Aria Patel likes stability, certainty, predictability. It’s why she’s so into science. But then she finds herself mysteriously skipping through a multiverse of lives that all feature her. And science no longer seems so predictable.
Aria Patel likes stability, certainty, predictability. It’s why she’s so into science. But then she finds herself mysteriously skipping through a multiverse of lives that all feature her. And science no longer seems so predictable.
Say what you will, but science just works for Aria Patel.
As a levelheaded 18-year-old, Aria appreciates the order of science, its desire to cleanly measure things. Physics in particular has this wonderful way of making impossible, massive conundrums make sense.
Maybe Aria gravitated to her love of physics because her dad, who passed away when she was a little girl, was a physicist. But whatever the reason, it’s now a part of her fabric. And that earnest, woven-in appreciation is why she just dumped her boyfriend in her senior year of high school.
Rohan is handsome and sweet, and Aria gets along great with him. But Aria is convinced that going to different colleges will eventually send their relationship into a painful spiral. So, she cuts it off now. In a life that’s already so chaotic, why obsess over complicated relationships and unknowns when the scientific method gives you direction and a straight path to avoid all the drama? It only makes sense.
Flip that sensible perspective around 180 degrees and you’ll see exactly why Aria isn’t very enamored with poetry. That creative construct, with its archaic word choices and obscure meanings, cannot bring understanding.
For some reason, however, her Physics teacher at school has handed the class a poem to read, suggesting that there is great scientific meaning there. However, the only thing the poem does for Aria is give her a headache.
No, worse, it’s much worse than a headache.
Aria suddenly feels a small tingle at the base of her neck, a cold stiffness that creeps its way up. Then a sensation like a brain freeze, without the benefit of ice cream. She’s surrounded by shimmering waves: bright, sharp, strange.
Aria finds herself suddenly falling through what she can only describe as parallel universes. She tumbles into these new versions of her life—each similar to the last but strangely tweaked—and then she moves on.
One version puts Aria and her friends in a wintery Colorado setting. Another has Aria singing in full-throated Bollywood song. The next shows her a futuristic world with robotic AI.
It’s hard for Aria to get her footing, impossible to understand. And there’s no scientific formula that can save her.
Breathe, Aria. Breathe.
The only common elements in these multiverse worlds are the facts that (1) these are indeed versions of Aria’s life, (2) they’re made up of familiar versions of her friends and family—in some, her dad is still achingly alive—and (3) the poem always shows up before she jumps once again.
Surprisingly, Aria’s current multiverse hasn’t slipped away as quickly as the others. In fact, she’s been here for days. She and her bestie, Dilnaz, are closer than ever. In this version, Aria has a loving mom and dad. She and boyfriend Rohan are happy.
Admittedly, this version of her life feels very, very good.
But unless Aria can get back home, she’ll have taken this happiness away from someone else forever: another Aria. She will have stolen it.
And what about her own life and the people she really loves?
There’s nothing about Christian faith in the story’s mix. …
… However, the book presents a quasi-scientific approach to the ideas of time and interdimensional travel. And though author Samira Ahmed attempts to pave the way with concepts from real-world physics, readers are called upon to suspend their disbelief and go with the flow.
In addition, a physicist character brings up the concept of “panpsychism,” a philosophical view that posits that consciousness is a fundamental and universal part of all elements of nature, such as electrons and atoms. It a concept that someone calls a “gods in everything” philosophy.
We see different versions of Aria’s home life in the multiverse settings, from a single parent household to a home with two parents and a kid sister. In each of them, however, Aria’s parents (or parent) are loving and concerned about her wellbeing.
In the multiverse that Aria spends most of the story in, her mom is a therapist, and she goes out of her way to make sure her daughter is heard. She also makes sure that Aria is very aware of what her family responsibilities are. Both parents dole out discipline when Aria knowingly breaks the rules.
The story suggests that, after losing her beloved husband (Aria’s dad), Aria’s “prime” single-parent mom has a much more stressful and difficult time making a go of things.
Aria’s physics teacher at school, Ms. Jameson, is a caring teacher whose door is always open for a student’s questions or concerns. She compels her students to dig deeper into ideas and ask questions they otherwise might not.
Although they aren’t “authority roles,” Aria’s good friends, Dilnaz and Rohan, are key players in Aria’s relational journey. These friends support Aria and sacrifice for her. They’re both first in line whenever she needs help of any kind.
There’s no foul language in the story. However, because of her multiverse-jumping circumstances, Aria tends to lie to cover up who she really is and navigate through the different “versions” of her life.
Aria has massive headaches that are painfully debilitating. In fact, before she realizes that her brain is ripping open multiverse doorways, Aria and her friends and family are very concerned that she might have some sort of brain tumor. Doctors run a variety of tests. Aria and others endure some active thumps and scuffs.
At one point, it appears that Aria’s mom will be killed in a deadly car wreck. The scene freezes in time before Aria is pulled into another multiverse. We never see the accident happen and it’s implied, later, that Aria is able to change the event.
As Aria meets one of the new multiverse versions of Rohan, she discovers that he’s more caring and kinder than she remembers. They become close, hugging and kissing on several occasions.
The book contains some light references to LGBT content. Aria’s mom asks her about any love interests: “You know you can tell me, if you want. No judgment. Boy, girl, nonbinary person …” There’s an additional reference to that fact that Dilnaz once had a crush on another girl.
During one multiverse jump, Aria finds herself standing with a handsome athlete who she doesn’t know, and she feels compelled to kiss him.
What changes take place as Aria slips through the different multiverses? What remains the same?
If there were multiverses you could visit, what would you go looking for? What changes would you want to make about decisions you’ve already made? Can you change some of those things without a multiverse?
What kinds of relationships does Aria have with the many versions of her parents? Do you think parents shape who their children become?
This story deals with the feeling of grief for a lost loved one. How does grief impact people differently?
Psalms 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds.” How can and does God do that?
The Singular Life of Aria Patel is an interesting YA sci-fi romance that compels readers to think about the people in their own lives whom they care for, to step back and appreciate the good things. In fact, someone warns, “It’s easy to forget the good things in front of us. It’s the human condition.”
Parents of younger readers should note that there is quite a bit of deception in the story mix as Aria tries to work through her strange sci-fi situation. There are also a couple of light LGBT references, and Aria innocently kisses her boyfriend a few times.
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Book reviews cover the content, themes and worldviews of fiction books, not necessarily their literary merit, and equip parents to decide whether a book is appropriate for their children. The inclusion of a book’s review does not constitute an endorsement by Focus on the Family.
After spending more than two decades touring, directing, writing and producing for Christian theater and radio (most recently for Adventures in Odyssey, which he still contributes to), Bob joined the Plugged In staff to help us focus more heavily on video games. He is also one of our primary movie reviewers.
