Love and Other Thought Experiments

By: Sophie Ward

Narrated by: Sophie Ward

This impressive debut novel, longlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize, takes its premise and inspiration from ten of the best-known thought experiments in philosophy—the what-ifs of philosophical investigation—and uses them to talk about love in a wholly unique way.

Married couple Rachel and Eliza are considering having a child. Rachel wants one desperately, and Eliza thinks she does, too, but she can't quite seem to wrap her head around the idea. When Rachel wakes up screaming one night and tells Eliza that an ant has crawled into her eye and is stuck there, Eliza initially sees it as a cry for attention. But Rachel is adamant. She knows it sounds crazy—but she also knows it's true. As a scientist, Eliza is skeptical. Suddenly their entire relationship is called into question.

What follows is a uniquely imaginative sequence of ten interconnecting episodes—each from a different character's perspective—inspired by some of the best-known thought experiments in philosophy. Together they form a sparkling philosophical tale of love lost and found across the universe.

Critic reviews

LONGLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE
SHORTLISTED FOR THE MCKITTERICK PRIZE
LONGLISTED FOR THE DESMOND ELLIOT PRIZE
LONGLISTED FOR THE POLARI BOOK PRIZE

"Ingenious." —The Guardian

"Intriguing. . . . The author’s grasp on the ideas at play effectively and poignantly connects readers with the characters’ grief." —Publishers Weekly

"A conspicuously erudite, skilfully observed debut novel." —Telegraph (UK)

"Ward has achieved something quite extraordinary: a super-smart, metaphysical romp that's also warm, wistful and heartfelt." —Daily Telegraph (UK)

"The sheer literary ambition on show is impressive, with Ward producing a highly original first novel that also echoes European experimentalists such as Kundera and Krasznahorkai." —Spectator (UK)

"An imaginative and original synthesis of fiction and philosophy" —Irish Times

"Ward is as skilful an observer as she is an abstract thinker, and so her characters, while fulfilling their roles as illustrators of theories, also burst with life." —Sunday Telegraph (UK)

"A refershing puzzle to unpick." —Diva Magazine (UK)

"It’s rare for me to fall for a novel that could be called ‘experimental’ but this genuinely blew my mind." —The Literary Sofa

"A towering literary achievement." —Ruth Hogan, author of The Keeper of Lost Things

"Philosophy meets fiction in this beguiling and intriguing novel of minds, hearts, other worlds, love, death and everything in between. It's a book that dances and dazzles with ideas and left me thinking long after I finished it." —Sophie Kinsella

One of my new favorites

Love the deep interplay of modern and classical philosphy as an undercurrent to discussing both motherhood and identity. Phenomenal piece of literature.

Exceptional deep original

In sentence after sentence I was reminded of strange deep thoughts from my own mind about life and relationships. Yet if somehow this book is fun and easy to read. To mix philosophy with a page turning narrative is impressive. What a thrilling book.