Reviews tagging 'Genocide'

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

98 reviews

gtmommy05's review against another edition

dark emotional informative sad

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Medical trauma, Death, War, Blood, Genocide, Violence, and Murder

grace_muriithi's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative sad tense medium-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? Yes

5.0

Pro tip: have a box of tissues ready because I BAWLED MY EYES OUT reading this book for the people of Syria, whose story was humanized for me through this book (as I was unaware of the true extent of what is happening in the country). I cried knowing that there are similar things taking place right now in so many other parts of the world, some of which are better known than others. 
Palestine. 
Congo. 
Haiti. 
Tigray. 
Sudan. 
Those are just a few of the ones I know of off the top of my head. 
I felt guilty for knowing that all I can do is read, uplift their voices and donate. 
But also, I felt hope in reading this story. Hope is something that I never want to lose sight of, and dreaming of a better tomorrow and fighting for it is what all oppressed people deserve. Free all those that are victims of Western greed, exploitation and colonialism. This is a novel about the fight for liberation and its uglier sides, but most of all it encourages me to continue to resist and fight for what is right. 
5/5 stars, absolutely no notes. (Actually, PLEASE check trigger warnings before you read this book. It's a heavy read, but one that should be read in my opinion.) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Abandonment, Torture, Islamophobia, and Sexual assault

lucystolethesky's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, Mental illness, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Death, War, Sexual violence, Rape, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, Violence, Medical trauma, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Genocide, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Vomit, Self harm, Torture, Child abuse, and Rape

Minor: Confinement, Slavery, Trafficking, and Torture

gabriellegoldenhour's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense slow-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Rape, Child death, Confinement, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Police brutality, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Sexual assault, Violence, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Death of parent, Genocide, Hate crime, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War

silversparkles50's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Genocide, Death of parent, Violence, War, and Death

Moderate: Grief, Sexual assault, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Torture, Medical trauma, and Murder

Minor: Vomit

mamaofperfectpayton's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring sad tense medium-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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Genocide, Medical trauma, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Medical content, Murder, Grief, Child death, Violence, and War

rowmama's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

I will think about this book for a long time. I am still processing so many elements of the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Grief, War, Death, Genocide, Death of parent, Violence, and Child death

Moderate: Medical trauma, Vomit, and Police brutality

ceebee86's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This book is the love letter to Syria.

I read this for an AAPI month challenge and I'm so glad I powdered through--not because it was hard for me to be interested, but because the subject matter is quite intense. Yet at the same time it is so wistful and gorgeous. I was extremely stressed reading it, and I was praying so desperately for good things to happen. 

I read a lot of stories with romance but this is the first I've read in a long time where I really genuinely felt love between the two characters coming through the pages.

I thought it was beautiful the way the story is dotted with "what ifs". They were so melancholic and dreamy to read. And though this is about Syria, I do think the themes and stories of the plight of the refugee transcends time and history.

The twist near the end part of the book stunned me. It was set up artfully and I felt myself react quite strongly, as if I was there experiencing the same shock.

Gorgeous book, if you can stomach the content. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Child abuse, Blood, War, Death, Violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Genocide

Moderate: Eating disorder and Pregnancy

leaknezevic's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Violence, Murder, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, War, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Medical content, Blood, and Genocide

crystalmidnightmumslibrary's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-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? No

5.0

Devastating. Amazing. Heartbreaking. Hopeful. Insightful. Such a range of emotions, beautifully written to encapsulate the horrors and the beauty. The most important storytelling. Took me a long time to read as I needed breaks to sit with the emotions stirred. Was praying for a ‘happy’ ending for beloved characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, War, Genocide, and Blood