Rating: 7.3/10.
Fairly short novel of about 200 pages that won the 2024 Booker Prize. It takes place over a period of a few days with six astronauts aboard the International Space Station – four men and two women of different nationalities. Throughout the book, nothing much happens; there is no drama or much of a plot, and the astronauts don’t talk to each other much. It’s mostly just a self-reflection on the meaning of life and Earth’s beauty that is often taken for granted until you’re up in space. The book explores the meaning of relationships and family, with reminiscing about childhood, how each astronaut pursued their career path, and how they miss their families while in space.
The writing is quiet and reflective, with a slow pace, so even though it is a short book, it is quite philosophical and dense. There aren’t many details about each character except for one – the Japanese woman who has to deal with her mother’s death while she is in space and is unable to attend her funeral. The other astronauts’ lives aren’t explored in much detail. It’s rather unusual format for a novel, more of a meditation about the meaning of life on Earth.
