#31 Orbital, by Samantha Harvey

 


Booker Prize: 2024 WINNER

Plot Time and Place: Present day, International Space Station

Opening sentence:  "Rotating about the earth in their spacecraft they are so together, and so alone, that even their thoughts, their internal mythologies, at times convene."

Plot summary: .Six astronauts rotate in their spacecraft above the earth, and they observe our silent blue planet.

Review:  On reading the synopsis, you'd think this would be completely boring. But it manages not to be boring at all, although it is quite calm and contemplative. I liked it very much. The writing is beautiful, the descriptions of life in the space station are interesting, and the love for our planet that this story conveys is just touching. 

Rating:  4/5








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