Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

Original poster

Has anyone read Orbital?

37 replies

JadedVeryJaded · 19/01/2025 23:45

I couldn’t find a thread about this. I’m about a fifth of the way through and enjoying it but not bowled over. I keep having to re-read sentences. Worth persevering?

OP posts:
Dancetildawn · 20/01/2025 18:10

I managed to read it in a few sittings-once I twigged there was no plot and no storyline I settled into it.

Great descriptions & interesting from living on the ISS pov but some parts were slightly tedious - l'd persevere but then struggle to not finish a book even if I dislike it.

Bigtom · 20/01/2025 18:06

I really enjoyed it! As a PP said, it’s more like reading a poem than a novel. The long lists of countries worked for me as way of emphasising the feeling of going round and round the earth, seeing different vistas below. I also liked the thought provoking ideas.

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 20/01/2025 17:56

JadedVeryJaded · 20/01/2025 16:59

Fair enough! Care to say why?

It was 1 of 135 I read last year so I'm hazy but I remember thinking it was Emperor's New Clothes, lots of critical acclaim for something fundamentally insubstantial

Oneminuteatatime · 20/01/2025 17:08

I remember thinking it was perhaps reflecting the utter boredom that the people on the ISS must have felt. The lists of countries and things, the amount of time they spent inside their own heads, completely confused by day and time. For a short book it took me a surprisingly long time to read. I didn’t dislike it, but it didn’t wow me. My mum read it after me and she loved it, but she is a big fan of that style of book. It reminded her of Gilead (Marilynne Robinson) which had a similar contemplative feel.
I kept thinking there would be a twist but no, there wasn’t. If you don’t enjoy the first few chapters it probably won’t get any better for you, imo.

Original poster
JadedVeryJaded · 20/01/2025 16:59

Fair enough! Care to say why?

OP posts:
EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 20/01/2025 14:19

I thought it was pants !

Original poster
JadedVeryJaded · 20/01/2025 11:46

Bejinxed · 20/01/2025 06:28

I enjoyed it as I thought the writing was beautiful but had to take it in small bursts. I'd expected to be able to gallop through but really couldn't.

I think these are my thoughts at this point too. I can only manage a few pages each time because the writing is very “rich” and densely descriptive hence needing to re-read sentences. It’s like eating a small piece of incredibly rich chocolate cake, I need to put down my fork after every couple of tiny mouthfuls!!

I’m going to keep going with it now that I know I am not the only one taking it in small bursts.

OP posts:
Pigeonqueen · 20/01/2025 07:10

I really couldn’t get into it. Kept seeing people online saying how good it was but it just felt like a chore to read and I the subject matter wasn’t my usual sort of thing. I ditched it half way through.

Sixtop · 20/01/2025 06:55

Yes. But if you’re not enjoying it now, nothing changes. Just see it as a collectively-narrated narrative poem?

Bejinxed · 20/01/2025 06:28

I enjoyed it as I thought the writing was beautiful but had to take it in small bursts. I'd expected to be able to gallop through but really couldn't.

AlwaysFreezing · 20/01/2025 06:18

Yep and I didn't enjoy it. Just a long list of countries they're able to see.

I found it pointless.

tobee · 20/01/2025 01:39

I read it over Christmas.

Even though it's short it did take me longer to read than I expected. Probably because there's not an obvious plot. There's not really a forward drive.

But I really enjoyed it - more than I thought I would. I was probably in the right mood and didn't really have any expectations of it. I just felt relaxed and happy to read it; almost as if it was read beautifully to me although I read the physical book. I enjoyed the characters for what they were and I was interested in the things I learned. I enjoyed the thoughts it provoked in me. It didn't feel like it was making a huge point about climate change or anything, which is where it might have gone,

However, hearing from other people who've read it it does seem a marmite book. So I can't say "ooh stick with it, wait for the twist" or whatever. I think it's probably a book I'd find hard to predict if people would enjoy it or not.

Sorry that this is a bit of a rambling reply ☺️