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A review by kba76
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh
challenging
emotional
informative
inspiring
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
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a story that needs to be shared, embodying hope in the face of terrible adversity and showing the strength of the human spirit.
Salama is only eighteen when life in Syria changes forever. Her father and brother have been missing since they were caught in protests, and her mother was killed in a bombing. Salama, though she was only a student at the start of the troubles, spends her day working at the hospital trying to help those she can.
From the opening pages we are shown a world gripped by fear, a world where violence is a constant threat…and a world where people try their best to find joy in the simple things in life.
One day Salama crosses paths with the boy her mother hoped she would marry. Their courtship is not as they would have hoped, and as teenagers in a war zone they are thrust into situations they should never have to face. Neither Kenan nor Salama want to abandon their beloved country, but sometimes the best choice is to fight for survival…at whatever cost.
Told through Salama’s eyes this was a story that I didn’t want to be reading, but know that it is reality for so many. There were many moments that made me swallow deeply before I could continue reading. At times I felt a gnawing discomfort right in the heart of me. But, throughout, I felt humbled by the resilience and spirit shown by Salama and others like her.
Salama is only eighteen when life in Syria changes forever. Her father and brother have been missing since they were caught in protests, and her mother was killed in a bombing. Salama, though she was only a student at the start of the troubles, spends her day working at the hospital trying to help those she can.
From the opening pages we are shown a world gripped by fear, a world where violence is a constant threat…and a world where people try their best to find joy in the simple things in life.
One day Salama crosses paths with the boy her mother hoped she would marry. Their courtship is not as they would have hoped, and as teenagers in a war zone they are thrust into situations they should never have to face. Neither Kenan nor Salama want to abandon their beloved country, but sometimes the best choice is to fight for survival…at whatever cost.
Told through Salama’s eyes this was a story that I didn’t want to be reading, but know that it is reality for so many. There were many moments that made me swallow deeply before I could continue reading. At times I felt a gnawing discomfort right in the heart of me. But, throughout, I felt humbled by the resilience and spirit shown by Salama and others like her.