An Old Soul follows Isaac André, a 25-year-old VHS store clerk and self-described “Chariot Conjurer” navigating the sticky summers of 1996 Southside Chicago. On the surface, it’s a coming-of-age story wrapped in nostalgia: payphones, VHS tapes, Walkmans, and the early days of the internet. But beneath that sepia-toned exterior is something more intricate, a meditation on time, synchronicity, personal loss, and the quiet search for meaning. The novel takes its time, steeped in the mundane beauty of everyday life, as Isaac’s path begins to twist subtly into something more surreal and philosophical.

What struck me most at the outset was the remarkable vividness of the world Hayden constructs. He doesn’t merely depict Chicago—he inhabits it on the page with remarkable sensory detail. The oppressive summer heat seems to radiate from the text, the sharp, familiar rhythm of barbershop banter resonates clearly, and the scent of Grandma’s buttery, oven-baked rolls practically rises from the pages. A particularly poignant scene early in the novel illustrates this immersive quality: Isaac, having just given away his last ten dollars to a desperate man named Oscar, watches his bus pull away. Briefly frustrated, he is soon met with the improbable arrival of a second bus, just in time. It’s a moment that encapsulates the novel’s deeper theme: that life moves in patterns, and meaning often emerges from small, unexpected alignments. Hayden scatters these moments with a natural ease, never feeling contrived or overly orchestrated.

What lingered with me most was the profound sense of loneliness that permeates Isaac’s character. He is not overtly depressed, but he exists slightly out of step with the world around him, a jazz enthusiast and Philip K. Dick devotee whose sensibilities rarely align with those of his peers. His coworker, Sharika, openly derides his interests, and while he outwardly dismisses her comments, the emotional impact is evident. There is a quiet, persistent yearning that runs beneath his interactions, visible in the way he observes a woman on the bus reading a strange, futuristic magazine, or in his reflections on his inability to dream. It is a subtle, aching melancholy. When he eventually forms a connection with someone online, an enigmatic user named BirdGurl9, the moment carries an immediate, almost electric emotional charge.

The novel is rich in detail, and while much of it contributes meaningfully to the atmosphere, certain scenes, such as the extended mall purchase and the somewhat tedious exchange with the salesman, might have benefited from a more concise approach. The deliberate pacing appears to be intentional. Isaac is not in a hurry; he moves through the world attentively, absorbing his surroundings as he seeks to understand both himself and the strange phenomena that continue to shape his reality, recurring coincidences, sensations of déjà vu, and city buses that seem to arrive precisely on cue. These elements do not overtly declare themselves as science fiction, but rather suggest something more subtle and unsettling. The quiet undercurrent of the uncanny is what makes them so compelling.

If you appreciate narratives that forgo conventional plot-driven momentum in favor of quiet introspection and emotional resonance, An Old Soul is well worth your time. Readers drawn to the contemplative pacing of Richard Linklater’s films, enthusiasts of classic science fiction, and those who have ever felt slightly out of step with the time or place they inhabit will likely find a deep connection here. I would particularly recommend this novel to those who favor richly developed characters, meaningful coincidences, and slow-burning explorations of existence and identity.

Pages: 233 | ASIN : B0F453QXNG