Description

About the Book:

As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a powerful and poignant story of love, sacrifice, and the enduring human spirit, set against the backdrop of one of the most devastating conflicts of our time.

Salama Kassab’s life was forever changed when the cries for freedom echoed through the streets of Syria. Once a pharmacy student with a bright future, Salama now finds herself volunteering in a hospital in Homs, where she tends to the endless stream of wounded citizens. The war has taken her parents and her brother, leaving her with only her sister-in-law, Layla, who is soon to give birth.

Despite her unwavering dedication to her patients, Salama is secretly desperate to escape the war-torn country. Her fear and anxiety manifest in the form of Khawf, an imagined companion who constantly urges her to flee for safety. Caught between her loyalty to her homeland and her instinct to survive, Salama faces a heart-wrenching dilemma.

As she navigates the harrowing realities of military assaults, moral conflicts, and the ever-present danger of bombs and bullets, Salama’s resolve is tested further when she encounters a boy she was destined to meet on a fateful day. This unexpected meeting forces her to reconsider her plans and her sense of duty.

Through her journey, Salama begins to see the conflict not just as a war, but as a revolution—a fight for Syria’s freedom. She must decide whether to stay and support the cause she believes in or leave to protect the future of her family.

• Language: English
• Author: Zoulfa Katouh
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 464
• ISBN: 9781526648549
• GoodReads