London: British author Samantha Harvey has won the prestigious Booker Prize for fiction with Orbital, a short yet profound novel set aboard the International Space Station. The novel explores the beauty and fragility of Earth through the eyes of six astronauts in orbit.

A novel inspired by the pandemic

Harvey’s Orbital, described as a “space pastoral,” was penned during the COVID-19 lockdowns. The novel follows six astronauts trapped in one another’s company, observing 16 sunrises and sunsets as they are captivated by the shifting vistas of Earth.

"To look at the Earth from space is like a child looking into a mirror and realizing for the first time that the person in the mirror is herself," Harvey said, reflecting on the novel’s deeper themes. "What we do to the Earth we do to ourselves."

Though not directly about climate change, Harvey acknowledged that the novel implicitly addresses it, given the astronauts’ viewpoint of the planet. She dedicated the award to those who advocate for the Earth, peace, and dignity for all life.

Praise for Harvey’s writing

Edmund de Waal, who chaired the Booker judging panel, hailed Orbital as a “miraculous novel” that presents the world in a fresh and striking way. Gaby Wood, Chief Executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, noted that in a year marked by geopolitical crises and record-high temperatures, Orbital is a hopeful, timely, and timeless piece of literature.

A groundbreaking victory

Harvey, a celebrated British writer, became the first British author to win the Booker Prize since 2020. Orbital is also one of the shortest Booker winners at just 136 pages. The novel outshone five other finalists, including American Percival Everett, whose book James was a favourite among bookmakers.

De Waal emphasized that the judges made their decision based solely on the quality of the novel, without considering any external factors such as gender or nationality. Harvey is the first female Booker winner since 2019 and one of five women shortlisted this year, a historic first for the prize.

A modest win and future plans

Upon receiving the Booker trophy from last year’s winner, Paul Lynch, Harvey expressed her shock but remained grounded. “I’ll disburse some of it on tax. I want to buy a new bike. And then the rest — I want to go to Japan,” she shared.

Orbital is Harvey’s fifth novel, and her win marks a significant moment in her career, with the Booker Prize often transforming the fortunes of its recipients.