Orbital by Samantha Harvey 

 

After listening to BBC Radio 4’s Front Row program, which announced the winner of the Booker Prize, I promptly reserved a copy of Samantha Harvey’s Orbital from my local library. After a short wait, the slim novel arrived. 

 

I must admit I had never heard of Samantha Harvey before. However, she has previously published four novels as well as a non-fiction book. 

 

The story of Orbital centers on astronauts orbiting Earth. They come from different countries—England, Russia, China, and America, among others—and form a unique community, detached from their families and friends on Earth. 

 

“There is the idea of a floating family, but in some ways they’re not really a family at all—they’re much more and much less than that.” 

 

The language of the novel is poetic and beautifully written, reminiscent of Virginia Woolf’s stream-of-consciousness style and focus on interiority. 

 

While the astronauts are in orbit, they document life on Earth from afar: 

 

“…the Sahara dust sweeps into the sea in hundred-mile ribbons. Here’s a pale green shimmering sea, hazy tangerine land.” 

 

The lives of people on Earth are also explored within the novel: a couple tending to their vegetable garden, and a fisherman and his family dealing with the aftermath of a natural disaster. 

 

Meanwhile, the astronauts reflect on their relationships, both on the space shuttle and back home. For instance, Chie grapples with her mother’s death while she is in orbit, missing the funeral rites. She reflects on fate, wondering how her mother’s life might have ended much earlier if not for certain circumstances. 

 

The book is deeply moving and an immensely enjoyable reading experience. The writing is exquisite. While I usually prefer novels set in domestic settings—where I can more easily relate to the characters—Orbital surprised me. Despite its cosmic setting, the characters’ reflections on their relationships and lives made them profoundly human. The novel captures the paradox of distance: though the astronauts are far removed from Earth, their thoughts and emotions remain grounded in the human experience. 

 

In the end, I empathized with the characters deeply, even though their situation is unimaginable for most of us. The story felt entirely real and relatable. 

 

This polished version maintains the original sentiments while improving readability and structure.