What do you think?
Rate this book
Elle: The Naked Singularity
Lost in time. Lost in love. Lost in the multiverse.
Elle: the Naked Singularity is science fiction spiked with magical realism, a story in which a college student finds herself lost in the multiverse. When Elle slips to a parallel Earth, she must evade capture and find a way to return to her home world. “Echoing The Wizard of Oz, Elle’s story proves that thoughtful science fiction can rise to new heights of beauty, meaning, and compassion.”
After twenty-year-old Elle Akamu time-travels from 21st century, she finds herself in the 1970s British Hawaiian Islands. She befriends a transgender social worker, a teenage orphan, and a POW survivor in her quest to return home. Lost in the multiverse, she discovers life is about accepting her past, choosing a future, and finding love in her new world.
A fusion of science and Buddhism, the story explores racism, gay rights, and gender inequality in the 1970s through the eyes of a 21st century time traveler. A stranger in a strange land, Elle wrestles with our oldest questions—what is the nature of the universe? And how do our relationships shape our world?
Elle pulls us into a world of ancient superstition and modern science with mystery and forbidden love. But anchoring this suspenseful, propulsive novel is an intimate young woman, searching for her place in an upside-down twin world.
Elle: the Naked Singularity is science fiction spiked with magical realism, a story in which a college student finds herself lost in the multiverse. When Elle slips to a parallel Earth, she must evade capture and find a way to return to her home world. “Echoing The Wizard of Oz, Elle’s story proves that thoughtful science fiction can rise to new heights of beauty, meaning, and compassion.”
After twenty-year-old Elle Akamu time-travels from 21st century, she finds herself in the 1970s British Hawaiian Islands. She befriends a transgender social worker, a teenage orphan, and a POW survivor in her quest to return home. Lost in the multiverse, she discovers life is about accepting her past, choosing a future, and finding love in her new world.
A fusion of science and Buddhism, the story explores racism, gay rights, and gender inequality in the 1970s through the eyes of a 21st century time traveler. A stranger in a strange land, Elle wrestles with our oldest questions—what is the nature of the universe? And how do our relationships shape our world?
Elle pulls us into a world of ancient superstition and modern science with mystery and forbidden love. But anchoring this suspenseful, propulsive novel is an intimate young woman, searching for her place in an upside-down twin world.
349 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2020
5 people want to read
About the author
M.W. Kelly
3 books3 followersKelly became hooked on science after Neil Armstrong took an epic stroll one Saturday evening in July 1969. He later served as a submarine officer based in Scotland and New England. He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Bryant University, and Swinburne University. After leaving the Navy, he spent two decades teaching college physics and astronomy.
A member of RMFW and the Hawaiʻi Writers Guild, Kelly loves reading and writing mind-expanding science fiction. He launched the Lost in the Multiverse series in 2019, which include the novels Mauna Kea Rising and Elle: The Naked Singularity. His articles and short stories have appeared in Pilot Mag, the Torrid Literature Review, and Latitudes. His short story Farragut’s Gambit appeared in the anthology 20,000 Leagues Remembered.
In 2019, he was named runner-up for the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award. He lives in Colorado and blogs about science and writing at mwkelly.com. Since 2021 he has served as the fiction editor for Latitudes, a literary journal published by the Hawaii Writers Guild.He can also be found on twitter @mwkelly2001.
A member of RMFW and the Hawaiʻi Writers Guild, Kelly loves reading and writing mind-expanding science fiction. He launched the Lost in the Multiverse series in 2019, which include the novels Mauna Kea Rising and Elle: The Naked Singularity. His articles and short stories have appeared in Pilot Mag, the Torrid Literature Review, and Latitudes. His short story Farragut’s Gambit appeared in the anthology 20,000 Leagues Remembered.
In 2019, he was named runner-up for the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future Award. He lives in Colorado and blogs about science and writing at mwkelly.com. Since 2021 he has served as the fiction editor for Latitudes, a literary journal published by the Hawaii Writers Guild.He can also be found on twitter @mwkelly2001.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 10, 2020
I tend to look back on the past and, though I know better, scoff at how close-minded and prejudiced people seem. Mark Kelly's new book actually takes us back to a familiar version of life 50 years ago in Hawai'i, giving us a glimpse into the norms and cultural perceptions of this time.
It's important to understand that while this is the second book in the series, the books do not need to be read in order. So I will try to avoid spoilers for Muana Kea Rising.
We see familiar characters in Elle: The Naked Singularity, but, reflecting the multiverse concept, this is just one version of these characters. This Elle grew up with her mother and father. Straining against provincial life, she finds herself catapulted into a Hawai'i that is not her home, one that wears a mask of familiarity many years in the past. She has no passport, no official documentation of who she is, and is found in suspicious circumstances. As was common at the time, she is thrown in a sanitorium, believed by the authorities to have lost her mind. She meets a soldier who worries that he has lost his courage, a transgender person who has closed their heart off to everyone. From there, the narrative takes off. Elle's resourcefulness, grit, and resistance to the status quo propel her and her friend Suzu on a journey to finding Charlie and path homeward.
Kelly challenges gender norms, definitions of love and sexuality, and the concept of home in this novel. The relationship between Elle and Suzu feels organic and authentic, unlike many forced romances I've read. It transcends romance because they act like people do. Fights feel like the result of choices rather than fulfilling the needs of the next plot point. Their personalities sometimes complement each other and sometimes clash, which is a refreshing break from the opposites attract trope. And the Multiverse is at work in that Suzu reminds Elle of someone she lost not too long ago, creating a complex web of emotions for them both to sort through.
This is also a clear deviation in style for Kelly--where Muana Kea RIsing was very much driven by science, this story's focus is on people, perceptions, and how the choices we make alter the world around us. There's also an enticing hint about Charlie which makes me really excited for the next book in the series, which I'm sure will be what befalls Charlie in his adventures. While I felt smarter reading Muana Kea Rising, I'm more excited to find out what happens next in this book, and I'm more connected to the characters. I also appreciate Elle's attitude, her recklessness, and her sense of humor.
In a time where many of us look around and wonder what in the world people are thinking, it's important to see what came before. This is an opportunity to do that with a snarky friend, Elle, by your side.
It's important to understand that while this is the second book in the series, the books do not need to be read in order. So I will try to avoid spoilers for Muana Kea Rising.
We see familiar characters in Elle: The Naked Singularity, but, reflecting the multiverse concept, this is just one version of these characters. This Elle grew up with her mother and father. Straining against provincial life, she finds herself catapulted into a Hawai'i that is not her home, one that wears a mask of familiarity many years in the past. She has no passport, no official documentation of who she is, and is found in suspicious circumstances. As was common at the time, she is thrown in a sanitorium, believed by the authorities to have lost her mind. She meets a soldier who worries that he has lost his courage, a transgender person who has closed their heart off to everyone. From there, the narrative takes off. Elle's resourcefulness, grit, and resistance to the status quo propel her and her friend Suzu on a journey to finding Charlie and path homeward.
Kelly challenges gender norms, definitions of love and sexuality, and the concept of home in this novel. The relationship between Elle and Suzu feels organic and authentic, unlike many forced romances I've read. It transcends romance because they act like people do. Fights feel like the result of choices rather than fulfilling the needs of the next plot point. Their personalities sometimes complement each other and sometimes clash, which is a refreshing break from the opposites attract trope. And the Multiverse is at work in that Suzu reminds Elle of someone she lost not too long ago, creating a complex web of emotions for them both to sort through.
This is also a clear deviation in style for Kelly--where Muana Kea RIsing was very much driven by science, this story's focus is on people, perceptions, and how the choices we make alter the world around us. There's also an enticing hint about Charlie which makes me really excited for the next book in the series, which I'm sure will be what befalls Charlie in his adventures. While I felt smarter reading Muana Kea Rising, I'm more excited to find out what happens next in this book, and I'm more connected to the characters. I also appreciate Elle's attitude, her recklessness, and her sense of humor.
In a time where many of us look around and wonder what in the world people are thinking, it's important to see what came before. This is an opportunity to do that with a snarky friend, Elle, by your side.
May 6, 2020
When impulsive, 20-year-old Elle finds herself in an unfamiliar universe, she realizes that although she is still in Hawaii, it is not the Hawaii she remembers. As she attempts to return to her own universe, many thrilling, profound, and harrowing adventures unfold. These include surviving s barbaric institution, evading a powerful organization, discovering her spirituality, and struggling with love she thought was lost. The blend of Buddhism, alternate timelines, gender identity, and quantum cosmology is a fascinating one, and readers of science fiction will revel in the excitement of the characters who explore the multiverse to investigate whether Elle can return to her own.
The entire story is a fantastic escape and a testament to the human power for healing and hope despite nearly impossible odds. I found myself easily engrossed in the narrative, connected to the characters, and, as a science fiction fan, pondering the wonders and potential of the multiverse. This is a more than worthy addition to the Lost in the Multiverse Series that started with Mauna Kea Rising. Should I say started? Check out the series to see what I mean. It’s refreshing how the books connect.
I wrote this review based on an advance review copy that the publisher sent me
The entire story is a fantastic escape and a testament to the human power for healing and hope despite nearly impossible odds. I found myself easily engrossed in the narrative, connected to the characters, and, as a science fiction fan, pondering the wonders and potential of the multiverse. This is a more than worthy addition to the Lost in the Multiverse Series that started with Mauna Kea Rising. Should I say started? Check out the series to see what I mean. It’s refreshing how the books connect.
I wrote this review based on an advance review copy that the publisher sent me
May 9, 2020
Elle is a wonderful addition to Mark Kelly’s Lost in the Multiverse series. Though connected to Mauna Kea Rising with the elements sci-fi readers love--parallel universes, time portals, and eerily familiar settings in futuristic worlds--Elle is not necessarily #2 in the series. I dare you to start with this one to see what I mean.
In my opinion, any fiction of substance must have characters who change, grow, and learn from their situations. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Elle is thrust into an alien world with its benevolent and dangerous characters and bizarre norms. And Kelly has created a fast-paced narrative where the protagonist must confront various external forces, such as gender issues, 1970’s-like institutions, and naturally, love. Yet, as I finished each chapter, I was captivated by Elle’s internal conflicts and relentless determination to accomplish her objective. What Elle realizes about herself by the end of the book is as conclusive as Dorothy’s own discovery.
In my opinion, any fiction of substance must have characters who change, grow, and learn from their situations. Like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, Elle is thrust into an alien world with its benevolent and dangerous characters and bizarre norms. And Kelly has created a fast-paced narrative where the protagonist must confront various external forces, such as gender issues, 1970’s-like institutions, and naturally, love. Yet, as I finished each chapter, I was captivated by Elle’s internal conflicts and relentless determination to accomplish her objective. What Elle realizes about herself by the end of the book is as conclusive as Dorothy’s own discovery.
May 8, 2020
I enjoyed this story. The writing is compelling, I didn't want to put it down. I especially liked the process the main character went through to re-evaluate and re-establish her identity when all is stripped away unexpectedly.
May 1, 2020
If you're like me, there may have been times in the past few months when you wished you could just get out of this world altogether and go someplace better. Well, we may be stuck here, now, but reading about Elle, who really does go to a different time in an alternate universe is a liberating experience. If you like science fiction based on science, as I do, you will like this book. I wrote this review based on an advance review copy that the publisher sent me.
Joy Fisher
Joy Fisher
August 3, 2020
There are so many things I loved about Elle: The Naked Singularity!
When 20-year-old Elle Akamu travels back in time and lands in an alternate universe, she’s looking for a way to go back home. But people are after her and she has no idea if going home is even possible.
This is the second book in the Lost in the Multiverse series, but you don’t have to read Mauna Kea Rising first.
In this book, you’ll find a diverse cast of characters and women working in STEM fields. I loved the characters, especially Elle, Leo and Haylie.
I was hooked right from the start. The pacing is faster than Mauna Kea Rising and I enjoyed it. This is a book that is based on science, but the author uses a lot of comparisons so that it’s easy to understand even for people like me who know almost nothing about the multiverse and science in general. I even found that the theories about the multiverse were fascinating. I enjoyed the fusion of science and Buddhism as well. I also loved all the little clues about her brother’s whereabouts, but I don’t want to say too much!
I wrote this review based on an advance review copy that the publisher sent me.
When 20-year-old Elle Akamu travels back in time and lands in an alternate universe, she’s looking for a way to go back home. But people are after her and she has no idea if going home is even possible.
This is the second book in the Lost in the Multiverse series, but you don’t have to read Mauna Kea Rising first.
In this book, you’ll find a diverse cast of characters and women working in STEM fields. I loved the characters, especially Elle, Leo and Haylie.
I was hooked right from the start. The pacing is faster than Mauna Kea Rising and I enjoyed it. This is a book that is based on science, but the author uses a lot of comparisons so that it’s easy to understand even for people like me who know almost nothing about the multiverse and science in general. I even found that the theories about the multiverse were fascinating. I enjoyed the fusion of science and Buddhism as well. I also loved all the little clues about her brother’s whereabouts, but I don’t want to say too much!
I wrote this review based on an advance review copy that the publisher sent me.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews