“The storytelling in Tilt is brisk [and] as funny as a novel about humanity at its worst can be… Pattee’s ambivalence about human goodness is a powerful thing; it calls into question the assumptions we make about ourselves.” — Washington Post
“Recounting Annie’s precarious journey across the city and into her past, Pattee reveals that the quake has upended more than the earth. A captivating novel.” — Kirkus (starred review)
“Tilt promises wit and style, and reminders of humanity in the face of disaster. A force to be reckoned with.” — Literary Hub, LitHub’s Most Anticipated Books of 2025
“Tilt heralds the arrival of a powerful new literary voice.” — Vogue, Best Books of 2025
“[A] fascinating and emotional debut… compelling… Instantly readable and filled with dry humor, this book follows in the footsteps of other disaster novels while bringing a fresh take to the genre.” — Booklist (starred)
“[A] nail-biting debut… Pattee’s depiction of a post-earthquake Portland feels bracingly realistic, and her depictions of marriage and impending motherhood are achingly raw. Shocking and full of heart, this leaves a mark.” — Publisher’s Weekly (starred)
“Tilt is a remarkable debut—a gorgeous, haunting blend of a suspenseful survival thriller and a fierce portrait of maternal love. I was so mesmerized that I blew off all my responsibilities, threw all other reading aside, and blistered through the whole thing in one sitting, loving every moment.” — Angie Kim, New York Times bestselling author of Happiness Falls and Miracle Creek
“Tilt is a swift, exhilarating punch to the gut, the most embodied twenty-four hours of narrative I can remember reading. Through the eyes of the prickly, funny, and very pregnant narrator, we viscerally experience the surreal, unbearable, comic, and beautiful ways that humans behave in a crisis. The Road meets Nightbitch meets What to Expect When You’re Expecting. I loved this novel.” — Lydia Kiesling, author of The Golden State and Mobility
“An epic natural disaster adventure story starring a pregnant woman on a mission. A nuanced, stark, tender portrait of a marriage. A tale of destruction and loss punctuated by surprising moments of empathy. Emma Pattee’s debut novel Tilt manages to be all of the above, and more. Equal parts heart-wrenching and life-affirming, this riveting book made me laugh, cry, and think. I couldn’t put it down.” — Helen Phillips, author of Hum and The Need
