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Samantha Harvey's "Orbital" isn't a conventional narrative driven by a rising and falling action arc. Instead, it's a meticulously crafted exploration of stasis, a novel that suspends its readers in the liminal space of an orbital trajectory. Like the International Space Station, the book circles a central point � the fragile, isolated existence of astronauts and the profound, often unsettling, beauty of Earth seen from above.

Harvey's prose mirrors the very nature of an orbit: it is cyclical, introspective, and imbued with a sense of sustained distance. There is no traditional "plot" in the sense of a beginning, middle, and end. Instead, we are presented with a series of vignettes, fragmented thoughts, and sensory details that coalesce into a portrait of life in the void. Each astronaut's perspective is a point in the orbit, a moment of bated breath held in the vastness of space.

The book excels at capturing the unique psychological experience of being suspended in an orbital path. The silence, the weightlessness, the constant awareness of Earth's fragility � these elements create a sense of profound isolation and introspection. The narrative avoids the typical tropes of space thrillers, opting instead for a more contemplative and meditative approach.

The suspense in "Orbital" isn't the heart-pounding, action-packed variety. It's a more subtle, pervasive tension, a constant awareness of the precariousness of their situation. It's the bated breath held as they conduct experiments, as they gaze at the swirling blue planet below, as they navigate the intricate machinery that keeps them alive. It's the quiet fear of the unknown, the realization that they are suspended in a delicate balance, a constant orbit around the ever-present Earth.

Harvey's use of language is exquisite. The descriptions of space, the Earth, and the astronauts' inner lives are rendered with a poetic precision that elevates the novel beyond a simple science fiction narrative. The book's structure, with its shifting perspectives and fragmented narrative, reinforces the sense of an orbital path, a constant circling around the central themes of isolation, beauty, and the human condition.

"Orbital" is not a novel for those seeking a fast-paced, plot-driven experience. It is a book for those who appreciate the power of language, the beauty of introspection, and the profound sense of suspense that can be found in the quiet moments of existence. It is a novel that captures the essence of an orbit: a sustained moment of bated breath, a delicate balance between the known and the unknown, a silent, profound contemplation of the human experience