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Our Orbit
As a series of misfortunes scatters the Winslow children to different homes, nine-year-old Miriam finds herself in foster care. A college-educated couple, Rick and Deanne Fletcher, are happy to welcome her. But Miriam has never worn new clothes, was not permitted to cut her hair, and believes that children must repent their sins with dramatic displays of remorse, or harm will come to their loved ones. Now she must adapt to a secular lifestyle while struggling not to lose her connection to the past. The Fletchers quickly come to love their “new little girl” with her cheerful energy and unusual ideas. Then they encounter the rest of Miriam’s family: Uncle Dan believes he was the subject of an invasive experiment. Sister Rachelle, just released from juvenile detention, harbors many painful secrets. Brother Josh is outraged that the Fletchers disrespect Christian teachings. When his plan to remove Miriam from their home fails, Josh reacts with growing hostility to interference in the Winslow way of life. Richly detailed with small-town ethos, Anesa Miller's new novel, Our Orbit, captures the tension between modernity and tradition in the Appalachian corner of bellwether Ohio. Among the conflicts of her finely drawn and compelling characters, we glimpse the spirit that binds us in our common humanity—all of this in a literary novel that reads at the pace of a thriller. Reader’s Guide included.
- GenresFiction
294 pages, Paperback
First published June 25, 2014
10 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Anesa Miller
5 books86 followersAs a child, Anesa Miller resisted schooling and had to be pushed to keep up with her classmates. On a car trip across the Great Plains, her mother threatened that there would be no lunch until Anesa read several pages aloud from A Is for Annabelle. Under pressure, the seven-year-old buckled down, focused on the page, and gained a sudden insight into the link between letters, sound, and meaning. A passion for reading and love of literature were born.
Anesa’s attitude toward education improved rapidly. She attended Occidental College in Los Angeles and developed a fascination for the Russian language. She made her first trip to the Soviet Union in 1974, where a hotel maid offered condolences on the resignation of President Richard Nixon. “Such a pity for your country!” The Americans on the study-abroad program explained that his resignation was not such a tragedy.
own_on_branchAt the University of Kansas, Anesa received a Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures. She translated scholarly essays, edited books, and taught at universities as well as elementary schools. After the end of the Cold War, when college enrollments in Russian language courses declined, Anesa returned to writing poems and fiction, which she had enjoyed throughout her youth.
Anesa was awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship in Creative Writing from the Ohio Arts Council in 1998. Her poems and prose have been published in The Kenyon Review, The Cream City Review, The California Quarterly, Spoon River Poetry Review, and many others. She now devotes herself to writing full-time.
Married to the neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp, Anesa divides her time between northwest Ohio and Moscow, Idaho. The couple have three grown children.
Anesa’s attitude toward education improved rapidly. She attended Occidental College in Los Angeles and developed a fascination for the Russian language. She made her first trip to the Soviet Union in 1974, where a hotel maid offered condolences on the resignation of President Richard Nixon. “Such a pity for your country!” The Americans on the study-abroad program explained that his resignation was not such a tragedy.
own_on_branchAt the University of Kansas, Anesa received a Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures. She translated scholarly essays, edited books, and taught at universities as well as elementary schools. After the end of the Cold War, when college enrollments in Russian language courses declined, Anesa returned to writing poems and fiction, which she had enjoyed throughout her youth.
Anesa was awarded an Individual Artist Fellowship in Creative Writing from the Ohio Arts Council in 1998. Her poems and prose have been published in The Kenyon Review, The Cream City Review, The California Quarterly, Spoon River Poetry Review, and many others. She now devotes herself to writing full-time.
Married to the neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp, Anesa divides her time between northwest Ohio and Moscow, Idaho. The couple have three grown children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
June 29, 2015
A COMPELLING LITERARY GEM
This emotional and beautifully written debut novel by Anesa Miller explores socially relevant issues, such as poverty, foster care, secular religion, homophobia, abortion, and the tension between tradition and modernity. It’s a tightly woven and tension-filled family story set in Southern Ohio.
The nine-year-old Miriam finds herself in a new foster family who are financially better off than the family she grew up with, which itself was broken up after the mother dies and the father is sent to prison. Miriam’s conflict with her sister Rachelle, who she believes has abandoned her, is one relationship in the book which had me fully engaged; but Miriam’s burgeoning relationship with her new family, particularly the two younger kids, is sweet and endearing, and one particular scene between the three of them in the basement they’ve been forbidden to enter was so full of truth and tension (and humour) that it was one of the most gripping scenes in the book.
Miriam’s influence on the younger kids is a source of concern for Deanne, their mother, particularly as her own mother disapproves of Miriam. Family dynamics and hidden secrets threaten to tear the family apart. There is an embedded theme here about sexuality, and this is echoed in the homophobic sentiments of Josh, Miriam’s older brother, whose fervent devotion to an extreme form of Christianity provides yet more tension in a story rich in moral complexity and psychological depth. Is Josh just crazy and out of control because his father’s been sent to prison, or does he genuinely want to protect his sisters and keep his family together? Josh, for all his self-righteousness that borders on hypocrisy, is himself under scrutiny from his own guardians ‘like he was a refrigerator they’d bought home on trial and had to keep opening the door to check if things were cold enough inside.’
Josh, of course, has secrets of his own, something which hasn’t gone unnoticed by his sister Rachelle, who, for obvious reasons, resents his pro-life stance. Teen angst against the additional pain of being estranged from her family makes Rachelle one of the more sympathetic characters (although, all the characters here are easy to relate to, one of the novel’s greatest strengths). Rachelle, along with Miriam and Josh, all have their traumas, however, the parents do too: Deanne and Rick, must also adapt to a new life, one of their own choosing, attempting to do the right thing by the kids while trying to keep their marriage on track and sustain a fulfilling home life.
Our Orbit is a wonderful and superbly written debut, as good as any literary North American writer you care to mention. ‘It was a pain how the scenes [on TV] with dark backgrounds made her image show up like writing in lemon juice over a candle flame.’ Such sentences are clear evidence that Anesa Miller is a great talent and her debut a skilled work.
As well as the high standard of writing, which is always illuminating and brimming with truths about the human condition, all the characters are believable, the story they find themselves in compelling, the themes expertly woven into the fabric of the text, allowing you space for you own speculations about what’s happening (and what might happen) and to draw your own conclusions about the actions of the characters. If you like a good novel about family on the same level as Joyce Carol Oates’s We Were The Mulvaneys, Anne Tyler’s Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant or Richard Russo’s Empire Falls, you won’t do much better than this thought-provoking, tragic, and wonderful book.
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first published on http://www.jasongreensides.com
This emotional and beautifully written debut novel by Anesa Miller explores socially relevant issues, such as poverty, foster care, secular religion, homophobia, abortion, and the tension between tradition and modernity. It’s a tightly woven and tension-filled family story set in Southern Ohio.
The nine-year-old Miriam finds herself in a new foster family who are financially better off than the family she grew up with, which itself was broken up after the mother dies and the father is sent to prison. Miriam’s conflict with her sister Rachelle, who she believes has abandoned her, is one relationship in the book which had me fully engaged; but Miriam’s burgeoning relationship with her new family, particularly the two younger kids, is sweet and endearing, and one particular scene between the three of them in the basement they’ve been forbidden to enter was so full of truth and tension (and humour) that it was one of the most gripping scenes in the book.
Miriam’s influence on the younger kids is a source of concern for Deanne, their mother, particularly as her own mother disapproves of Miriam. Family dynamics and hidden secrets threaten to tear the family apart. There is an embedded theme here about sexuality, and this is echoed in the homophobic sentiments of Josh, Miriam’s older brother, whose fervent devotion to an extreme form of Christianity provides yet more tension in a story rich in moral complexity and psychological depth. Is Josh just crazy and out of control because his father’s been sent to prison, or does he genuinely want to protect his sisters and keep his family together? Josh, for all his self-righteousness that borders on hypocrisy, is himself under scrutiny from his own guardians ‘like he was a refrigerator they’d bought home on trial and had to keep opening the door to check if things were cold enough inside.’
Josh, of course, has secrets of his own, something which hasn’t gone unnoticed by his sister Rachelle, who, for obvious reasons, resents his pro-life stance. Teen angst against the additional pain of being estranged from her family makes Rachelle one of the more sympathetic characters (although, all the characters here are easy to relate to, one of the novel’s greatest strengths). Rachelle, along with Miriam and Josh, all have their traumas, however, the parents do too: Deanne and Rick, must also adapt to a new life, one of their own choosing, attempting to do the right thing by the kids while trying to keep their marriage on track and sustain a fulfilling home life.
Our Orbit is a wonderful and superbly written debut, as good as any literary North American writer you care to mention. ‘It was a pain how the scenes [on TV] with dark backgrounds made her image show up like writing in lemon juice over a candle flame.’ Such sentences are clear evidence that Anesa Miller is a great talent and her debut a skilled work.
As well as the high standard of writing, which is always illuminating and brimming with truths about the human condition, all the characters are believable, the story they find themselves in compelling, the themes expertly woven into the fabric of the text, allowing you space for you own speculations about what’s happening (and what might happen) and to draw your own conclusions about the actions of the characters. If you like a good novel about family on the same level as Joyce Carol Oates’s We Were The Mulvaneys, Anne Tyler’s Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant or Richard Russo’s Empire Falls, you won’t do much better than this thought-provoking, tragic, and wonderful book.
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first published on http://www.jasongreensides.com
July 3, 2015
Expectations, Far Exceeded
Perhaps it was the folksy cover and the title, but I did not anticipate anything more than a domestic tale about a kind-hearted family dealing with the challenges of caring for a foster child. My brother and his wife adopted a troubled foster child, so the subject matter interested me.
This author offers up well-rounded characters, and in a literary fashion, doesn’t shy away from showing the darkness and pettiness that visits most everyone to a degree—some far more than others. We never truly know what anyone else might be thinking. It’s important to watch and listen for telltale warning signs from troubled people. Our negligence in such matters leads to tragedy all too often.
I didn’t get far into the narrative before I realized I was in for a roller coaster ride of raw emotional intensity. And what a ride it was. The realism hit home. Not sensationalistic, just real folks faced with real-life troubles and tragedies. Even the most unsympathetic characters are multi-dimensional. Their viewpoint is well represented. Their actions, to their way of thinking anyway—are justified.
Several sensitive topics, topics such as: Christian fundamentalist extremism, childhood alcoholism and promiscuity, the bad economy, financial hardships and unequal extremes, the challenges bringing a strange child into a home with natural born children may present, contrasts between the educated and uneducated, and many others are handled with a fair-minded touch. This cast of characters stays with the reader long after devouring the last page.
A remarkable debut by a remarkable author.
Perhaps it was the folksy cover and the title, but I did not anticipate anything more than a domestic tale about a kind-hearted family dealing with the challenges of caring for a foster child. My brother and his wife adopted a troubled foster child, so the subject matter interested me.
This author offers up well-rounded characters, and in a literary fashion, doesn’t shy away from showing the darkness and pettiness that visits most everyone to a degree—some far more than others. We never truly know what anyone else might be thinking. It’s important to watch and listen for telltale warning signs from troubled people. Our negligence in such matters leads to tragedy all too often.
I didn’t get far into the narrative before I realized I was in for a roller coaster ride of raw emotional intensity. And what a ride it was. The realism hit home. Not sensationalistic, just real folks faced with real-life troubles and tragedies. Even the most unsympathetic characters are multi-dimensional. Their viewpoint is well represented. Their actions, to their way of thinking anyway—are justified.
Several sensitive topics, topics such as: Christian fundamentalist extremism, childhood alcoholism and promiscuity, the bad economy, financial hardships and unequal extremes, the challenges bringing a strange child into a home with natural born children may present, contrasts between the educated and uneducated, and many others are handled with a fair-minded touch. This cast of characters stays with the reader long after devouring the last page.
A remarkable debut by a remarkable author.
July 25, 2014
I guess I should say right off the bat that I was a beta reader for this book and received a free copy.
The next thing I'll say is that this book surprised me by how well-crafted and thought out it was. I had no idea when I started reading it that Our Orbit was exactly the kind of book that I love reading. It is a simultaneous and progressive look at normal life and normal setbacks from multiple female perspectives (not to say that say a man could not read and enjoy this book, just that the narrative voice wasn't distinctly male). There is no full circle, no cumulative 'The End' because that's not how life works. What we're offered as readers are a series of snapshots into the lives of people who could be our neighbors, and what we are left with is the same wondrous feeling of "What next?" that the characters are left with as well.
I likened this book to one of my favorite novels Dancing on the Edge by Han Nolan (with some aspects of Torey Hayden's One Child mixed in), it ebbed and flowed, crest and ceded at just the right points in the plot for me. One critique some people may have is that events moved too slowly, but I thought the pace was perfect.
The next thing I'll say is that this book surprised me by how well-crafted and thought out it was. I had no idea when I started reading it that Our Orbit was exactly the kind of book that I love reading. It is a simultaneous and progressive look at normal life and normal setbacks from multiple female perspectives (not to say that say a man could not read and enjoy this book, just that the narrative voice wasn't distinctly male). There is no full circle, no cumulative 'The End' because that's not how life works. What we're offered as readers are a series of snapshots into the lives of people who could be our neighbors, and what we are left with is the same wondrous feeling of "What next?" that the characters are left with as well.
I likened this book to one of my favorite novels Dancing on the Edge by Han Nolan (with some aspects of Torey Hayden's One Child mixed in), it ebbed and flowed, crest and ceded at just the right points in the plot for me. One critique some people may have is that events moved too slowly, but I thought the pace was perfect.
July 20, 2014
In her debut novel, Anesa Miller takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the seasons of the lives of two families. The trip is by turns harrowing and heartening.
The author's prose evokes the natural beauty of Ohio as she illuminates the joys and pathos of family life.
The story opens in winter, early in the new year and is told in part from the point of view of nine year old Miriam Winslow. Miriam watches her family unravel and struggles to make sense of the monumental changes that occur in her life and the lives of her loved ones. .
The two families (the Winslows and the Fletchers) though different are bound together not only by their connection to Miriam but by their search for meaning and connection in the larger world.
Miller skillfully interweaves themes of personal and religious struggle with redemption. Her insights into the foster care and prison systems are remarkable.
As different as the families are, we come to see that both share the anguish of loss and grief, the isolation of addiction as well as hope for the future of the children.
The author's prose evokes the natural beauty of Ohio as she illuminates the joys and pathos of family life.
The story opens in winter, early in the new year and is told in part from the point of view of nine year old Miriam Winslow. Miriam watches her family unravel and struggles to make sense of the monumental changes that occur in her life and the lives of her loved ones. .
The two families (the Winslows and the Fletchers) though different are bound together not only by their connection to Miriam but by their search for meaning and connection in the larger world.
Miller skillfully interweaves themes of personal and religious struggle with redemption. Her insights into the foster care and prison systems are remarkable.
As different as the families are, we come to see that both share the anguish of loss and grief, the isolation of addiction as well as hope for the future of the children.
August 16, 2014
This novel throws a lot at the reader very quickly as the child heroine loses her family over a period of a few months. At first it was a little challenging to keep the characters straight with a full cast of 3 families. However, all soon becomes clear, and an engrossing story takes over. The scenes feel leisurely, like everyday life, but the plot advances steadily. Fascinating characters and moving events make this an excellent read.
October 24, 2014
Nine year old Miriam Winslow has had enough trouble to last a lifetime. If losing her mother wasn’t enough, within months of her mother’s death, her father, Levi, gets thrown into prison for being a tax protester. Miriam and her siblings get separated as each of them have had different arrangements put in place by the authorities. Mirium, the youngest get Rick and Deanne Fletcher as her foster parents. Rick and Deanne wholeheartedly welcome Miriam into their family. Miriam is different from them though. She had been brought up in a different way, no new clothes, no luxuries, extremely ostentatious ways of showing remorse in church. Her father believed in all this, and her mother had gone along with it. Her older brother Issac lived with his wife, away and wasn’t all that affected but her other brother Josh was as fanatic as her father. Rachelle her sister, rebelled and went the other way, landed in juvenile prison.
As all this came to fore, Rick and Deanne struggle but continue to do the right thing for their new foster daughter. Miriam has her own struggles too, having come to live in a family that is strongly secular, where children don’t live in fear that their actions could cause harm to the rest of the family, and a house full of nice beautiful things. For Miriam, it’s a life far far different from the one she left, and one she isn’t sure she ought to be living in, any way, given that she has learned that luxuries of this kind are not right, all her life. Josh, her brother’s strong views do not help at all. Neither does her unbelieving sister’s actions.
A touching story of how two families with conflicting ways of life and beliefs are thrown together by tragedy. A well crafted book, with small insightful incidents, showing how each family and each person responded to things.
All the characters were well-rounded, people who you could understand, even if you didn’t agree with their motivations. Relationships between them explored beautifully, be it Miriam’s relationship with her foster parents Rachelle’s with their aunt and cousin, the siblings themselves or Josh and his girlfriend. The flow of writing was perfect. The book progressed at a very good pace, not too slow, not too fast,perfect for the kind of topic it addresses. I liked the way it ended as well, with just enough for the reader to ponder over.
What I liked most about the book is the way it handled and explored the hypocrisy that comes with blind faith. Of how easily wrongs can be justified for, just because it’s part of our faith. The risk that blind faith or blind belief in anything entails. The book also makes you think about the role of poverty in the way people react to religion. The author tackles the subject with sensitivity and compassion, with an understanding of why people behave the way they do in these circumstances, rather than just being judgmental, which I think makes the book a pleasure to read.
A book that I’m so glad I got to read, a 4.5/5 rating from me.
As all this came to fore, Rick and Deanne struggle but continue to do the right thing for their new foster daughter. Miriam has her own struggles too, having come to live in a family that is strongly secular, where children don’t live in fear that their actions could cause harm to the rest of the family, and a house full of nice beautiful things. For Miriam, it’s a life far far different from the one she left, and one she isn’t sure she ought to be living in, any way, given that she has learned that luxuries of this kind are not right, all her life. Josh, her brother’s strong views do not help at all. Neither does her unbelieving sister’s actions.
A touching story of how two families with conflicting ways of life and beliefs are thrown together by tragedy. A well crafted book, with small insightful incidents, showing how each family and each person responded to things.
All the characters were well-rounded, people who you could understand, even if you didn’t agree with their motivations. Relationships between them explored beautifully, be it Miriam’s relationship with her foster parents Rachelle’s with their aunt and cousin, the siblings themselves or Josh and his girlfriend. The flow of writing was perfect. The book progressed at a very good pace, not too slow, not too fast,perfect for the kind of topic it addresses. I liked the way it ended as well, with just enough for the reader to ponder over.
What I liked most about the book is the way it handled and explored the hypocrisy that comes with blind faith. Of how easily wrongs can be justified for, just because it’s part of our faith. The risk that blind faith or blind belief in anything entails. The book also makes you think about the role of poverty in the way people react to religion. The author tackles the subject with sensitivity and compassion, with an understanding of why people behave the way they do in these circumstances, rather than just being judgmental, which I think makes the book a pleasure to read.
A book that I’m so glad I got to read, a 4.5/5 rating from me.
July 22, 2014
Our Orbit is a well-crafted, thoughtful and entertaining novel about two small town families brought together by tragedy. The lives of the characters, their conscious and unconscious beliefs and conflicting ideologies are thrown together as Miller draws from headline-making events and follows them through to their conclusion. I was impressed with Miller’s ability to create such well-rounded, meticulously crafted characters. The story is intriguing and relevant. Even though the story is told through multiple characters, the story is easy to follow and there are no rough transitions between characters. In several scenes, Miller leads the characters to the edge of darkness but pulls them back at the last minute. Although the end was logical, it was not inevitable and Miller ended the story with just enough closure. Our Orbit is an amazingly well-written story and well worth the reader’s attention.
June 23, 2015
This is a blockbuster of a story and weaves into the lives of two families, the Winslow’s and the Fletcher’s. The Winslow’s have broken down through tragedy and criminality and the Fletchers attempts to fix them by fostering one of their children. The two soon become interlinked with the rest of the Winslow clan.
Miller tells a story that draws you in and you find yourself become heavily involved with so many different and rich characters.
Both families are religious, one to the point of being fanatical. I loved the way the story slowed unfolded as each page brought a new saga that had me want to keep going to find out what happened next.
The characters charmed me and the descriptions took me to the places I had never been. At times I felt like I was part of the family, too. They made me laugh and cry as they dealt with problems of growing up, teenagers, drinking and relationships.
Miller is a great story teller and Our Orbit is a truly recommended read.
Miller tells a story that draws you in and you find yourself become heavily involved with so many different and rich characters.
Both families are religious, one to the point of being fanatical. I loved the way the story slowed unfolded as each page brought a new saga that had me want to keep going to find out what happened next.
The characters charmed me and the descriptions took me to the places I had never been. At times I felt like I was part of the family, too. They made me laugh and cry as they dealt with problems of growing up, teenagers, drinking and relationships.
Miller is a great story teller and Our Orbit is a truly recommended read.
July 11, 2014
"Our Orbit" explores the issue of people who live in the same geographical area but rarely interact due to differences in such factors as socioeconomic level or religion. The two families in the story are brought together through tragedy -- the death of the mother and imprisonment of the father in one family. The second family decides to foster the youngest child of the first family, which brings them into the orbit of her older siblings and father. The story plays out through the eyes of members of both families, building slowly to a climax that, while shocking, also seems inevitable due to the author's skill. Although the families differ profoundly, the members of both, including the children, are shown in a sympathetic light.
This review is based on a pre-publication copy.
This review is based on a pre-publication copy.
October 10, 2014
I was easily interested in reading Our Orbit due to the colorful synopsis, but nothing could prepare me for the treasure that awaited me within the pages. Wow, Anesa Miller can write! Her storytelling is hands down some of the best I have read.
I love this quirky plot about the religious Winslow family who are a bit tattered and damaged. The youngest daughter Miriam survives a car crash that takes her mother’s life and proudly steps up to take the role of caregiver just like she thinks her mother would have wanted her to. Sadly, when her father finds himself in a legal mess, Miriam is whisked away to a foster family.
Anesa writes beautifully about the four Winslow children, their unusual circumstances, and their struggle to find their way without their parents and away from each other. Our Orbit is a captivating story and I highly recommend it.
I love this quirky plot about the religious Winslow family who are a bit tattered and damaged. The youngest daughter Miriam survives a car crash that takes her mother’s life and proudly steps up to take the role of caregiver just like she thinks her mother would have wanted her to. Sadly, when her father finds himself in a legal mess, Miriam is whisked away to a foster family.
Anesa writes beautifully about the four Winslow children, their unusual circumstances, and their struggle to find their way without their parents and away from each other. Our Orbit is a captivating story and I highly recommend it.
August 1, 2014
I was a little surprised when the first-time novel of Anesa Miller turned out to be a book I couldn’t put down. I was given a pre-publication copy to read. One afternoon, I started reading and read it straight through. I became thoroughly caught up in the life of Miriam and the other Winslow’s and then the Fletchers who become Miriam’s foster family. As the story unfolds, Ms. Miller skillfully delves into a number of moral issues: abortion, poverty, bigotry and Christian fundamentalism. I am reminded of the importance of belonging and strong family values. Just as Miriam reminds me a little of Scout in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, I fantasize that Harper Lee has re-incarnated as a writer with a love for the Russian language.
December 13, 2024
This incredible novel -- I just cannot say enough about a WELL WRITTEN book about Ohio's Appalachian working class folk (read between the lines there). Written by the incredible Anesa Miller, who's also the author of I Never Do This, *Our Orbit* is a tale of surviving, about a young girl put into the foster care system and---read it for yourself. She's lovely. Regional literature about the "hillbilly" type that is not insulting but compassionate and literary. Beautiful work.
See also: Miller's novel, I Never Do This, for another excellent read about Ohio folks and a young woman trapped by her reproductive choices.
See also: Miller's novel, I Never Do This, for another excellent read about Ohio folks and a young woman trapped by her reproductive choices.
July 12, 2014
Loved this book. Anesa Miller’s "Our Orbit’ is a moving novel about small town family life and the unfortunate developments when different cultures collide. Nine year old Miriam Winslow becomes a foster child of the modern college educated Fletcher family and the plot explodes in psychological drama between and among the Winslow and Fletcher family members. This novel is a sensitive portrayal of contrasting family lifestyles and beliefs, a dynamic creating inevitable conflict. The book is fast paced throughout.
July 17, 2014
This absorbing story moves at a quick pace while managing to present the reader with a set of well-detailed characters. Issues of family and society emerge as conflicts build. Recommended reading for thoughtful people. (I received a free copy, but that does not affect my opinion.)
November 3, 2024
“You know, everybody struggles with family,” says one of the characters in Anesa Miller’s fantastic “Our Orbit”. “We love ‘em as best we can, but it’s not always good enough.”
So true.
“Our Orbit” grabbed me from the early pages and kept me riveted to the last word - a testament to a captivating plot and also to the complex and empathetic cast of characters Miller brings to life. The fate of loving and vulnerable Miriam, who blossoms under the care of her foster family, would have been sufficient to captivate me, but Miller weaves into her story the hopes, dreams, and challenges of the people in Miriam’s universe: brother Josh is convinced he is responsible for saving his family from the sins of the world; sister Rachelle struggles with addiction as she tries to deny the shameful secret in the core of her being; Miriam’s foster father Rick, who we get to know through his own eyes and through his wife’s; Bekka, the Christian “good girl”, who must find the strength to stand up for herself; and so many more. Each of these characters is full rounded and has a story of their own, and each thread is equally captivating while being artfully woven with the others.
“Our Orbit” brought Barbara Kingsolver’s “Demon Copperhead” to my mind with its empathetic examination of the hopes, dreams, and challenges of Appalachian families.
So true.
“Our Orbit” grabbed me from the early pages and kept me riveted to the last word - a testament to a captivating plot and also to the complex and empathetic cast of characters Miller brings to life. The fate of loving and vulnerable Miriam, who blossoms under the care of her foster family, would have been sufficient to captivate me, but Miller weaves into her story the hopes, dreams, and challenges of the people in Miriam’s universe: brother Josh is convinced he is responsible for saving his family from the sins of the world; sister Rachelle struggles with addiction as she tries to deny the shameful secret in the core of her being; Miriam’s foster father Rick, who we get to know through his own eyes and through his wife’s; Bekka, the Christian “good girl”, who must find the strength to stand up for herself; and so many more. Each of these characters is full rounded and has a story of their own, and each thread is equally captivating while being artfully woven with the others.
“Our Orbit” brought Barbara Kingsolver’s “Demon Copperhead” to my mind with its empathetic examination of the hopes, dreams, and challenges of Appalachian families.
June 4, 2024
Anesa Miller does best in her novel what I enjoy best: creating characters I care about. The community and people jumped out of the pages and felt very familiar. I grew up and have spent time in these parts of Ohio. My own family has been peopled with aunts and uncles, grandparents and parents who took their faith very seriously. It led some to break away from the dominant culture, others not so much.
I missed Miriam and her sister Rachelle as soon as I set the book down. Anesa captures the complexity and frailty of the human spirit in both children and adults with care and compassion. Thank you, Anesa!
I look forward to picking up her most recent novel: I Never Do This.
I missed Miriam and her sister Rachelle as soon as I set the book down. Anesa captures the complexity and frailty of the human spirit in both children and adults with care and compassion. Thank you, Anesa!
I look forward to picking up her most recent novel: I Never Do This.
November 26, 2024
Ms Miller has a truly singular voice, as seen in both of her excellent novels. She brings reality to a particular part of this country, and a particular time, that is reminiscent of "Demon Copperhead." I was so invested in the characters and fascinated by the portrayal of intense and, to me anyway, fringy religious beliefs and how destructive they can be. I fell in love with the foster parents, and felt deeply the family dynamics of the Winslow clan. For anyone with a complicated family history and/or current dynamic (think, for instance, political disagreements): This one is absolutely for you.
October 18, 2024
I loved the characters in this story. All of them are interesting and seem like real people that could be my neighbors or even family members. Their dialog is natural and musical, and interactions are very believable. People might find the story sad in the end, but to me this is true to life. In the real world things usually don't turn out in an ideal way, but it makes you think. Definitely a good book.
December 1, 2024
The pacing of this book is great. Throughout the story you read vignettes of the different but interconnected characters which makes it exciting and hard to put down. The story covers social class differences and religion thoughtfully and the issues throughout feel EXTREMELY relevant to many conflicts in our culture today. As an Ohioian myself the description of the people and feeling throughout ring true and honest. I highly recommend.
May 12, 2024
Ms. Miller focuses on southern Ohio and the rural people who've lived in the region for generations. She probes the divisions that undercut communities and families, revealing the prejudices that lurk long-denied in our assumptions about our fellow humans. The delightful characters make this a fascinating process of discovery. An excellent and enlightening novel.
October 18, 2024
A very touching story that brings up important topics such as abortion and strict religion which are tearing families apart in our day an d age.
December 13, 2024
Great writing, and a terrific story about fostering and adoption.
July 31, 2025
Ms. Miller captivates the reader with her exceptional character development. She demonstrates a profound understanding of the beliefs and influences that shape a person’s moral decisions, and her talent for fostering empathy toward her characters is remarkable.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I’m giving it four stars because the ending felt a bit rushed, leaving me eager to know more about what happens next.
While I thoroughly enjoyed the book, I’m giving it four stars because the ending felt a bit rushed, leaving me eager to know more about what happens next.
September 10, 2015
Our Orbit by Anesa Miller, July, 2015
Anesa Miller has good intentions and her debut novel about two families in Apalachia is striking, but the following would help tremendously.
The two families could not have been paired off more inappropriately.
The Winslows have just lost their mother; siblings adolescent to young adult, are left without the father who is in jail for tax evasion, and perhaps anti-government sentiments. The Fletchers take on the responsibility of the children without much reflection. They don't understand cultural differences, and make the mistake which many people have made. They give a child a home, or rather they try to fit a child into their readymade home. They do not take the time to understand what "home" means to the children.
Even in the rural areas, even in places where people struggle with povery, they understand that you cannot change a child’s life, turn it upside down, for the sake of placing her into another family situation. You need to foresee the conflicts – different churches, vastly different perspectives on morality, huge income gap.
I did not want to come away with stereotypes pounding, but I did. Those “poor people” are slow of mind, promiscuous, touch inappropriately, and may suddenly turn violent. They are close to illiterate, and they do not speak good English.
What about describing the characters – we have no idea of what any of them look like except that the foster child and her siblings have limp hair. No attention to the emotional challenges of families dealing with such separation and loss, children of prisoners, adolescents made to act like adults, and unable to make informed choices for themselves, let along for their siblings.
I am certain Anesa Miller researched thoroughly, but I don’t know if she really understands the folks about whom she makes some sweeping assumptions. I hope she will write another novel, as this is a new genre for her and she is a promising author. link http://wp.me/P4rCGg-6b
Anesa Miller has good intentions and her debut novel about two families in Apalachia is striking, but the following would help tremendously.
The two families could not have been paired off more inappropriately.
The Winslows have just lost their mother; siblings adolescent to young adult, are left without the father who is in jail for tax evasion, and perhaps anti-government sentiments. The Fletchers take on the responsibility of the children without much reflection. They don't understand cultural differences, and make the mistake which many people have made. They give a child a home, or rather they try to fit a child into their readymade home. They do not take the time to understand what "home" means to the children.
Even in the rural areas, even in places where people struggle with povery, they understand that you cannot change a child’s life, turn it upside down, for the sake of placing her into another family situation. You need to foresee the conflicts – different churches, vastly different perspectives on morality, huge income gap.
I did not want to come away with stereotypes pounding, but I did. Those “poor people” are slow of mind, promiscuous, touch inappropriately, and may suddenly turn violent. They are close to illiterate, and they do not speak good English.
What about describing the characters – we have no idea of what any of them look like except that the foster child and her siblings have limp hair. No attention to the emotional challenges of families dealing with such separation and loss, children of prisoners, adolescents made to act like adults, and unable to make informed choices for themselves, let along for their siblings.
I am certain Anesa Miller researched thoroughly, but I don’t know if she really understands the folks about whom she makes some sweeping assumptions. I hope she will write another novel, as this is a new genre for her and she is a promising author. link http://wp.me/P4rCGg-6b
August 12, 2015
This book, set in Appalachia, is all about family. Miriam Winslow, nine-years-old, has grown up in a fundamental religious home. But when her mother dies and her father is arrested Miriam becomes a foster child to Rick and Deanne Fletcher. She now has a younger brother and sister, new clothes, new school. The Fletchers encourage Miriam to keep contact with her biological family. Miriam is torn between allegiance to her biological family and foster family.
Older sister Rachelle, filled with anger and self-loathing, deals with the family dynamics by drinking. With 14-yeaar-old Rachelle the topics of drinking, sexuality, and abortion are explored. I think her character was my favorite in the book. Ms. Miller did a superb job of developing a typical young teenage girl who is anger and strikes out, but at the same time just wants to be loved. Some of the best parts of the book are the interactions between sisters Rachelle and Miriam.
Older brother Josh is determined to get Miriam away from what he considers a godless family. Josh, stubborn and self-righteous, is having sexual relations with Angie while engaged to Bekka, a naïve young girl who is trying to find a balance between what Josh expects of her and her desire to move away and do more with her life. Josh promised his father Levi that he would look after his sisters. However, Levi has not set a very good example for Josh.
Josh’s older brother Isaac, who is married, is in sharp contrast to Josh in his behavior. While both grew up in the same family, Isaac has mellowed out.
Even though the Fletcher family seems to “have it all”, they have their baggage to deal with.
Ms. Miller develops the characters well enough for you to care about what happens to them. Most of the characters are relatable.
I received a free copy of this book through Librarything in exchange for an honest review.
Older sister Rachelle, filled with anger and self-loathing, deals with the family dynamics by drinking. With 14-yeaar-old Rachelle the topics of drinking, sexuality, and abortion are explored. I think her character was my favorite in the book. Ms. Miller did a superb job of developing a typical young teenage girl who is anger and strikes out, but at the same time just wants to be loved. Some of the best parts of the book are the interactions between sisters Rachelle and Miriam.
Older brother Josh is determined to get Miriam away from what he considers a godless family. Josh, stubborn and self-righteous, is having sexual relations with Angie while engaged to Bekka, a naïve young girl who is trying to find a balance between what Josh expects of her and her desire to move away and do more with her life. Josh promised his father Levi that he would look after his sisters. However, Levi has not set a very good example for Josh.
Josh’s older brother Isaac, who is married, is in sharp contrast to Josh in his behavior. While both grew up in the same family, Isaac has mellowed out.
Even though the Fletcher family seems to “have it all”, they have their baggage to deal with.
Ms. Miller develops the characters well enough for you to care about what happens to them. Most of the characters are relatable.
I received a free copy of this book through Librarything in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2015
Government-hating, conservative, religious fanatics versus more liberal, Protestant, law-abiding citizens is what the reader finds in Our Orbit by Anesa Miller.
Forced from their home by agents after the arrest of their father, the Winslow children must come to terms with their sudden independence and change of environment. Ranging in ages from adult to high school to middle school, the children are split up among relatives and foster parents. In the Winslow household, the men are significantly dominant, oppressing the women and girls. The older girl rebels and eventually finds herself in gravid trouble. The younger daughter is barely aware of her circumstances until she learns from her foster family what it was like to have new clothes and a haircut. After a sheltered rural life, she discovers a much broader world and unwittingly conducts social experiments with her new family.
The teenage boy, Josh, finds himself trying to bring his family back together. He doesn't care for the more liberal culture taking his sisters away from their Church and manner of faith. He preaches hate under the guise of God's word and attempts to turn his sisters against their keepers to win them back. But, as much as he preaches against sin, he allows himself to commit his own and dismisses it, promising himself he will defeat the devil when the time comes. A clear double-standard is played between male and female characters.
Each turn of events is fraught with its own stresses, and the reader is pulled into the lives of the characters through the use of inner thoughts contrary to the outward action of the scene. Each character is drawn with intimate realism inside and out, allowing for a strong flow of empathy that enhances the story.
Forced from their home by agents after the arrest of their father, the Winslow children must come to terms with their sudden independence and change of environment. Ranging in ages from adult to high school to middle school, the children are split up among relatives and foster parents. In the Winslow household, the men are significantly dominant, oppressing the women and girls. The older girl rebels and eventually finds herself in gravid trouble. The younger daughter is barely aware of her circumstances until she learns from her foster family what it was like to have new clothes and a haircut. After a sheltered rural life, she discovers a much broader world and unwittingly conducts social experiments with her new family.
The teenage boy, Josh, finds himself trying to bring his family back together. He doesn't care for the more liberal culture taking his sisters away from their Church and manner of faith. He preaches hate under the guise of God's word and attempts to turn his sisters against their keepers to win them back. But, as much as he preaches against sin, he allows himself to commit his own and dismisses it, promising himself he will defeat the devil when the time comes. A clear double-standard is played between male and female characters.
Each turn of events is fraught with its own stresses, and the reader is pulled into the lives of the characters through the use of inner thoughts contrary to the outward action of the scene. Each character is drawn with intimate realism inside and out, allowing for a strong flow of empathy that enhances the story.
October 17, 2014
This book was not quite what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it! The characters were interesting; each had their strengths and weaknesses. Though I preferred reading through Miriam’s perspective the most, the multiple of points of view gave variety in a story that otherwise could have felt slightly slow. Miller discusses many controversial topics including poverty, foster care, sexuality, abortion and religion, but does a very good job showing different perspectives rather than forcing an agenda. If I have any complaint, it’s that I typically prefer stories with a conclusive ending. In this book, there was no definitive “The End”, but rather we are left with an ambiguous “What’s next?” that somehow is fitting to the story.
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of Sage’s Blog Tours.
Who should read it? Fans of books that are reflective to true life and won’t mind an ambiguous ending.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review as part of Sage’s Blog Tours.
Who should read it? Fans of books that are reflective to true life and won’t mind an ambiguous ending.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com
August 3, 2015
Our Orbit was an enjoyable read and I’m glad that I was given the opportunity to read it.
This book was very well written. I liked the pacing of the story immensely. Nothing felt rushed or glossed over, but it also never dragged on or became boring. The flow of the story was reminiscent of everyday life. Even if there wasn’t a whole lot of action, the story steadily progressed. Aside from the story, the characters in the book were wonderful. I loved that Miller was able to skillfully show the diversity of characters from different socioeconomic classes from the same area. I was very impressed.
Our Orbit dives into many heavy topics such as religion, poverty, abortion, and family relations. Miller navigates these topics in a way that never comes off preachy or unrealistic. Everything feels so lifelike in this story and that’s what I enjoyed the most.
* This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review. *
This book was very well written. I liked the pacing of the story immensely. Nothing felt rushed or glossed over, but it also never dragged on or became boring. The flow of the story was reminiscent of everyday life. Even if there wasn’t a whole lot of action, the story steadily progressed. Aside from the story, the characters in the book were wonderful. I loved that Miller was able to skillfully show the diversity of characters from different socioeconomic classes from the same area. I was very impressed.
Our Orbit dives into many heavy topics such as religion, poverty, abortion, and family relations. Miller navigates these topics in a way that never comes off preachy or unrealistic. Everything feels so lifelike in this story and that’s what I enjoyed the most.
* This book was received from the author in exchange for an honest review. *
November 5, 2014
I have to admit I was overly excited when I was sent this book to review. The back cover had already captured me and I couldn’t wait to see where this story went! And I have to say, I wasn’t disappointed in the least. Mrs. Miller sent us on a path following the story of 4 children, who had lost their mother in a car accident. The oldest daughter, Miriam steps up to take over her mother’s role, but things take a road for worse and Miriam is taken away.
This book is so engaging and there is never a dull spot or a spot where you want to put the book down. Miller takes you on a full ride of tragedy, sadness but most of all coming together. I LOVED this book. The way that we are taken from one family to the next and see how everyone is intermingled due to Miriam, its amazing.
This book is so engaging and there is never a dull spot or a spot where you want to put the book down. Miller takes you on a full ride of tragedy, sadness but most of all coming together. I LOVED this book. The way that we are taken from one family to the next and see how everyone is intermingled due to Miriam, its amazing.
July 18, 2015
Our Orbit captured my attention in the first few pages and held it to the last page. The story focuses on the plight of two young sisters, Miriam (9) and her teenage sister, Rachelle, caught in the disjuncture between conservative Appalachian and liberal contemporary cultures. Various members of Miriam's family and of the foster family that takes her in have differing and sometimes clashing views of what is best for her. As several closely linked subplots intertwine with Miriam's story, the thoughts and emotions of the key characters are described in poignant detail. I found myself in empathetic “resonance” with the turbulent emotions of Miriam and Rachelle. I highly recommend this book; I think almost everyone would find it a good read.
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