A Reflection on Orbital by Samantha Harvey: going round and round. Samantha Harvey’s Orbital is an ambitious novel, promising to delve into profound themes of memory, identity, and time. Yet, as I immersed myself in its pages, I found myself grappling with the question: does it deliver on these promises?
This book certainly had an impact – it won the 2024 Booker Prize for a dramatisation of twenty four hours on the international space station 250 miles above Earth.
From the outset, Orbital introduces us to a cast of characters aboard a spacecraft orbiting Earth. However, as I ventured a third of the way through the book, I realised that very little was actually happening. The narrative is heavy on naturalistic descriptions of the planet from space, which, while vivid, began to feel repetitive and tedious. The potential for engaging drama—a collision with another rocket, a meteor shower, or even interpersonal conflicts among the crew—is deliberately avoided. Instead, the plot drifts, much like the spacecraft, anchored only by moments such as Anton’s dream, which failed to add momentum or intrigue.
The novel’s thematic ambitions—exploring memory, identity, and the passage of time—are noble, but they feel underdeveloped. The characters lack depth, making it difficult to invest in their journeys or grasp a meaningful sense of time’s passage. While the blend of Earth and space could have offered a powerful juxtaposition, it ultimately lacked impact. The endless orbiting and descriptions of continents below became monotonous, leaving me yearning for a stronger narrative anchor.
Even the interactions among the crew members fell short. While Harvey introduces us to different characters aboard the spaceship, their engagements lack the richness or significance needed to drive the story forward. The novel does convey some sense of the disorientation of being in space—the dizzying perspective of looking down at Earth while in constant motion—but this alone wasn’t enough to sustain my interest or provide a clear sense of purpose. The weather and climate descriptions witnessed on Earth just did not come off the page for me.
Harvey’s exploration of memory also left me wanting more. The narrative misses an opportunity to weave a meaningful reflection on life’s journey through its focus on the descriptive aspects of space travel. By the novel’s end, the absence of a compelling plot made the experience feel tedious.
Admittedly, the slow pace of the story might appeal to readers seeking a meditative experience, allowing space for introspection. However, this introspection didn’t resonate with me. The reflection on human existence felt too shallow, and the nuanced character development lacked the context needed to create a lasting impact. I found myself asking: did I gain any deeper understanding of what it means to be human? Unfortunately, my answer was no.
Orbital undoubtedly stands out for its unconventional approach, eschewing plot in favor of a reflective, contemplative tone. For some readers, this may be a welcome departure from traditional storytelling. For me, however, the narrative’s lack of depth and direction made it difficult to connect with, just going round and round, leaving me feeling adrift in its orbit.
