By Samantha Harvey
Paperback £9.99
Orbital is a novel where nothing happens, in the best way. It is meditative and lyrical. It follows 24 hours in the lives of six astronauts on an international space station orbiting around Earth. They follow their routine (exercise, science experiments). They look out the windows. They reminisce. They wonder about the people they’ve left down there.
As the station circles the planet (16 times in 24 hours), the writing itself orbits and circles around, through Samantha Harvey’s gorgeous use of repetitions and lists. The poetic attention she has given to the rhythm throughout the book lulls and comforts and wraps the reader into the odd intimacy between these six strangers.
The narration orbits as well, pausing on each of the characters in turn, zooming in and out, digressing in between for the narrator to ponder the breathtaking beauty of the planet and what it means to be human. As readers, we get time to think about the contradictions at the heart of the crew, as they both miss and worry about their loved ones, and at the same time would not switch places with anyone for anything in the world, as they experience constant awe at how magnificent the planet looks from afar while overthinking the minute details of life down there; as they witness from afar destruction and devastation back on Earth and yet still dream.
A short, exquisite read, perfect for taking a step back, taking a break, and pressing ‘reset.’
Review by Leti