No shade, but this was better than I expected! I read it on a whim because it was mentioned on No Such Thing as a Fish, and really, I thought it was good!

The Sanctuary has made a big splash in the reading world, and it’s clear to see why. As an imaginative dystopian thriller, Andrew Hunter Murray’s book has an incredibly enthralling premise and a good few mysteries that should keep a reader invested throughout their time with the story. I felt there was very little mystery, really, but this is slightly spoilery, I suppose, so don't read on if you don't want any spoilers!

Retailers:

All told, a well written and pleasant read that takes its time to gently take you to where it is going.

Di Filippo, Paul (10 February 2020). "There's no shortage of novels about what happens when the Earth stops spinning. 'The Last Day' may set a new standard". The Washington Post . Retrieved 5 March 2020.Lots of emphasis on the villages vs the city though I still don’t really understand why or what the purpose of the villages are. I get it’s a rich vs poor thing but it doesn’t really make sense. This book took a totally different turn to what I was expecting! Really enjoyable, stayed up late to finish it as the story was so tense towards the end.' Read more Details

I live in London, in a small flat with large bookshelves, and I'm already working away on the next novel idea... The Sanctuary is a dark tale, warning of man’s desire to play god and exploring the impact our actions can have on those around us. My biggest problem was that it didn't capture my attention, so I was mostly bored, which also meant that my attention was drifting (mostly listened to the audiobook - the author did a great job narrating it!). I didn't really like the main character either, and wasn't particularly interested in the mysterious island. First off, Andrew Hunter Murray has certainly created a believable and vivid dystopian sci-fi world. Not only does he tap into the very real fears of our current climate crisis, highlighting how the divide between rich and poor could play out in the future, but he does so in a way that still feels unique. The idea of isolated Villages living in their own bubbles away from the troubles of the world is eerily believable. A remote island, owned by a wealthy philanthropist who is building a brand-new world on the ruins of the old one.The narrator, Benjamin Parr, is an artist living in “the city” (unnamed but I assumed London because of the length of journey he has to make to get to the island where The Sanctuary is set). His fiancée, Cara, goes off on an assignment to work for a mysterious wealthy man who has set up a community on an island, John Pemberley. She does not return, and Benjamin follows his heart (pun intended) and makes his way up there to find out what is going on. Hunter-Murray is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. His writing style is articulate and educated, whilst remaining easy to read (and easy to lose yourself in). Ben is a painter and has just finished work on his latest commission - the portrait of a well-to-do family in one of the hundreds of Villages created by Sir John Pemberley. These are more than merely gated communities, they are the specially built, highly desirable places for those families that have succeeded and who no longer have to live with the mundane people in the rest of the country. They are so much ‘nicer’ and what the wealthy strive for, but they are also somewhat dead as any form of challenge has been specifically excluded. Mind, my main criticism stems from the Richard Osman pull quote on the cover, which calls this a "thriller." This set up a certain expectation about content and especially pacing, which is where the novel let me down. Without that quote, there would have been no expectation and no confusion. But listen, that aside, I see what Murray is trying to do, the questions he's asking his reader to consider, and I respect it. The Sanctuary is one of those books that slowly but relentlessly draws you in. Not a lot happens, and what does happen does so slowly, until the story eventually reaches its climax and end. And it does so very enjoyably.

I found this to be a slow read (but I enjoyed it none the less) up until Ben reaches the island, then it’s full steam ahead This was an addictive read and I loved the dystopian twist, this is a new genre for me and I fully lost myself in this book. Set in a near future UKesque landscape, the last elephant has died (thanx, mankind), and the world is heading more towards the toilet than we believe it to be these days. Society is becoming layered - the wealthy live in secure villages (created by a billionaire developer) where everything is put on, then further out are their upper level helpers (teachers, doctors, professionals), then further still are the blue collar and unskilled workers, all dependent upont the village though. Our main character is Ben, a painter, whose fiancée has been working for millionaire philanthropist John Pemberley at his remote island, known as The Sanctuary. Increasingly concerned at the hold this place seems to have on Cara, Ben takes himself on a journey fraught with danger to make his way to the island. Overall, this was a book that held our attention and we did enjoy it. But, compared to other dystopian works we’ve reviewed such as Hanna Jameson’s The Last, it just didn’t strike the same sort of punch enough for us to say we ‘ loved’ this book.Murray does a very good job of creating his setting. Although it seems the book is set in the future, it's a future that is already very recognisable. Climate change has progressed, though not yet to the worst predictions, and extinctions are becoming more and more commonplace. Although it would appear that the society is well on the way to becoming fully dystopian, it hasn't yet. However, the divide between rich and poor has increased, again quite recognisably, with the ordinary people living in cramped conditions in the overcrowded cities, while the wealthy live in luxury in closed villages outside. Pemberley, Cara's employer, is the creator and owner of most of these villages, and while it's not totally clear, it seems this may be where his wealth comes from. The place is also not specified, but feels very like Britain, with Ben living in what seems like it's probably London, and the Sanctuary being set in the north, probably off the coast of Scotland. So there's a real feeling of familiarity about both time and place, but the differences are enough to produce a sensation of unease caused by the feeling that we’re heading there fast. Ben is looking forward to meeting up with Cara, but she writes to say that she intends to stay on the island, he sets out to find her. We then follow his journey across a blighted land, as the book touches on environmental change, wealth being in the hands of the few, while the many work to service the needs of those in the villages. Ben’s desire to reunite with Cara is harder to understand as their relationship doesn’t seem particularly close or warm. Then, as the novel progresses and secrets are revealed, it was difficult to really know where the author wanted the plot to go.