A review by _head_full_of_books_
Orbital by Samantha Harvey

adventurous emotional inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? N/A
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

 

Orbital by Samatha Harvey 

“Some alien civilisation might look on and ask: what are they doing here? Why do they go nowhere but round and round? The earth is the answer to every question. The earth is the face of an exulted lover: they watch it sleep and wake and become lost in its habits. The earth is a mother waiting for her children to return, full of stories and rapture and longing. Their bones a little less dense, their limbs a little thinner. Eyes filed with sights that are difficult to tell.” 

Orbital is a day in the diary of 6 astronauts and cosmonauts aboard a space station. As the space station orbits the earth, it experiences 16 sunrises and sunsets in a 24-hour period. The book is light on plot and character development but still an outstanding read for me. The prose is captivating and meditative. We follow the characters through these 16 orbits, get a sneak preview of their lives back on earth and on the space station and most importantly we participate in their journey as they document and admire our only home – Earth.  

Orbital is an ode to planet Earth. The low-orbit perspective offers the crew a chance to marvel at the beauty and magnificence of the planet’s continents, mountains, rivers, valleys, deserts, etc. During daytime there are no visible traces of humans. Mankind’s presence can be seen only during night when cities light up. It is a humbling thought that we humans - who are so proud of our existence and consciousness - are hardly noticeable in broad daylight few thousands of kilometres above ground. We search for heaven in skies but what if we are already in heaven here on earth. It is only a matter of perspective – a fact alluded to throughout the book through various examples. 

We have come a long way from thinking that earth was the center of our universe to knowing that we are a pale blue dot in a vast expanse of stars and galaxies. 

“Its not everything and its not nothing, but it seems much more than something.”