The Bookish Mindset

Overview:

Title: As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
Author: Zoulfa Katouh
Published: September 2022
Genre: Literary
Themes: Loss, Revolution, Immigration

One sentence summary: Layla feels like she can’t leave Syria while she can still be of use in the hospital, but the revolution is getting closer and it’s only a matter of time before she’s left with no choice.

One sentence review: A devastating story of revolution and the hope that can blossom in the darkest of times.

Review:

Salama is living through the Syrian revolution. With most of her family already lost, it’s just her and Layla, her pregnant sister in law and lifelong best friend. There’s also Khawf, but she’s the only one that can see and hear him and she doesn’t exactly want him there either. 

A trained pharmacist turned surgeon in the conflict, she can’t leave while her people still need help. 

What more can I say about this book? 

It’s as beautiful as it is heart breaking. There’s hope and courage amidst the war torn backdrop and the trauma that’s caused Salama. 

The narrative is spun beautifully and despite hearing so many comments from you all about needing tissues, I couldn’t stop myself tearing through this. Hope is spun all the way through and I couldn’t help reaching for it. 

I don’t always collect quotes from books but these definitely stood out. 

“I’ve been force-fed oppression, but I will no longer swallow its bitter taste. No matter what.”

“Here, life shines so strong it washes away doubt”

If you’re like me and hadn’t picked this up for a while but love stories like Wandering Souls and The House of Broken Bricks, then you’ll absolutely love this. 

Have you read this one yet? Let me know if it’s one you’re picking up!

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And don’t forget to check out my other blogs and reviews – you can find books with similar themes in the same folder link below, or click back onto blogs to see the whole offering.

Last updated 27/10/2025