Reviews tagging 'Trafficking'

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

12 reviews

historyoftape's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I think this book will sit with me for a long time. From Salama, to Layla, to Kenan, Yusuf, Lama, even Khawf-all of them people, beautifully fleshed out, all of them brilliant stars agains the harsh reality that this book portrays. My heart goes out not only to them, but to the whole of Syria. To the men, women & children for whom this is not merely a story, but an echo of their own life. 

As long as the lemon trees grow, hope will never die. This book has planted a seedling in my heart, and I am willing to see it grow.

-------------------------------

Now that it's been a few days, I'm ready to go into more detail on why I liked this so much. The characters all had strengths and flaws, grew and developed. There was no sugarcoating of what it means to live in a war zone.

the romance was cute & not annoying. The hallucinations were well written and believable.The twist with Layla was completely believable,but also I did not see it coming at all.

 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Death, Murder, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, War, Violence, Death of parent, Blood, Child death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Vomit, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Mental illness

Moderate: Torture

Minor: Pregnancy and Trafficking

This book is about the reality of living in a war zone. There is no sugarcoating what that means, and does to people. But that's why I think reading it is so important.

mald626's review

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Blood, and Pregnancy

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, Trafficking, and Xenophobia

witcheep's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring 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? Yes

5.0

I knew this book was going to become one of my new favourites even before finishing it, and that feeling only grew with every page I turned. Katouh's writing is uniquely beautiful and the story she tells captures the whole spectre of human emotion in a dire situation so breathtakingly well that my heart breaks for it. I can't possibly praise this book enough, everyone needs to read it.

I was especially intiqued by the character of Khawf, a personification of fear and survival instinct, and his existence being rationalized by the main character Salma's medical knowledge. Khawf' and Salama's evolving relationship is a creative and capturing way to picture the process of grief as well as handling the mental strain in a chaotic and unsafe situation.

Never before have I annotatated a book more just for me. This book is full of thoughts that struck a powerful message and left me reflecting them for a long while – and I'm still not done with it. I might return to add some of those thoughts and my favourite quotes to this review when - or if - I manage to pick only a few favourites.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Violence, Child death, and Blood

Moderate: Mental illness, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Minor: Sexual harassment, Trafficking, Torture, Death of parent, Rape, and Sexual assault

stindex's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Rape, Torture, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Blood, Child death, Genocide, Police brutality, Murder, Misogyny, Mental illness, Medical content, Death, Emotional abuse, War, Violence, and Trafficking

superstar_y2k's review

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Child death, Blood, and Death

Moderate: War, Torture, and Sexual assault

Minor: Trafficking and Vomit

haleyisamess's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad

• 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 book was on my TBR for a long time and I was so excited to finally get around to it. It was even better than I thought it would be and the book just got better and better.  Katouh did an amazing job educating and engaging her audience. The twist made my jaw drop and I found myself so incredibly attached to the characters.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Rape, Child death, Violence, Police brutality, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, Medical content, Gun violence, War, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Blood

Minor: Grief, Miscarriage, Genocide, Torture, Death of parent, Misogyny, Vomit, Pregnancy, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Trafficking, Panic attacks/disorders, and Suicidal thoughts

breadwitchery's review

emotional reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Murder, Death of parent, War, Medical trauma, Blood, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Death, and Child death

Moderate: Sexual harassment

Minor: Pregnancy, Trafficking, and Torture

sophiamoonlight's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful 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: Child death, Death of parent, Trafficking, Death, Violence, Sexual assault, and Murder

lenchen25's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, War, Violence, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Death of parent, Child death, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Genocide, Death, Child abuse, Trafficking, Torture, Slavery, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Rape, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Fire/Fire injury, and Eating disorder

valkyrie1's review

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

---

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