Reviews tagging 'Islamophobia'

As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

17 reviews

rebeccakoury's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

I am absolutely wrecked. I teared up for a bit but then at about 60% I started crying, which turned to sobbing, which turned to covering my eyes and mouth trying to not scream, turned to racing to my husband to get comfort, turned back to reading and crying for the rest of the book.

This story will stay with me forever. I am devastated but I feel honored to have read this story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Gore, and Torture

frenandjen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, War, and Injury/Injury detail

eden_blossom's review against another edition

emotional hopeful 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Blood, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Deportation

jules6469's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

The story of hope, faith, and love in this book makes it worth reading, hard as it may be. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Islamophobia, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Rape

grace_muriithi's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative 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? Yes

5.0

Pro tip: have a box of tissues ready because I BAWLED MY EYES OUT reading this book for the people of Syria, whose story was humanized for me through this book (as I was unaware of the true extent of what is happening in the country). I cried knowing that there are similar things taking place right now in so many other parts of the world, some of which are better known than others. 
Palestine. 
Congo. 
Haiti. 
Tigray. 
Sudan. 
Those are just a few of the ones I know of off the top of my head. 
I felt guilty for knowing that all I can do is read, uplift their voices and donate. 
But also, I felt hope in reading this story. Hope is something that I never want to lose sight of, and dreaming of a better tomorrow and fighting for it is what all oppressed people deserve. Free all those that are victims of Western greed, exploitation and colonialism. This is a novel about the fight for liberation and its uglier sides, but most of all it encourages me to continue to resist and fight for what is right. 
5/5 stars, absolutely no notes. (Actually, PLEASE check trigger warnings before you read this book. It's a heavy read, but one that should be read in my opinion.) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Sexual assault, Torture, Islamophobia, and Abandonment

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. 

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Content Warnings

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

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:

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Islamophobia

libbyyjo's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

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

marissaumble's review against another edition

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

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Content Warnings

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

serena_andherstories's review against another edition

emotional 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

4.5

Gosh, this was such a beautiful and heartbreaking story 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Hate crime, Islamophobia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , War, and Injury/Injury detail