I really loved it. It was a good mix of different characters and voices. There were a couple i would die for and i did have a tiny cry on the train because of it. You can also read it as real-life parallels as it reminded me of a mix of a couple of different events that occurred. The writing in this was beautiful and really helped evoke the feeling and mood Erlick was setting and building. This was a stunning book and i thought that this has a very important message within it's pages.

The Measure is a simple and very clever concept and it really makes you think about what’s important in your life. I don’t know whether it’s because of the pandemic – and indeed I think that has an impact – but this book just struck a strong chord with me.

It’s a one line question that has multi-layered implications and delves deep into what really matters. It leads to an examination of relationships with friends and family and an understanding of how much influence every individual has about the way they choose to approach their existence.

On the same day, everyone aged 22 and over receives a box. Inside that box is a piece of string. The length of the string is a foretelling of the length of the life of the recipient.

Would you open that box? Would you want to know? If so, why? What difference would it make to the way you currently live your life? The Measure takes a number of characters and looks at how they handle these and other questions and how this impacts on society as a whole.

The book concentrates on 8 people; mainly those who have short strings, their friends and family. It also considers those who choose not to open the box, preferring to live life as it comes. We see how there are some people who choose to use this knowledge to create fear and apprehension in order to create a personal advantage for themselves. Others choose to embrace the knowledge in order to make sure their life is meaningful and they can express the love they otherwise might have held back to ensure reciprocation. Life takes on a different meaning when you know that time is short. Relationships can strengthen or fade away when one has a short string and the other not. The decision to have children is one that takes on new meaning.

In a beautifully written novel, Nikki Erlick creates a tapestry of interwoven threads that reach into the heart of the meaning of life.

The cast of characters in The Measure is diverse and it’s fascinating to read and understand the different perspectives. Amie doesn’t want to know; she’s never going to open her box – that way madness lies. Others find difficulty in the strain that it puts on their relationships and the law makers try and legislate for this new development as employers scramble to lose employees whose life spans may not suit their plans.

Erlick’s intriguing and thought-provoking book is both affirming and provocative. She does a great job of portraying both the deeply personal and the societal impacts of this event and the ways in which it can so easily be exploited. But she also shows how meaningful life could become if approached with a positive mental attitude. To choose to know can be a life-affirming decision or it can weigh you down with grief and regret.

Verdict: I enjoyed the dilemmas raised in this book and the fact that it creates so many discussion points. This is contemporary dystopian fiction with real relevance. Original and emotive it makes for a compelling and extraordinary debut novel. This is speculative fiction at its best.

This book had a really interesting and unique storyline which grabbed me straight away. It started off well but then dragged a bit and the story fell flat for me. I didn’t find any of the characters particularly memorable and I struggled to care what really happened to them.

I loved the concept of this novel. Books that have me thinking “what would I do?” are my favourite type and my goodness was I questioning what my own reaction would be! A fantastic read from start to finish

I received an E-ARC with a request for my honest review.

This book follows eight ordinary people as something new and extraordinary happens all around the world.

Every adult over the age of 22 receives a box on the same morning, all containing a string which will tell you how long you have left to live.

As the world comes to terms with this new phenomenon and tries to work out if it is true, these eight people must make a decision whether to take a look in their box.

Will they open the box? How will people cope with what they discover?

I had heard mixed reviews about this book, but I loved it probably because I love to read about how people deal with different situations. I would count it as a dystopian book as it shows you a world which we don’t live in, yet!!!!

I was shocked at how some of the world dealt with the boxes and the length of life people had left, but I could see this happen in real life. There is some politics involved but this doesn’t take away from the story in any way if anything it adds to the emotions of the characters.

I loved how all eight characters had some kind of link to each other even if it is very small. I find this where I live so it was quite believable and nice to discover the links.

Overall, a thought-provoking debut dystopian novel leaving you with the main question would you open your box?

This debut novel has a real buzz about it and was chosen as this month’s @readwithjenna book club pick.

The concept is intriguing - one day, every adult aged 22 and over wakes up to find a little wooden box outside their door with a string inside. The strings are of varying length - a short string means you’ll live a short life, a long string means a long life.

Alas, the concept is where most of my interest in this book began and ended. This is a character-driven novel as opposed to a plot-driven one, and consists mainly of a cast of different characters agonising over whether to open the box, and/or the length of their or their partner’s string.

The book takes the form of an exploration of human relationships through the prism of the strings. It has movie adaptation written all over it, and I expect that if you enjoy Matt Haig’s work, you’ll love this one.

I wanted more from the book. I had hoped for a bit of multiverse/simulation theory à la St John Mandel or along the lines of The Anomaly by Hervé le Tellier. It feels more self-help/self-improvement with a bit of blind faith than suspense or social commentary. The little surprise at the end was one I saw coming a mile off.

It’s an interesting concept and a nicely written page-turner but just a little too bland and schmaltzy for my own personal taste.

What it will do is provoke is lots of conversation around the boxes. Would you open yours? Or would you prefer not to know? I would 100% open it 😅. Knowledge is power 😉. 3/5 ⭐️

If you only read one book this year...
If this book doesn't end up in my top five (currently number one of 183) books of the year, I'll eat something quite unpalatable...!
I am not sure anything I write will really do this book the justice it so richly deserves but I'll do my best.
We start with what should be just a normal day. But it turns out to be anything but. You see, today is the day that the boxes arrived... Every person around the world (over the age of 22) woke up to a small wooden box on their doorstep (or equivalent). A box which contained a string. A string whose length indicated the lifespan of its owner. Of course word spread and those who hadn't already opened their boxes faced a dilemma. What if their length differed greatly from their loved ones? What if it was short? How would knowing their lifespan dictate their behaviour. What would people think of them, pity if short, jealous if long... and then the prejudice started, and the governments and other law-makers got involved...
This book follows a few recipients of the boxes. Some know their fates, some don't. Some are pleased, relieved, others notsomuch. All suffer in some way.
It's a very thinky book, if you choose it to be. Or it's just interesting and entertaining. Choose your own level of engagement. I was a bit middle of the road. But then I don't have the luxury of anyone to talk to about what I read - and yes that would probably make it an excellent book club book.
Characters are well drawn and quite a mix. But I will leave you to discover them and their fates as the author intends. Storylines are interwoven and interconnected and, by the time I got to the end and saw the big picture, I have to say I was mightily impressed by the plotting and its execution.
And... all the emotions - in a rollercoaster ride!
And... a debut - No Freaking Way...
Would I open my box... Well, that is a question...? One I am avoiding thinking about...
Which only leaves me to wonder what the author will serve up next time and have me hankering for it all the more... My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

A fascinating story full of food for thought. Excellent storytelling, a well plotted story, a fascinating idea.
I loved it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Such a brilliantly written book that explores the fallout of every adult human in the world being presented with a box containing a string that "measures" their life, so effectively plots out when they will die.
I thought this would be quite a shocking and unsettling book but actually found it so very life-affirming and such an astute insight in to politics, humanity, family & friendships. It is more an analysis of living and the choices we make more than about the mystery of where the boxes came from which I enjoyed very much.

4.5 rounded down. If you knew when you were going to die, would you live your life differently? This is the premise of The Measure, a dystopian book where everyone above the age of 22 suddenly receives a mysterious box. Inside lies a string. People rapidly realise that the shorter the string, the shorter the life. Some choose to open it, others don't. But this global event soon causes unexpected change…

This book blew me away. It was engrossing and I got attached to pretty much every character (well except the evil House of Cards style couple) I cried. So, it usually a sign of me giving a book at least 4 stars. I also found myself deep in thought about the value of life, love, empathy, and fighting for what you think is right. Some may find some passages too schmaltzy (especially the final few chapters), but for me, it hit the right notes. 

Whilst it is advertised as a dystopia, it has a lot of positivity and inspirational content. It also isn't science-fiction as it leaves a lot unexplained, and takes place on Earth in a world pretty much identical to ours (save for the strings) If you like romance, I would recommend this - and it has fantastic queer rep (Maura and Nina 🥺) so perfect reading for Pride month and beyond 🏳️‍🌈

This is bound to be turned into a movie or series at some point! Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Will you be reading this?

This book was so much better than I was expecting, thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This is such an unusual premise and it’s very well written.

All over the world, people’s lives are changed when they wake to find a box. Inside is either a short or long string denoting the length of your life. Do you open it?

The book follows a number of characters all grappling with their own experience and it’s a cleverly woven tale about; love, friendship, loss, bigotry and racism as factions form depending upon the length of people’s strings. I found it heartbreaking, uplifting and emotional, particularly as at the time of reading, the world appears more fractured and broken than ever in my lifetime.

There is also hope and redemption and it certainly held my interest. Id definitely recommend and congratulations to the author on this thought provoking, unique, read.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to preview.

An unusual tale where everyone aged 22 and over suddenly receives a box containing a piece of string indicating the length of their lives. In theory they can choose whether or not to open it BUT some countries are making it compulsory and others compel people in certain occupations to open and tell.
I found the idea really fascinating. I was, however, slightly disappointed with the ending. Nevertheless it’s worth reading and did get me wondering whether or not I would have opened my box - still don’t know.

An imaginative and thought provoking speculative novel about what happens when everyone in the world receives a box and inside a piece of string, revealing the length of their life. I was completely hooked by the premise and the way the strings impacted on life - everything from politics to reality TV. Nikki Erlick thought carefully about how this scenario would affect people differently, and despite its America-centric plot, she did touch on how other countries and cultures might react. This was a really absorbing, believable read. The only downside for me was the character of Amie who didn't feel as three dimensional as the other characters and thus her relationship with Ben fell a little flat.

Would you open a box left on your doorstep which would tell you the length of time you have left on this earth. This is the question everyone over 22years old throughout the world has to answer. It's a great premise for an intriguing story and kept me hooked. It covers the lives of a group of people and is a story of relationships, love, and greed. I wanted to see what happened to all the characters and I wasn't disappointed. A great read.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

All over the world, people aged over 22 receive a box which reveals how long they have left to live. If they receive a short string, they have very little time left, and if they receive a long string, then they’ve a while left before they die.
Some people who received a short string use their time to say their goodbyes and use their time wisely, some of them choose to end their life themselves. Others with longer strings decide to change their lives while they still have time. And some people don’t bother seeing how long their string is.

This was a really unique story, unlike any I’ve read before. It is really thought provoking, and makes you question whether you’d open your box, and if you did, depending on the length of string, what you’d do with what time you have left. This story also focuses on live and relationships, and spending your time with those who matter most. I read this quite quickly as I was enthralled by the uniqueness of it. A great debut, and recommended.

I really enjoyed this very clever book. Literally, how should a life be measured? and what are the possible personal, national, and global consequences of everyone in the world over 22 knowing their exact lifespan?
Ms Erlick then suggests many different character led scenarios in a thought provoking and life affirming exploration of the huge topic of the meaning of life.

Brilliant, thought provoking and such wonderful characters!

What would you do if you could find out how long your would live for? Would you want to know? Would you be able to stop yourself? How would you deal with learning you had a short life? Or that the person you love has a short life while yours is long?

All these questions and more face the characters in The Measure. We are introduced to a plethora of characters who all intertwine beautifully to showcase a rollercoaster of emotions and scenarios.

This book had me angry, hopeful, tearful, joyous and confused!

A brilliant read which will make you think long after you have finished reading. Beautiful characters and I love how they all link together.

I enjoyed reading this book. I found its characters interesting and the main question it poses – What is the measure of one's life? - thought provoking.

One fine day every adult person over 22, all over the world, receives a box mysteriously labelled 'The measure of your life lies within'. This unexpected and unexplained event changes everything for everybody, It exposes and questions what it is to be human what kind of society we have created. The responses go from unconditional kindness /empathy/solidarity to ruthless exploitation and scaremongering in a situation where control over one's life seems to have been suspended. This underlying idea of the book is not flawless and could be unpicked, but I certainly found suspending disbelief worth my while.

After the initial bewilderment following the arrival of the boxes, it soon becomes apparent that their content (a string) reveals the length of a person's life and the reader gets a glimps into how individuals and whole societies deal with this knowledge. Should one open the box and look or not? What does this knowledge do to the moral compass of a person? These are questions the characters in the book grapple with in very individual but always moving ways. The reader can't help but ask the same questions of themself. Society adapts quickly: politicians start exploiting the situation, conspiracy theories mushroom, prejudices agains 'short-stringers' influence the job market, insurance policies, banking decisions etc., travel agencies offer bucket list trips, religions start to offer their own interpretation – the list goes on and on deviding society and discriminating against the short-stringers. But then there is also hope in the way they start opening up and embrace a purpose- and joyful life.

Overall, I loved the main sentiment of the book: Carpe Diem. The quality of our lives is not determined by length, but by purpose and joy and what we add to the life of others.
I couldn't agree more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a playful and provocative book about the dangers of too much knowledge, human thinking and the power of love to overcome obstacles.

Would knowing exactly when, but not how, you're going to die make any difference to the choices you make and the way you live your life?

With likeable characters and a wide-ranging, well-told story, this is a thought-provoking and life-affirming book.