Has anyone read Orbital?

[JadedVeryJaded]

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?

@FuzzyCaoraDhubh I like your review

Thank you!

I loved it. Tbh I thought the whole book was about climate change, in a snapshot both of Earth and a separate tiny world.

I agree. It was rather like an over long article in a magazine. I was reading it at the same time it was serialised on Radio 4. It was better when listened to.

Update: I have finished it. Completely bowled over by the beauty of the writing and the scale of what it describes. I think it’s a love letter to Planet Earth. There are a couple of pages about two thirds in which I earmarked to go back to and re-read: when she comments on the wars happening “down below”. Mesmerising. I’m so pleased I kept going with it.

Her earlier novel The Wilderness, about an architect with Alzheimer’s, is brilliant.

Thanks. I’m going to look for this!

I found it a beautiful, contemplative, relaxing read. I got into the rhythm of the orbits by the space station.

Overrated bollocks! So much hype about it over Christmas, huge displays in all the bookshops. The best thing about it was the cover, which was pretty. The rest was boring, no plot, no character development, just description after description of not very much! Underwhelming and rather disappointing IMO.

I enjoyed it but not sure it was Booker-worthy. I thought some of the writing was fantastic but also that it went a little over the top and felt a little bit like an A-Level creative writing class submission at certain points.

I enjoyed it but like PPs was surprised at how long it took me to finish reading. The writing is so beautiful and rich and it really made me ponder human existence and the miracle of it all. I thought it was amazingly ambitious.

I thought it was beautiful - I really loved it. Earth was main focus, the space station crew were a tiny part. It has stayed with me & have gifted it to many.