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Island Witch

Amanda Jayatissa

Start date: September 1, 2025

Finish date: October 1, 2025

Discussion: Scary(ish) Book of the Month

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Scary(ish) Book of the Month

* Nominations for November's Scaryish BotM
By Netanella · 10 posts · 14 views

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* Island Witch (Scary-ish BotM - Sept. 2025)
By Netanella · 14 posts · 19 views

last updated Sep 02, 2025 12:57PM

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What Members Thought

Aug 04, 2025 Netanella rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: library, worlds-beyond-the-margins, 2025-wbtm-author-speed-date, 2025-august-reading-challenges, worlds

"Someday, she might understand. But even if she didn't, that was alright. I didn't need understanding. I needed revenge."

This was an awesome little story of female rage and revenge set in 1880's Sri Lanka, known as Ceylon at the time. I really did not expect to like it as much as I did by the end of the novel. At first, I found the main character, 18-year-old Amara, to be naïve and slightly annoying. A little dense at times, to be honest. But as the story progressed, and the mystery of the attac "Someday, she might understand. But even if she didn't, that was alright. I didn't need understanding. I needed revenge."

This was an awesome little story of female rage and revenge set in 1880's Sri Lanka, known as Ceylon at the time. I really did not expect to like it as much as I did by the end of the novel. At first, I found the main character, 18-year-old Amara, to be naïve and slightly annoying. A little dense at times, to be honest. But as the story progressed, and the mystery of the attacks in the jungle, and her family's role in the supernatural events, progressed, I was enthralled and really didn't want to put the book down. I was cheering on Amara, even as I knew that (view spoiler)

Wow. Some big words I used there.

I believe the other reason I really enjoyed this book is that the author's love and appreciation of her Sri Lankan heritage shines through. The novel is replete with the language, culture and customs of this tear-drop shaped island south-east of the Indian peninsula. Author Jayatissa simply immerses the reader into this setting, employing a straightforward narrative that respected my intelligence by not talking down to me, but also teaching me a thing or two. I liked that during certain scenes, the dialogue was written in Sinhala (using the Latin alphabet), and then translated into English. It made me feel more immersed into the narration, in a way.

Amara is the child of the village Capuwa, the local spiritualist who provides blessings and communes with the spirits of the island. At the same time, the island has been occupied by a series of Western colonizers, first the Portuguese, then the Dutch, and most recently the British, bringing in their Western values of Christianity, patriarchy, and capitalism. Ultimately, I think, the book speaks not only to the origin of a legendary Sri Lankan ghost, the Mohini, but also to colonialism and female empowerment.

Kudos to the author! This was a wonderful book. ...more

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