As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

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Book Review:

 


It is hard to believe that “As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow” is a debut novel. Author Zoulfa Katouh pulls out all the emotional stops in this heart-wrenching, yet hopeful story set in the Syrian Revolution of 2011. Her writing is gripping, lyrical, raw, and fresh. Honestly, this is not usually my kind of book, but Katouh had me hooked right away and held my attention to the last word. I was impressed!

The story follows Salama, an eighteen-year-old pharmacy student whose world is shattered by violence and death. She has lost her family and her future to the revolution. Now she must piece together a life out of the shards that are left. Struggling to keep her sanity and her hope intact, she dodges her way through chaos in a tenuous search for love, and a life worth living. I’ll give no spoilers except to say that the reader is rewarded at the end of this roller coaster ride with a happy ending – and believe me, by the time you get to the last few pages you really need it.

Recommendation: well worth the read for anyone interested in stories of love and courage, amidst the horrors of war. I loved it!!


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