“SANCTUARY,” by Jennifer McKissack, Scholastic Press, Sept. 29, 2015, Hardcover, $17.99 (young adult)
I’m a fan of gothic novels — well-written ones, that is. There’s something about a really good gothic novel that draws me in and makes me want to know more. Such is the case with Jennifer McKissack’s “Sanctuary.” Though the story is different, it’s reminiscent of Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca” in tone and pacing with McKissack using tension as a starring player throughout.
Cecilia Cross was born at Sanctuary. It was her home until the accidental death of her sister and grandmother and the committal of her mother. Those events caused her aunt Cecilia to send her away to boarding school. But after the death of her aunt, Cecilia is forced to return to the French-Gothic mansion situated on a remote island off the coast of Maine.
As she returns home, Cecilia finds herself conflicted, drawn to the ocean and grounds she loved as a child but haunted by her family’s tragic past. Cecilia’s uncle makes things even worse, relegating her to the windowless servant’s quarters near the kitchen and growling at her with every meeting.
To make matters worse, Cecilia’s uncle has invited Eli Bauer, a young professor, to not only examine Sanctuary’s library but to acquire it as well. The library is Cecilia’s safe place, her sanctuary within Sanctuary. She wants nothing more than to hate Eli, but she finds herself intrigued by this young man who isn’t afraid to speak up to her uncle. There’s more to Eli than he’s letting on; could he be the one to help her or does he have ulterior motives, as well?
Set in pre-war 1939, there’s a timelessness to “Sanctuary” that is missing in a lot of literature today. The story quite simply wouldn’t work in a setting full of smartphones and self-absorbed teenagers. “Sanctuary” is spine-tingling creepy and completely captivating. It’s a novel I look forward to rereading time and time again
