We are so thrilled to present to you… the ‘As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow’ Exclusive Mortal Edition, brought to you in collaboration with @bloomsburypublishing and @thelemonwitch_! You’re wearing this!” she had announced after pulling me to my room, rolling out her azure- blue kaftan. It was a rich fabric that glided smoothly over my arms. The hemline was stitched in gold, as was the belt at the waist, where it flowed from the sides like a waterfall. The color reminded me of the sea made from rain in Spirited Away. Magical, that is. The story takes place in Homs, which was a purposeful decision on the part of Katouh. “Homs is known as the birthplace of the Syrian Revolution. I wanted to pay an homage to that city,” she says. Wrenching and lyrical, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow heralds a stunning new voice in young adult literature. This heartbreakingly beautiful novel challenges the reader to open their hearts and minds to the ongoing revolution in Syria against a ruthless dictator--one who has taken too many lives and forced nearly 13 million Syrians to flee their homeland. Zoulfa Katouh reminds us of the awesome power of love, hope, and tenacity even in the most desperate circumstances. A gorgeous, compelling read that you will not be able to put down." - Samira Ahmed, New York Times bestselling author of Internment

Setiap hari Salama membantu para korban luka yang membanjiri pintu-pintu rumah sakit. Rutinitas ini membuat Salama terlihat bak mayat hidup yang tak punya sisa binar kehidupan. Keadaannya pun semakin parah karena ia terus dihantui oleh Khwaf. Sebuah eksistensi yang hanya bisa ia lihat dan secara terus menerus memperlihatkan gambaran-gambaran mengerikan tentang masa depannya jika ia tidak meninggalkan Suriah. i felt everything while reading this, i felt all the difficult decisions they had to make, all the pain they had to endure, and all the love they gave each other.At the same time, the author tries to destroy the stereotypes that seem to constantly be associated with the Muslim culture: her heroines are free and brave and unafraid to express themselves and dream big while also, yes, they wear hijabs. Because guess what? Wearing a hijab doesn't stop them from being free to express themselves. Salama is struggling with her decision to stay in Syria and fight for her people or leave the country she loves and save her family, all while managing her rapidly deteriorating mental health in the face of unbelievable atrocities. Is there romance in As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow? Lemon trees is everything. It’s grief and anguish, but it’s also hope and love. It’s a story about survival, about stealing these moments of joy when the world threatens to bury you. As an Arab, I was already aware of the crisis in Syria. This book still shook me to my core, to be reading about the horrors that the Syrian people have experienced. To read this book with no prior knowledge? This is exactly the kind of book that shatters our bubbles of safety and comfort when there are others suffering in the world. the sweetest character. he made a million studio ghibli movies <3 he teaches you to fight for what you believe in, to fight for your country and your people. but he also teaches you that love for your family can overpower the love for your country and to not feel guilty about it because you can carry the love with you wherever you go.

I've been waiting for this book since the day it was announced, you can imagine how much my expectations have built up, so when I got an arc I was both excited and scared it won't live up to my extremely high expectations, but I was also like "I have never cried reading a book, so I don't think I'll cry" hihi she has no idea she's gonna be sobbing by chapter 5 But even with Khawf pressing her to leave, Salama is torn between her loyalty to her country and her conviction to survive. Salama must contend with bullets and bombs, military assaults, and her shifting sense of morality before she might finally breathe free. And when she crosses paths with the boy she was supposed to meet one fateful day, she starts to doubt her resolve in leaving home at all. I think of this book as a love letter to syria. An apology from all the people who left syria. It’s a promise that everything will be alright as long as the lemon trees never dies :'( this is a promise that freedom will be there at the end as long as they keep fighting. This book is so powerful, heartbreaking and utterly beautiful. It also shows u that it’s not easy for people to leave their homeland and abounding their people. it’s a feat worthy of respect. Becoming a refugee is a strength all of its own. I really don't know if you get what I mean but I've never read historical fiction with Muslim rep before and it's just so powerfulOne of my only criticisms of As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow is that it’s classified as a young-adult book. This, to me… is a tough sell as a YA book, and I would give an As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow age rating at 16+ at least. It has a lot of trigger warnings: death, war, graphic child murder, sexual assault, extremely dense PTSD, and psychological conversations. Maybe kids are just tougher these days than I was as a young adult, and I think it is essential for youth to be aware of what’s going on in the world, but it is pretty heavy for a YA book, in my opinion. It seems Kenan is set on staying and continuing the revolution. Meanwhile, Salama must find the fee to pay for a passage out of Homs. Could Layla and she get to Germany? Really? To the safety she promised Hamza? Then again, might meeting with Kenan be a sign of hope, of something better? Or is there anything better out there when everything seems to have been destroyed? Salama battles with her inner demon, her Khawf, frantic and wearied. What should she do?