Reviews with content warning for Body horror - As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

this book was brilliant - for a couple of reasons.

but i want to get into what i didn't enjoy first, to get it out of the way.
the book was really slow, bordering on boring, especially around the middle part. it felt like i was stuck at fifty percent for an eternity. i never once thought about dnf'ing it, because it was still interesting to read, but the longevity of it just put me off.
i also think you could just really feel that this was a young adult book. the romance was quite romantic, but somtimes so cheesy with the characters always calling each other by their names and saying 'romantic' lines that one could as well find on a teenager's instagram page.

now don't get me wrong, the romance wasn't bad, not at all! quite the opposite, actually. the ghibli references (esp. sheeta and pazu) were really adorable, but you know. cheesy.
i generally enjoyed the characters though and thought they were rather relatable. their dreams felt very real and i liked the diversity of them. i've never read anything about someone wanting to become an animator until now. their might life also left me feel very giddy and it made me root for them a lot, since they're both just such good (not flawless though, which was nice) people.
another thing i really enjoyed was the occasional banter, and khawf, whose sarcastic and sometimes 'funny' personality i liked.

but the romance and all that wasn't the point of the book.
the point was to educate people on what's happening in syria, because as the author states in the author's note, she noticed that very little people actually know what's going on. i think she did a great job combining awareness and information with great storytelling and a sweet romance.

the things that happened in this book were horrible, frightening, traumatic, because they are. this is not a product of the author's imagination. all the characters in the book are real. this is happening. it's not fiction, and katouh tries to convey exactly that.

i learned a lot through this book - about syria, and syrian culture specifically - and this review cannot capture how much impact this book had on me.

i recommend as long as the lemon trees grow to everyone, but especially to those who
... like me, didn't know a lot about syria,
... and to all of those in any situation who need something, a shimmer of hope, to cling to right now.

Content Warnings

ddnreads's review against another edition

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

5.0

Bury me before I bury you.

I'm still incapable of forming the words that captivate my feelings perfectly after reading this book. I don't think my review would ever do the book justice. This is easily the best written story I read this year 😭🍋💛

When I go to heaven, I'll tell God everything.

A book about striving, surviving, loving, and sacrificing. A book about humanity with all its fractured souls and bones. Woven from the bloody Syrian soil, it captured sharply the trauma felt by the innocences, hospital buzzing with new victims everyday, and the inevitable choice between helping or leaving. Staying or trying to be alive.

In a historic city plagued by bombs, life has persisted.

Told through the eyes of a 18yo girl named Salama, the story evolved itself into her daily routine as a pharmacy student turned doctor. Her coping mechanism of losing. Her hallucinations. It was so often torn my heart in pieces. Admist all those, sassy jokes were thrown, an angel disguised doctor, and found a love meant to be. A possibility of new life. And it was blend perfectly.

There are enough people hurting you. Don't be one of them.

Lots of Ghibli references that I don't mind at all. A cute banter. An understanding heart. Halal romance at its best. Siblings love so strong it hurts.

This is a book of hope. It ripped my heart appart and stich it back together. I don't know what else to say than do yourself a favour and read this masterpiece.

Content Warnings

faduma's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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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