Joanna Kavenna's 'Seven': A Philosophical Game With No Rules

Joanna Kavenna's new book, *Seven*, is a hard novel to define. It is a short, absurdist story that is also packed with big ideas. The author has written about many subjects in her 20-year career. These range from polar exploration to technology's dangers. She often uses established genres, but twists them in new ways. *Seven* is closest to a satire of academic life. Its unnamed narrator works in Oslo for a famous and intimidating philosopher, Alda Jónsdóttir. The narrator assists Jónsdóttir in "box philosophy." This is the study of how we sort reality into categories. It asks why we often "think inside the box," even when trying not to. The book follows the narrator across Europe. They meet a cast of thinkers, gamers, and artists. Together, they explore a central question: How do we define reality when it constantly slips from our grasp?