Sarah's Reviews > Orbital

If asked to describe this book in one word, it would be: nothingburgers.

It gave me nothing. It meant nothing. It was about nothing.

Actual quote from the book:

“The moon, the moon. Mars, the moon.”

I actually laughed, out loud, at how nonsensical this one is in places.

My experience of reading this was tantamount to being invited to lunch with some acquaintances. They aren’t friends really, but they could be, because they are generally nice people, so I agree to go (not really, because I’m an introvert, but for the purpose of this comparison, I go.) They select some restaurant I’ve never heard of where they serve you poutine with cashew cheese (I’ve had this, it’s gross). And while you’re eating some hipster stands up at the small stage with the microphone in front of the windows, and proudly announces they are about to have a slam poetry reading.

And then someone with the thickest, blackest eyeliner you’ve ever seen gets up and reads you their deepest poetry about #astronautlife, even though they have clearly never ever been to space.

And you can tell it really means something to them. And the audience is feeling it. And the poet is feeling it. And all you can do is make an excuse to run to the bathroom so you don’t burst into a laughing fit because it’s so fucking ridiculous.

So I am once again, the odd man out.

This is why I have no friends by the way.

Anyway. I gave it two stars because there was exactly one chapter about Chie’s mother that I found really beautiful and touching. It’s a fucking shame Harvey didn’t focus on the astronauts more because she did have something to say about the human condition, (outside of: in the majesty of space, human life is insignificant or humans are only a “few flint strikes ahead” of anything else), but it was so fleeting I can’t give it more than that. She should just write poetry if that’s what she wants to do. There are people who would appreciate it. She should not sell it in novel form. I am unlikely to read from this author again.