Reviews tagging 'Gun violence'

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

167 reviews

witcheep's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad 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

I knew this book was going to become one of my new favourites even before finishing it, and that feeling only grew with every page I turned. Katouh's writing is uniquely beautiful and the story she tells captures the whole spectre of human emotion in a dire situation so breathtakingly well that my heart breaks for it. I can't possibly praise this book enough, everyone needs to read it.

I was especially intiqued by the character of Khawf, a personification of fear and survival instinct, and his existence being rationalized by the main character Salma's medical knowledge. Khawf' and Salama's evolving relationship is a creative and capturing way to picture the process of grief as well as handling the mental strain in a chaotic and unsafe situation.

Never before have I annotatated a book more just for me. This book is full of thoughts that struck a powerful message and left me reflecting them for a long while – and I'm still not done with it. I might return to add some of those thoughts and my favourite quotes to this review when - or if - I manage to pick only a few favourites.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Trafficking, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment

rosinawrites7's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

Clear motivations of characters made the plot satisfying. Descriptive memories really filled out the main characters. For my writing I wanna remember:

link between Layla’s painting and the sea scene at the end was cool. And can I use Khawl’s character for My Friend Anxiety?

 

Twist with Layla was great and never saw it coming

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

amberinpieces's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful sad 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, Death, Genocide, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Gun violence, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

Minor: Sexual assault, Torture, Vomit, and Sexual harassment

stindex's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail

chelsea0694's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Injury/Injury detail

fazington's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail

lightltup's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I love and hate the author for the emotional turmoil she put me through with this book. I was in a constant state of stress until the very last page and I love her for it. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault

msimba's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, and War

dalreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

I loved this book so much. As soon as I picked it up I couldn't put it back down and I ended up finishing it in a day. I cried at the end of this book in a good way. I have so much love for all the characters. The plot twist was so unexpected and so gut-wrenching. This book provided a glimpse at what it would be like as a university student just trying to live her life only to have the entire world turned upside down at the eruption of a civil war. A story about loss, survival, heartbreak, loyalty, love and trying to find a reason to think past tomorrow. LOVE LOVE LOVED this book more than words can ever describe. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, and Death of parent

Moderate: Blood

Minor: Sexual assault and Torture

vanessaslibrary's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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? No

4.0

This book was powerful & heartbreaking, but really, really inspiring. This is a love story set in the middle of the Syrian revolution and just wow. Longer than usual review ahead.

Zoulfa mentioned in her authors note that she went out of her way to make characters that broke stereotypes and she did a great job. It was interesting to read not just about struggles, but about their hopes and dreams. The perspective difference the characters had between revolution and war was also kinda jarring to read about. Imagine feeling so much love and belief in your country and its people that it’s even a question whether or not you flee, that’s a different kind of strength entirely. The points being made about the rest of the world moving on obliviously were sad because it just makes me wonder what else is going on that isn’t making it to mainstream media. All we can do is keep bringing more attention to those issues we do know about like in Palestine, Sudan, and Congo.

This book was so sad and really makes you grateful to live a life where you aren’t worrying about meeting basic needs. This was the rare book where I read the authors note in full and if you read I encourage you to do so too. Life is so scary but honestly the hope people find in the midst of so much hurt is inspiring. I can’t think of a bad thing about this book tbh. The only reason this book got a 4 was because it was a slow start, however, the topic is heavy (make sure to check out CW) so I’m chalking that up to the adjustment.

I highly encourage everyone to check out this book (make sure to doublecheck CW) and then tell a friend to tell a friend.

My favorite quote from the book was the one it ended with: “As long as the lemon trees grow, hope will never die” 🍋 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and War