‘The measure’ is one of the most original stories that I have read in a long time; everyone over the age of 22 receives a box containing a piece of string which indicates how much life you have left to live.
This whole premise felt very dystopian and I could feel the foreboding and emotion from the first chapter. I think reading this once post- pandemic has a different impact because it calls into question what is important in life and shows the importance of living your life to the fullest. Although Erlick is very good and gives strong and varied perspectives from her characters and that definitely helped carry along the plotline for me. The level of fear and anxiety radiates from the pages as the entire world comes to terms with their fates which often felt uncomfortable to read. However at the heart of this story is the power of human connection and the power of the choices we make. An incredible read!

First off, I did think it was very well written. Unfortunately I didn’t really take to any of the characters. I found I wasn’t really bothered with the outcome of the story. The characters were likeable, I just wasn’t interested. This is a shame because Nikki certainly is a good storyteller and I am sure lots of people will enjoy it, it’s just not for me. Thank you #netgalley

An incredibly intriguing premise and a solid enough execution for Erlick's debut novel. Much more character-driven than I expected, this would definitely appeal to a large number of readers. While I still found it enjoyable, it fell slightly short for me by relying on a somewhat sugary perspective on several fronts. 7/10

This book takes the question How long is a piece of string and gives you an answer you won’t want to know.
Overnight everyone aged 22 and over finds a box on their doorstep. Those curious or reckless enough to open them find an indestructible length of string. It gradually becomes clear that the length of your string foretells how long you have left to live.
Through a range of characters, the moral and ethical questions over would you want to know when you were destined to die are explored. “Short stringers” become sidelined and become the new target for prejudice and political pawns. Once the information is declared medical insurance companies refuse payments, certain jobs require declarations of lifespan etc.
The story raises the question of whether you would want to know, given the opportunity, of when you die. Some people prepare, make peace or make the most; some become angry and resentful and take others with them.
It also shows a mirror up to the treatment of minorities, the disabled and LGBTQ people, where they are discriminated against and used for political gain.
The appearance and continued roll out of the boxes on everyone’s 22nd birthday is never explained and whether due to a God-like presence or alien experiment, the global population strangely doesn’t freak out about their being a higher power.
The life lessons are nothing new - give everyone equal opportunity and they can add to society regardless of the hand fate has dealt them - but it is always worth a reminder.

It's a morning seemingly like every other morning until you open your front door to find a box with your name on it. The contents reveal one solitary piece of string and it's not until later that day that you discover that everyone else over the age of 22 in the world has received the same box and that the string inside tells you how much longer you have left to live. Do you dismiss it all as nonsense? Do you urge others not to open their boxes? Or do you start living each day as if it's your last?

What absolutely brilliant concept for a book! It's such a clever piece of speculative fiction. I was drawn right into the book and whenever I begrudgingly had to put the book down I was thinking about it and discussing it with my friends and family. For the record, I would open the box, my husband wouldn't and my 11 year old doesn't see the big deal - he would just tie his string to a longer bit of string and be done with it!

I loved the fantastic world building by the author and the multiple character perspectives are a gift to the reader. The book raises important questions about fate and determinism, quality of life, discrimination and potential in a life affirming, poignant and heart wrenching way.

It's a book that will stay with me for a long time. It's perfect for fans of most genres, particularly those who love speculative fiction . It's also perfect for book groups., guaranteeing a lively discussion.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Measure is such a spectacular book, one of those rare books that sets you thinking about 'what ifs' and 'maybes'; I read it as a buddy read and it would be a great book club choice. Would you open the box?

On one morning, all across the world, everyone over 21 is delivered an anonymous box - inside, the message .The measure of your life lies within.' If you open it, all it contains is your name, and a piece of string. Nothing else is in there. What can it mean?

As the world's population is affected at once, rumours and theories about what it might mean run rife and it soon becomes apparent that people with shorter strings will have a shorter life expectancy than those with long strings. Once this is known, it has a cataclysmic effect on society people, friends, family and colleagues, what does it mean for short stringers and how can the world adapt to support them in their life changing news?

The story is led by multiple characters, covering all the various strong permutations - those who know what their string has predicted whether that is short or long, those who haven't looked, and even those who have tried to trick fate.

The way in which business and politics sought to make capital out of the dilemma was perfectly portrayed and depressingly real, as well as how religions handled the news. The more uplifting side was seeing how the community came together to support short stringers and, once the shock had subsided, how people dealt with their news. The sense of seizing opportunities and following your heart's desire was palpable, a timely reminder that none of us know how long we have to enjoy all that we have in the world.

I don't often talk to my husband about the books that I read, but 'The Measure' led to a really eye-opening conversation about what he'd do and why. Really worth picking up, thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read it

“Your fate arrives in a box on your doorstep. Do you open it?

It seems like just another morning.

You make a cup of tea. Check the news. Open the front door.

On your doorstep is a box.

Inside the box is the exact number of years you have left to live.

The same box appears on every doorstep across the world.

Do you open yours?

THE MEASURE

IT’S THE DECISION OF A LIFETIME.”

This novel is an excellent piece of speculative fiction. The world Nikki Erlick has built is not dissimilar to our own but with one unimaginable difference – everyone in the world has the chance to find out how long they are going to live. The book follows a small core group of characters and how they react to the hand the boxes deal them. Each of these main characters is really well developed and I found myself rooting for all of them. Any speculative fiction novel needs to get the world building right and the author absolutely nails it.

Really grateful for the opportunity to read this in advance of release – publication day in the UK is 7 July. Thank you HarperCollins UK and NetGalley.

#themeasure #nikkierlick #netgalley #harpercollinsuk #speculativefiction #booksof2022 #bookreview

The idea behind this book is one I’ve come across recently in a couple of other books. Whilst this is done differently the concept is the same. Being told how long you have to live and what to do when you know.

The first 30/40 pages engaged me but as I read into the book I found the characters flat and unappealing and with that struggled to find the attention span to really read it enjoy this.

I can certainly see the target market will enjoy this but that is not me.

It’s not often that I read a 400 page book in less than 12 hours, but I just couldn’t put this down. Absolutely compelling reading, I felt so emotionally invested and am still reeling.
A fantastic concept that comes alive with empathy and compassion, it’s mind boggling that this is a debut novel.
I loved the interconnected characters and the insightful descriptions of how the boxes affected people differently. We’re curious by nature but can knowing exactly how long we have to live be a good thing? This book definitely made me think, and it also made me sad that fear seems to win more often than not.
Would you open the box?

Rating: 3.4/5

There is an awful lot to like about this high-concept novel from Nikki Erlick. It is both thoughtful and thought-provoking, intelligently written and it has a premise that immediately grabbed my attention and set my mind whirring as I started contemplating all of the potential intriguing avenues for development: Out of the blue, everybody in the world over the age of 22 wakes up to find a smooth, dark brown box awaiting them, with the inscription, "The measure of your life lies within." That "measure" turns out to be a piece of string, and the length of the string relates to how long that individual will live.

This sparks so many questions: To open the box, or to remain in blissful ignorance? Should the state become involved in the decision making process and, if so, to what extent? How will each person and society as a whole react to truth contained within the boxes and how will individuals be treated as they are found to be short-, medium-, or long-stringers?

Debut novelist, Nikki Erlick, leads the reader chronologically through the year following the arrival of the boxes and gives detailed insights into the lives of eight separate protagonists. In a hypothetical scenario such as this, with a classic "butterfly effect", there are an almost infinite number of pathways that the writer could choose to investigate further - and this is, perhaps, what prevents "The Measure" from being an absolutely top-notch read throughout. In some ways the book is a victim of its own thoroughness. So many different stories, covered in such depth, end up detracting from and diluting the impact of the most powerful messages.

This is one of those (relatively rare) occasions when I think this may translate more impactfully into a movie, or even a television series, where the audience can see the repercussions of the arrival of the boxes played out on a screen.

Nonetheless, I have no doubt that a great many people will be able to relate to this story in a variety of ways, and it is certainly quite poignant at times. The most striking message from the book for me is summed up in this quotation:
** "But this is what humans have always done," Maura said, her anger swelling inside. "We segment ourselves based on race or class or religion or whatever fucking distinctions we decide to make up, and then we insist on treating each other differently. We never should have allowed them to start labelling people as 'long-stringers' and 'short-stringers'. We made it too easy for them." **

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

The Measure
By Nikki Erlich

"It seems like just another morning.
You make a cup of tea.
Check the news.
Open the front door.
On your doorstop is a box.
Inside the box is the exact number of years you have left to live.
The same box appears on every doorstep across the world.
Do you open yours?"

When I heard the premise of this book I had a million questions. Such an exciting, intriguing proposition. My initial questions were soon followed by waves and waves of more" what ifs?". No wonder this was my most anticipated speculative of the summer.

A good strong beginning, a varied cast of characters with differing circumstances. All the anticipated first wave questions got a mention and clearly set up the arc of each character's story. But then it kind of teetered around with the same level of what it would mean to us all if this situation ever arose. As expected, humankind resorts to type and quickly divides populations into two groups, long stringers and short stringers. True to type this also results in a Top Dog class and a second class citizen class who quickly find privileges revoked, access denied, and become more and more vulnerable to discrimination and attack.

However, I wasn't drawn to any of the characters, I found the philosophical themes underwhelming and a lost opportunity and by the half way point I was starting to skim for interest.

The ending was also disappointing. It became so sentimental and got all tied up with such a neat bow that it didn't feel at all like what it is marketed as being. Less Syfy and more Hallmark.

I do think that this will have broad appeal. I can see it being a very successful movie soon enough. I think I might have overhyped it to myself.

Thank you to #netgalley and #HarperCollinsUK for approving me for the ARC for an honest review.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book.

Brilliant, original and bittersweet. One of the best books I’ve read in ages

This was a fabulous novel and a completely unique concept. The more time I've taken since reading it, the more highly I regard the cleverness of this novel and the concept. 

One day, people all over the world wake to boxes on their doorsteps. Initially people don't know what they mean and what on earth the piece of string inside represents. As time goes on, it is clear the string can tell you how long you have to live, it is the measure of your life. Only adults receive the strings and they need to choose whether to open it or leave their fate a surprise. Do you open it?
The author takes us on a journey in seeing the fate of both the short and long stringers in this completely unique novel. It was uplifting in parts and obviously really sad in other parts. Overall just such a clever novel and it would be a great bookclub read. 

Thanks so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for this gifted advance copy.

This dystopian novel has a super interesting concept. One day, out of nowhere, everyone around the world aged 22 and over wakes up to find a box on their doorstep. The box contains a string which represents what age you will live too!

Quite quickly the world descends into chaos. People are divided into long stringers and short stringers. Discrimination and segregation is rife, short stringer struggle to come to terms with how many years they have left.

This book is perfect for book clubs. Through its many characters it raises such thought provoking questions such as if you know you only have a few years left is it fair to start a family. If you had a long string would you date someone with a short string or is that setting yourself up for unhappiness. Would you even open your box or remain blissfully unaware.

The book is told by several main characters switching POV every chapter. I both liked and disliked this. It felt almost like a collection of linked mini stories with random links appearing which I loved, and we got inside a lot of people's heads. However with the constant changing I felt like some characters were little more than names to me and it was hard to become fully absorbed in the story.

Although I felt distanced from a lot of the character, I still ended the book in tears, so it still have me that emotional impact I was looking for.

This is a brilliant debut novel which I think will be really popular on release. I look forward to seeing what the author comes out with next.

It is completely impossible to believe that this is Nikki Erlick’s debut novel, it is absolutely spectacular. I cannot explain how beautiful the writing is; there are some lines (that I won’t repeat for fear of spoilers) that are so perfect that I hope they’re remembered and repeated in literary circles to come.

I can’t say there were any characters I disliked, and I didn’t like any more or less than any others. They are all wonderful separately, but the way they’re all interwoven is beautiful. The combining of their stories so that our actions and our lives can, and do, have repercussions on our friends, relatives and even strangers.

This is a really poignant book, and really leaves you thinking:
- Would you, could you, open your box?
- Could you resist the temptation?
- If the string was short, would you be careful knowing it wouldn’t make any difference or would you go out with a bang?
- If the string was long, would you be careful to make sure you get to the end, or would you live life to the full knowing you were safe?
- Would your string affect your relationships?

It’s a very emotive book, I found myself laughing and smiling, gasping and sobbing. It is a tour de force on emotive writing, and it all seems so real. Personally, I think, morally, it’s a very important book.

Overall, it’s a story of love and hate, relationships with our friends, our family and the wider world. It had the potential to be a very sad and depressing book, but it is the complete opposite. It’s full of hope and joy and love and light and has touched me in ways I didn’t expect a book to do so.

Millie Partridge's life has been rough of late, so when her ex colleague Nick invites her to a New Years Eve party on a Hebridean island she doesn't hesitate to book her ticket. As soon as she arrives at the island she realised that not only is Nick not there, but instead another ex colleague, Penny Maybury is there. Mille has been avoiding Penny for the last 12 months, so alarm bells start ringing immediately. When Penny goes missing the next morning Millie and the other guests suddenly realise the New Years Party isn't going to be anything like they expected.

This is another book following in the 'And then there were none' sort of style. A group of people travel to a remote island, and start being murdered one by one. I've read quite a few of these remote location murder mystery type books over recent years, and I think I'm almost hitting my capacity with them. It's a trope that has been done so many times it's difficult for books to bring a new take to it.

For this one specifically, I enjoyed the read but it isn't one that is likely to stay with me. It had all of the classic plot points and twists that you would expect - a creepy setting, an obvious suspect and of course the inability of the victims to leave. I didn't really feel the tension building as I was reading though which is a key feature in these sort of reads for me.

As far as the characters go, Millie was fine. I didn't particularly like or dislike her, just found her to be middle of the road. We know from early on that she's hiding a secret, and although we find out some aspects early on we don't get the full story until the end of the book. The other characters are a bit of a mixed bag, some you like and some are quite irritating, giving you characters to want to be the bad guy.

It's a farily quick read, and if closed room mysteries are your thing then this one will definitely tick all of the boxes. Personally I thought it was OK, but lacking some of the finer details that takes a book like this to the next level.

Thanks to NetGalley and Swift Press for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

What a concept. What a ride. What a cleverly put together and thoughtfully written book.
If you haven’t already preordered for the he synopsis alone, let this be your cue to run to the shops to get a copy!
Flew through the pages and enjoyed every second! Deals with such human issues in such a good way, LOVED!
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Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the ARC

I absolutely loved this book. The idea is so interesting of boxes arriving for adults 22 and older to everyone in the world containing a string indicating how long they will live. Do you open the box or not and how do you handle it if you have a short string or a long one? The characters were engaging and the story fascinating. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Measure tells the story of an alternate future; where every person in the world over the age of 22 wakes up one morning and receives a strange box with their name on it. Each box contains a string, which shows how long that person's life will be. The Measure follows a number of individuals, with both long and short strings, on their journeys once they know what the future holds in store for them.

This is a really interesting premise and I found it fascinating to read about the different ways that different countries dealt with the strings and the personal impact that it had on people. The book was thought provoking and made for some interesting conversations at home!

I felt that the book tailed off a bit towards the middle, but I was gripped by the ending and am not ashamed to say that I had a little cry!

My thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review.

4+

If a small wooden box arrives on your doorstep inscribed “the measure of your life lies within“ would you open it? This is the scenario here as every adult over the age of 22 is confronted with small brown boxes inside, under a small piece of delicate fabric, is a length of string denoting your lifeline. What does it mean? Where have they come from? Why now – why this moment in time? Are they real and true? This is the dilemma confronting multiple millions and initially a new world order emerges and it’s very far from pretty. The story is told from several points of you which works really well.

First of all, if this sounds too grim for you after all we’ve been through in the last couple of years and the people of Ukraine are going through right now and that’s understandable. However, the book looks at the impact over several years and its ultimate message is actually very positive and hopeful as it forces an examination of your priorities and what is the most important thing to you in spite of the length of your life. In places it is very philosophical and it does make you reflect on yourself and your hopes and dreams. It’s extremely good at looking at the impact on the recipients and we get a whole range of reactions from scepticism to grief, from sadness and impotence to despair and joy.

You feel the tension as boxes are open and the emotions they elicit from defiance to resignation but also embracing the time left and living as happily as possible. The fear is palpable and initially a huge chasm emerges between short and long stringers with all its dangerous implications and I really like how the storytelling goes in waves but settles positively.

There is a bit of everything here there is happiness and sadness, tragedy and sacrifice, it’s poignant and there’s a good message about prejudice and injustice. There are some very likeable characters to pin your hopes on and root for and one you definitely don’t . The ending is emotional but it feels right.

Overall this is a thoughtful and thought-provoking rollercoaster read.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins or the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.