A brutal, unflinching story of a teenager’s mission to get herself and her younger brother to safety, reminiscent of the perilous journeys of migrants across Latin America attempting to reach the US. One of the authors describes Sanctuary as “a few steps into what if”. Almost everything in this book is either already happening or close to happening. The only difference is today, there is no place considered a sanctuary.

My biggest critique of this book is the premise of California succeeding and becoming a “sanctuary”. It happens in the beginning of the book without much explanation. A flashpoint event happens at the US-Mexico border and a few days later, California has succeeded to become its own country, with no civil conflict between California and the rest of the US or within California? Just like that? It doesn’t make much sense, especially in such a short timeframe. It also seems like wishful thinking to imagine California as a sanctuary given that it has regressive politics like everywhere in the US.

At the heart of it, this book is about Vali’s struggle to survive and keep moving forward. And that I think is realistically portrayed. Despite Sanctuary being a YA book it doesn’t hold back, drawing directly from the horrors migrants experience.

This is an important read, especially in the current political climate. I would suggest to be mindful of triggering content if picking up this book. There is a lot of violence, on-page deaths and implied rape.

I’m interested to read the next book Solis when I’m able to. I found it notable the drones in this book didn’t kill people but captured them to take them to labor camps. The labor camps are expanded upon in Solis.