Book Review - Tilt by Emma Pattee

 

 

Tilt by Emma Pattee is about a woman, Annie, who survives a massive earthquake in Portland, Oregon.  

Annie is nine months pregnant. She decides that she has procrastinated long enough about getting a crib. On the spur of the moment, she decides to go to IKEA to get it. As she is shopping, a devastating earthquake hits and leaves the city in ruins. Annie barely made it out of IKEA alive. Unfortunately, she lost her car keys, phone, and money in the rubble. She has no way of reaching her husband who is across town. The entire city is left in chaos and Annie decides there is nothing else she can do but walk.

As Annie makes her way to her husband through the wreckage and destruction of her beloved city, she comes across all different types of human behaviors. She sees strangers helping others, riots at a grocery store, and people who are trying to make sense of everything that has happened. She also befriends a young mother that she met in IKEA; it was an unlikely friendship that Annie comes to appreciate. As Annie walks, she contemplates and reflects on her struggling marriage and career and her anxiety about having a baby with no money. She feels that if she can make it home, she can change her life for the better.

The novel’s story takes place in a day. Surprisingly, I found the book to be an entertaining read. I thought it was going to be a boring read, but I found myself being curious to read more of what becomes of Annie. I was curious to see if she was able to find her husband but also I liked reading about her past life. I liked reading about her desires, dreams, and disappointments. The ending was a bit disappointing, but I would still be up to reading more books by the author.