AS LONG AS THE LEMON TREES GROW
A love letter to Syria and its people, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a speculative novel set amid the Syrian Revolution, burning with the fires of hope, love, and possibility. Perfect for fans of The Book Thief and Salt to the Sea.
Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager’s life.
Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily.
A love letter to Syria and its people, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a speculative novel set amid the Syrian Revolution, burning with the fires of hope, love, and possibility. Perfect for fans of The Book Thief and Salt to the Sea.
Salama Kassab was a pharmacy student when the cries for freedom broke out in Syria. She still had her parents and her big brother; she still had her home. She had a normal teenager’s life.
Now Salama volunteers at a hospital in Homs, helping the wounded who flood through the doors daily. Secretly, though, she is desperate to find a way out of her beloved country before her sister-in-law, Layla, gives birth. So desperate, that she has manifested a physical embodiment of her fear in the form of her imagined companion, Khawf, who haunts her every move in an effort to keep her safe.
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.
Soon, Salama must learn to see the events around her for what they truly are—not a war, but a revolution—and decide how she, too, will cry for Syria’s freedom.
- Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Hardcover
- September 2022
- 432 Pages
- 9780316351379
Buy the Book
$18.99
About Zoulfa Katouh
Zoulfa Katouh is a Syrian Canadian based in Switzerland. She is currently pursuing her master’s in Drug Sciences and finds Studio Ghibli inspiration in the mountains, lakes, and stars surrounding her. When she’s not talking to herself in the woodland forest, she’s drinking iced coffee, baking aesthetic cookies and cakes, and telling everyone who would listen about how BTS paved the way. Her dream is to get Kim Namjoon to read one of her books. If that happens, she will expire on the spot. As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow is her debut novel.
Praise
“A searing story of war, loss, family, and love. An absolute must read.” —Sabaa Tahir
“A gorgeous, compelling read that you will not be able to put down.” —Samira Ahmed
“An incredibly important work of our time that will no doubt touch millions.” —Jesse Q. Sutanto
“As gorgeous as it is groundbreaking. This book is devastatingly beautiful.” —David Arnold
Discussion Questions
1. Layla says to Salama, “This revolution is about us getting our lives back. It’s not about survival” (p. 11). Do you agree? Why do you think revolutions happen?
2. Layla remarks, “This is not a war, Salama. It’s a revolution” (p. 12). What do you think the difference between the two is?
3. Khawf appeared to Salama after her mother was killed, and he only shows her the horrible things that have happened or that could happen. Why do you think he does that? What does he represent to Salama?
4. Salama is worried that every day could be her last, yet she is reluctant to leave Syria, even knowing it would be better for herself and Layla to leave. What do you believe is keeping her there?
5. How do you feel about Am charging thousands of dollars to desperate people wanting a better life?
6. Salama uses Am’s wounded daughter against him to get passages for herself and Layla on a boat leaving Syria. Do you think that was the right thing for her to do?
7. Hamza makes Salama promise to take care of Layla, even though she is the younger sister. Do you think that was fair to Salama? Do you think it played a part in the break of Salama’s mental health?
8. Kenan was ready to send his siblings out of Syria while he stayed behind. Discuss why you think he would have made that decision.
9. How do you think flowers help Salama find a moment of peace?
10. Kenan takes Salama to see the sunset and says they deserve to see the colors (p. 199). Do you agree that it is important to see beauty even in the pain? Why or why not?
11. Kenan says to Salama, “There are enough people hurting you. Don’t be one of them” (p. 209). What do you think he means? How was Salama hurting herself?
12. Why was it important for Salama to go to the protest with Kenan when she was so close to leaving?
13. Why does Salama struggle to let Layla go after the grocery store shooting?
14. What do you think lemons and lemon trees represent in the story?
15. While the story of Salama is a work of fiction, the story of Syria and her people is very real. Why do you think this story needed to be told?
16. As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a love story at its core. Who do you think it’s a love story to?