Sanctuary

by Kate De Goldi

Months after a dramatic tragedy has brought her life to a standstill, Catriona Stuart is embarking on a painful search for the truth. The truth about her boyfriend Jerem Jeremiah. About her wayward mother Stella. About her past and why her world fell apart. Suggested level: secondary.

Genres: Young Adult, Fiction

166 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Kate De Goldi is a full-time writer who grew up in Christchurch and now lives in Wellington. Her first book was for adults: called like you, really, it was published under the name Kate Flannery, and gave a series of interlinked short stories about the women in a Catholic family. Since then she has won numerous awards and accolades for her fiction, including the American Express and Katherine Mansfield Awards for short stories, and the overall Children’s Book Award in 1997 for her young adult novel Sanctuary.

In 2000, her novel about adoption, Closed, Stranger won an Honour Award in the New Zealand Post Children and Young Adults' Book Awards, and in 2001, Kate was made an Arts Foundation Laureate. Her book Clubs, illustrated by Jacqui Colley, won the picture book category of the New Zealand Post Children’s and Young Adult Awards in 2005; that year it also won the overall book of the year, and it also gained the Russell Clark Award at the LIANZA Book Awards.

Kate’s most recent novel, The 10PM Question (2008), won Book of the Year and Best Young Adult fiction at the 2009 New Zealand Post Children and Young Adults' Book Awards. It was also runner-up in the Fiction category at the Montana NZ Book Awards 2009, at which it won the Readers' Choice Award. It was a finalist in the LIANZA Children's Book Awards for the Esther Glen Award, and was shortlisted for the Nielson BookData NZ Booksellers' Choice Award.

The 10PM Question has been selected to appear in the prestigious international publication The White Ravens 2009 and with sales of over 14,000 copies the book now wears a Silver Premier NZ Bestseller sticker and remains at No. 1 on the NZ Bestsellers List (week ending 22 August 2009). The rights have been sold to Allen & Unwin Publishers in Australia, and Dutch and German rights have also been sold. It is due to be published in North America later this year.

Kate is also very well known as an astute and energetic book reviewer for radio and television.

Reviews

[Namra · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was SO close to being a 5* book for me. The structure and pacing are excellent... Until the last few chapters. There's so much build and character development, that I felt the crux of the action was rushed through, which left me a bit unsatisfied.

I don't know if this was an editorial decision or not, but an extra two chapters to round out some of the relationships, give more grounding to the events, and allow for it to develop the emotional gravitas that was lacking for me.

That said, this is a really good read. The characters are fascinating and Cat's development through her own emotional trauma is beautifully handled.

[Anne Matheson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! It captures teenage/young person attraction, love and sex perfectly. And it's an unintentional memorial which to pre-earthquake Christchurch and before- too- much climate change Christchurch weather.


Catriona, whose story this is, comes across as inconsiderate but likeable and understandable and smart. Indeed, all the characters are pretty likeable (except perhaps Simeon, by the end) I especially liked the relationship between Cat and her mother Stella who are oniy 17 years apart in age.

There's a lot of caring in this book. Despite the background of tragedy, you finish it feeling hopeful, and uplifted

[Willa Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved this book and it would ALMOST be a 5! It was a bit hard to get into but by the end it had so many interesting points and different things happening! I loved how it kept switching back and forth between what was happening and her telling Miriam all about it. It was just so interesting and gripping all the talk about grief and guilt as well as loss and love. All the characters were so important to the story and I really loved that about it. They all have a special role to play in the story line. Overall a great book and so well structured.

[Leov Grachev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely ADORED this particular read. Kate De Goldi uses multiple techniques in this book that are effective from beginning to end, ESSENTIAL to providing a satisfying climax and ending. At a first read, this book is almost unsatisfactory, though I urge a second read as to understand the author’s purpose for such meticulous detail and the slightly “retarded” (literary term, not the literal definition) plot. Strongly recommend.

[Sara Essa · Rating 2 out of 5]

it was just all over the place, but the plot was very unique

[Nova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though this book is written for teenagers, I really enjoyed it and can appreciate why it won the NZ Post Book Awards in 1997. Cat's story is revealed little by little as she struggles to accept and forgive herself for mistakes and perceived mistakes in her past. This book would be worth 'modernising' i.e. new cover and incorporate the trappings of modern life e.g. cell phones, facebook etc.

[Clodagh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked how it was set in Christchurch and mentioned all these areas I know and have been to. I also liked how it didn't have either a happy or tragic ending.