Book Review: Orbital

By: Eliott L., Grade 7

Orbital, by Samantha Harvey, is a beautifully crafted novel about the lives of a group of six  astronauts and cosmonauts. They all come from different backgrounds and nationalities, traveling at the incredible speed of seventeen-thousand miles per hour, looming above the shimmering earth below.  This quick read presents snapshots of their lives as they curiously loop around earth. 

This book uses the scenario of the aimless orbit of earth to illustrate the beauty  and radiance of earth in a way that deeply resonates with the reader. The author brilliantly zooms out of ordinary life on earth, which we humans get so embedded in, and takes the time to truly reflect on what we are as a species, a civilization, and conscious beings. This book depicts earth in a ravishingly beautiful way, and creates a sense of gratefulness and privilege. 

One factor that differentiates this novel from the average book is its lack of a traditional plot. The book instead consists of specific moments in the characters' lives in a non-linear plot style. In fact, many of the chapters in the book primarily consist of just imagery, describing the fascinating view of earth from outer space, in an irreplicable way that internalizes itself in the reader. 

However, despite the book’s unconventional and limiting plot structure, the characters are able to portray and capture a large amount of depth. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the characters, with the little spotlight time they get. The author dives deep, one at a time, into the lives of each character and their inner conflicts, burdens, and mental struggles - all while floating in the infinity of space. These insights into their inner thoughts and pasts allows the reader to form a deep connection and empathy with these people, a commendable quality for a book so short.

Overall, I really appreciated this book, and would recommend it to people who enjoy and share an appreciation for well-crafted language and deep themes. The characters in this book deeply resonate with me and the imagery is quite remarkable. However, this book is not a typical novel, with a traditional and exciting plot. If that is your aim, you will not find this book interesting and it will leave you completely bored. At the end of the day, this book is more of a philosophical reflection on humanity rather than an action thriller.