Nida Javeed

As Long as the Lemon Tree Grows is an ode to martyrs, survivors, and those whose lives are suspended between life and death as I write this review. Their dreams and hopes are buried alongside their mangled bodies. But books like this bring them back to us — across oceans and through grey clouds. For the 48 hours I spent with this book, I was transported to Homs — to the bleeding heart of Syria. Every life lost is not just a number. This book reminds us that each one of them had names, families, dreams, and capabilities beyond imagination. Everything the author has tried to convey through this masterpiece has been etched in my heart. "Leaving is not cowardly and staying back is not foolish. We are tethered to our khawf — the fear that haunts and protects us in equal parts."