I enjoy a good multiverse science fiction- the idea of many different worlds with slightly different versions of yourself is fascinating. So I was looking forward to The Singular life of Aria Patel
This book is an interesting combination of science fiction ,coming of age and a touch of teenage angst. Aria falls through different worlds where different versions of her families exist but she Aria needs to get to back to her mother and her life however imperfect.
I loved the different versions of Aria lives from super posh to the super tech ( especially the one in the sarky AI) but the main story is Aria’s last world where she has family including a sibling. Aria’s dilemma of being comfortable in this safe world verus the fact she knows she is stealing the other Aria’s perfect life comes across through the writing. The desi aspects of Aria’s life threads through the story adding an extra depth.
I didn’t quite understand the science behind the Aria’s jump between worlds and why she ended up jumping.
Perfect for fans of
Teenagers looking for science-fiction with diverse characters.

Thank you so much for the e-ARC Atom Books and NetGalley.

This is a coming of age sci-fi YA novel that deals with lots of different themes but focusses mainly on enjoying the now and not taking what you have for granted. What if tomorrow you were in another world and living a different life? How would you cope? What would you miss back home, in your real world? How do you say goodbye to the connections you make along the way? What if this other world was just a variation on your life - the same but... different? What is one of these worlds provides you with the one thing you have felt was missing in your life - your dad who died when you were younger?

These are all the questions Aria faces as she tries to work her way back home after she becomes entangled in the multiverse guiding only by a poem from an anonymous author and her knowledge of physics.

This was a slow burn for me but ultimately I enjoyed it. Samira Ahmed has this knack of writing really realistic characters who draw you in to their world whilst putting you firmly in their heads. If you have never read one of her books then read this or Internment. Whilst this one won't stick with me like Internment has it is well worth the read.

An intriguing book, and one which slowly draws you in to the world of the main character, Aria Patel.
The basic premise is that Aria - a girl who thrives on predictability and routine - finds herself falling into parallel universes. For reasons she cannot explain she keeps waking up in alternate worlds. There are many similarities with the world she has left, but the differences highlight things she is missing. Determined to find a way back to her own true self, Aria has to work out the mystery she finds herself in.
I’m not even going to begin to try to say I understood the physics behind this, but once we establish what’s going on the book draws you in. The initial forays into other worlds allowed the author a bit of fun, but once Aria is in a world very similar to her own the emotional depth of the character became the focus.
A sci-fi coming-of-age story would be my best attempt to explain this book. Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review it.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a free copy of this ebook in exchange for a review.

This is a lovely take on the multiverse genre but with a teenage girl as the main protagonist - and anything that puts females in charge of science fiction is going to be a winner for me!

Aria has been experiencing horrible headaches and when they turn up she becomes untethered from our universe and finds herself in a whole range of odd universes, including a Bollywood one! (I always say that there are not enough spontaneous musical numbers in real life!)

We follow her around for a bit before she lands in a universe that is better than her home one but she can’t stay there because it’s not fair on that world’s real Aria - how can she get home?

There are a couple of disappointing aspects to this but I still think this works well as an introduction to the multiverse in fiction.

Definitely will be recommending to my students.

Thank you to the publisher for the e-ARC!

This was a surprisingly enjoyable read. Although it took me a little while to get into the story, I was quickly drawn in by the emotional depth and creative concept.

The book follows Aria Patel, a recent graduate preparing to leave for college, who decides to break up with her boyfriend, Rohan, rather than face the uncertainty of a long-distance relationship. What follows is a unique exploration of grief, identity, and connection, told through the lens of multiverse travel, sparked by a mysterious poem in her physics class.

Each universe Aria visits reveals a different version of her life, some chaotic, some tender, but one stands out, a quiet, tech-free world where her father is still alive and she has a younger sister. It is in this world, surrounded by family and a different version of Rohan, that Aria begins to understand the value of being present and embracing love, even in the face of inevitable loss.

I loved the integration of poetry and physics, and Aria’s voice felt authentic and genuinely teenaged. Her emotional journey, especially as she comes to terms with the death of her father and the fear of connection, was heartfelt and resonant.

A solid YA novel that blends science, emotion, and self-discovery in a thoughtful way. I probably would have connected more deeply with it when I was younger, but I still appreciated its message.

Rating: 3.5/5

I love a good multiverse story, and this one wasn't bad at all. I loved Aria and the twist was good, but I'll admit some of the storylines dragged a bit. Apart from that though, it was an intriguing read!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The Singular Life of Aria Patel
The Singular Life of Aria Patel follows Aria as she falls through the multiverse at the cusp of huge life change (going off to college/university). On her quest to get back to her own world, Aria navigates her new role in her alter-egos’ lives, all whilst trying not to break her four rules – survive, do no harm, observe and no emotional entanglements. But as Aria grows closer to the different versions of her friends and family, including those who she never got the chance to know, the rules she made for herself become even harder to follow.
The Singular Life of Aria Patel is a story full of heart and charm. It explores the uncertainty towards the future, the importance of the relationships around you, and accepting your constantly changing identity.
I love stories about multiverses and multiple lifetimes! This is a premise and trope that I’ve adored ever since I was a child and I’ve been so excited to see the different takes on it in books released this year.
I was particularly excited about The Singular Life of Aria Patel because of the Muslim rep within this trope. I loved the scenes showing the nuances of a South Asian Muslim living in the U.S. As a South Asian Muslim living in a Western country myself, it was really heartwarming seeing the pockets of communities coming together. One of my favourite scenes was the meeting in the mosque with Dilnaz taking charge to delegate tasks for the Harvest Festival.
I loved the mention of David Tennant’s Doctor from Doctor Who transcending worlds and that there had been a desi Doctor. Seeing these moments of representation on the page, full of humour, kindness and generosity that I’ve also found in Muslim spaces, meant the world to me.
I thought this book was really lovely and heartwarming overall. I do, however, think that the novel didn’t quite match the description it was marketed with which makes it seem as if the story is underpinned by the romance. Instead, the story (rightly!) focuses on Aria’s perception of her own identity and her platonic relationships. It’s filled with both humour and a palpable sense of yearning for both the people in the alternate world she spends the most time with and for the world and people she calls home. Rohan isn’t the core focus. I feel that it’s a disservice to the story and Aria as the main character to make Rohan seem like such a key structural focus and romantic interest in the description (of no fault to the author).
Once I'd reframed my expectations, I was much happier reading the novel and enjoying it for what it is!
I received a copy of The Singular Life of Aria Patel from Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not going to lie, I found this book quite difficult to finish and some of the plot felt drawn out. It is all about Aria who enters the multiverse and, for some time, lives the life of different Arias until she lands in one universe for a longer time with the aim of trying to get back to her own universe.

I'm usually a really big fan of Ahmed's writing but I really didn't get on with the concept - it didn't appeal to me even though I wished it did.

I think Aria as a character is really sweet and will appeal to a young audience who are more into the more magical realism element of life.

I received an advanced copy of this from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

For the most part I enjoyed this book. The concept was different from anything I've read previously but I was keen to give it a go.

Most of the alternative worlds that Aria find herself in are glossed over, and it concentrates on just one of these lives. I feel like we could have seen a bit more of some of these experiences, but I guess you have to draw the line somewhere or you'd end up with a massive book!

The story felt a little slow moving at times, but if you can get your head around the quantum physics and logistics of a multiverse, it's a decent enough book.

While The Singular Life of Aria Patel wasn’t entirely for me, I can absolutely see how it would have resonated with me as a teen and I’ve rated it with that younger audience in mind.

The multiverse concept at the heart of this story was genuinely intriguing. I appreciated how it highlighted the darker undercurrents of things we often accept as normal in our world, offering thought provoking parallels without being too heavy.

Aria, the main character, is certainly the anchor of the story. She’s ambitious and driven, and her growth is clear throughout the book. However, the supporting characters felt somewhat underdeveloped, likely a side effect of the multiverse structure. Since each version of them changes depending on the world, I struggled to feel like I ever truly knew them, which made it harder to stay emotionally invested.

The romance was sweet, but felt a little tacked on and more like a way to wrap up the plot rather than a fully planned out storyline. That said, there were some genuinely humorous and heartwarming moments sprinkled in, which I enjoyed.

I did enjoy the scientific elements and the mystery that unfolds, that mix of logic and discovery would have really appealed to me a few years ago. The book also touches on some relatable themes that help build emotional connection, even if I didn’t feel fully immersed in the characters’ lives.

Overall, The Singular Life of Aria Patel is a creative, intelligent read that’s likely to land well with a YA audience interested in speculative fiction, science, and the emotional complexities of growing up, it just didn’t fully click with me personally at this stage of life.

I have adored everything that I've ever read from Samira Ahmed and this new release is no different. Just pure brilliance from start to finish and I can't recommend it enough!

A contemporary YA with a mind-bending multiverse twist that felt both emotionally grounded and wildly imaginative.

I’m going to be thinking about this book for days. Such a unique premise that is beautifully written. Aria is a wonderful protagonist who makes the choices, and mistakes expected of an 18 year old who just discovered the multiverse. The end came on so fast and I am still reeling from it. I would have liked a more clear cut ending, but that’s just me, the ending was what the story needed. I can’t wait to read more of Samira’s work, I adore her writing style.

I don't think I have enough words to describe just how incredible The Singular Life of Aria Patel is. I went into the book completely blind, and came out utterly wowed. Physics was never my strongest subject, and I haven't studied it since I was in grade 10, but this book actually made it kind of fun. The science fiction elements of the book, especially when it talks about Feynman, quantum physics, the concepts of the multiverse and so much other stuff were so so interesting. I know its fiction, but it was pretty fun to learn this.

The base of the story lies in the way the multiverse is written about. It starts off with a poem written by an unknown author which leads to our main character, Aria, falling into different worlds and universes, where there is one constant - her. I honestly loved how the first half of the book showed us all the different universes that could be - my favourite was the one with the AI companion (no spoilers, but it is soo funny). The explanations are explained so well and are very easy to understand, especially if you're a noob like me when it comes to physics.

The heart of the story is Aria though. Like I mentioned, she's the one constant in all these universes she's falling into. The physics of it all aside, the story does a phenomenal job of making us love Aria. Her life is not as great as it seems; she's lost a parent, broken up with her boyfriend and now she's falling into universes where she doesn't belong (no matter how she wants to). Once she arrives in a world similar to her own, Aria thinks this is where she could belong. But of course, that's not her home. In all interactions with the people of said world, you can see Aria missing her real one, even if she starts to love them all (including this world's Rohan) and even if she denies it.

I love the way all the science concepts were used as an explanation to things that Aria did/was going to do and how these explanations made it all the more easier to feel. Which is something I always love to see in science fiction. Her character growth and arc are so masterfully done, and I don't know about anyone else, but that ending was beautiful. I kind of didn't think it would happen that way, but the unexpected made it the best.

The Singular Life of Aria Patel has found its place as one of my favourite reads of the year and it also gives me the push to finally finish reading all of Samira Ahmed's books this year!

I have to admit that this book made me tear up at the end, the dense quantum- physics logic of the denouement was blended seamlessly into the emotional journey of our hero, lost in the multiverse too afraid to risk loving for fear of the pain that it’s loss will cause her. Emotional, exciting and thoughtful science fiction story about love, loss and acceptance. Beautifully written.

Samira Ahmed’s The Singular Life of Aria Patel is a captivating, mind-bending exploration of love, identity, and the multiverse that will leave readers questioning the very nature of self. Blending science fiction with a heartfelt second-chance romance, this novel is perfect for fans of You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao and See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Aria Patel is a young woman who thrives on stability and predictability, qualities she finds in her love for science. But her carefully ordered world is turned upside down when she begins falling through parallel universes, waking up in a new reality almost every day. As she navigates these strange new worlds, Aria is haunted by the presence of Rohan, her ex-boyfriend, and a poem from her English class that seems to follow her wherever she goes.

Ahmed’s storytelling is both imaginative and deeply emotional, capturing the disorientation and wonder of Aria’s journey through the multiverse. The novel’s exploration of parallel lives and the choices that define us is thought-provoking, while the slow-burn romance between Aria and Rohan adds a layer of warmth and longing to the narrative. Aria’s struggle to reconcile her feelings for Rohan with the knowledge that he belongs to another version of herself is both heart-breaking and beautifully rendered.

The novel unfolds at a perfect rhythm, with each leap into a new reality peeling back another layer of Aria’s character and illuminating the intricate ways love transcends dimensions. Ahmed’s writing is both poetic and vivid, painting Aria’s journey with a delicate balance of wonder and introspection. Themes of self-discovery, the weight of sacrifice, and the timeless strength of love weave through the narrative, leaving an indelible mark that ensures The Singular Life of Aria Patel stays with you long after you’ve finished reading.

A gripping read, perfect for fans of You’ve Reached Sam by Dustin Thao or See You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn Solomon.