Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

124 reviews

jacss's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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

4.0

To say I enjoyed this book, may be a wrongful description. But I did appreciate it. It is a necessary book; both to make experiences of a war accessible, as well as humanizing people, and possibly especially teens and kids, in wartime. 

Considering accessible entry into a wartime book, I think that the author did a good job. It seems difficult to find middle ground between informing the masses about horrific events in a war, and at the same time creating characters that are lovable. It must be difficult to stay as true as possible to crimes of war, and not scaring off readers. In my opinion, this format works. Most people (maybe again, especially teens) will not likely pick up a history book on these wars. By making it into a wartime fiction, it becomes accessible, without it losing its power as a general source of information. For me, reading it while watching genocidal atrocities unfolding in Palestine, made it especially real. Although different places, and different wars, there are similarities in terms of desparation, and conveyed feeling of being alone. I also have to say that the description of the war crimes in the novel, were expected. It wouldn't feel true without to be honest. They aren't added for shock value; they fit expectations of war. 

The book was written from pov from traumatized child. About other teens and children in a war, having lost everyone. 

Also, I thought that the plot twist was great. I am hardly ever surprised by plot twists, but this one got me.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, War, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Physical abuse

rachelbug's review

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, War, Mental illness, and Violence

Minor: Rape

leaknezevic's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Child death, Violence, Murder, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Death, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, War, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Medical content, Blood, and Genocide

greenlivingaudioworm's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Grief, Murder, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Mental illness, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Violence, Police brutality, Torture, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Blood, Child death, Sexual violence, and War

skye_era_books's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

5.0

I don’t know that I have ever read a book more heart wrenching than this. My heart broke and put itself together again many times throughout this story. And the fact that this is the reality of many Syrians absolutely kills me. I beg that we someday see a Free Syria, Free Palestine, Free Sudan, Free Congo, and all those who are fighting for freedom. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Colonisation, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Murder, Genocide, Child death, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Death, Gun violence, Body horror, Blood, Violence, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Torture, Islamophobia, Mental illness, and Misogyny

behindherpages's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

phenomenal. i truly have no words:

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, War, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Medical content, Sexual assault, Violence, Death, Mental illness, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Islamophobia

ashleereadsbooks692's review

dark emotional hopeful sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Blood, War, Mental illness, Child death, Cursing, Rape, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, and Violence

libbyyjo's review

challenging emotional inspiring reflective 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

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Genocide, Mass/school shootings, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Police brutality, Miscarriage, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Islamophobia, Rape, Torture, Death, Gun violence, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Mental illness, Murder, and War

kdepuy's review

emotional hopeful inspiring sad medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Medical trauma, Child death, Mental illness, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Sexual violence

marissaumble's review

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? No

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Medical content, Murder, Emotional abuse, War, Child death, Genocide, Mental illness, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, and Death of parent