SanctuarySanctuary
Score Classic
What it's about
In 1929 Mississippi, college student Temple Drake falls into the hands of the bootlegger Popeye, while lawyer Horace Benbow tries to defend Lee Goodwin, wrongly charged with a murder.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read.
You'll love it if you liked
Light in August
As I Lay Dying
The Sound and the FuryGood to know
It's dark and violent.
By the numbers
- Readers28 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics30 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller4 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #217 of the 260 young adult books we rank
- #843 of the 924 classics we rank
- #2702 of the 3,056 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Thought-provoking
More by William Faulkner
Absalom, Absalom!Light in AugustThe Sound and the FuryAs I Lay DyingIf you like this, read next
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Hobbit
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Black Boy: A Record of Youth and Childhood
The Killer AngelsExplore the best-of lists
All 47 best-of lists →
Young adult booksTop 25 · 260 ranked
Classic booksTop 25 · 924 ranked
Books of the 1930sTop 25 · 59 ranked
Fantasy booksTop 25 · 504 ranked
Mysteries and thrillersTop 25 · 623 ranked
Literary novelsTop 25 · 325 ranked
Pulitzer Prize-winning novelsTop 25 · 63 ranked
Memoirs and biographiesTop 25 · 290 rankedQuick answers
Is Sanctuary worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Guardian's list of 1,000 novels everyone must read. It ranks #2,702 of the 3,056 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 58.1 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Sanctuary about?
In 1929 Mississippi, college student Temple Drake falls into the hands of the bootlegger Popeye, while lawyer Horace Benbow tries to defend Lee Goodwin, wrongly charged with a murder.
How long does it take to read Sanctuary?
About 8 hours (333 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Sanctuary?
If you liked it, try Light in August by William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner or The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner.