Abandonment

One of the overarching themes of Sanctum is abandonment and guilt. The lead character, Lela Santos, has essentially been abandoned her entire life, first by her mother and then by a long series of foster parents. In some cases, the parents had no choice in the matter – some moved out of state, for example – but the effect on a young person was the same and Lela reacted as one might expect – by shutting down her emotions and refusing to let anyone get close to her. This changes dramatically when she meets Nadia and finds a real friend in her, causing her entire life to turn around and bring things like the prospect of college that Lela never dreamed could be part of her future. Nadia, too, has been abandoned in a sense because while her mother is still in her life and her home, she is...