As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

Reviews

"As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow paints a stunning and often chilling portrait of the Syrian Revolution that will stay close to my heart. Zoulfa Katouh’s driving narrative, beautifully drawn characters, and thoughtful prose bleed across the page. Resilience, loyalty, and bravery intertwine into the backdrop of war and siege, brutality and terror. Teens Salama and Kenan shine with the kind of hope and love that overcomes the greatest fear. Magnificent and moving."—Laura Taylor Namey, New York Times bestselling author of A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow and When We Were Them "Brilliant, beautiful, powerful. As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow will leave a profound mark on your soul, transforming the way you see love, loss, and the human capacity for resilience and hope that soars above all."—S.K. Ali, author of Love from A to Z "As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow left me absolutely breathless. Through unflinching--and at times positively devastating--prose, Katouh paints with her words a beautiful story of home and loss, but also of defiant hope. Her pages hold within them something special, something truly rare. My heart will never be quite the same."—Ayana Gray, New York Times-bestselling author of Beasts of Prey *"Katouh’s lyrical prose, combined with a moving portrayal of first love, unflinchingly depicts both the costs of revolution, and the strength it takes to fight for one’s beliefs."—Publishers Weekly, starred review "We don’t deserve Katouh’s gorgeous words and heartbreaking story, but she has blessed us with it anyway. AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW is not only stunningly written, it’s also an incredibly important work of our time, a book that will no doubt touch millions and leave us all broken and aching for more of Katouh’s writing.”—Jesse Q. Sutanto, bestselling author of Dial A for Aunties "As gorgeous as it is groundbreaking, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow holds many things at once: beauty and ruin; brutality and sweetness; tender love in the midst of shattering violence. Katouh writes with urgency and grace, and while she never shies from the horrors of war, neither does she miss a single note of hope—and there are so many. This book is devastatingly beautiful."—David Arnold, NYT bestselling author of Mosquitoland and The Electric Kingdom “Life-affirming and poignant, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow left me speechless more than once.  As characters, Salama and Kenan leap off the page, and my heart ached for them as they bonded over Miyazaki and dared to love in the face of war-torn reality that Katouh rendered unflinchingly but with a human touch.”—Joan He, New York Times Bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant to Find "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 "Compassionately and unflinchingly told, As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow is both a transcendent love story and a battle cry. Katouh will make you weep with sorrow, rage, and joy—and you will thank her for it. An unforgettable book from a rising star.”—Allison Saft, NYT bestselling author of A Far Wilder Magic. "A searing story of war, loss, family and love, of seeking grace in madness and hope in tragedy, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a phenomenal tale, a piercing keen for the Syria that was and the Syria that is. An absolute must read.”—Sabaa Tahir, #1 NYT bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes "As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow is hauntingly beautiful. Katouh masterfully tells a story that's both painful and captivating, you won't be able to put the book down. Her characters are so achingly real they'll live with you weeks after you've finished reading. The story manages to embrace fear in the time of war, love in spite of loss, and hope in the face of darkness. I cannot stress it enough, this book is a must read."
 —Huda Fahmy author of Huda F Are You? "...readers will linger over the many exquisite sentences in this memorable novel that honors the stories of countless Syrians. Searing in its intensity."—Kirkus Expand reviews