What if you know when you were going to die? How would it change your life, your plans, your relationships? The Measure asks these questions, and looks at how it might change society too. It’s a really interesting premise for a book and the characters are so lovely. I really enjoyed this and think it could be very popular when it’s released. Had a similar feel to the Time Traveler’s Wife.

Impactful book that has resonated with me and everyone that I’ve talked to about it. It may not be the best prose or the most accomplished book I’ve ever read but its power is in the message. People are discriminated against for all sorts of reasons and once that’s ingrained it’s almost impossible to shift. Think unconscious bias, but not unconscious and very visible. Corporate and governmental bias if you like.

Then also the message that you should live your life freely, and be true to yourself. These aren’t spoilers but strings that you can draw from a box that tells you how long you can live.

But yes frustratingly there are unanswered questions and a few loose ends. I enjoyed the intertwining of the characters’ lives and the seemingly parallel stories that come together almost seamlessly.

An ordinary book with this style of writing and accomplishments would have been a solid 3.5* … but this raises so many questions in my mind and is a real talking point so for that reason I think it’s worthy of a much better rating. Excellent and would be a brilliant book club read.

A brilliant story that is different to other things you have read. You buy into all the characters and how they entwine without realising is well written. The topic is fresh but relevant with the discimination piece.

The Measure

Oh no. What a disappointment.
I had very high hopes for this book!
The concept is very different and could have been so good.
What if, a box was dropped in your doorstep and it would tell you how long you have to live. Would you open it?
Everyone the world received a box…..

The possibilities for this book was endless!


Unfortunately, it was dreary and very repetitive.
The same points over and over again. It could have opened up and went down so many interesting avenues.
The characters, whose stories that were followed were dire. The story and characters lacked substance and meaning.

What a shame.

Simply put, this is a stunning debut - so much more than the reather dystopian pitch might make it seem. Full of heart, a cast of characters you'll never want to leave your side, and a compelling what if scenario that will keep you up into the night, contemplating the choice that you would make in the face of that box... five stars from me, and I cannot wait to see what Nikki Erlick writes next.

What a wonderful idea for a book, and so thought-provoking. It began so well, and the novel raises so many questions and moral dilemmas that I thought it would be a wonderful title for a reading group. Unfortunately these questions are not explored in depth. After a few excellent chapters, the book reached a plateau and stayed there. I enjoyed the 'Several Years Later' section at the end, but unfortunately for the long time in the middle I felt that I didn't get to know the characters much better than when I first met them and it felt a bit of a plod.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this Advanced Review Copy.

The title and premise of this story caught my attention completely. I am so thrilled to have received an ARC of this book. Absolute dynamite that addresses so many social and cultural issues that plague our modern world. At first, I feared this was going to be a retelling of the 2019 movie "Countdown" but was soon disabused of that notion.

"It was difficult to imagine a time before them, a world in which they hadn't come."

From this opening line, we meet one character after another faced with whether or not to open the mysterious and indestructible box that arrives on each and every person's doorstep around the globe. Even those who don't have doorsteps, such as the homeless or nomads who live in tents, receive their own box. Everyone, that is, aged 22 and over. The boxes bear the legend, "The measure of your life lies within" and contain a string of a certain length, which tells you how long you have left to live.

The changes that come rock the world. This is a shocking read because it is all too believable. The book contains so many great lines that I struggled to choose only a few to highlight in this review. Here goes ...

"When your sample size is the entire world, you're bound to find anecdotes that support any theory."

And ...

"Ben tried to maintain eye contact with the floor."

And ...

"Did a patient receive less care because her string was short, or was a patient's string short because she received less care?" ... A wonderful take on the classic chicken-and-egg question. Although the author undid this achievement in the very next sentence by then telling us it's "a wonderful chicken-and-egg question". Argh.

One character I found incredibly naive. Amie, a woman in her twenties, who teaches 10-year-olds at a private school. This character brings us nonsense such as: "Amie smiled at the thought of her parents, still active in their late fifties" ... erm, I should think so!!!!

Also, in the same vein: "... Still working full-time and filling their weekends ..." they're in their 50s for heaven's sakes! Amie is only a couple of decades or so younger. I might expect this kind of mistaken ageism from a kid or a teen but not from someone in their mid-to-late twenties. Obviously, this character is blissfully unaware of retirement ages despite being employed herself.

Okay, mini rant over with. That was the only place in the book that pulled me up short and had me asking, WTF??? The rest of the read was brilliant. One final quote I loved: "Even if we can't affect someone's longevity, at least we can still impact their quality of life."

This read gets 4.5 stars from me, rounded up to five for rating purposes. I connected with all the characters and found the plot entirely believable and plausible. I finished this read in two sittings, and some of the questions it raises will stick with me for a while.

***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

An interesting concept in this book - everyone on earth who has reached the age of 22 receives a box, inside is a string whose measures tells how much time you’ve got to live.
The story is told through the perspective of many, all of whom end up linked in some way.
I loved Ben and Amie’s gparts in this snd raced through to their next segment. Others I was not so invested in.
I would have loved to see more development as to the origin of the boxes.
An excellent debut novel by Nikki Erlick and I will be watching out for more from this author in the future.

It seems that everyone loves this book but me, so I expect it to be a big hit. I had high hopes for this one as the premise of the story hooked me in; people all around the world wake up to find a box on their doorstep with a piece of string inside that determines how long they are going to live. From that point on it just goes through various short string characters, or friends of short stringers all wondering when they were going to die. The characters weren't particularly memorable or interesting, and overall the storyline fell flat for me. Nothing transpires about where the boxes came from, or why. To be honest I felt like a short stringer reading it and struggled to keep going through this one. Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this book.

The Measure is based on such an interesting concept, that I took the question with me long after I finished reading the book - if the exact length of your life were contained in a box before you, would you look? And how would you deal with that decision, whatever it was? I really appreciated how Erlick explored all the different combinations of decisions, emotions and global reactions. The writing was compelling and easy to follow, even with the multiple narratives.

I think at time of writing pretty much every review of this book is five stars. So I guess I'm an outlier!

The Measure has an interesting high concept pitch... What if everyone could find out how long they had left to live? It does feel like this idea MUST have been done already (?) but if not credit to the author for a nice hook.

However, the execution for me just fell flat. I gave up around a third of the way through the book. I just wasn't interested. The characters literally felt like just names to me with no depth or interest.

And after the initial kick off of the plot, when people find boxes with strings in them which indicate how long they have to live, nothing much has happened. Its just a bunch of people agonising over having a short string or knowing someone with a short string.

Maybe it picks up as the book continues but I'd read enough to know the style wasn't for me.
I think at time of writing pretty much every review of this book is five stars. So I guess I'm an outlier!

The Measure has an interesting high concept pitch... What if everyone could find out how long they had left to live? It does feel like this idea MUST have been done already (?) but if not credit to the author for a nice hook.

However, the execution for me just fell flat. I gave up around a third of the way through the book. I just wasn't interested. The characters literally felt like just names to me with no depth or interest.

And after the initial kick off of the plot, when people find boxes with strings in them which indicate how long they have to live, nothing much has happened. Its just a bunch of people agonising over having a short string or knowing someone with a short string.

Maybe it picks up as the book continues but I'd read enough to know the style wasn't for me.

Overnight mysterious boxes have appeared on the footsteps of people's homes, apartments, caravans, tents. All over the world. Within the box lies a string that reveals the length of time you have left before you die. Some people receive a long string and now know that they have many happy years left. Others are left wondering if they should even open the box, scared of the fate that lies within.

It tackles the age-old question: would you want to know how long you have left to live? Would you quit your job, go travel the world, make sure to spend your last few years with loved ones?

Based on the many five star reviews, I was expecting to LOVE this book. The concept itself is incredibly exciting and something that I found very unique. The author handles many different perspectives in alternating chapters between characters. Some have short strings and are married to partners with long strings, some are refusing to look into their boxes, and others are working in professions where they will soon be forced to look into the box and find out what fate will befall them.

What the author handles very well is the impact the arrival of the boxes have on society and how quickly things begin to fall apart. The way different governments of countries handle the arrival of the boxes (again, this is a global thing) and the way that people begin to divide into "short stringers" and everyone else. That is done incredibly well and in a way that is startlingly believable. Especially in our current lives affected by a global pandemic.

The switching of perspectives and characters makes it very hard to follow the different storylines. Unfortunately all of the characters are written so similarly and aren't fully developed, so I found it very difficult to follow their storylines and truly care about them. With so many characters destined to die, based on their strings, you would expect to feel more sadness. But because I didn't really care for any of them, I couldn't be bothered about their fates and deaths. Which is unfortunate. It reminded me in many, many ways of "The End of Men" which tackles a pandemic and also flips between different voices and characters. I would almost say that if you enjoyed that book, you're likely to enjoy this one too.

I almost DNF'd this one because I struggled so much to care about any of the characters. Full marks for an incredible idea and concept though.

One morning the world wakes up to find boxes on their doorstep. Only those under 22 are spared. The rest have boxes with 'The measure of your life lies within' inscribed on them. It doesn't take long for the world to realise that the string that is in the box shows whether you will have a long or a short life. Is it an elaborate hoax? Do you choose to open the box and find out or do you leave it be?

I thought this was a really exciting concept and couldn't wait to read the book. However, I didn't think it was particularly well executed. We follow the lives of various long and short stringers (as they come to be called), Some are in relationships where one partner has a long string and the other a short, some where at least one hasn't opened the box and one where they exchange strings. I didn't care much about any of the characters and felt that they weren't well developed. This meant that although some of them inevitably die, I didn't feel for them as they hadn't come to life for me. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Right! I just finished this and really found it so interesting! The whole idea of the book is that small boxes start to appear on everyone's doorsteps. Inside is a piece of string, the measure of the length of your life. When people look and see how much of their lives are left, their whole world changes. At first, I thought this was just going to be a story about personal choices but it was so much more than that. The strings don't just change individuals, they have an impact on society itself, in an interesting and at sometimes disturbing way. This book is easy to read as it breaks up into stories of several characters, whose stories interweave. One of the few books that I have described to my husband when he says "what are you reading". That says a lot.

This is a really interesting concept for a novel. Imagine waking up to a box on your doorstep and nestled within is a piece of string. The length of string is equivalent to how long you have left to live. This tale covers a few characters and follows the impact the string has on their lives.
This book really covers well how society would respond and how people would act in these circumstances. The segregation between long and short stringers is really powerful throughout this book and the consequences of knowing your future isn't always an advantage.
I did feel it began to drag a bit in the middle and I did wonder how a story could be made out of it all. The author however made it work and it was a really interesting and thought provoking read.

This is the 182nd book I have read in 2021 and I can comfortably say it is the best. I don't even know where to begin in my review.

In this novel, all adults aged 22 and over awake to find a box outside their homes. The boxes differ in only two ways, the name of the recipient and the length of string inside the box -the length of string being indicative of how long the recipient will live.

We follow a number of characters throughout this story as they grapple with the decision as to whether to open the box or not. Would you want the relief of knowing you will live a long life or would you be unable to cope with the heartbreak of uncovering a short string? These are the dilemmas which our characters face and they all make their own choices.

Erlick deals not only with the personal choices of the main characters as they struggle with this momentous decision but also the impact on society. We see "short-stringers" pitted against "long-stringers" with the former facing harassment and discrimination in many aspects of their normal daily lives.

The novel is told from multiple perspectives and the characters interweave with each other. Often times, with multiple character perspectives, a novel can become confusing however the characters here are so real you will have no trouble keeping everyone straight.

Of course, I will not ruin any aspects of their stories however be prepared to laugh, cheer, empathise and cry as you follow these ordinary yet remarkable people dealing with knowing (or not knowing) their eventual fate.

As I have said above, I read a LOT of books. Like most of you, I read them, I enjoy them but if you were to ask me about them six months later, I would likely struggle to recall the details of it. Books like The Measure come along rarely....a book which will linger with me over the coming days, weeks, months and probably years. A book that changes your thoughts on life and makes you question how you are living, whether you are making the most of the time you may have left or wasting it away.

This will be a certain hit when released and I would not be surprised to see a Hollywood film or Netflix series follow. A must read and a great novel for any book clubs out there.

Thank you so much to the author, Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

How long is a piece of string? In the Measure's case, the longer the better! This book has such an imaginative concept, across the world people wake up one morning to find a box on their doorstep. Inside the box is a piece of string that measures the exact number of years you have left to live. Would you open it? I’m not sure I would be brave enough. What if my string was short? Would it change my outlook on life? Would I give up my job? Travel the world? Or take risks I wouldn’t have dreamt of? This book raises so many questions that beg the reader to ponder what they would do faced with a similar situation.

The Measure is told from a multiple points of views; the characters are an eclectic bunch, each of their stories intertwine perfectly. Each character’s length of string leads to dramatic changes. Relationships are fractured, whilst others are built, love grows, love is lost, each character brings a unique outlook to the story. Nikki Erlick has captured the characters’ every emotion perfectly. You feel their pain, fear, confusion, and guilt, living their story alongside each and everyone of them.

This isn’t just a book about relationships, the author explores themes of mortality, loss, prejudice, exclusion, and fate, it’s these themes that move the plot forward. This never felt like a depressing read, as woven into the pages were hope, human resilience, love, and the importance of not taking life for granted. I found The Measure such an extraordinary book to read, beautifully written, emotional, heartwarming and thought provoking in equal measures (no pun intended). I think this book will be a HUGE hit on its release in 2022, and would make the perfect book club read as there’s much to discuss. Highly recommend.

Absolutely brilliant concept, very high-level idea. Unfortunately I didn't like and couldn't relate to any of the characters, so I DNF'd it, meaning I don't know what was going on with the senator but when the book started spending too much time on him, that was a factor in my putting it down.

This is one of those books I just had to read when I first saw the blurb. I had high expectations, and for the most part they were totally met.

Beautiful characters, fantastic writing, a real mixture of heartbreak and hope lies between these pages. There are some mesmerising characters and there is a real strength in its believability.

For me, there were times the novel veered too much toward the political - whilst this added to the realism it wasn’t what I craved - it was the characters themselves, and whilst this was a loss for me it will not necessarily be for everyone else.

A fantastic book which is likely to stir some real conversation in the coming year.

This is the book that has got all of my friends talking about life and the mysteries of death and none of them have even read the first page yet. If you could know how long you had to live, would it change the way you live your life?
Would you open it? If you knew for certain that it was real and the length of string inside the box directly correlated to your lifespan, would you want to know? I have wrestled with this question for weeks, changing my mind back and forth every other chapter or so, with each character having a good point and clear reasons for their choices. In the end, after many long conversations well into the night, I finally decided that I would open it. I’d pretend otherwise and agonise over the pros and cons but knowing that the box was right in front of me, almost mocking me, I’d have to look.

The majority of the characters do look, which knowing humanity in general and our habits, doesn’t surprise me in the slightest, I think it’s perfectly normal to want to look. Erlick captures the nuances of those who look and those who didn’t just perfectly, to write so authentically about something that hasn’t and won’t ever happen is a genuine talent.
I don’t want to go into too much detail about the story itself but I want to bring to light some of the themes that run through the entire piece. A story about mysterious lifespan revealing boxes turns out to be so much more, it really looks deep into the fabric of society and how collective experience of intense events really changes the way people act and interact.