Very atmospheric and gripping from the first page. I really liked reading the testimonials from different characters, and hearing stories set across different time periods. It felt very sinister as I turned each page and crept closer to the old soul. I’m not sure if I loved the ending, so maybe 3.75 for me. The dip into something speculative yet poetic felt ungrounded from the very gritty feeling of the novel.

The writing in this book was beautiful and heady, and kept me turning the page and losing time. The characters were intricate and well-crafted, and I could not predict where the plot went. Excellent.

Most of this book was great. Great story and plot line, the different POV's wasn't confusing and overall, it was a great read. Where it fell short was not punctuating the dialogue. I had to re-read parts because it got confusing at times. Punctuation is there for a reason, use it!

I’m not sure what I was expecting from this story, but I don’t think it was this. I was way more invested than I anticipated being, given the story structure and the mostly absence of a singular protagonist. The novel is dark and contemplative, a painful memory infused with equal parts love and fear, and it is remarkably effective.

The first thing to mention is the writing style and narrative structure. As the jacket copy mentions, you have a strange woman doing whatever she needs to stay alive, and you have Jake who is crisscrossing the world interviewing the loved ones of the bodies that seem to be in her wake. For most of the story we alternate between shorter chapters that are following the woman in the present day and longer chapters that are “testimonies,” interviews/memories of people whose lives have ben touched by her. While the woman does become our central character we don’t spend a lot of time with her, and while Jake is ostensibly the character doing the investigations he is largely absent from these testimonies, he is just witness to them. So, we meet a wide array of engaging, painfully realized characters, but they come and get. They have their vignette, their moment to shine, and we move on. As someone who is deeply invested in character this did keep me at arm’s length. The characters were all incredibly well-realized, none felt boring or simple, none were just occupying space, but the story didn’t revolve around any of them. There are some characters we spend more time with, especially the final testimony which is more than double the length of the other ones, and we do get to live within their lives a little more completely, but in the end the various characters aren’t the story. The woman is at the center of the story, and while we learn a lot about her she is also an enigma, we learn about her from others’ experiences of her. And yet, even though my devotion to character did keep this story at arm’s length, the writing and pacing, and the exploration of what it means to find happiness amidst our mortality, pulled me in close.

With each testimony, each vignette, we had a new world to explore, a different time, a different place. The individuality of the various panoply of characters worked to define the worlds they lived in, whether it be Japan, western Europe, or New Mexico. The writing is skillful and precise, fusing character and time and place in a way that feels comfortable, lets the reader sink into each new chapter, each new testimony, with ease. These are punctuated by the ongoing storyline, the one where we don’t know the outcome, where there is danger and mystery and every time we are pulled back to the present we are reminded of the very real dangers this woman carries with her, and it does a great job of keeping you invested. Additionally, there are no grammatical indications of dialogue, no quotation marks demarcating speech from exposition, and while it never gets in the way of clearly understanding any given scene it does evoke a slippery, almost dream-like experience.

The story manages to combine the expected with surprises in a way that kept me turning pages. If character growth and development is the most important aspect of a book for you then this might be a little light for you, since it does jump from vignette to vignette, even though everything coalesces into an unexpected conclusion. Yet the writing and story are really engaging, and the variety of characters we meet all feel valuable. What would you do to survive, and what would you do to avenge the memory of a loved one wronged? Is love more powerful than survival instincts? This dark story has all these questions and more seething under the surface, boils waiting to be lanced.

I want to thank the author, the publisher Penguin Publishing Group | G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley, who provided a complimentary eARC for review. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

She leaves misery, destruction, and confusion in her wake. The friends and family of her victims are haunted by her, ruing the day she came into their lives. Susan Barker’s intense new novel, Old Soul, is a kaleidoscope of emotions. We follow a few of those friends and family as they piece together what happened to their loved ones years and decades earlier and, more importantly, who it was who took such passionate artists away from them.

It’s a marvel that any of these people scattered in her wake ever figured out that there was someone (something?) out there responsible for their losses. Jake and Mariko met entirely by chance when they both miss their plane. When they talk, they learn that they both lost a loved one in bizarre circumstances. It’s the details—complaints about swapped organs, a mysterious woman who later vanished—that clue them in. Without those details, the deaths could be dismissed as drug addiction and overdose or a mental breakdown that turned deadly. The strange death of Mariko’s brother leads Jake to another person, then another, and another, who had a friend or relative die after meeting and falling under the sway of an unknown woman. Without those details, the deaths could be dismissed as drug addiction and overdose or a mental breakdown that turned deadly.

Jake’s investigation is interwoven with the testimonies of other people who lost someone to the woman Jake knows as Marion. We also meet Marion herself, though she is going by yet another name now, as she coaxes a young would-be influencer deeper into the New Mexico desert. If the testimonies weren’t enough to convince us that Jake is right and that Marion is a very dangerous person, the woman’s chapters definitely will. Her chapters slowly reveal the mystery at the heart of her actions, a mystery that has kept her young and unchanging for decades (as far as Jake knows).

I wish Old Soul had come into my hands in October as it is one of the most harrowing books I’ve read; it would’ve been a perfect Halloween read. It also has something that I crave in fiction: originality. Old Soul has elements of horror and psychological thriller and historical fiction, blended together like nothing I’ve seen before. Because it defies genre, I had no idea where Barker was taking me. I raced through the pages, following clues along with Jake. I had no outside knowledge to pull on to get ahead of Jake or predict how the book would end. Old Soul left me breathless, as if I’d been literally running along with Jake, instead of just metaphorically. This book is absolutely outstanding.

This was a really interesting one. It felt a little like reading an A24 movie as it dealt with some really highbrow ideas and felt very artsy for a horror novel. I love A24 movies, but I was skeptical that this would work for me in printed form. But I have to say that I enjoyed this one. It was really different and left me thinking about it constantly. This is such an original concept and one that the more I thought about it, the more chilling the premise was.

I loved the idea of this woman who meets people, inherently changes them from the inside, and then moves on. This was so chilling, particularly with those who outwardly presented their change with features on their right side flipping to the left. Although this is a slower burn, the testimonials of all of the survivors of those affected by this woman are heartbreaking and so beautifully descriptive that I didn’t want to put this down. The ultimate deaths of these people were quite graphic and horrific. What I really loved is that you as the reader also become enthralled with this woman that is destroying lives as you try to figure out her motivations and who she is. She felt like a spectre haunting the story throughout.

The present day timeline is just as interesting, and the way it all ties together is so beautifully done as the testimonials catch up to the enigmatic woman who is after her next victim. I truly wasn’t expecting the explanation behind it, but I thought it was tied together so elegantly. There is also a kind of gothic romance thrown in which is really interesting and also adds to the mystery that I loved.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this read and can’t wait for more people to read it when it releases in January! I think particularly if you are a fan of gothic fiction or more slower-burn horror, this one is a must read. For those that take the time to really sit with this one, it is such a rewarding read.

A unique and haunting tale told partly through a series of recollected encounters with a mysterious European woman that span over two centuries. This is a hard story to summarize and is probably not for everyone, but I enjoyed the style and writing very much. I look forward to reading more from Susan Barker. Thank you to NetGalley for a chance to read and review this book!

A woman has been able to stay alive for nearly three centuries thanks to a deal with a diabolical force known as the Tyrant. The cost is a trail of death across centuries and continents. As she prepares her next victim in the New Mexico desert, one man on a quest to stop her is closing in. The drama in the desert is interspersed with the stories of her previous victims. This horrifying, sinister story is impossible to put down and leads to a devastating conclusion.

I read the uncorrected proof of OLD SOUL by Susan Barker on my Kindle.

As the story opened, two women were in the desert. One is an artist, the other the subject. They have become lovers for the time being. Soon one will leave and live her life eternally. The tyrant will choose each victim and grant that eternity.
Two strangers meet in an airport and get to talking. Before long, the two discover they knew people murdered by the same person. The catch...they were thousands of miles apart and the killer is not aging.

I am not sure what I feel about OLD SOUL. In the beginning I couldn't stop reading, but then I lost interest and just couldn't seem to get into it. To me, it became too repetitive with people missing and not enough within the story. For instance, I would have preferred more information about the tyrant and his origins. What does the tyrant get from the arrangement? The epilog was well written, interesting, but it seemed as if it should be the beginning instead of the end to a story.

Wow... I had a great time with this one. Kind of like being caught in a spiral I couldn't put it down once I started.

The writing is quite lovely. It does read very much as a contemporary literary fiction novel, whatever you picture that to be, (complete with lack of quotations; though I didn't find this distracting or confusing) with just enough grotesque imagery and cosmic horror themes woven it to make it a bit unnerving and chilling at times. While I found it occasionally unsettling I could see how if you went in specifically for horror it's a little light.. so it could be disappointing. (Though that epilogue ... what's more horrific than that....)

It did reach a small point around the 60-75% lulled a bit for me, while it was trying to lay out the framework for the ending. I was a bit unsure how I would ultimately rate it, especially if the landing was flubbed, but the enjoyment I had while reading as a whole was pretty overwhelming and I personally liked how it wrapped up.... so I happily would recommend this title to the right person. 4 stars :) I support women's rights and wrongs

Thanks NetGalley for the digital ARC this was a treat. Definitely need to check out Barker's backlog

A chance encounter leads two strangers to realize that they have an unusual connection- both of them had someone close to them die under the same peculiar circumstances. Jake's best friend and Mariko's twin brother both met a woman, matching the same description, then days later violently die. After meeting Mariko, Jake decides to learn more about this mysterious woman. He tracks down other people who had loved ones die in a similar fashion.

The chapters flash between the people that Jake meets and interviews, and the mysterious woman herself.

This book is intense, mysterious, and gripping- I completely recommend it!

To what lengths would you go to live forever? As the mystery unravels around the Old Soul in Susan Barker's brilliantly haunting novel, questions that would seemingly come into focus get only murkier.

Jake meets Mariko in an airport and the two bond over a shared grief of losing a loved one. Jake has recently lost his best friend, while Mariko has lost her brother. They soon find out there is more than grief linking them: the same enigmatic woman possessing some kind of malevolent energy had a connection with each of their lost loves. As Jake unravels the mystery of this woman, he finds evidence of her malice spanning the globe and reaching decades into the past. As she moves through the world, the women never ages and never faces consequences for the wake of despair and destruction she leaves behind. As Jake draws closer to knowing who, or what, she is, he is confronted with truths about the universe he will struggle to comprehend and accept.

This book is a gorgeous exploration into grief, vengeance, love, and the passage of time. The prose that weaves this vast, yet intricate story is utterly captivating. While not outwardly a horror story, Old Soul is many dark tales wrapped up into one story of an unstoppable dark force and the layers of complicated mess it leaves behind. I highly recommend this book for lovers of literary horror, mystery and the supernatural. This book truly transcends genre and will be hard to put down.

This is a unique story. A bit out of my personal range of books, due to it being a tad bit to extraterrestrial for me. I loved the concept of a woman trying to live forever through any means necessary, however the way the story played out just didn’t engage me or keep me in the story as much as I wanted to be. This book is very creepy and is perfect for anyone who likes a little bit of horror, including a twist of mysticism.
Thank you to Penguin Publishing House and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

There is a woman who is always on the move, never ages, or goes by the same name.

If you see her, your body and your life will be in extricably changed.

After meeting fellow passenger Mariko at the Osaka airport, Jake learns that both of them have lost loved ones after encountering the same peculiar woman. She took their photographs and then they slowly lost their minds and lives. Only after an autopsy is performed did they learn that their internal organs had been reversed.

Who is this mysterious woman?

Jake sets out on a journey to find her. Through seven testimonials, individuals from all over the world detail their encounters with this same strange woman.

Can she be stopped?

Susan Barker is a new author to me, and I am impressed with her captivating writing. The chapters are very long, some more than hour, but each story kept me fully invested the entire way through. I really enjoyed how this plot came together, but really needed a few more answers at the end.

If you enjoy literary horror, you will devour this book!

3.5/5 stars rounded up

Expected publication date: 1/28/25

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin publishing group for the ARC of Old Soul in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

This is a horror/thriller with a vampire creature thing that reminds me of The Ring in some ways. It's very slowburn and is a mystery of sorts. Like The Ring, you know what the monster's doing, but you're also following a second POV with a character who's unraveling the monster's history and secrets.

There's a reasonable amount of body horror to keep you on your toes, along with the villain's POV so that the story doesn't get too stagnant. (Jake's POV was a bit too dull and forgettable for my tastes, which is why I didn't rate this higher.)

I didn't mind the lack quotation marks for the dialogue, but only because I've read some of Cormac McCarthy's books. The beginning was a little confusing, but I liked how the multiple storylines started merging together by the end of the novel. I loved the climax and the aftermath. (And honestly? Good for her.)

Thank you to G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for this arc.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam Son's Publishing for the opportunity to read and review Old Soul by Susan Barker. All opinions are my own.

This story is labeled as a literary horror with settings and characters that take you all around the world and back. Jake has a conversation with someone on a plane that leads him on an investigative undertaking to discover what happened to his best friend Lena, who died under mysterious circumstances. As he follows one person/story to another he gets closer and closer to a woman of many Alias' that may have a part in her death. This woman also has a story of her own waiting to be told. He travels all over to these interviews putting each piece together of this long story. Once he learns the truth he will never quit until this trail of depravity, death, grief, and loss stops.

Going into this book you need to know that this is "lite horror" and much more on the literary side, with pieces of thriller, mystery, and character analysis. We come across many characters throughout book with the how and why if how came in contact with this woman. Towards the middle of the book, I felt it was dragging a bit while waiting for the plot to drive forward more. Once I hit the 70 percent mark, I couldn't put it down till I found out what would happen to all the involved characters. Old Soul comes out January 28th and can be purchased at any major book retailer. Happy Reading!

Wow, I really liked this. I found it very unsettling, very creepy. Just disturbing enough without me needing to keep the lights on while I read it. I thought that the vignettes were going to end up feeling redundant - every time there was a new case study I thought, Geez, I am not sure we need another one - but they didn't. Each added something new, and each felt creepier than the last. The reversal aspect was haunting, so was the idea of seeing a picture of yourself possessed, and the Tyrant began to feel like a real force to me, in a way I didn't expect.

Really impressed with this, and will recommend it - to those who I think can handle it!

3.5 stars

Two strangers, Jake and Mariko, meet in an airport after missing their flight and discover an eerie connection: Their loved ones were both victims of an immortal woman who never goes by the same name. Jake embarks on a journey across decades and continents to reveal the truth behind the woman’s haunting existence and ancient rituals.

Old Soul blends genres such as horror, thriller, supernatural, mythology and literary fiction. I have a difficult time assigning a star rating because I loved the first chapter and enjoyed the last two chapters, but I found the middle to be a slog. I only got through 15% of the book before needing a break and restarting from the beginning. While Susan Barker is a talented writer, her lack of quotation marks and abundance of characters made it difficult to follow along.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Penguin G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the advanced reader copy of #OldSoul. To be published Jan. 28, 2025.

Comparisons to The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova are quite apt - this compelling story weaves back and forth through time and characters and setting. Perhaps the only element of the story that detracts from the overall concept is the somewhat far-fetched explanation for the origins of the titular "old soul." Otherwise, a highly readable and entertaining story, with a strong atmosphere of creepiness.

Thanks to Netgalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for letting read an eARC of Old Soul by Susan Barker. The unique plot held this literary horror tale together enough that I was able to finish it. However ultimately it was a struggle for me to get through because of how the novel structure jumped around so much. If you are wanting a very different horror tale with a gothic twist you may enjoy reading Old Soul.