Table of Contents
TL;DR
Orbital by Samantha Harvey is a compact, lyrical novel that chronicles a single day aboard the International Space Station, framed by its sixteen orbits of the Earth. Through the eyes of six astronauts from diverse backgrounds, Harvey crafts a meditation on time, isolation, connection, and planetary awe. Rather than offering dramatic plot points, Orbital is immersive and atmospheric, steeped in poetic observation and existential reflection. The novel’s rhythm is set by the cycle of orbits, allowing moments of introspection and glimpses into each astronaut’s life and thoughts. This is not a story of suspense, but of sensory immersion and human fragility. If you appreciate slow, reflective fiction that prioritises mood and idea over narrative momentum, Orbital is likely to captivate.
First Thoughts
I was intrigued when I picked up Orbital, especially after seeing it crowned a Booker Prize winner in 2024. At just over 130 pages, its brevity stood out – other publishers might have padded it with spacing, but here the tight presentation feels deliberate and apt.
This isn’t your typical novel. Told from a third-person perspective, it captures a single day aboard the International Space Station, following the astronauts as they loop Earth sixteen times. There’s a dreamlike quality to the writing – so believable and grounded that it feels more like a documentary than fiction.
Harvey doesn’t chase drama; instead, she captures the quiet, meditative rhythm of space life. The book’s structure, dictated by orbit, mirrors the passing of time in a way that’s hypnotic. The characters, shaped by absence and responsibility, navigate life-altering emotions from afar. One astronaut, Chie, circles over her late mother’s body repeatedly. Another, Nell, passes over her husband’s sheep farm in Ireland, his grounded lifestyle contrasted beautifully with her own infinite orbit.
It’s a book of delicate lyricism, deeply moving, and filled with poignant reflections. Orbital won’t suit readers seeking dramatic plots or big reveals. But if you value atmosphere, reflection, and the poetry of perspective, this one’s for you.
About the Book
Samantha Harvey’s Orbital takes place in the unique microcosm of the International Space Station over a single day – or, more accurately, sixteen orbits of Earth. The novel follows six astronauts: British Nell, Japanese Chie, Italian Pietro, Russians Roman and Anton, and American Shaun. Together, they embody the spirit of international cooperation, sharing tasks and space in zero gravity while mentally navigating their earthly attachments.
Despite the novel’s compact size, Harvey uses it to explore vast thematic terrain. Each chapter corresponds to one orbit, creating a rhythmic structure that reflects the repetitive but awe-inspiring routine of life in orbit. From microbiology experiments to muscle-preserving exercise regimens, the astronauts’ duties unfold in tandem with fleeting thoughts and quiet epiphanies.
Harvey’s decision to focus on a single day gives Orbital a poetic quality, resisting conventional plot devices. Instead, the novel leans into the existential strangeness of space: the proximity to Earth, yet isolation from its events; the quiet intimacy of a shared international mission; and the subtle tensions of living in a vacuum, physically and emotionally.
Though shortlisted and eventually winning the 2024 Booker Prize, Orbital defies conventional expectations of what a prize-winning novel might be. It eschews plot twists in favour of sustained emotional and philosophical inquiry – and in doing so, creates something startlingly fresh and profoundly moving.
What Others Think
In this Guardian review, Orbital is praised as a finely crafted meditation on beauty, aspiration, and intimacy. The reviewer applauds Harvey’s ability to translate the astronauts’ perspectives into language that captures both the grandeur and minutiae of space life. The structure – each chapter an orbit – offers a dizzying but cohesive rhythm. While the astronauts’ activities are mundane, their metaphysical reflections elevate the experience into something luminous and rare.
However, much like In Ascension, Orbital divides opinion. A critical review on Writing at Large finds Orbital lacking in substance and character development. The reviewer argues that the characters are underdeveloped and the prose overwrought. They criticise the absence of dramatic conflict, suggesting that Harvey squandered the ISS setting by refusing to explore higher-stakes scenarios. For this reader, Orbital was a frustrating exercise in style over substance.
A more balanced view comes from the Literary Review, which highlights the novel’s emphasis on time, perspective, and philosophical inquiry. The reviewer notes that Orbital avoids both sci-fi convention and domestic drama, choosing instead a lyrical tone closer to prose poetry. The astronauts’ inner lives are shaped by their detachment from Earth and the cyclical patterns of orbit. While there’s some concern about the novel’s emotional detachment, the piece ultimately celebrates Harvey’s ability to balance poetic reflection with human focus.
Themes, Style & Impact
Orbital is suffused with themes of dislocation, fragility, and existential reflection. Harvey’s signature interest in time – previously explored through Alzheimer’s in The Wilderness and insomnia in The Shapeless Unease – reappears here in the warped cycles of orbit. Each ninety-minute rotation brings new light, new landscapes, and new introspections, creating a constantly shifting emotional and physical terrain.
The book explores human cooperation and internationalism with quiet assurance. The crew represents diverse nations, yet functions as a cohesive unit, their differences blurred by their shared experience and environment. Even the humour around things like shared toilets subtly underscores the absurdity of geopolitical divisions in space.
Stylistically, Orbital leans heavily into poetic prose. Harvey’s sentences swing between the majestic and the meditative. Some readers may find this lyricism excessive or distancing, but for others, it conjures the wonder of space with remarkable grace.
The absence of a driving plot is both a risk and a triumph. The novel invites readers to slow down, to experience time as the astronauts do – not as a series of events, but as a fluid continuity. In doing so, Harvey presents Orbital as a meditation on consciousness and presence.
Comparisons may be drawn to Virginia Woolf’s The Waves, in which collective voices merge into a larger philosophical whole. Likewise, fans of Rachel Cusk or Jon McGregor might find Harvey’s focus on atmosphere and inner life deeply rewarding.
Final Thoughts
Orbital is not for everyone. Readers looking for narrative momentum or strong character arcs may feel adrift. But for those who appreciate fiction as art, who are drawn to mood, rhythm, and idea, it’s a rare and exquisite thing.
The novel stays grounded in the tactile and the intimate, even as it soars far above the Earth. Chie’s grief, Nell’s longing, Pietro’s musings – each element is quietly powerful. Nothing happens, yet everything resonates.
It’s a bold choice for a Booker winner, and for me, a deeply satisfying one. It reminds us of the privilege of perspective, the fragility of connection, and the beauty of observation. As part of my Booker journey, Orbital stands out for its originality and resonance.
Further Reading
- The Wilderness by Samantha Harvey – explores memory and disintegration through the lens of Alzheimer’s.
- The Waves by Virginia Woolf – a stylistic forerunner with its collective perspective and poetic rhythm.
- The Shapeless Unease by Samantha Harvey – non-fiction exploration of insomnia, time, and consciousness.
- Gravity (film) – shares the same dreamlike atmosphere and awe-inspiring space visuals referenced in the First Thoughts.