On a routine day when her dad leaves for a trip to earth, what is supposed to be a routine drill becomes a prison break. Foundationally, it is the world and character building essential for readers to connect to and believe in the characters and environment once the chaos begins. Driving home the grip Omnistellar has on not just civilization but those closest to Kenzie, those that are responsible for her blind faith in Sanctuary’s mission provides context. The time Lix takes early on to provide the inner thoughts, beliefs and interactions of those involved in running Sanctuary is crucial. Even if this is at the expense of questioning anything she has been raised to believe. Her parents have ingrained in Kenzie how Omnistellar and the Sanctuary is the lifeblood of current society, her duty as a Junior Guard and becoming an Elite Guard. Kenzie, the main character in Sanctuary has been raised from birth on the value system of Omnistellar and structures of the Sanctuary space prison. Omnistellar has also imprisoned them in the Sanctuary for “crimes” they deemed a threat to the rest of the population. One might equate that to house arrest, but Omnistellar doesn’t believe it to be enough. Omnistellar finds teenagers with enhanced capabilities and embeds a microchip that incapacitates said abilities. Sanctuary is set in the future and premises itself on the Omnistellar corporation, which runs among other things, a space-based prison.

This is to serve as a refresher for those that have read it, or those that are curious, as it came out a year ago- but again- no spoilers. This will be more summary than review- although I do provide my thoughts.

Sanctuary is the first book in the Sanctuary series. What I got was a Sci-Fi book that bends into Horror- BONUS POINTS to author, Caryn Lix.Īlso, how do you not support a teacher? Lix has taught third, fourth and sixth grade for fifteen years. Originally I picked up Sanctuary because it is a rarity among the Young Adult world- a straight Sci-Fi genre that doesn’t bend into fantasy at all.

*Second disclaimer- I guarantee Wordpress will now use that meme instead of the cover of Sanctuary when I post this to Twitter.*

*I’ve not seen Alien nor seen, or read Darkest Minds to have the context when having originally read Sanctuary or since for comparison* I’m starting to feel like Captain America. Second time in two weeks I’ve had to make this kind of disclaimer.

Sanctuary caryn lix series