Book Report on As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow By Zoulfa Katouh
Book Report on As Long As The Lemon Trees Grow By Zoulfa Katouh
Author : Zoulfa Katouh
Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Year : 2022
Plot Summary
With her medical background, Salama volunteers at a local hospital, where she faces a severe shortage of doctors due to many fleeing or being killed. Each day, she treats victims of bombings and shootings, witnessing the deep suffering within her community. As trauma and pressure mount, Salama begins to hallucinate a figure named Khawf (meaning “fear” in Arabic), who represents her inner conflict between the desire to escape and protect Layla, and the moral responsibility she feels to stay and help others.
Amid the chaos, Salama meets Kenan, a young man determined to document the horrors of war through his phone camera. Their connection gradually grows into a quiet romance that offers a glimpse of hope in the midst of despair. Together, they must face the painful choice between fleeing their homeland or continuing to fight for Syria’s future.
Characters Analysis
- Salama Kassab: The protagonist, who undergoes a transformation from an ordinary student to a medical worker in a war zone. Salama is portrayed as compassionate and dedicated, but internally conflicted between her desire to protect her family and her duty to her country. Her character reflects the resilience and emotional complexity faced by those caught in conflict.
- Khawf: The personification of Salama’s fear and trauma. Khawf acts as a manifestation of her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), highlighting the psychological toll of war and her inner struggle to cope with the brutal reality surrounding her.
- Kenan: A brave young man who uses his phone camera to document the atrocities of war, hoping the outside world will become aware of the suffering in Syria. Kenan represents resistance and hope and becomes a source of emotional support for Salama.
- Layla: Salama’s pregnant sister-in-law, symbolizing new life and the future. Her presence adds urgency to Salama’s decision about whether to stay or seek safety elsewhere.
Setting
- Place Setting: The novel is set in Homs, Syria, during the Syrian Revolution. The city is vividly depicted, contrasting its past beauty with the devastation caused by war. Readers are brought into overwhelmed hospitals, shattered streets, and daily life steeped in fear and uncertainty.
- Time Setting: The events take place during the early stages of the Syrian Revolution, around 2011–2012. This period marks the shift from peaceful protests to full-scale armed conflict, resulting in a deep humanitarian crisis.
- Social Setting: The novel portrays a society divided between supporters of the regime and those seeking change. Civilian solidarity, especially among medical workers and volunteers is a focal point, showing how humanity endures even amidst chaos.
Themes and Symbols
Symbols like the lemon tree represent hope that can grow even amid destruction. The character Khawf deepens the psychological aspect of the story, illustrating that the battlefield exists not only outside but also within oneself.
Book Analysis
- Writing Style: Zoulfa Katouh writes in a poetic and emotional first-person narrative. She delivers vivid descriptions of war and Salama’s inner turmoil. Her language is touching, conveying fear, love, and hope with profound sensitivity. The use of metaphor and hallucinations adds a magical-realist tone that enriches the psychological depth of the story.
- Story Structure: The narrative builds with increasing intensity. The linear plot is interspersed with flashbacks, illustrating Salama’s past trauma and emotional evolution. Though complex, this structure draws readers deeper into the protagonist’s journey.
- Strengths and Weaknesses: The novel’s strength lies in its personal approach to humanitarian and wartime issues. Salama is a deeply human character who helps readers connect to realities often hidden behind news headlines. A potential weakness is the emotional intensity, which may feel overwhelming for some younger readers.
Personal Reflection
Reading As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is not just about enjoying a story, it feels like hearing the quiet cries of a wounded heart that still wants to love. Salama’s story left me speechless many times. A young girl forced to grow up too quickly, faced with the impossible choice of saving lives or saving the only family she has left. That dilemma is not merely a decision, it’s an open wound.What moved me most was how the trauma was not explicitly explained, but deeply felt through Khawf’s haunting presence, the tense silence in the hospital rooms, and the heart-shaking choices Salama had to make. It made me reflect on how often we complain about trivial matters in our safe world, while somewhere else, someone like Salama is struggling to survive in the ruins.
Conclusion and Recommendation