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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
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Genocide, War, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Death
manyofmae'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
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and War
coffeekitaab's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
🍋
Salama Kassab is a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom break out in Syria. She lives with her parents in her home that she shares with her older brother, Hamza, who dreams of securing residency at the local hospital as a junior doctor.
Now, Salama volunteers at at the same hospital in Homs, treating the wounded who flood through the doors in their masses everyday. Secretly, Salama yearns to escape her beloved country; circumstances have made it unsafe moreso for her best friend and sister-in-law, Layla, and Layla's unborn child.
Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country, leaving behind her home, her family, her history and identity and escaping to a land of strangers, the treatment there unknown, crossing turbulent waters, with no guarantee she will even reach her destination anyway. When she crosses paths with a boy she was meant to meet one fateful day, Salama starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all.
🍋
This was a enormously moving and very difficult book to read but one that is all the same instilled with hope. That's the message that the author wanted to convey. I would urge everyone to read it, checking the trigger warnings beforehand, but it really is important that everyone reads this. I am angered, upset, ashamed and broken. Before reading, I couldn't imagine the experiences and human emotions faced by casualties, victims, orphans, the displaced and survivours of lands torn by conflict, the nature of the world we live in results in a degree of separation but - #LemonTrees comes closest to it. Each page paints a very vivid reality before your eyes. We owe it to them to know their story and urge others to make themselves aware. As much as this is a YA novel, it deals with mature topics with poignancy and is certainly not a tale of fiction.
With respect, the rating is only for the platform otherwise this is beyond a rating and I laud the efforts of #ZoulfaKatouh at writing an impactful, heartfelt and heartbreaking debut.
đź’” " I'll tell God everything"
đź’” "The thing is hearing about the ocean's rage is different from being caught in the middle of the angry waves"
Salama Kassab is a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom break out in Syria. She lives with her parents in her home that she shares with her older brother, Hamza, who dreams of securing residency at the local hospital as a junior doctor.
Now, Salama volunteers at at the same hospital in Homs, treating the wounded who flood through the doors in their masses everyday. Secretly, Salama yearns to escape her beloved country; circumstances have made it unsafe moreso for her best friend and sister-in-law, Layla, and Layla's unborn child.
Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country, leaving behind her home, her family, her history and identity and escaping to a land of strangers, the treatment there unknown, crossing turbulent waters, with no guarantee she will even reach her destination anyway. When she crosses paths with a boy she was meant to meet one fateful day, Salama starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all.
🍋
This was a enormously moving and very difficult book to read but one that is all the same instilled with hope. That's the message that the author wanted to convey. I would urge everyone to read it, checking the trigger warnings beforehand, but it really is important that everyone reads this. I am angered, upset, ashamed and broken. Before reading, I couldn't imagine the experiences and human emotions faced by casualties, victims, orphans, the displaced and survivours of lands torn by conflict, the nature of the world we live in results in a degree of separation but - #LemonTrees comes closest to it. Each page paints a very vivid reality before your eyes. We owe it to them to know their story and urge others to make themselves aware. As much as this is a YA novel, it deals with mature topics with poignancy and is certainly not a tale of fiction.
With respect, the rating is only for the platform otherwise this is beyond a rating and I laud the efforts of #ZoulfaKatouh at writing an impactful, heartfelt and heartbreaking debut.
đź’” " I'll tell God everything"
đź’” "The thing is hearing about the ocean's rage is different from being caught in the middle of the angry waves"
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual assault, Blood, Child death, Death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Police brutality, Sexual harassment, Violence, and War
Minor: Rape
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Gun violence, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Torture and Sexual assault
spicyspookypotato's review against another edition
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical trauma, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Colonisation, War, Sexual harassment, Blood, Rape, Mental illness, Genocide, Violence, Death, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, and Fire/Fire injury
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” 🍋
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, Child death, Medical content, War, Violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, and Murder
ikaryst's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
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 can’t recall the last time I cried over a book. I’ve teared up a couple of times recently, but this was the first time had tears streaming down my face while I struggled to squint at the texts through my blurry vision. This book stole my heart, tore it asunder and then mended it together again — but ultimately, I’m shattered by this read.
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow made me laugh, cry multiple times and shocked my core so tremendously that I feel that I will never be the same again. It’s a heart-wrenching tender story that sparks hope for the future, but it is also a tormenting tale about those forever lost.
No one should have their happiness ripped from their grasp because they want to be free. Whatever they experience, the people that were lost along the way, the tragedies that they have seen — it becomes part of the survivors. The innocents are always the ones who suffer the most. In the media, it’s always about the politics at play, the death toll numbers, and the strategies and approaches the parties involved take. But this book is free from those constrictions.
They aren’t numbers. They’re not just victims. They’re someone’s precious child, lover, friend and family member. They matter.
If you’re hesitant about picking up this book, then I’m here to reassure you that it will be worth your time.
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow made me laugh, cry multiple times and shocked my core so tremendously that I feel that I will never be the same again. It’s a heart-wrenching tender story that sparks hope for the future, but it is also a tormenting tale about those forever lost.
No one should have their happiness ripped from their grasp because they want to be free. Whatever they experience, the people that were lost along the way, the tragedies that they have seen — it becomes part of the survivors. The innocents are always the ones who suffer the most. In the media, it’s always about the politics at play, the death toll numbers, and the strategies and approaches the parties involved take. But this book is free from those constrictions.
They aren’t numbers. They’re not just victims. They’re someone’s precious child, lover, friend and family member. They matter.
If you’re hesitant about picking up this book, then I’m here to reassure you that it will be worth your time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, War, and Blood
Moderate: Mental illness and Torture
elizabethgreads's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
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? No
5.0
This is a heart breaking yet beautiful story. You get to watch the characters make tough decisions as a result of living in Syria during a revolution. The deception of greif was hard to read and masterfully done. For a story that is so heartbreaking it was also filled with so much hope.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, War, Child death, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Medical trauma
Minor: Death of parent
sarah_speaks's review against another edition
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Grief, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Violence, Sexual assault, Genocide, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, War, and Mental illness
Moderate: Torture and Vomit
Minor: Pregnancy and Rape
takahapa's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, Medical trauma, Death, War, and Medical content
Moderate: Blood, Grief, Sexual harassment, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Genocide