Tilt

A Novel

De: Emma Pattee

Narrado por: Ariel Blake

A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice
A USA TODAY Bestseller
A Best Book of 2025 for Vogue
Named by Time one of the “14 Best Books of 2025 So Far”
An NPR favorite fiction read of 2025

Set over the course of a single day, an electrifying debut novel from “a powerful new literary voice” (Vogue) following one woman’s journey across a transformed city, carrying the weight of her past and a fervent hope for the future.

“Utterly gripping.” —NPR, All Things Considered

Last night, you and I were safe. Last night, in another universe, your father and I stood fighting in the kitchen.

Annie is nine months pregnant and shopping for a crib at IKEA when a massive earthquake hits Portland, Oregon. With no way to reach her husband, no phone or money, and a city left in chaos, there’s nothing to do but walk.

Making her way across the wreckage of Portland, Annie experiences human desperation and kindness: strangers offering help, a riot at a grocery store, and an unlikely friendship with a young mother. As she walks, Annie reflects on her struggling marriage, her disappointing career, and her anxiety about having a baby. If she can just make it home, she’s determined to change her life.

“Shocking and full of heart” (Publishers Weekly, starred review), Tilt is a “moving adrenaline rush” (The New York Times Book Review) and “epic odyssey” (NPR) about the disappointments and desires we all carry, and what each of us will do for the people we love.©2025 Emma Pattee (P)2025 Simon & Schuster Audio

Compelling situation but pace was impeded.

The constant flashbacks slowed the pace of the story. Also the characters’ relationship was disappointing.

I wanted to like it

Didn’t like the reader, she sounded pathetic. I expected more from the story, it was a good topic. A waste of my points and time. A boring ending too.

Earthquake

Way to dramatic in the telling. It’s an okay book, The different people she encounters are not very creative.

I wonder if a different narrator would have changed it

Listening, I genuinely didn’t like the character. I found her supremely unlikable. I went back and listened to a few chapters again and the words/story are good…but I really believe the narrator is what I disliked.

This isn’t one I’ll listen to again.

writing about my home

the ending left a lot of questions. the journey was great, being a portlandian it was easy to visualize the locations. I think the big one is in the back of everyones mind. I think we will fare far worse than this, but I'm not an expert by any means. we have tank farms sitting on the rivers edge, too many homes hanging over the edge of the west hills. too many pages for someone to write... so this story is just a small part of what will someday happen. despite all this, I love Portland and all of its green and rain and this story of things to come. thank you for writing this.

Great premise but not a great execution

While I enjoyed the premise of the story, too much is left hanging- including the ending. The protagonist is a Debbie downer and not very likable.

Painful to listen to and not in a good way

The actual story of a massive earthquake in Portland and the immediate aftermath is interesting but it’s narrated by a character who encapsulates negativity and self loathing and this coupled with a reader who is yelling or wailing in your ear 40% of the time. It’s more realism than I want in my realistic fiction. There’s numerous plot inconsistencies and choices that make no sense. The writing is about as creative as a refrigerator manual. It should’ve just been a script for a destructo-porn action movie. Also spoiler alert: no resolution!

I heard of this book on NPR and then my book club picked it. The author has potential but could benefit from some coaching and an editor. Couldn’t we all though right?

Don’t waste your time

Lack of description, little character development and a dearth of any real drama render what could have been an intense literary experience into a bland, colorless bore.

The beautiful writing was magical. She weaves a tapestry with her words.

I enjoyed the Writing in the entire story. I could almost see the things she described. I thought the narration was too intense.

Melodrama

I hated this book and it was agony to get through it. The ending was blah and nothing was resolved