Zoulfa Katouh's "As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow" is a stunning story set during the Syrian revolution that gives Sri Lankan readers a deep look at how strong the human spirit can be in the face of terrible war. This heartbreaking yet hopeful book follows Salama Kassab, a pharmacy student who becomes a hospital volunteer, as she tries to find a way to escape the horrors of war with her pregnant sister-in-law. Sri Lankan readers may relate to the story's themes of bravery, survival, and making tough choices because they know how conflict can change lives and what it means to rebuild.
Katouh's excellent writing comes to life the sights, smells, and feelings of a country ripped apart. It also touches on universal issues of family ties and the yearning for peace that go beyond cultural boundaries. This work gives Sri Lankan readers both a historical perspective and an emotional truth that they can relate to. It tells stories of people who have been through hard times and come out stronger. The lemon trees are a strong sign of optimism and continuity. They are a metaphor for anyone who has seen their homeland change through hard times but yet finds beauty in what is left.
This first novel effectively blends the harshness of war with moments of connection that are so sweet that Sri Lankan book fans will remember them long after they finish reading. Readers will be drawn into a novel that eventually honors the incredible fortitude of ordinary individuals struggling to keep their humanity while everything around them wants to destroy it. Salama faces both external threats and her own internal suffering.
Quote
"As long as the lemon trees grow, as long as their branches are heavy with fruit, Syria lives."
Reviews
A heartbreaking but beautiful picture of how people in Syria stayed strong during the war that made me cry and hope. Katouh writes with brutal honesty and deep compassion, making people so genuine that I felt like I knew them. A great first book that I will never forget.
About the Author
Zoulfa Katouh is a pharmacist and writer from Syria and Canada. Her Syrian ethnicity has a big impact on her writing. She was born in Switzerland, speaks four languages, and has lived in many different countries. Her first book is based on her own experiences in Syria and her love of crafting stories that make the lives of people touched by war more real.
Product Details
Author: Zoulfa Katouh
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Language: English
Binding: Hardcover
Pages: 416
