Review: Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa

Island Witch by Amanda Jayatissa
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the Berkley Besties program and Netgalley, I did however end up listening to the final production version of the audiobook.  As always all opinions are my own.

This is a bit of a genre mashup.  It blends folklore, historical fiction, feminism, horror and more all into one package.  Set in 19th century Sri Lanka when the traditional religious practices and beliefs are being overtaken by the  influence of the British Colonizers, Amara and her family are seen as outcasts.  Her father's role as Capuwa was once respected, and his practices are being twisted into something sinister.  Amara is constantly accused of practicing witchcraft, which leaves her frustrated and isolated.  When the men in her village are attacked, her father is immediately the suspect.  Amara knows he would never hurt anyone, but when she begins having odd dreams and waking up in strange places she is determined to sort out what really happened.

I really enjoyed how the author blended the historical colonization of Sri Lanka and the lore into the storyline.  Amara tries to be a dutiful daughter, but her family situation and the loss of her home and traditions have so much to do with what is going on in the storyline.  She is 18, and at times she reads very young as her parents have kept her sheltered, this leads to her being impulsive and irresponsible at times.  There are other times when she is very mature, sticks up for herself and her family because she believes in doing what is right not what is expected and polite.  The build up is slow but it leads to an explosive ending when she discovers what is at the center of the attacks and when she finally embraces her own trauma and unleashes her rage on the world.  Amara's character development is at the center of the story as she comes to learn of betrayal and broken trust.   

Overall, this was an unsettling book.  If you are looking for a slow burn, coming of age, folklore laden novel with a feminine rage horror twist give this a go.  I'd check trigger warnings before picking this up because it mentions some pretty heavy topics and it is pretty dark.

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