I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

The Castaway and the Witch is a beautifully written novella that is both captivating and haunting from the first page to the last.
The story follows a young nine-year-old girl called Nefele, who washes ashore an island with the body of her deceased father. Clinging to him, she begs him to come back to her, then reluctantly accepts he's not going to. She then comes across a herd of elks who take her to a cave with a hidden tree house filled with all she could need to survive alone on the island. She then realises through reading books and journals that she is to be the new witch and this is now her island for she has arrived on the mythical Floating Forest, an infamous mythical-prison island, and she cannot leave.
The years go by, and she receives the odd visitor who approaches - none with good intentions. We see Nefele grow up and into her powers and the tug of war she has within herself as she discovers who she is, what she can do, and right from wrong.
When Simon washes ashore, Nefele is torn with what to do as emotions ripple through her.
I loved the atmosphere of this book, which was both spooky and beautiful in its own ways. The main elk was also captivating to read about, and I loved the interactions between Nefele and him. The book made me think of Circe in some areas, which is my favourite Greek mythology book.

Review will be posted in Goodreads and Fable

This is a really good book if you want to read a fantasy story in a cozy rainy day.
The story is short so you could read it in one day but the pace is good its not to fast not to slow. The thing that i liked about it is the things that does not say directly but indirectly, there things in the back ground that if you pay attention you start to notice about the story. I really liked this detail. The writing is easy to follow

A haunted fairytale with a twist. 🖤

The Castaway and The Witch- by Ioanna Papadopoulou

🕯️Blurb 🕯️

After her boat capsizes, Nine-year old Nefele is washed up on the Floating Forest, an infamous mythical prison-island, holding onto her father’s corpse and with little chance to survive in the wild. It appears miraculous that a herd of native elks guide her to a tree house, filled with all she needs to survive, as well as plenty of books.
As the years pass, Nefele gradually loses her identity to the secrets of the Floating Forest, but the transition is interrupted by the arrival of a second castaway. Nefele must choose between the witch she wishes to be, straight out of a fairytale, and the real, living person she actually is.

🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️🕯️

A Fairytale..on a Mysterious Island..with Witchcraft 🧙🏼‍♀️

Ioanna has written a captivating story filled with vivid imagery, heart and enchantment.

I was instantly swept away into this deep, and emotional novella. Nefele’s journey reads like a magical, emotional, and enchanting fairytale as she bonds with the elk, and exists seemingly alone in the Floating Forest… that is until the arrival of another castaway.

A masterpiece. Truly.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you so much, to the Author, for allowing me to ARC read this for you.

The Castaway and the Witch’s greatest strength is how surprisingly heartwarming it is despite its premise. I loved the focus on Nefele’s journey of self-discovery beyond the witch’s identity, and the exploration of fairy tales as escapism. I also really enjoyed Simon’s character and how he wasn’t by any means an ideal love interest—he’s as much a prisoner as Nefele, and part of his love for her stems from a desire to escape life’s pain and complexities.

That said, the first half of the novella feels a bit aimless at times, and I would have loved more insight into the other witches’ experiences via the journals. Elements like the elks and even “Auntie” could have benefited from a little more development, since by the time Simon appears, he somewhat overshadows everything else.

All in all, though, it was a beautiful and emotional reading experience! Thanks to NetGalley and the author for the ARC.

Book Review: The Castaway and the Witch by Ioanna Papadopoulou
Provided by: NETGalley/Ghost Orchard Press

This is a reimagining of Circe, Odysseus, and the mythical prison island of Aeaea. While it wasn’t quite what I expected, I still found it an enjoyable and thought-provoking read.


It’s a story that rewards you for reading not only the words on the page but also the meaning between the lines. Papadopoulou weaves in reflections on myth, identity, and the role of fiction in shaping reality.


The book opens with a trigger warning page, though I found the content to be fairly mild. In fact, I often caught myself wishing I could wander the Floating Forest—an eerie yet enchanting prison of sentient animals, treehouses, beaches, and endless books. What more could you ask for?
Though there are dark undertones and haunting imagery, the novel wasn’t as unsettling as I anticipated. At times the pacing lagged, but the ending was stronger than expected and tied things together well.


I ultimately gave this book 4/5 stars. It’s beautifully written, imaginative, and layered with meaning, though I occasionally felt something was missing. That may stem from my own frustration with the FMC’s youthful naivety—but her journey of self-discovery, from the witch she thought she should be to the witch she ultimately becomes, is the heart of the story.

The Castaway and The Witch is a haunting and atmospheric novella that reimagines Greek mythology through the lens of a young girl’s journey toward self-discovery. Nefele, a nine-year-old girl, finds herself stranded on the Floating Forest, a mythical prison island, after a shipwreck. Alone and grieving, she is guided by a herd of elks to a hidden treehouse filled with books and the remnants of a former inhabitant’s life.

Papadopoulou’s prose is lyrical and evocative, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that blurs the lines between reality and myth. The island itself becomes a character, its secrets and enchantments shaping Nefele’s growth and understanding of herself. Themes of identity, isolation, and transformation are explored with depth and sensitivity.

The narrative is rich with symbolism, some of which is layered and subtle, adding to the story’s mystery and depth. It’s a beautifully written, introspective tale that lingers long after the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ghost Orchid Press for the eARC.

This book took me by surprise.

We follow our main FMC, Nefele, who washed up onto the shore of a mystical island as a child. As the years progress, different people come to this island, either by choice or accident. Following in the footsteps of the many women before her, Nefele takes on the role of the evil witch that lives there. Using a lone house filled with diaries of those who lived on the island, she begins learning how to control the magic the island has granted her. She only has her herd of elk and a faceless companion for company. That is, until she comes across a young man.

I could not tell where this was going to go- if there was going to be a dark twist, or death. The magic seemed to be based on ones inner desires and hard to actually control.

The story was interesting and kept me reading. We see Nefele grappling with what she feels she should do and what she actually wants. Her inner turmoil felt so real, and very valid. Included within the current story there are diary entries from the past witches, and even some paragraphs that seem to be from a much older Nefele looking back at the current one. This added layers to what was happening, and kept me wanting to read more.

While I enjoyed most of the story, I wanted there to be more magic and to see her learn more about it and what she can do with it. The ending kind of leaves us wondering what may have happened, but not in a bad way. I really enjoyed the world building and the feeling of there being slight magic at all times, and not knowing what it would do.

Overall, this was a good read, and I loved the originality of the story. If you want to read something that has a steady pace, dreamlike quality, unpredictable magic, and an interesting FMC then this would be great for you.

Thank you to SFWA Netgalley Team for the eARC.

I expected to love this book more than I did. It sounded like it would be right up my alley, but for some reason I just couldn't connect with the characters. I felt like it skimmed the surface of Nefele's development when I wanted to watch her live her days to know how they changed her.

This was my second read by Ioanna Papadopoulou, and I was thrilled to get approved for the eARC! The Castaway and the Witch is a gorgeous little novella that blends the power of stories, the timeless archetype of “The Witch”, and the reminder that even when life feels carved in stone, you can still shape your own path, all wrapped up in a deliciously dark, fairytale-like atmosphere.

I loved watching the FMC grow up, slowly claiming her place and strength through harsh lessons and the consequences of her choices, all so vividly written. The prose is atmospheric and whimsical, something I can never resist. My only real complaint was the ending: I felt like the MMC somewhat derailed the FMC’s arc, and that the romance slightly came across one-sided. Still, Papadopoulou’s writing has me hooked, and I’ll definitely be picking up more from her.

This is a novella that follows nine year old Nefele who gets stranded at a mythical island and grows up alone. It is well written and has a lyrical prose. I also liked that it used symbolic storytelling to bring you into the story and reflect. This book does have trigger warnings, so check those before you dive into this magical world.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this novella. The writing drew me in right from the start and I loved the world that was created. Nefele was a great character and I enjoyed seeing her grow and figure things out. She arrived at the island when she was only 9 years old and knew nothing of the world. That first chapter in the boat with the body of her father was wonderfully written. So heartbreaking and I from there I couldn't wait to see what would happen.

Now there is a bit of a romance in there and if this were marketed as a romance I would say it is not great, but the mystical dreamy quality of the story made me not really care that I didn't really see these two fall in love. I love Auntie and just learning all the things about the island and its inhabitants. A really great read.

This is my first time reading a book from Ioanna Papadopoulou and I have to say it was such a delightful read. Her writing style is simply captivating, I’m a huge sucker for beautiful prose. But I’m more of an aficionado of morally ambiguous themes.

Before I even began reading I immediately made my own assumptions, I was convinced that our castaway was the ML and the Witch was our FL. Needless to say, I’m very pleasantly surprised that it's the other way around although our FL is also a witch. Another thing I really enjoyed was how Ioanna strayed from the typical fluffy fairytale and gave us a more dark toned fairytale. This story was thought-provoking and cathartic, the exploration of morally ambiguous themes and topics was very introspective. On the other hand, this story began as a project of experimental writing, which worked really well for the way this story was told and recounting events and diving deeper into the emotional aspects of Nefele. The diary entries were such an ingenious and raw way to be able to connect with the characters, because that's what diaries are for!

My only issue with the whole entire story was how the ending felt very abrupt. Personally, it felt like we suddenly slammed on the brakes and left a lot of open-ended questions. The only reason I find an issue with it is because I craved more of the story and characters.

All in all, this was a beautifully quiet tale about finding your voice and identity in a world that sets up archetypes and dictates who you should and should not be. This was a refreshing novella to read that provided rich character complexity and enthralling fantasy.

Thank you to Ioanna, Net Galley and Ghost Orchid Press for this E-ARC!

(I received this book from the editor and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

The Castaway and the Witch is what a fairy tale knows a fairy tale should be. Let me explain: Nefele arrives to the shores of a cursed island after the tragic death of his father. There, she befriends an elk and finds a house once owned by a witch.
Because there always needs to be a witch in the island, and now is Nefele’s turn.
Therefore, she knows she is part of the fairy tale, she knows she has a role to play, as had women before her and will have women after her.
This is the story of a character, a very deeply, introspective one. It is the story of someone who has to deal with mistakes, horror and fear and her decision to try to be true to herself even when her role has been chosen by unknown powers.
This is a story for readers of dark fairy tales, for readers who know the rules of the genre.

At first, I didn’t know if I liked this or not (when reading the first 50% of the book). This is a deep character exploration, one that parallels Circe by Madeline Miller, but in a shorter “straight to the point” way.

After finishing, I have decided that this was a very good read. I actually enjoyed this more than Circe. Nefele is a lot of us, convinced we are bad people because of the choices we have had to make. But the guilt that we feel from making those decisions is proof that we are not as bad as we make ourselves out to be.

I resonated with Nefele deeply. I think Ioanna has taken a huge self criticism and put it on paper. I have nothing but praise for this story, thank you for letting me read this.

Ionna’s level of story telling here is amazing. She immersed me in Nefele’s flow of thoughts, and once the world building was established my interest was piqued.

A shorter read than I usually pick up, but let's start with the cover. Magical deer with antlers that just go on and wave in the wind like smoke in a dark forest. Keeping it isolated on an island and storms with survival elements!

Short story, but I usually like really long ones. This one is wonderful with few characters so there is a deep connection to Nefele. The coming of age might take you back to when things were uncertain, diary entries and strong emotions as Nefele adapts and grows up on the mystical prison island.

Such a great fall read for when you want something moody for the season.

thank you netgalley and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) for this ARC!

The Castaway and the Witch is a short novella following Nefele, a young girl washed up on the shores of a mystical island. Alone she uncovers magic and wrestles with self identity, drifting along until her days are interrupted by the arrival of another castaway.

Nefele's magical island is... magical! I found the writing style rich. With enough descriptons of crackling flames and the salty sea to forget that I actually don't know where they are. The entire novella felt like it had been white-roomed, I constantly forgot where Nefele was during conversations or episodes of self reflection. So much of this passed over me in a haze because I kept on forgetting where we were on the island and who was around us.

I did however, enjoy Nefele's character. She is a young girl who raised herself during formative years. Her inner monologue reflects that: the constant back and forth, the tear between wanting Simon to stay or leave, the glamorized memories of a family she's forgetting.

The Castaway and the Witch is a perfect short read for when you want to contemplate the journey of becoming your own self.

Thanks to NetGalley and Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers America (SFWA) for providing me with an eARC.

This was a really well written story. I really liked the way it gave the feeling of being both a greek mythology and a dark fairy tale retelling. The setting was very atmospheric and I liked the way the author brought out Nefele's thought process, especially the retrospective parts. The dynamic between Nefele and Auntie was done well, the emotion palpable. I personally didn't click with Simon's addition to this story that made it a romance. I was kind of hoping for a tragic ending (that's just me though), the build-up was perfect for it. It would have been even better if more of her magic/lore was explained instead of the romance but it's a short book so that's perfectly fine. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a short book with the protagonist coming to terms with her conflicting emotions, set on a remote island.

Ioanna Papadopoulou is a new author to me, and what a lovey book to be introduced to her writing. The writing in this book was so poetic and lyrical that it really helped capture the fairy tale atmosphere.

The Castaway And The Witch is a lovely tale of coming of age, loneliness, and healing with the basis of a fairy tale or myth. As a Greek mythology nerd, the comparison to Calypso and Circe and their mysterious islands kept coming to my mind as I learned more about the island.

As Simon says, "Who wouldn't prefer the simplicity of fairytales, over the complexity of reality?" I really enjoyed joining Nefele on her journey of deciding on being who she thinks she's supposed to be and being who she truly is.

From the very first page, The Castaway and the Witch had me hooked with its eerie, lyrical prose that felt almost like a spell. This novella begins with a young girl being stranded alone on a mysterious island that's brimming with magic. What might sound like the beginning of an adventurous tale unravels into a tragic story steeped in conflict, grief, guilt, and haunting violence.

The atmosphere is wonderfully vivid and unsettling. The magical island is loosely inspired by the mythical island of Aeaea. It comes alive with its strange creatures, enchantments, and secrets, becoming almost a character in its own right at some point. I loved how gothic and dreamlike everything felt, both beautiful and dangerous.

This novella is a reimagining of Circe which made it even more fascinating, and I loved exploring a much darker and ambiguous perspective, regarding this figure from Greek mythology.

The characters are complex and with quite a lot of depth, considering the length of the story. They are morally grey, so I couldn't help but constantly try to guess their motives.
The story reads as a dark fairytale with horror undertones, so everything fits that atmosphere. I have to admit, thought, that I wished we could have more magic shown on page or maybe more action, but please keep in mind this comes from a high fantasy lover, so it's more of a personal preference than anything else.

The Castaway and the Witch is the kind of story you could devour in one sitting, yet I deliberately lingered over it because I didn’t want it to end. If you enjoy gothic fairytales, mythology-inspired stories, and eerie atmospheres that stick with you, this is absolutely worth picking up!

I'm looking forward to reading more stories by Ioanna Papadopoulou

Thank you to the author, Ghost Orchid Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.

"After her boat capsizes, Nine-year old Nefele is washed up on the Floating Forest, an infamous mythical prison-island, holding onto her father's corpse and with little chance to survive in the wild. It appears miraculous that a herd of native elks guide her to a tree house, filled with all she needs to survive, as well as plenty of books.

As the years pass, Nefele gradually loses her identity to the secrets of the Floating Forest, but the transition is interrupted by the arrival of a second castaway. Nefele must choose between the witch she wishes to be, straight out of a fairytale, and the real, living person she actually is.

Inspired by the mythical prison island Aeaea, The Castaway and the Witch combines coming of age and romance with a dream-like storyline filled with symbolism and insight."

That cover speaks to me, invoking cold nights spent reading fairy tales by the fire.