There is so much I cannot say about this book because I do not want to spoil a single second of the reading experience for you. While several of the earlier plot twists seem telegraphed, Amanda Jayatissa is merely lulling jaded crime readers like myself into a false sense of complacency before delivering a series of knockout blows that had me gasping loudly, unable to put down the book till after I’d turned that last, memorable page ... And more than just being a devastatingly twisty thriller, the trenchant insight into being a modern woman—and even more specifically a modern woman navigating the tensions between the liberties taken for granted by Western culture and the more rigid expectations of a post-colonial Asian society—lent a greater depth and force to the badly behaved goings on of the characters here as they schemed and plotted their ways to their goals ... Self-aware, suspenseful and scandalously witty, You’re Invited is one of my favorite reads this year so far.
... brilliant ... A psychological thrill ride that takes place during the fanciest of fancy nuptials, You’re Invited explores class divides, social media scandals and family drama, all through the eyes of a 'crazy' ex-girlfriend who might be the sanest character in the book ... Both Amaya and Kaavi are fascinating characters, foils with a shared history and much more to each than meets the eye. You’re Invited is a thoroughly satisfying and beautifully plotted thriller, featuring characters you won’t soon forget and a head-spinning twist to top it all off.
Jayatissa is a master of the disjointed narrative. Precisely timed revelations give readers the pleasure of feeling as though they are in on the action. All of this is accomplished while simultaneously layering in subtle commentary on Sri Lanka privilege. Unfortunately, skilled storytelling isn’t enough to overcome the novel’s vague plot or the failure to fulfill the expectations built around Amaya’s falling out with Kaavi.
The twists, after they are revealed, may feel a little familiar to readers of thrillers, but the pacing is expert; in the moment, each is surprising and creates a need to recalibrate what is known about these characters. In addition to offering unapologetically strong, vividly imperfect female characters, the novel offers commentary on social privilege in Sri Lanka and on the gaudy, illusion-filled world of social media influencers.
While the perpetrators are powerfully drawn and the social and political tensions in Sri Lanka sensitively suggested, some readers may feel frustrated by Amaya’s coy and often misleading hints about her past and her sudden shift late in the story to psychological health and benevolence. Ruth Ware fans will want to check this out.
