Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

136 reviews

werdnamich's review against another edition

dark 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? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Child death, Violence, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

Moderate: Sexual assault

cleverruhs'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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Blood, Medical trauma, Death, Child death, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Violence, Rape, and Mental illness

Moderate: Eating disorder, Medical content, and Pregnancy

proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective 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

Salama is 18 and always busy at the hospital. Although she hasn't finished her education, the revolution has forced her to do work she's not ready for. She's promised her brother Hamza to take care of his wife Layla, who's also Salama's best friend. Layla and her unborn child is all she has left, but despite the life-threatening situation they’re in, Salama finds it hard to leave those who need her at the hospital. And even if she decides to flee, survival is not guaranteed. 

This is a sad and tragic story, but beautifully told. The fact that it shows Syria's own history is almost unfathomable, but also very real when faced with pictures of what's happening in G*za every day. My heart breaks, gets mended - and breaks again. 

"We don't have to stop living because we might die. Anyone might die at any given moment, anywhere in the world. We're not an exception. We just see death more regularly than they do."

Alongside all awfulness a love story grows. Maybe because it's a YA novel, but the contrast between love and war makes everything even more clear, and I needed those breathing holes. The author also has a skilled way of showing how PDTS can express itself, and it's a vital part of the story. 

I went through all kinds of emotions while reading, and I needed to take a break and read something else in between. Although it's partly hard to read I wish that many do. It will stay in my mind for a long time. 

"Everyone is dying. Nothing I do works. My brain hurts. I haven't slept well in over a year. I feel like I'm screaming into an abyss that just swallows everything up. Soon enough it will swallow me too."

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Content Warnings

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

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

vajaakirjahylly's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

No words. This was amazing. Sad and not easy to read, but at the same time it was so hopeful and romantic. I wanted to cry too many times. This book will leave a mark on me forever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, War, Mental illness, Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Torture

lindsayst's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Violence, Death of parent, Child death, and Mental illness

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

bkern4's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical trauma, Mental illness, War, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, and Violence