I think Jayatissa should write more horror because this book is incredible.

Sri Lanka is a small island in the Indian Ocean that is about 432 km long and 224 km wide. Due to its location near India, their cultures have influenced each other. Amanda Jayatissa demonstrates this close relationship in Island Witch with the commentary about Buddhism and Hinduism. This story also shows the impact of British colonization on Sri Lanka.

› Although there are big themes like colonization, religion, superstition, and women's rights, Island Witch doesn't feel preachy. It's a dark, tense, and emotional book about a young woman discovering the truth about herself, her family, her friends, and her town.
› The cover for Island Witch is eye-catching. It exudes a mysterious, gothic jungle vibe. Perfect for this thrilling horror novel set in 19th-century Sri Lanka.

› First Line: "The demon-drums started and the little girl's face contorted like a blood-soaked rag being twisted dry."

› The story begins with Amara's father, Thaththa, performing an exorcism on a little girl possessed by a yakku (demon). Amara is eighteen years old. Her father is a Capuwa, a demon-priest. Amara has been accompanying her father since she was a young girl, but now that she's older her mother, Amma, doesn't feel it's appropriate and thinks Amara needs to focus on finding a husband.

› Raam is Amara's secret boyfriend. They've been secretly seeing each other for two years and cannot reveal their relationship until they are engaged. Raam keeps delaying the engagement saying it's not the right time. Amara wishes she could talk to her long-time friend Neha about it, but they had a falling out when Neha became good friends with British teenagers who bully Amara.
› British colonization has caused some of the townspeople to shun Thaththa's work, however, they still call upon him for help. They call Amara a witch - "a new term brought over by the British".

"Even though the number of families converting to Christianity had continued to grow on our island since the invasion of the British, our Sinhalese traditions had coexisted harmoniously till now."

› Amara has been sleepwalking. Waking up on the beach or in the jungle without recollection of how she got there. Her mother has been making her drink a tonic every morning - what is it for?

› Thaththa gave Amara a suray, a talisman that she wears around her neck, to protect her. "It was meant to protect me, but I never understood from what."
›  Amara encounters Heen Achchi. Four feet tall, with white hair, two teeth, and white-glazed eyes, the townspeople have long forgotten Heen Achchi's real name. Amara's father told her that Heen Achchi can look into other worlds. She tells Amara that there is darkness surrounding her and warns her to be careful.

› Something has been attacking men in the jungle and some people accuse Amara's family. Determined to find out who is responsible for the attacks, Amara teams up with Bhagya - a young girl she met in the jungle - to clear her father's name.

"Shame had permeated me for as long as I could remember. It was planted by the nuns at school, and cultivated by the girls in class. It only grew as I got older, even as I started to understand that I didn't have anything to be shameful for."

› Who is responsible for the attacks? Will Thaththa be arrested for the attacks? Is he attacking people? What do Amara's dreams mean? Why is Amara sleepwalking? What is the tonic for? Why does her father think she needs protection? Why are her parents being secretive?
› The character name meanings are accurate and even a little spoilery so I'll let you look that up yourself. The characters are well-developed. Raam gives me the ick. "It'll be nice to have something to remember you by. To remind me that you're mine." Ew.

› I love the descriptions and world-building. The atmosphere is dark and emotional. You can tell this was well-researched and Jayatissa effectively weaves the folklore into a powerful and unique story.

› There is commentary about unwed pregnancy and how that can ruin a woman's life, yet it doesn't affect men the same way. Even the way they treat women once they start menstruation is degrading. When a woman has her first period (known as Kili) she is forced to segregate for two weeks, staying in a small hut alone because women are believed to be unclean.
› The writing is high-quality with great readability and believable dialogue. The inclusion of other languages immerses the reader into the culture. The point of view puts you in Amara's shoes and you feel just as confused as she does. Jayatissa shines when writing horror:

"She took a step closer to me, her limbs like spider legs, her body clicking and disjointed as she moved."

› I loved the beginning, the middle is a little slow, and I didn't like the ending. But that doesn't affect how I feel about the book. There isn't a lot of fluff, every sentence is moving the plot forward. Horror book tropes are all here: evil, open windows and doors, strange nightmares, inclement weather, a mysterious neighbour, and feelings of being watched.

› I didn't want to put this down. I think the message is unique and Jayatissa succeeded in writing a dark feminist horror story. I didn't see any plot holes.
› Final Thoughts
• Women have been afraid to walk alone at night for centuries. It's about time men knew how that felt. Island Witch is an unforgettable, terrifying and poignant book about colonization, class inequality, sexism, family dynamics, superstition, betrayal, and revenge. It reminded me of Monstrilio and I can definitely see the influences from The Exorcist and Carrie.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you’ve ever been curious about Sri Lanka or simply love learning about complex tapestries of far away places through pages of fiction, you will want to pick up Island Witch. This beautifully told coming of age story, with mixed in elements of folklore & horror, had me mesmerized and absolutely emotionally invested every step of the way.

Amara’s village and its practices have changed considerably with British Colonization. Her father’s once respected role of Capuwa (demon-priest) is now being judged through the lens of the church. In light of recent mysterious violent attacks in the jungle, the entire family is faced with judgement and scrutiny. Add in the mix Amara’s confusing dreams and the stage is set for this memorable tale.

I loved the elements of supernatural and how they were used to bring to surface many complex topics explored in this book - ideas of identity, belonging, family, friendship, love. My heart ached for Amara and her sense of loneliness and very basic human desire to belong. I also appreciated how the language was incorporated into the story (and really appreciated translation following immediately, made for a smooth reading experience).

Even if you’re not a big fan of horror or not typically a horror read, I’d still recommend Island Witch. It was such an impactful story, centered around a memorable main character and I’ll be hard pressed to forget it any time soon!

Aside from some pacing issues in the middle, I really loved this one. I think the Gothic meets Sri Lankan folklore inspiration worked so well in this horror mystery. Atmosphere was great, imagery was vivid, and I really liked the themes explored. All around, a great first outing for me with this author - looking forward to more!

This was my first novel by Amanda Jayatissa and I’m looking forward to checking out her backlist and what’s more to come! What first caught my eye was ISLAND WITCH’S cover… I briefly skimmed the synopsis and immediately requested.

This one was a mashup of Supernatural Horror & Historical Fiction. It gave me Vampires of Del Norte vibes. Inspired by a Sri Lankan folklore. A slow burn that feels fresh and unique and was worth the pay off.

I always ask myself how a gruesome book can be so beautifully written but Jayatissa nailed it. The eerie gothic atmosphere of 19th century Sri Lanka was beyond bewitching… a place I would love to read more about. I listened to the audio which was perfection! I felt Amara come to life as well as the setting.

Thank you Berkley and PRHaudio!

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I think that Island Witch might be my first foray into long-form Sri Lankan fiction (tbh, I am not 100% on that - I know for sure I've read some Sri Lankan short horrors, but that's all that's immediately coming to mind). And I loved every moment of it. Jayatissa has woven a beautiful tapestry of gothic horror, historical fiction, and folklore here. I could have read about every moment of Amara's life and felt good about it. She is such a relatable, delightful character. I developed a much better understanding of her than I feel I could have reasonably expected in under 400 pages. She's certainly not perfect, in fact she's every bit as flawed as you would expect any young person to be.

Jayatissa manages to create so much atmosphere within these pages that it's going to blow your mind. She describes Sri Lanka so beautifully that you'll feel like you're standing right there watching Amara's story play out in real time. Like, I wanted to live here - big bad monster possibly lurking in jungle or not.

That is not to say that everything you'll find in Island Witch is going to be the beautiful type of atmospheric. That's definitely not the case. She also creates an extremely tense atmosphere. A village on the verge of violence against their own. She also explores themes of misogyny, religious zealotry, colonialism, bigotry and intolerance. There is a palpable feeling of escalating panic among the villagers.

Island Witch is full of some of the most engrossing prose I've encountered in a long time. Amanda Jayatissa is not an author I was familiar with prior to reading Island Witch, but she is definitely one I will be seeking out in the future. She has a fantastic ability to draw a reader in and refuse to let them go.

*Note: per the publisher's book blitz schedule, this review will go live on my website on Feb. 20, 2024*

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Amanda Jayatissa is a new-to-me author, but I was drawn to the premise of Island Witch. While I didn’t entirely know what to expect, I was immediately drawn into the blend of Sri Lankan history and folklore, with a fantastical, horrific, and even Gothic bent. I know very little about Sri Lanka, but I know a bit about the region generally and how they were impacted by colonialism, and that aspect is seen in action here, with the people slowly becoming more Christianized and abandoning their older spiritual practices.
Amara, as the daughter of the demon-priest, is a solid focal point for this story, due to them collectively being shunned due to their beliefs not being “godly.” Her father also becomes an easy scapegoat when mysterious deaths start happening. The additional layer of her mother treating her with suspicion after Amara started having ominous dreams.
Lush and atmospheric, the book definitely moves at a slower pace. I was a tad discombobulated at first, unsure of what I was getting into, but as I got into it, I soon became engrossed. The mystery was compelling and kept me on the edge of my seat guessing.
/This was an engaging read, and I’ll definitely read more from Amanda Jayatissa in the future. If you enjoy multicultural Gothic horror, a la some of the books by Silvia Moreno-Garcia or Isabel Cañas, I’d recommend checking this out!

Whoa...I have never read a book quit like this one and I absolutely loved it. It is unique, engaging, and downright terrifying. Amanda Jayatissa knows how to write about Sri Lankan folklore at its best. Drawing you into the small island town, where the British colonizers have set their roots. These roots twisting and turning, causing upheaval in the people's way of lives. Especially for Amara's family. Her father once a well-respected and sought out Capuwa or demon priest. Is now believed to be a demon worshipper. Amara's friends have turned away from her and call her a witch. All due to the British and how you must conform to their religious beliefs. Anything slightly different then their own is looked down upon. Her father is still sought out quietly, when the peoples need arises. If someone is possessed, something needs to be done.

The book begins with an exorcism and it takes off from there. There have been numerous horrifyingly gruesome attacks. All men and they all take place in the jungle. Of course, Amara's father is targeted as the doing the attacking. The question is why? Amara needs to know what is going on. She has been having horrible dreams and finds herself sleepwalking into the jungle. The one place she feels the most at home, but is at the time the most dangerous. She feels like someone is always watching her, that prickling feeling on the back of her neck, always present. She is determined to set the record straight no matter what happens.

This book took possession over me as I ripped through it. I needed to know what was going to happen and the mystery behind who and why they were getting attacked. The descriptions and details were spot on. Thank you to Amanda Jayatissa and Berkley Publishing for my gifted copy of this phenomenal read.

This book is filled with dark themes, supernatural elements, and lots of mythical folklore. I loved the richness of the culture, the language, and the landscape. Learning about different cultures is always so intriguing to me.

The whole novel is unsettling. The themes are deep, and my heart broke over and over for Amara. Her naivete and her love for her father clouded her judgment over and over. I think the way Jayatissa used folklore to help bring light to the tragedies that women fear and go through from the basically the beginning of their lives, was very raw. This is different than her other novels which I think shows her strengths as a writer. Oh, and this cover is absolutely fabulous!

Thank you to @netgalley for my advance copy!

Slow build with a gorgeous finale. Angry women - and I am totally here for it!
Amara lives on a small island - indigenous and colonists. The historical culture slowly disappears as the indigenous understand conversion means more money, opportunities for their children, social standing, etc. Amara's best friend abandoned her - likely due to family pressures.
Amara's dad is the cures his people of demons, provides protection spells and rites. He trained her to take over the family tradition - until something happened. Something Amara does not remember. And her parents keep hidden.
A dark, bitter angry spirit is killing local men - men who harm women. Somehow Amara must solve the mystery - hauntings invade her dreams, gory images of torn men.

This historical fiction horror book is a true gem that combines genres into a captivating and chilling tale.
Amara is the daughter of a demon priest. After several brutal attacks on men, people are blaming and pointing fingers at him. Amara’s parents have been treating her differently after she fell ill a few weeks ago and after these attacks she wants to get to the bottom of the mystery.
I love the atmospheric feel with the jungles and the slow burn to uncover the terrifying truth.
Amanda Jayatissa's masterful storytelling and ability to seamlessly blend genres make this book a must read.

This book contains dark elements and triggers so be sure to check the warnings.

Amara is the daughter of the village Capuwa, demon priest. The village once loved him, but since the British’s attempt to colonize the island, things have taken a turn. Now they only rarely call on him.

Someone is attacking men in the jungle, but instead of turning to Amara’s father, they are accusing him.

As Amara works to clear her father’s name, she finds herself haunted by dreams that are predicting the dark forces on the island. She also can’t seem to shake the feeling that this is all tied to the night she was ill.

I love horror and I love historical fiction. So, I was very excited to dive into this one. I was captivated from the get-go. The prologue sucked me in, and I was on the edge of my seat. This book did have strong gothic vibes, and the pacing to match, so it was on the slow side. The book was very interesting, but the middle was a little tough as the pacing was so slow. The middle wasn’t so slow that I wanted to give up, I just found my mind drifting a little at times and I was able to put the book down. Towards the end of the book the pacing really picked up and I was flying through the pages. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. I loved it so much! This story was so complex and beautifully done, and I really enjoyed it.

The story was very creepy and kept me guessing. I loved the different historical elements that were interwoven throughout the book. The folklore and supernatural elements really shined and were forefront and center as well. I love learning about different cultural folklore, so this was rather interesting to me. This was such a fun way to learn.

I found the characters to be well thought out and developed. I really felt for Amara and my heart ached for her. The way her own mother treated her was so sad, even though as the story went on I did understand why her mom did this, I didn’t agree with it.

The author thanked someone at the end for helping her get certain historical elements correct, and I think that research really shined throughout the story. I always love it when authors put effort into getting their historical fiction works historically accurate.

If you are looking for a unique and suspenseful horror / historical fiction novel, then check this one out.

Do be aware that this book does strongly focus on violence against women, and has some gory moments, this could be unsettling to some.

Thank you to the publisher Berkley Publishing, @berkleypub, and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This review will be published on my blog, speedreadstagram.com on publication day.

I really enjoyed this story. It was creepy and atmospheric, as well as historical which was super interesting to read about. The themes in this book were important and explored well, and the characters and plot were compelling. I liked the way this book didn't shy away from heavier topics, and also covered some history of Sri Lanka (a place I didn't know much about at all). Overall, I loved this and I really hope to order physical copies for my branch because I definitely know some patrons who will love this book, too.

Island Witch is a creepy, bordering on horror. Set in 19th-Century Sri Lanka, it centers on 18-year-old Amara. Lately certain men of her village have been attacked. Amara has been having nightmares about the attacks. Her mother and father are also treating her differently. She decides to investigate the attacks herself with the aid of a newcomer to her village. What she discovers will upend her world.

I loved the gothic atmosphere and the slow, steady, scary unrolling of what is actually happening (and what actually happened in the past). It's important to note that there is a focus on violence against women in the book, along with the supernatural terror. It's also gory, but that violence is all perpetrated upon men. The book is powerful and unsettling. Recommended, but know what you're getting into.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

This book offers a refreshing spin on gothic horror with the right amount of social commentary, all within a historical setting. I liked how Amanda Jayatissa took the time with the world building and slowly submerged you into the depths of a nightmare.
Amara is a Sinhalese teenager who has spent years being called Witch by the other girls at the missionary school. The Christians have arrived in Sri Lanka with the British, and they are dead set on converting the savages from the old gods to the new. Most of Amara’s school mates’ families have converted to get better jobs and higher standings in society, but Amara’s family still survives on the old ways. Amara’s father is a demon priest and makes his living on blessing houses and expelling demons that have found human hosts. Work is getting harder for him to come by, and a series of attacks on men on the island have the community believing that her father has called forth a demon to punish the good Christians of the island. With things getting harder for her family and the risk of her father being arrested for crimes he didn’t commit rising; Amara decides to figure out the truth. As Amara digs around in the darkness for answers, she finds a truth more horrifying than she can imagine.
Despite all the dark undertones of the story, I enjoyed learning about the history of Sri Lanka though the course of this novel. Based on my past years reading I think I might have a “thing” for folkloric horror that slams colonizers. Like, “Yes, old gods! Destroy their evil corruption” and Island Witch takes it one step further and has some “down with the patriarchy” themes as well. Having an 18-year-old protagonist did give the book a young adult feel, but the subject matter is adult (please check trigger warnings before reading). The writing is top notch, and the story seems to flow perfectly across the pages. I was able to predict what was going to happen a little bit, but I don’t think that detracted from my enjoyment. I recommend this book for fans of historical fiction who maybe want to try to dip their toes into something spooky.

Being the daughter of the village Capuwa, or demon-priest, Amara is used to keeping mostly to herself. The British Colonizers have turned against them, but still need them when something supernatural happens. When something big and supernatural comes, will she and her family survive or will the whole thing implode?

⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙎𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙣 19𝙩𝙝 𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙎𝙧𝙞 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙖 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙡𝙤𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙠𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙙𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙣-𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨𝙩—𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙪𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛—𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙯𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙡 𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙜𝙚.

Let me start off by saying this book is quite disturbing and has some dark themes I wasn’t expecting. If you’re wary of triggers, I would be cautious going into this one.

I read You’re Invited by this author last year and thought it was mediocre, however, this one just sounded so good - and I’m obsessed with the cover. I liked the concept of the book and had such high hopes, unfortunately, it just felt like a middle-of-the-road book… but honestly, I think it’s the writing that threw me off so I’m sure others will love this a lot more than I did.

I enjoyed the uniqueness of this book with the culture and folklore. I wasn’t expecting it to have darker themes, it was tough to read at times. Some of these characters were awful people - not that it affected my overall thoughts.

The story is full of Sri Lankan folklore and culture, which I thought was beautifully told. I loved the gothic vibes and supernatural elements scattered throughout the book.

The book definitely starts on an engaging note with a man being attacked in the jungle by some sort of supernatural entity. It immediately pulled me in, but I lost interest as the story went on. Again, there are some dark topics addressed so keep that in mind.

Overall, I loved the idea behind this book and Amara’s character, but the story as a whole just felt mediocre. It’s definitely a darker horror with supernatural elements, but the culture in this was fantastic.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

If you want a unique and exquisitely written horror novel, this is the one you've been looking for. I enjoyed the creativity of the writing and the inclusion of a culture I wasn't familiar with prior to reading.

Part way in I hit a lull and the story began to feel redundant causing my interest to wane, but it found its way back eventually and I had to see where the book would go in the end. Some portions were absolutely chilling and I know horror readers will appreciate this one. There are trigger warnings for rape and abuse and some gruesome portions. It's definitely not a happy book, but one rooted in female fury and revenge.

3.5/5 stars

Many thanks to a Netgalley for the complimentary ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Amanda Jayatissa’a previous books and I was excited for this one. However, it’s more of a slow burn than I enjoy. It reminded me of Mexican Gothic, in the way it meandered through the exposition without setting up the conflict to drive the action.

I DNFd at 20% because the story felt stalled out and I didn’t feel any affinity for the main character.

This book, unfortunately, was not for me. It just moved FAR to slowly. It was right up my alley in theory, as I love a good feminist gothic tale, but this just didn't pick up until the 80% mark. I don't want to spend 80% of a book being bored out of my mind only for things to get good in the last 20%. I was desperately interested in the Mohini myth, that this seems to be a retelling of, but the majority of the book is spent watching Amara deal with internal struggles in a repetitive and predictable manner. There were NO twists that I didn't see coming (except MAYBE the identity of the woman in Heen's shack) - I knew from the very beginning who the demoness in the woods was going to end up being. I just felt like this was an utter disappointment to me. I wanted there to be more than the predictable and repetitive.

Trigger warnings: mention of rape, questionable consent, spouse abuse, abuse of a teen at the hands of her family, kidnapping, forced medical procedures (without the consent of the one being treated).

Amara’s life is hard. Her mother seems to despise her and her father, a man who drives demons out of those possessed, has grown more and more distant. She has no friends, the boy she loves has numerous excuses for why their relationship cannot be acknowledged, and, oh yes, the word around their village is that she is a witch. Her life seems to be getting worse and it was never a picnic.
When men from the village start getting attacked, the blame falls on her father. The more Amara tries to figure out what is really going on, the worse her waking and sleeping hours become. Why does she have such awful and vivid dreams and why does everyone want her to be something she’s not.
The first chapter hooked me, but then I found it rather slow going until I hit the 30% mark. At that point it grabbed me yet again, and honestly that ending was, well rather unforgettable. Being a woman, Amara is supposed to bow down to her elders, and all men. I wound up feeling so so sad for her and the dread that surrounded her and what was happening in her village was creepy and horrifying. I definitely did not anticipate how it ended.