Beyond the Lemon Trees: Bridging Fiction and Reality in the Lives of Syrian Women

“كلُّ ليمونة ستنجب طفلاً ومحال أن ينتهي الليمون

Every lemon will bring forth a child, and the lemons will never die out”

Nizar Qabbani

― Zoulfa Katouh, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow

My mom recommended the book As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow, by Zoulfa Katouh.

I finished it in tears last night, unsure of the state of the world and alarmed by the effects war is having at this very moment on normal people who deserve to live and love.

I was thinking not only of the Syrian war but also of all the other similar genocide wars going on right now.

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Why is the Syrian war still going on after 12 years (?!)

Many complicated elements have contributed to the 12-year duration of the Syrian war. It began as a nonviolent uprising in 2011, due to dissatisfaction with high unemployment, corruption, and limited political freedom.

After the government used lethal force, there were countrywide demonstrations and armed opposition organizations.

Foreign countries were involved, lending backing to various sides, including extremist organizations like ISIS. As the fighting intensified, it resulted in widespread human misery, evictions, and devastation.

The inability to reach a political settlement and the involvement of other international parties have caused the war to linger on.

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Fiction vs. Reality

The book As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow offers a poignant examination of Syrian culture and the struggles that women go through as a result of the ongoing conflict. The contrast with what’s happening in Syria right now has become even more obvious.

After thirteen years of conflict, the Syrian crisis has now reached a breaking point in 2023, with an unprecedented 15.3 million people in need of humanitarian aid. This is one of the hardest times to be a part of the struggle.

Approximately 50% of these shocking figures are women and girls, with 4.2 million of them being of reproductive age.

The dire situation extends beyond the borders, with Syria hosting the largest number of internally displaced people globally, reaching 6.8 million.

An equal number have sought refuge in neighboring countries such as Türkiye, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. The earthquakes that struck Syria in February 2023 further compounded the humanitarian crisis, affecting an additional 9 million people in a region already grappling with an all-time high of humanitarian needs.

While As Long As the Lemon Trees Grow delves into the personal struggles of Salama, an 18-year-old pharmacy student, the UNFPA article sheds light on the broader impact of the conflict on women and girls.

Women and girls in Syria are facing increasingly horrific circumstances as a result of the conflict; they are losing access to basic services and their rights.

There is a worrying rise in child marriage and cyber violence, and gender-based violence is widespread. Discrimination and inequality are still present, which restricts women’s opportunities and puts them at higher risk of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Salama’s mental struggle over whether to remain in Syria or go overseas for safety is explored in the novel, and this connects with the real-life choices that many women and girls in the region have to make.

Recognizing the serious situation, the UNFPA has been working to guarantee that women and girls have access to services that protect them from gender-based violence as well as sexual and reproductive health care.

More than 2 million people received reproductive health care in 2022 alone, and over 815,000 women—including about 290,000 adolescent girls—accessed protective programs.

More than half of the institutions are either closed or just partially operational due to the enormous impact of the conflict on the health sector. Moreover, the departure of health professionals made everything worse.

Thirteen thousand menstruation adolescents, breastfeeding moms, and pregnant women in northwest Syria struggled to get access to basic medical care as a result of the earthquakes.

Pregnant and nursing women are becoming more malnourished, which is a reflection of the widespread hunger that affects over half of the nation.

The UNFPA emphasizes the critical imperative of stepping up the response to the unique and expanding needs of vulnerable women and girls.

In parallel, the book also eloquently depicts the emotional toll that conflict has taken on Salama. In the following section, we are delving even deeper.

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A journey of mental illness and trauma

The novel skillfully weaves together brief moments of happiness with the spectral presence of terror, hallucinations, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

These moments come to pass in Salama’s relationship with an identically aged protester named Kenan in the aftermath of bombs and airstrikes. Amid the rubble, their developing relationship takes on significance as a sign of hope, providing a window into the potential for a new Syria.

I was surprised that the book is categorized as a young adult novel. It is definitely more than that because it combines magical and romantic themes with passages of terrible pain brought on by war. I could feel the depth of all the layers in the narrative.

Moreover, I found it an interesting read that transcends traditional genre boundaries through Katouh’s depiction of romance and fantasy in the context of the war.The story is steeped in Syria’s rich cultural legacy and symbolizes resistance and optimism.

Despite being targeted at young adults, the book fearlessly blends historical details from the war with imagined aspects to provide a fairly accurate picture of the fighting.

Katouh’s perspective as an exile and her personal knowledge and field experience give the narrative authenticity, even though she has lived in Switzerland since the beginning of the conflict.

The author’s journey in crafting the book reflects the emotional toll of the Syrian conflict.

Feeling hopeless amid a flood of tragic headlines, Katouh highlights the significance of standing witness to unique tales within the bewildering statistics.

Her commitment to accuracy led her to extensive research on trauma and mental illness, resulting in well-rounded characters who transcend mere tragedy.

UNFPA plans to finance operations in the crisis area and address the many issues faced by women and girls. The focus is on those who are pregnant and in danger of violence. UNFPA’s application for $182.3 million in 2023 is thus an essential step.

Salama’s interactions in the story provide a moving example of the decisions people have to make in desperate situations, presenting these choices as heroic deeds.

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Wrap up and further thoughts

As I consider the book’s influence, I value its capacity to present a thoughtful and sympathetic viewpoint on the Syrian crisis while challenging readers to consider the real-life tales that lie behind the news.

The parallel storylines of fiction and reality force readers to confront the brutal realities experienced by women and girls in Syria by serving as a sobering reminder of the human stories hidden behind the numbers.

I urge you to read the book yourself and share the message further.

In my opinion, it is a must-read, especially for those who are not affected directly by these events. From my experience, they would also benefit from learning from fiction to connect it to the harsh realities of the world.

The collective conscience of the world needs to address these events in some way. We all need to spread awareness on this topic.

***I originally published this book review on Medium.***

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