A review by onthesamepage
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh

challenging dark emotional hopeful tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Number of times this book almost made me cry: 3

I loved everything about this. The characters, the story, the writing, the Muslim representation, all of it was just spot on. I was so invested in Salama, Layla, and Kenan, so scared for all of them, and constantly expecting the worst to happen. They had my entire heart. The relationships were all so well-crafted; both the romance between Salama and Kenan, and the friendship/sisterhood between Salama and Layla, were vividly brought to life.

The government was an open wound, haemorrhaging our resources for their own gain with their greed and bribery, and yet we persisted. We held our heads high and planted lemon trees in acts of defiance, praying that when they came for us, it'd be a bullet to the head. Because that was far more merciful than what awaited in the bowels of their prison system.

Salama is an incredibly sympathetic character. She carries the weight of the world on her shoulders, and fear rules her life, literally, in the manifestation of a person who calls himself Khawf. She knows he's not real, that it's all in her head, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. And sometimes, this leads her to questionable decisions, but I always understood exactly what was driving her and could empathize with what she felt she needed to do to survive. I don't know if it's ever really possible to imagine the living conditions of people constantly confronted with violence and death--where every moment could be your last, and the toll that takes on a person. The descriptions were raw and sometimes brutal, as befits the story the author is trying to tell.

Kenan is a total cinnamon roll, and I loved everything about their relationship. Every time he was there to offer comfort or support, my heart melted a little more. The romance is pure and beautiful. Fun fact, Kenan means to cover/to protect (which is definitely what he does), but it can also mean home. Which means Kenan is Salama's home, and that is making my heart so soft I don't know if I can handle it.

Of course, I can't neglect Layla, who was a beam of sunshine throughout this grim tale. Despite everything that happened to her, she was still hopeful and constantly looking for the positive things. Her determination to live her life to the fullest, war be damned, is in stark contrast to Salama barely surviving each day, and I think she, alongside Kenan, brought a necessary balance to Salama and Khawf.

"No. I'm exhausted from all of this. I'm exhausted we're suffocating and no one gives the slightest bit of a damn. I'm exhausted we're not even an afterthought. I'm exhausted we can't even have basic human rights. I'm exhausted, Kenan."

There is hope in this story, but also a lot of justifiable anger at the way the West has collectively turned its back on Syrians and the horrors they are living through. One of the things both Salama and Kenan struggle with is a sense of torn loyalty; should they stay in Syria, even though it might mean their death and the death of those they hold dear? Or should they leave, abandoning the revolution? What does it mean to fight for your country? What do you prioritize, when your safety isn't guaranteed either way, and refugees are often lost at sea? Or when they do land, they're shuffled off to a camp, so people don't have to be confronted with what is happening elsewhere in the world? If this book achieves one thing, I hope it's that it opens people's eyes and makes them realize that Syria still needs our support.

The Muslim representation is very dear to my heart. It mirrors how I practice my faith; the panic at finding yourself without a hijab in a place where you know you should be wearing it, and having that be your first priority, but also the discussions about believing in fate but still taking all the steps necessary to achieve what you want to achieve. And then there were all the small details sprinkled throughout, like an offhand comment Layla makes about praying during rainfall because that's when prayers are answered. I felt completely represented, which is still such a rare feeling.

This book broke my heart, but also managed to heal it, and I can't recommend it enough. 
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