Reviews

Setting: Dystopian UK
Rep: n/a

I wasn't sure about this one when I started it as despite being set in the future, the language was weirdly dated - the narrative style felt old fashioned, which was kind of jarring. If a narrative could have sepia tone, this one did. But it did grow on me and I kept reading, intrigued to know what was going on. A lot of reviews rave about how intelligent it is - I disagree with that, it didn't feel remarkably intelligent, especially compared to the works of writers like Janice Hallett, and I think people are mostly saying that because the author works on QI. However it was a solid read that kept me engaged.

averydistractedreader's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Permanently eerie, you’re never quite at ease. It’s like walking into your own house and someone’s moved all the furniture half an inch; it’s not something you notice, but it somehow makes you feel like something is wrong or off.

adam_penny's review

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adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

read_by_katherine's review against another edition

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4.0

Ben arrives on the island of Sanctuary Rock in search of his fiancée Cara and is soon enthralled with the way of life that the residents have created there. When he decides to stay it becomes clear that secrets are being kept and he may be in danger.

The Sanctuary has an original concept that made for a completely captivating read.

I thought that this book was incredibly well-written, especially the dialogue between the characters. I loved how you could get a real sense of each character's personality through the conversations that they had.

I found the island setting so mysterious and unsettling. The twists and turns made the plot feel unpredictable and I couldn't wait to see what would happen.

A highly enjoyable book like no other I've read before.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.