Anna M., 17As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow by Zoulfa Katouh is a tale about a young woman named Salama Kassab. She was a former pharmacy student in Syria until a revolution tore her city apart uprooting her life and claiming much of her family. Having a strong need to help, she works at the hospital healing innocent people every day while also taking care of her pregnant friend, Layla. Salama has found herself stuck between choosing to stay and fight for her country or to leave in hopes of finding a better life somewhere else. Her decision becomes much easier when she meets a boy who encapsulates her “might” life before the military took control of her city. While all of these hardships happen, Salama also faces Khawf, a hallucination caused by her PTSD, who pushes her will to survive with doubts and fears. As the book begins, the readers are instantly thrown into the despair of the protagonist and her city leaving people wondering how it all got to this. The author of the story has a beautiful way of writing her tales, and while it is elegant Zoulfa does not hold back on describing the gruesome side of war. Twists and turns are everywhere in the story leaving the reader to wonder what is real and not. The main character, Salama, is realistic and has depth to her character because of all the doubt, fear, love, and hope that she showcases throughout the story. There are also many allusions to Studio Ghibli works, which I personally enjoy as a fan of the animation company, adding an excellent contrast between reality and fantasy in the story. I recommend this book to people who enjoy reading stories about fictional historical events without it being sugar coated; however, it is still through a YA lens. Although please be mindful of the trigger warnings. ReferENCE
Anna M. (2022, August). Teen Review. CIN Catalog. (2022). Retrieved from: https://catalog.cin.bywatersolutions.com/ Goodreads [Cover Images, Genre/Themes, and Read-alikes]. (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.goodreads.com/ Overdrive Catalog. (2022). Retrieved from: https://cin.overdrive.com/ Zoulfa Katouh [Author's Official Website]. (2022). Retrieved from: https://www.zoulfakatouh.com/
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