Tilt

Starred review from January 6, 2025
In Pattee’s nail-biting debut, a pregnant woman navigates the aftermath of a major earthquake in Portland, Ore. The story opens with Annie, 35, shopping for a crib at IKEA on her first day of maternity leave. She grows angry with salesperson Taylor for overlooking her, until a massive tremor rattles the building and she’s trapped by shifting boxes and cabinets. After Taylor helps her escape, Annie flees without her wallet or keys, joining a crowd walking to the heart of the city. She needs to find her husband, Dom, a jovial, struggling actor who works at a café four miles away. Despite her pregnancy, few are willing to give her a ride on the city’s cracked streets, and she is wary of those who do stop. Still, Annie is tenacious and leans into her dark sense of humor, mentally drafting an Instagram post (“Well, didn’t think my morning would go like this”) and wondering if all the damaged housing might mean that she and Dom will be able to afford their own place. 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. Agent: Julie Barer, Book Group.