When I first started reading “As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow” by Zoulfa Katouh, I did not expect to experience such an emotionally draining book.

The innocence of the title masks its dark and complex themes.

The book starts with a vivid and beautifully illustrated description of the main character Salama’s trip from the supermarket to her home. There, her sister-in-law, Layla, heavy in her pregnancy, waits for her. The trip is riddled with crumbling roads, half-destroyed buildings, and the threat of death, imprisonment, and bombing looming over her head. The scenes unfold during the latter part of the Arab Spring.

The Arab Spring was a series of political revolutions that took place during the early 2010s, which initiated the collapse of many authoritarian regimes in the countries of Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. During this time, Syria found itself in a civil war against their authoritarian dictator, Bashar Al-Assad. Due to this political turmoil, the terrorist group Isis was able to spread like a cancer throughout Syria. While some places like Damascus enjoyed relative stability and safety, not all Syrians were so lucky. The Assad government committed unspeakable acts of cruelty against the civilian population. The book takes us to the siege of Homs, a city two hours from the Syrian city of Damascus.

Our character Salama is one of the unlucky ones living in a war-torn area. Although she is a psychiatrist, she has to step in as a surgeon after the other doctors at her hospital are murdered. Even members of the custodial staff step in to become nurses to help run the hospital. Every resource is limited, including the most basic necessities such as bandages. To make matters worse, the bombing is near constant, and the threat of utter annihilation hovers over their heads daily. After Salama’s own home is destroyed in a bombing attack, she is forced to live with Layla in a relatively untouched area — apart from the numerous bullet holes in most buildings. Being six months pregnant, Layla is a target for snipers, and needs to stay inside all day for her own protection. Layla wants to leave for Germany, but Salama feels guilty about leaving a community that desperately needs her.

A figment of Salama’s imagination, Khawf, haunts her daily. Khawf urges her to heed the promise she made to her brother before he died to keep their mother and sister safe, and Salama is tormented by the reality that she could not protect her family in the face of the bombing. As I read, I noticed that the author did not describe Salama’s subconscious manifestation of Khawf in as much detail as other characters. I believe this was intentional, as a way to let our minds complete the picture with our own horrifying visions of Khawf as a harrowing monster.

The main themes of the book include tough decisions and guilt. Salama is pressured by her sister, her own subconscious, and the promise she made to her deceased brother, to leave Syria as fast as possible. But there is no money to leave, and Salama feels a pull to help her struggling community who are left in the destruction and despair of the war.

The setting of the book, in an impoverished, war-torn place, is something I have never known, yet the struggle of persevering in the face of unthinkable odds struck a chord with me. While it would be grotesque to compare my hardships with the characters in this book, I do know the feeling of being overwhelmed with a sense of imminent doom as deadlines creep closer and closer, and finding myself tempted by the prospect of letting them pass and give up. Clearly, this is not like the impending dread of a bomb dropping on my home, but there is a small, humble commonality. Salama’s refusal to give up is a theme we can apply to our daily lives, and her perseverance and courage in the face of unfathomable odds is an inspiration.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the under-reported, war-torn countries of the world, with Syria taking center stage. The book serves as a document, but it also serves as an excellent work of fiction, since the storyline between Khawf and Salama’s own freewill is engaging and fierce. The book describes the unseen battle in Salama’s mind as she struggles with her own guilt and shame, the promises she has made to those who have perished, and the overriding desire to help the community around her. I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5, because this book goes into immense depth by covering all aspects of life during an active, and quite brutal, war. One reason why I did not rate this work a full 5 out of 5 is because much of it can be emotionally intense, and may not be suitable for those who cannot, or do not wish to, handle such a harrowing story.