Samantha Harvey's novel "Orbital" has made literary history by winning the 2024 Booker Prize, marking the first space-themed book to receive this prestigious award. As reported by the BBC, this slim yet profound work follows six astronauts aboard the International Space Station, offering a unique perspective on Earth's beauty and fragility while exploring the psychological impacts of long-term space travel.
Set aboard the International Space Station, "Orbital" explores humanity's existence from a cosmic perspective during a single day of a nine-month mission. The novel juxtaposes the astronauts' mundane routines with the extraordinary spectacle of Earth viewed from space, where they witness 16 sunrises and sunsets within 24 hours. This unique vantage point allows Harvey to delve into themes of environmental fragility, human connection, and the meaninglessness of national borders, which appear only as clusters of artificial light during nighttime. The confined setting of the aging, creaky space station serves as both a prison and a home for the six international characters, amplifying their psychological struggles and existential reflections.
Initially struggling with confidence, Harvey began writing "Orbital" during the COVID-19 lockdowns, drawing parallels between the confined experiences of astronauts and global pandemic isolation. To overcome her lack of firsthand space experience, she immersed herself in astronaut literature and spent hours watching the International Space Station's live camera feed. This meticulous research allowed Harvey to create a realistic portrayal of life in low Earth orbit, approaching the novel as a "space pastoral" that focuses on the beauty of Earth from space through careful nature writing. The pandemic ultimately helped Harvey overcome her hesitation, enabling her to craft a narrative that resonates with themes of isolation and human connection in extraordinary circumstances.
Unanimous praise from the Booker Prize judges highlighted "Orbital" as a "miraculous novel" that makes our world feel "strange and new". Edmund de Waal, chair of the judging panel, commended the work for its "grandeur and poetic expression," noting Harvey's "lyrical use of language". The novel's commercial success has been remarkable, becoming the top-selling book among those shortlisted and surpassing the combined sales of the previous three Booker winners before their victories. Critics have lauded its "crystalline" writing style and "capaciousness" despite its brevity, with the judges appreciating its ability to address contemporary concerns about climate crisis while maintaining literary beauty.
Employing stream-of-consciousness narration, Harvey masterfully captures the disorienting effects of space travel on perception and time. The astronauts experience profound moments of realization, such as witnessing Earth's borders become meaningless and confronting their own mortality against the vastness of space. This narrative technique weaves together personal memories, present observations, and existential thoughts, creating a fluid portrayal of the characters' inner lives. The novel explores the tension between routine tasks and existential insights, using daily activities as a metaphor for human fragility and adaptation in the face of cosmic scale.
In "Orbital," Samantha Harvey has crafted a novel that resonates deeply, not only because of its unique setting but also for its profound exploration of humanity's place in the cosmos. By bringing readers aboard the International Space Station, Harvey offers a fresh perspective on Earth's beauty and vulnerability, reminding us of the artificial nature of the borders we construct and the shared home we all inhabit. The psychological and existential threads woven through the astronauts' daily routines bring a poignancy that reflects our own struggles and aspirations. "Orbital" stands as a timely meditation on connection, resilience, and the fragility of life, urging readers to look beyond the familiar and embrace a global perspective. As we face unprecedented environmental and social challenges, Harvey's novel serves as both a reflection and a call to action, inviting us to cherish our planet and each other with renewed awe and responsibility.
