Old Soul by Suan Barker is a deeply reflective and thought-provoking novel that I found absolutely captivating from start to finish. It explores themes of life, love, aging, and the passage of time, all through the lens of a character who feels out of sync with the world around them. This novel is one of those rare finds that both entertains and challenges its readers, leaving you with much to ponder long after you've finished it.

At the heart of Old Soul is the protagonist, whose journey is both personal and philosophical. As the title suggests, the character is someone who feels like they have lived many lives and carry the wisdom and weariness of an old soul, despite being young in years. The exploration of this feeling of disconnection from the world is handled beautifully by Barker, who allows the reader to really connect with the protagonist’s sense of isolation and longing for something deeper. The internal dialogue of the character is rich and layered, adding depth to their experiences and making their emotional journey all the more relatable.

What really stood out to me in Old Soul was the lyrical and introspective writing. Suan Barker has a way with words that pulls you into the character’s world, making you reflect on your own perceptions of time and existence. There’s a quiet beauty to the way the author captures the mundane aspects of life and turns them into poignant, almost sacred moments. The prose has a contemplative quality that invites the reader to pause and consider the larger meaning behind the character’s experiences.

The novel’s pacing is steady, allowing the character’s introspections and emotional growth to unfold naturally. It’s a slower read, but that works in the book’s favor, as it gives the story space to breathe and for the reader to truly sit with the themes being explored. Barker doesn’t rush through the character’s evolution, which only adds to the novel’s emotional depth.

The supporting characters are also well-crafted and add layers to the protagonist’s journey. Each person they encounter serves as a mirror or a contrast to their own internal struggles, helping to shed light on the larger themes of identity, connection, and the search for meaning. The way Barker uses these relationships to highlight the protagonist’s growth is subtle yet impactful.

Old Soul is a beautifully written and deeply moving novel that will resonate with anyone who has ever felt out of place in the world or pondered the bigger questions of life. Suan Barker’s writing is thoughtful, poetic, and immersive, making this book a true gem. If you enjoy introspective literature that explores complex emotions and the intricacies of the human experience, Old Soul is a must-read. I look forward to seeing what Barker creates next, as this book has firmly established her as a writer to watch.

I really loved this one. It was a beautiful, creepy story that kept me intrigued but at times I needed to take a break from because the writing sometimes felt more like a chore than anything else to get through but overall I enjoyed this one.

Old Soul by Susan Baker is certainly a unique and compelling read. The concept and the plot are rich with potential, and there’s an undeniable depth to the story that makes it stand out. However, for me personally, it felt a bit dragged out. While I appreciated the intricate details and the character development, I found myself wanting to get to the conclusion much sooner than it arrived. The pacing didn’t quite match my reading preferences, and I often felt that the story could have been tightened up. Despite that, it’s clear that this book will resonate with many readers who enjoy a slower, more reflective narrative. It just wasn’t the right fit for my reading taste.

This book sounded really interesting, but I got bored throughout the book.

The chapters were long and there weren't quotations during dialogue so I kept having to re-read. Not for me.

Old soul by Susan barker starts with an intriguing premise that initially excited me. Two strangers, separated by 6,000 miles, have a layover together and connect that they both lost loved ones brutally after encountering a mysterious woman. United in their grief, the two vow to find the woman after they discover more cases of brutal and ritualistic murders. However, they are up against an entity that has been around for much longer and driven by true evil. Will they finally beat her in a game of cat and mouse?

This is literary and high brow horror that blends elements of western and eastern horror and folklore, American western, and the supernatural. This is also a meditation on trauma, grief, and loss.


While the plot initially drew me in, I felt a strange disconnect from
The characters that made it hard to invest. I also had a hard time orientating myself to characters between chapters and the settings. However, I know many reviews have raved about this, so this is an issue with me more so than the book itself. I still think many horror readers will love this, even if it wasn’t for me.

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Adding this to a list of recs for books with Faustian bargains—this was unique in format, and genuinely had my heart pumping by the end (although it did take me 318 pages for my curiosity to turn into concern). I found the ~old soul~ to be a fascinating character, but I was a little disappointed that the original narrator drifted off the page by the end. The ending felt both long-awaited and a little rushed for my taste, and the scene of the climax was somewhat unexpected. I liked the thread of ambiguity throughout the story; it felt like it made the general plot more expansive. I also liked the steady imagery of rot and decay that pervaded the old soul's perspective—it added both an urgency and a level of disgust to the story that I think helped deliver the concept more convincingly.

Thank you to Putnam for the opportunity to read and review!

Marketed as literary horror, which is an apt description. I acknowledge the style and pace might not suit everyone, but I liked it, can recommend it, and will be on the lookout for more of her work.

I am so thankful to Putnam Books, Susan Barker, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for granting me advanced access to this book before it hits shelves on January 28, 2025. This book encapsulated true horror, and it really resonated with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the arc copy of this book!

4.75 rounded up to 5 because it was THAT good.

I received this arc on release day and I was so excited to get into it that as soon as it was approved I sat down to read it. I didn't stop until I finished it several hours later. I only stopped for dinner and to get my kids in bed!

So I go into most books blind - but I had heard this was kind of like 'Under the Skin', which I will agree with - but it definitely had its own unique twists, which I really approve of.

One little side note I want to add - I LOVED that the "current day" timeline took place in Albuquerque and New Mexico in general. As someone that was born and raised in Abq. and spent 30 years of my life there, I really appreciate when the city/state gets some love and gets mentioned in media - let alone having a huge part of a story take place there!

This book was artfully written and the way the timelines and stories connected was amazing. There are no quotations in this book - something I don't think I have seen before - so that was a little odd, and sometimes a little hard to read or follow - but it didn't take much away from this book for me.

I also am not sure I have read "literary horror" before, but if this is how they all are - I'm a big fan.

I appreciate that it was not super gory or campy horror - it just was pure, lingering dread. It was haunting, and at times, skin crawling. It is creepy and disturbing.

I absolutely loved the ending as well, and the epilogue was a cherry on top. What a novel. I'll be thinking about this one for a long time. Definitely recommend this!

Thank you again to NetGalley for the e-arc copy.

4.5 stars. Wow wow wow I loved this book so much. Somehow a mix of Japanese horror, desert horror, European folk horror, and historical mystery all in one. Which, if you know me, is a dream come true.

The way this book is written and crafted is 10/10. Through this book we’re given several victim testimonies and each feels like its own little horror story interconnected with the others. Each had its own special flavor and I was obsessed with that. The actual enemy in this book is shrouded in mystery and but you slowly gain more details via each new testimony. Believe me when I say things get creepier, weirder, more unsettling and insidious. Supernatural elements come out that are unlike any I’ve heard of before. I was eating it up. The horror didn’t feel super in-your-face and was more literary, but invoked so much dread. My favorite chapter was “Bedwyr”.

There are so many reasons to love this book. Just read the synopsis and I guarantee you’ll be hooked. Thank you NetGalley + the publisher for this ARC!

Not my usual type of book. I found it intriguing and appreciated the approach, but it gave me nightmares! I think I wanted a slightly different ending but I understand the choice.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This goes outside of my usual genres that I pick from, but I really enjoyed this one. I love the narrative follows "the woman" in present day and the man investigating her past. What a great way to keep up the suspense! I would definitely recommend.

"Old Soul" by Susan Barker just may be the best book I read this year. It is a perfect example of my favorite genre, literary horror. "Old Soul" is dark and unsettling, not just because of the plot, but also because of the author's incredible talent with language. Her words paint a vivid picture and I was positively enthralled. I don't think I have ever read a more beautifully crafted, but also incredibly terrifying, novel. I was completely consumed by the author's world and I stayed up late at night, turning the pages faster and faster so I could get some relief from the tension and fear. The prose is hypnotic and I almost felt like I was in a waking dream while reading. This is a book I won't soon forget and now I can't wait to read all of Ms. Barker's previous works.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the privilege of reading this absolute gem of a novel. Five well-earned stars!

When I picked up 𝙊𝙡𝙙 𝙎𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙗𝙮 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙖𝙣 𝘽𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙧, I had no idea what I was in for. I thought it’d be a creepy little read, but wow—it was so good.

The story kicks off with Jake and Mariko meeting randomly at an airport in Osaka. They’re strangers, but they quickly realize they have something dark in common—both lost loved ones to brutal, mysterious deaths, and in both cases, an eerie, ageless woman showed up right before it happened. That connection sets Jake on a mission across continents and centuries to uncover the truth about this “old soul.” Along the way, he gathers stories from others who’ve crossed paths with her, each more chilling than the last, until he finally finds Theo, a dying sculptor in New Mexico, who might just have the answers Jake’s looking for.

Not going to lie—it took me a bit to get into the story, but once I did, I was invested and binge-read it. The way the author writes is chef’s kiss—she’s so good at building tension and weaving all these different stories together. I loved how the chapters switched between Jake’s investigation and glimpses into the sinister woman’s perspective.

The mix of literary horror and emotion is spot on. And don’t even get me started on the atmosphere—every setting, from busy cities to lonely, eerie landscapes, feels so real. And the ending? I loved it!

Also, if you’re expecting jump scares or blood-curdling terror, this isn’t that kind of horror. Instead, it’s sinister, unsettling, and brilliantly layered—a mix of literary horror and emotional depth.

If you love books that are a little dark, a little creepy, and a lot unforgettable, you have to add Old Soul to your TBR.

Thanks to @putnambooks & @netgalley for the Digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Happy Publication Day, "Old Soul," and may you have many anniversaries ahead--but please don't offer us to the Tyrant :)
What a roller coaster ride this literary horror novel turned out to be. "Old Soul" is centered around a woman who never ages, and never dies...as long as she offers her sacrifices on time to her God. The novel shifts between the perspective of people close to her victims (interviewed by Jake, whose friend was one of the people the woman has sacrificed) and the unnamed woman now trying to make a last minute offering that can prologue her life once again. It's a story about selfishness, loss of humanity and the search for a kindred soul, all brought down by revenge. Each character introduced is complex, the writing is smooth and tight, the writer trusts its audience to understand what is going on without dumping a bunch of details on us, and the story is layered expertly. The only issue I had was at the end: some rules for the offerings were introduced and them being broken didn't lead to the outcome that had been prepared. I'm not sure if this was an error in the ARC, a point the author was trying to make, or an error that snuck in unintentionally. This is the only reason why I'm not giving the book a full 5 stars, but a 4.5, which has to be rounded up.

A well-crafted, well-written literary horror novel. Old Soul is the story of a woman with many names and many identities, that takes the lives/souls of others through their likeness. There is a dark entity living inside her and it must feed in order for the woman to stay alive. Jake and Mariko discover their mutual losses over dinner and the common denominator is this woman. Jake goes on the hunt to find her.
There is no happy ending here and the story won't go the way you'd wish. But it is worth reading.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this digital e-arc.*

If you're looking for a Faustian bargain type book, you're in the right place. We mainly follow Jake as he tries to learn more about the mysterious woman. He meets others along the way that have also had encounters with her. They had similar experiences, but the lady went by many different names. Everywhere she goes something sinister takes place. I really enjoyed reading this one, the chapter structure isn't traditional and the book jumps back and forth in time. But I was gripped and couldn't stop reading it once I got to the 20% mark.

This is literary horror, so there is gore towards the end. Also check out the CWs for this one, if you're thinking about reading it.

When I saw the premise of this novel I had to read it, luckily I was approved. This is a story about a man's Odyssey to uncover the truth about his friend's mysterious death and the strange Woman connected to it, as he digs deeper he discovers countless other similar tales about this woman over different time periods and locations, but all follow the same patters and description. The writing flows effortlessly and while there are many POVs, it is very easy to follow and absorb, you get sucked right into this horror-mystery. I think this is going to be a huge hit. The prose is very beautiful and natural as well, What's interesting is you also get the villain's POV which I didn't like at first but ultimately came to love. Thanks to net gallery for my copy, and I highly recommend this one.

Thank you so much to Susan Barker, Penguin Publishing Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for providing this free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Old Soul follows a vengeful amateur historian who is working to uncover the mystery of the death of his late best friend. The main culprit: An ageless woman who has left her mark on a number of people over the centuries on a quest for life.

I am not going to lie, it did take me about 30% to fully get into the story. Old Soul is a bit unique in that the chapters throughout do not follow just one person. The characters we see the most of is our researcher Jake, who oftentimes includes his own feedback and notes both during character testimonies and after. While his own testimony does get revealed in the latter half of the book, it does feel that the buildup and references up until then have been earned.

I did enjoy getting immersed in a number of the character testimonies included. So much that I momentarily forgot that this novel is not an anthology. By the individual testimonies end, I did enjoy connecting all the dots as we as the reader collected all of the information. It is very satisfying to see how certain characters are connected and why. Ultimately I went into reading this having a completely different idea of what I was going into. I am pleasantly surprised by the complexities and enjoyability of this story. While the ending itself might feel abrupt, it felt like the only realistic way this could have ended with the characters we have followed.

Advertised as literary horror, Old Soul is a slow burn of psychological horror. Bouncing from continent to continent and time period to time period, I found myself invested in the individual story of each victim, and really appreciated the subtle way the tension slowly ratchets up bit by bit. There is much that is good about this book. However, I still somehow arrived at the end wondering, What did I just read? I'm not disappointed, but I also didn't spark a love connection with this one.