The story begins when a man named Jake narrowly misses his flight in Japan, along with an elegant Asian woman with whom he later shares a meal. The pair get to talking and Jake discovers that Mariko's estranged twin brother, Hiroji, died in a very similar way to Jake's best friend since childhood, Lena. Both were photographed by an enigmatic woman with dark hair, and subsequently went insane over the weeks following, eventually dying of a previously undiagnosed rare condition called situs inversus, where their organs were found to be on the opposite side of the body. Since Jake had never encountered anyone else in his situation, he makes it his mission to track down others who may have encountered her and get their stories or "testimonies," although his ultimate goal is clearly revenge for his dear friend's untimely death.
The story skips about in its chapters and is told from multiple perspectives, including the dark-haired woman, who has had many names throughout the years, including Damaris, Marion, Therese, Eva, Liesl, Romy, etc. We get her side of the story of what is happening currently, as she is helping a young woman named Rosa film for her new Youtube channel as "Aurora Rose," a spiritual guide, in the wilds of the Bisti Badlands in New Mexico. We also get Jake's perspective, but also those whom he locates and interviews about the woman.
It's a lot like following a treasure map for Jake, and for the reader, piecing together what happened to these different people, with each one providing possible clues to another victim. He begins with Hiroji's widow, Sigrid, in Germany, since Mariko didn't really know the details of what led up to Hiroji's death. Hiroji believed himself possessed by Shinigami, the death god, and had become a danger to himself and his family.
Jake then moves on to a father in Wales named Bedwyr, whose wheelchair-bound daughter, Ceridwen, had completely metamorphosed from the sweet, gentle 14-year-old he knew to a distant, rebellious sexual fiend who would sometimes leave her wheelchair, even though her devastating spinal injury had completely prevented any mobility.
The next breadcrumb takes him back to Germany where he meets with a failed artist named Jurgen whose muse, Ursula, disappeared completely in 1968 after having her photo taken by a woman named Romy. What makes Ursula's case stand out is her port wine birthmark that covered half of her face, which made her a unique subject for painting, but Jurgen also fell in love with her. After her involvement with Romy, her birthmark was now on the opposite side of her face and Ursula was struck with terror.
Jake's own story involves his dear friend Lena, who had a rough childhood which led to drug use. However, through Jake's help, she was now sober and getting her life together, at least she was until she met a photographer named Marion and spent a night where she was changed forever.
Zsofi in Hungary learned the story of her Aunt Klara from her cousin Matyas, who came to live with them when he was a young teen. He was mostly blind due to a macular degenerative disease, but had a "second sense" and told of a woman named Vera who befriended his mother when she moved into the rooming house where they stayed. While Klara was previously the demure and abused "wife" of a Muscovite Commander, she changed after a long evening with Vera, now ignoring the Commander's strict mandates and exhibiting erratic behavior which eventually led to a terrible tragedy at the home.
The final puzzle piece is a sculptor named Theodora Waite, living in New Mexico, who shared a summer with "Eva" and knows her better than anyone else. Will Jake finally get the answers he seeks or will he, too, fall victim to the photographer's vortex of death?
Old Soul is beautifully written and weaves a macabre tapestry of death about this one woman, who is slowly dying, yet also managing to live hundreds of years. She moves from person to person, leaving devastation along the way, so that she may live on. Can finding true love change her path?
If you are up for a weird ride that takes you all over the world, unraveling the tales of this woman's deadly escapades, take the plunge on Old Soul. While I wasn't crazy about the ending, I really enjoyed the journey getting there and did find the ending fitting.
