Book of the Day

Our Review:

Emma Pattee's debut novel "Tilt" is a visceral exploration of personal crisis against the backdrop of urban catastrophe. Set during a single, transformative day in Portland, the narrative follows Annie, a pregnant woman navigating a city fractured by a massive earthquake, as she undertakes a physically and emotionally demanding journey home.

Pattee's prose is sharp and introspective, weaving between Annie's immediate physical challenges and her deeper interior landscape of marital tension, professional disappointment, and impending motherhood. The novel's compressed timeframe creates an intense, almost claustrophobic atmosphere that amplifies the protagonist's internal struggles, making her external journey a potent metaphor for personal transformation.

The book will resonate strongly with readers who appreciate character-driven narratives that blend psychological depth with dramatic external events. Women in their late twenties and thirties, particularly those wrestling with complex life transitions, will find Annie's vulnerability and resilience deeply compelling. Pattee skillfully captures the nuanced emotional terrain of modern womanhood—its uncertainties, constraints, and potential for radical reinvention.

"Tilt" announces Pattee as a nuanced writer capable of rendering complex emotional states with remarkable precision. While the earthquake serves as a dramatic catalyst, the novel's true power lies in its unflinching examination of personal agency, relationships, and the moment-by-moment choices that reshape our lives. This is an accomplished debut that suggests significant literary promise.