds dear， she finds that she has started to fall for a boy that loves animation and telling stories between documenting the human side of the conflict。 An achingly beautifully written tale of survival and finding moments of joy in a harsh world; This is an absolutely astounding debut book lingers like the bittersweet scent of lemons。**TWs: sexual assault， parental deaths， murder， war and torture， child abuse and torture， starvation， PTSD， grief 。。。more
Danielle Hammelef
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This book both broke my heart and stitched it together again， leaving scars that will forever remind me of the physical and mental anguish these characters endured。 Yes， I cried， but I also laughed and found bits of hope as I journeyed alongside Salama。 This debut book is a must read for all--the stories of the horrors of war and revolution make this one of the most important novels I've ever read; it gives the people of Syria and other countries a voice。 It shows the strengths， weaknesses， and This book both broke my heart and stitched it together again， leaving scars that will forever remind me of the physical and mental anguish these characters endured。 Yes， I cried， but I also laughed and found bits of hope as I journeyed alongside Salama。 This debut book is a must read for all--the stories of the horrors of war and revolution make this one of the most important novels I've ever read; it gives the people of Syria and other countries a voice。 It shows the strengths， weaknesses， and willingness to both sacrifice and survive of the human spirit。 I will be recommending this novel to everyone。 。。。more
Naadhira Zahari
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