As long as the lemon trees grow by Zoulfa Katouh is a must-read book about the effect of the ongoing Syrian civil war on its people. Although fictional, the book is a heart throbbing first person account heavily based on true stories about people all over Syria.  

As long as the lemon trees grow tells the story of Salama who, before the civil war broke out, was a pharmacy student in Syria. Since the war, her family has been torn apart and she has no one left in the world apart from her best friend/sister-in-law, Layla. Throughout the story Salama fights for her and Layla's safety but knows that it may never be enough. 

The book heavily focuses on how Salama responds to all her trauma. This includes Khawf, a demon like hallucination who her brain has conjured up to help force her to find herself safety. Despite her hard exterior, Salama is falling to pieces inside and later in the book she finally accepts that she must leave Syria to survive. 

Zoulfa Katouh is the first Syrian writer to be published in both the UK and USA. She is Syrian Canadian but currently lives in Switzerland and (like her protagonist) is a pharmacist. As long as the lemon trees grow was her debut novel, published September of last year.  

Katouh first got the idea for this book when she was in Switzerland when she realised no one truly knew what was happening in Syria. All people knew were the facts and figures, but she wanted to give a voice to the people in Syria and let the world know the emotional impact the civil war is having to all those who live/lived in the country.  

Number one New York Times bestselling author, Sabaa Tahir calls as long as the lemon trees grown “An absolute must read” and once you have read it you will not be able to not agree. 

If there is one book you need to read this year, this is it. Though this book is bound to bring you to tears, it is fuelled by hope and will give you a real insight into what was and is still happening in Syria. And most importantly how this is affecting people on a personal level, away from the numbers.