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nehaanna's review against another edition
- 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
There is no amount of words for the grief this book inspires. I think I started crying when I read the words “I’ll tell God everything,” and I never stopped. Reading this about a month or so after the Assad regime fell in Syria and a few days into a tentative ceasefire in Palestine, I can only think of the war torn, the displaced, the refugees, the asylum seekers, the ones who fled their country of birth for the chance of life. And now they can return home, their hopes have come to fruition. This book is just one of many stories about so many Salama’s, Kenan’s, Layla’s, Hamza’s, Lama’s, Yousuf’s, Dr. Zaid, and so many more. May their hearts be at peace and their souls at rest.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Eating disorder, Sexism, and Sexual harassment
piprigsby's review against another edition
- 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
SPOILERS
i do have to say that i was very worried that the author would not address salama using samar's life as leverage to get away from syria, just because i had it in the back of my mind every time salama and kenan were super happy, but i was satisfied with how salama told kenan, and his reaction of "you have suffered enough" because of what she did changed my life. especially because i totally recognize that she was just trying to lookout for her loved ones, but that she recognized that it was still not a great thing to do.
SPOILERS OVER
i think i'm kind of around a 4.75 just because of the whole holding a child's life hostage, despite knowing that she was doing it for her loved ones and to keep her promise to hamza, and i can't judge her too much because she was forced into a horrible position.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Eating disorder, Torture, Vomit, and Pregnancy
cleverruhs's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Medical content, and Pregnancy
ceebee86's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I read this for an AAPI month challenge and I'm so glad I powdered through--not because it was hard for me to be interested, but because the subject matter is quite intense. Yet at the same time it is so wistful and gorgeous. I was extremely stressed reading it, and I was praying so desperately for good things to happen.
I read a lot of stories with romance but this is the first I've read in a long time where I really genuinely felt love between the two characters coming through the pages.
I thought it was beautiful the way the story is dotted with "what ifs". They were so melancholic and dreamy to read. And though this is about Syria, I do think the themes and stories of the plight of the refugee transcends time and history.
The twist near the end part of the book stunned me. It was set up artfully and I felt myself react quite strongly, as if I was there experiencing the same shock.
Gorgeous book, if you can stomach the content.
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder and Pregnancy
qquuiill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book is very inspiring. From the hardships that Salama faces, you learn through her and other characters like Kenan that life is worth fighting for. You learn to be strong. To have hope. To keep your head up. To love. To smile. To, despite the world against you, persevere and find joy.
Albeit, the book is on a heavy topic so if you don't like reads with themes of war, politics(?), and PTSD, maybe don't read it. It's a great read nonetheless.
The book isn't spicy but the moments between Salama and Kenan are enough to make your heart flutter, kick your legs, and giggle. It's very sweet. Their relationship is honest and pure.
I finished this book in one sitting - I could NOT put it down.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder
Minor: Vomit and Pregnancy
honey_s's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Murder, and War
lenchen25's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Genocide, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
beautifulpaxielreads's review against another edition
- 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 did not know much about Syria beyond what I had seen in news reports. To my great shame, I lumped it in with similarly war-torn Middle Eastern countries like Afghanistan and Iraq. I did not think much of these countries beyond their most recent history, and what life was like there before invasion, conflict, and authoritarian regimes. Reading Lemon Trees, I found myself increasingly embarrassed about my own ignorance, and I will try and do better in future.
Ignorance like mine is what Katouh attempts to remedy in Lemon Trees, as she writes in her author's note:
This novel delves into the human emotion behind the conflict, because we are not numbers. For years Syrians have been tortured, murdered and banished from their country at the hands of a tyrannical regime, and we owe it to them to know their stories.
--Zoulfa Katouh, Author's Note, p. 417, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
The characters of this novel may be fictional - and historical events condensed for storytelling purposes - but the reality of the Syrian people comes through in shockingly vivid colours.
The protagonist of Lemon Trees is seventeen-year-old Salama Kassab. When we meet her, she is working as a doctor in the local hospital, patching up the wounds of people injured in shootings and bombings. Medically, she is only qualified as a pharmacist, but thanks to the war, there are very few actual doctors left, so Salama, and other medical professionals like her, are roped in to help.
Salama is very nearly alone in the world - her mother was killed during a bomb blast, and her father and brother were arrested at a protest and have not been heard of since. The only family Salama has left is her sister-in-law, Layla, and Layla's unborn child. There is also Khawf - but he is only a hallucination, a symptom of the trauma Salama has endured. He shows her visions of her recent past and urges her every day to leave Syria for good - but she refuses, all too aware of the risk she is taking, and so are any of us who have read horror stories in the media about so-called "boat people" and the people smugglers who exploit their desperation.
One day, a young man named Kenan turns up at the hospital, begging for someone to save his younger sister Lama, who is too gravely ill to be moved from her home. Salama agrees to go, and the choice she makes in doing so will change the course of her life.
Katouh writes in a direct, down-to-earth style, and pulls no punches when describing the horror of daily life in the city of Homs, where the bulk of the novel is set. Freedom of speech does not exist - those who attend protests or post videos of them on YouTube face arrest, imprisonment and torture. Bombings are a regular occurrence, leaving many dead and buildings destroyed. Even walking in the street isn't safe, due to sniper attacks.
But in spite of all this, hope, beauty and joy still find ways to survive. Children play in the street, their lives not yet touched by the trauma. Colourful flowers push their way up through cracks in the pavement. Awe-inspiring sunsets seen from rooftops. And art of all kinds. Revolutionary poetry and music, Layla's paintings, or the magical animated films produced by Studio Ghibli, which Salama and Kenan share a passion for (as does Katouh!).
Speaking of passion, there is also a
It also helped that the character of
I think this review has gone on long enough, so I'll end it here. By the way, please, please take note of the trigger warnings below, and take them seriously - Lemon Trees is not a light read by any means.
But it is most certainly an important one.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Torture
Please take these trigger warnings seriously, I have marked them as graphic for a reason.kimveach's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail
lamatics's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Torture, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail