Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

88 reviews

maevebm's review against another edition

emotional informative 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

4.0

A heartbreaking look at the Syrian civil war and how it has affected generations. It is YA, so at times it was a bit too cheesy, but well-written

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aimee_aj's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Brilliant. Harrowing. Heartbreaking. This is an important book in highlighting the atrocities occurring in Syria and also the plight of refugees. I strongly advise you to check the trigger warnings.

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nobz_'s review against another edition

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challenging dark 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

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solaria's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

God this book is incredible.

The writing is soooo immersive, beautiful and absolutely devastating. I've never been to Syria, nor do I know a lot about it, but Katouh's writing made it so easy to picture exactly what it's like and the feelings captured within Homs. The absolute devestation war and terror has inflicted upon Salama's people and her homelands. The love they have for Syria and how terrified they are to leave her.

Next we have Khawf, which is honestly one of the best techniques I've seen in a book in a long time. Having a person represent Salama's anxiety and PTSD is so clever, and beats having just general descriptions of what a character is feeling any day. The confusion, second guessing and constant war she was at with herself via Khawf's existence was so immersive and made me sob for her.

And without spoilers....THAT FUCKING PLOT TWIST!!!!!! I was left in shock for a while. I had to reread those lines over and over. It makes me want to reread the book just to see if there were any signs pointing to it. Absolutely jawdropping.

There's more I can say about this book, but honestly I'd recommend reading rather than anyone hearing me talk about it. It's so amazing, easily the best thing I've read this year so far. As always check content warnings beforehand though as there is a lot of potentially triggering content in this book.

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kelly_e's review against another edition

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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? It's complicated

5.0

Title: As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
Author: Zoulfa Katouh
Genre: Young Adult
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: September 13, 2022

T H R E E • W O R D S

Heartbreaking • Haunting • Hopeful

📖 S Y N O P S I S

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.

💭 T H O U G H T S

I'd seen a few people include As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow on their 'best of 2022' lists, so I instantly added it to my TBR. While YA isn't a genre I typically gravitate towards, I did have a sneaky suspicion I'd need to keep the Kleenex box handy with this one, and those suspicions were confirmed.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is so heartbreakingly devastating, making it hard to read at times, yet I felt the rawness of Zoulfa Katouh's love, pain, sorrow, and hope in every single word. Touching on loss, grief, trauma, and finding love in the most unexpected of places/times, it's also a story of hope. Each of the characters found a way to wiggle into my heart, particularly Salama. I felt empathetic for everything she'd endured and has to go through. At various points, I found myself contemplating what I'd do in her situation.

The writing was phenomenal! I just could not believe this is a debut novel, and there's no denying this author's raw talent. While the writing is incredibly accessible, something typical of many YA novels, the emotional depth and realness makes this standout above the rest. The structure is well thought out with several twists I didn't expect. I really wish I'd had the audio to go along with the book, as I know it would have added another layer of emotion.

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is so raw and real that it shattered my heart and healed it time and time again. It opened my eyes to a better understanding of life in war-torn Syria - the reasons people flee, the reasons they choose to stay, and the things people will do for those they love. This is YA at it's absolute finest. There's no denying the incredible writer Zoulfa Katouh is and I'll be keeping an eye out for anything she writes in the future.

If you read one book this year, please let it be this one!

📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• all readers!
• teens
• anyone looking for a strong female protagonist

🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S

"Might. What a word. It holds infinite possibilities of a life that could have been. So many options stacked one on top of the other, like cards waiting for a player to pick and choose."

"Survivor's skin is a remorse we are cursed to wear forever."

"Death is an excellent teacher."

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