Into the Old by Claire O’Connor
Will she emerge triumphant, or will the shadows of the past consume her once more?
Eighteen agonizing months after her daring escape, Keziah seizes the opportunity to go undercover, to infiltrate the heart of the cult that once enslaved her. After months of clandestine training, she’s ready to face those she left behind.
Doubts spread like wildfire, and Mother Abi, the carer who brought Keziah up like her own daughter, reveals cracks in the foundation of The Genus. Keziah realizes everyone seems to be questioning their revered leader’s abilities after a strange appearance in the dining hall.
When she stumbles upon a secret enclave within the cult, a revelation shatters her hopes of succeeding in her mission. A strange new leader introduces himself, and workers in the forest are ill and hungry. The detectives go cold and offer cryptic advice, leaving Keziah to navigate the treacherous environment alone. While guards enforce new rules, secrets multiply, and the stakes deepen. Keziah's quest for justice and redemption becomes a maelstrom of fear and conspiracy . Her focus shifts to getting a few chosen loved ones over the wall and safe, before things escalate. Will she make it on time?
In this heart-stopping second instalment of the Over The Wall Trilogy, Keziah's adventure unravels complexities she never imagined, and fuels her determination to disband The Genus.
Review
‘Into the Old’ is the brilliant follow-up to ‘Over the Wall’ which I read and loved last year and I was really looking forward to immersing myself back into Keziah’s world! It did not disappoint at all, rather it managed to up the ante, was packed full of tension and action and what an ending!! I am already desperate to read what happens next to Keziah and her friends.
After escaping from the cult known as ‘The Genus’ Keziah has agreed to reenter it but this time she will be undercover working to help the police bring down its leader. After months of training, she is ready to take this giant step and approaches Mother Abi, the woman who brought her up as a child. Keziah is duly punished by the cults leader for leaving and harming another member but Mother Abi proves to be a tower of support. Keziah soon sees there are fractures in the cult, people are questioning their leader's actions and when she finds non-members living at the conclave, Keziah realises that her whole mission could be in jeopardy.
Keziah is a changed person from the last book but she is still as brave and impetuous as before! But then she is placed in an impossible situation - placed undercover without the real training that she needs. However, she is determined to bring down Father Sy and help her friends Mother Abi and Charity understand what is really happening at The Genus.
This was a much-anticipated release for me as I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and I devoured this one as soon as I got my hands on it! It's packed full of action and the tension is off the charts. We see a lot of character growth in this book, especially in relation to Charity. I have always been fascinated with cults and the psychology behind them so reading about Keziah and her experience was so interesting. It feels like a realistic portrayal of what it would be like to be a member of this type of society and how you would cope on the outside of it. Keziah has her head on straight but still has been very affected by her life growing up in The Genus. I honestly can't wait to see what happens next to her, especially after that cliffhanger!!
Let me know if you pick this one up!
