Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

89 reviews

jennyshelby's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

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

4.5

"No matter what happens, you remember that this world is more than the agony it contains."

As long a the lemon trees grow, hope will never die.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, Blood, Death of parent, Child death, Death, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Moderate: Murder and Police brutality

Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexism, Rape, Vomit, and Sexual assault

mxcopmy's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful informative fast-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

"These stories really happened, and they are happening right now as you read this" 

This are the harsh words you read in the epilogue at the end of the story. This story touches you through the marrow. Not only because of the horror, but also because of the hope and love.

It is miraculous that this is Katouh's first book, so powerful. This may be a fictional story in the grand scheme of things, but very realistic in the details that take place in each individual story of maimed people. The author also addressed this in her epilogue, that each story is true that she described.

This story follows the life of Salama who is left alone in the war raging in Syria. Her only hope left with her is Layla, who is her sister-in-law. Salama was (or still is!) a 2nd-year pharmacy student who was forced to stop her studies due to the revolution that started. As followed, Salama was forced to be a surgeon at the nearby hospital and fill in for the wounded. Before her baba and brother were send away  by the government army, she made a promise to them that she and Layla were going to flee Syria safely. But now she faces a dilemma... her heart is with saving and helping people, with her country. But also with her promise. Despite the horrific facts, Salama meets Kenan, causing them to grow closer and closer. But also more and more whisper warmth and hope to each other.

This book really caught me off guard. The reason why I was hugely drawn to this book was because I had read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini this summer which had such a big impact on me. That book always sticks out above all other books I have ever read. I bumped into this book and thought "I have to read this". And by golly, it left its rightful emphasis too. In these books, you see the terror that you saw daily on TV between 2011-2014 (which unfortunately doesn't get enough attention anymore, because yes this war is still going on!!!). The stories suddenly make it a rock-hard reality and you also start looking at current war situations at the east through different glasses which always makes me feel moved and get a lump in my throat when I read such news reports. And Katouh's book did the same for me.
I also somehow started this book blind without knowing that a love story was going to turn, which positively surprised me. Through this, Katouh allows the hope of the Syrian people to echo through the words that Salama, Kenan and Layla confide to each other through their love unfolding and friendship. You can figuratively taste the tenderness through the written pages how the bond between them develops. The build-up was also so phenomenal that I myself felt butterflies fluttering in my stomach for Salama's happiness. That's when you know you are truly taken by the story! An important and special nuance here is that this is a halal love story :) .
The plot that also turned in the story I definitely did not expect. My heart ashed after reading it... Every page of this book was also full of suspense. I was on the edge of my seat so many times, cherishing hope for the characters in this book. The suspense really had a hypnotic impact.

What is also important to mention is that there are a lot of reference to PTSD and anxiety disorders which only makes me praise the story even more. I don't think people dwell on contemporary war victims more often that mental problems also rear their heads. As Katouh herself wrote in her epilogue, 

"we are not just numbers as written in the news reports", which I regret I have to agree with. We dwell far too little on what these people have to go through. As a result, unfortunately, a lot of people take advantage of their vulnerability by discriminating them or throwing out racist statements

This story is predestined for people who want to read a war story with an instructive touch. It is also slightly more accessible and less heavy (in my opinion) than Hosseini's books. I hope to read more stories by this writer in the future and especially in general revolution/war stories that are more contemporary (because I do find that I am hugely drawn to this and want to learn more about it).

I will now close with the words of Kenan: 

"There is still colour in this world."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Torture, Violence, War, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

valkyrie1's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

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

Minor: Vomit, Trafficking, Dysphoria, and Xenophobia

jobaji's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

A must read! Absolutely devastating, yet gorgeously poignant. I am still scraping the pieces of my heart from the floor. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, Child death, Gore, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Death, Death of parent, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Cursing

kiwico's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Police brutality, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Mental illness, Sexual assault, War, Gun violence, Blood, Death, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Grief, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Mass/school shootings

soliloquy90's review against another edition

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Medical content, Murder, Death of parent, Blood, Child death, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, War, and Sexual assault

christaleebee90'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? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was beautiful and devastating. 
The fictional account of the Syrian fight for freedom and independence from a murderous and tyrannical regime will hit you in the heart but also remind you how beautiful life is. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Genocide, Islamophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child death, Death of parent, War, Panic attacks/disorders, and Murder

team_mosaic's review against another edition

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? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

ummm???? i would not be shocked if this ends up being one of my all time favourite books by the end of my life. so heartbreaking and gutwrenching but also so hopeful and beautiful. i'm so deeply in love with the characters and the writing and ugh i'd give it 10 stars if i could

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Genocide, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Violence, Torture, Medical content, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Gore, Death, Death of parent, Child death, Child abuse, and Blood

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

ienbdri's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved it. It is a wonderful yet heartbreaking book and I am deeply grateful to have read it. It is an excellent introduction to syria and even though it is so heavy the story is beautiful. 
I considered giving it less then five stars because I wasn't the biggest fan of Khwaf but then again it honestly was a stylistically perfect way to show Salamas' trauma and fears. Also, this book is definitely YA so if you're not a fan of YA books in general, this might not be the best book for you if you want to learn about Syria. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Grief, War, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Gun violence, and Violence

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Torture

alexisgarcia's review against another edition

dark emotional informative 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

this was beautiful but devastating. i fell in love with the characters which only made it more difficult. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Grief, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death of parent, War, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Violence, and Classism