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kaperry626's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
jmusil44's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Grief, and Gun violence
Minor: Terminal illness and Car accident
throwback682's review
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Thought provoking, timely, emotional, heartwarming AND heartbreaking, clever, fascinating.
I loved how the various characters’ stories were interwoven - either overtly (one character doesn’t know that her new boyfriend is in a support group with her sister’s girlfriend ) or subtly/as a twist.
There was one big twist that I half expected(the sister/wife who never opened her box actually having a short string too) but it also still came to light in an unexpected way (it never occurred to me that she and the husband would die TOGETHER) .
This book was a real tearjerker. It deals not only with death, but with a lot of other big hard life stuff, like standing up to your bigoted family members at risk of being ostracized, or deciding whether bringing a child into this scary world is the right move.
I personally thought this book made you contemplate your mortality in a way that wasn’t too heavy handed. It felt like more of an invitation to reflect, than a Cautionary Tale. I really enjoyed it a lot.
I loved how the various characters’ stories were interwoven - either overtly (
There was one big twist that I half expected
This book was a real tearjerker. It deals not only with death, but with a lot of other big hard life stuff, like standing up to your bigoted family members at risk of being ostracized, or deciding whether bringing a child into this scary world is the right move.
I personally thought this book made you contemplate your mortality in a way that wasn’t too heavy handed. It felt like more of an invitation to reflect, than a Cautionary Tale. I really enjoyed it a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Minor: Suicide attempt
kelly_e's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Title: The Measure
Author: Nikki Erlick
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: June 28 , 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Intriguing • Original • Uplifting
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.
It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out.
But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live.
From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?
As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Of course, I'd seen The Measure on so many 2022 favourites lists, yet it wasn't until it was recommended to me as part of my 12 recommendations from 12 friends project for 2023 that I really paid attention to this debut. And in short, from the very first pages I knew I was going to love this book!
I loved all of the characters (except maybe one...) and each of their distinct, yet interconnected lives. While the cast is vast, Erlick does a fantastic job at giving each character a distinct arc, so the reader is able to keep the plotlines straight. Getting to explore different reactions to the strings through a variety of POVs was an absolute gift. There's an underlying political aspect (that I know many won't love) weaved into the story, and I thought it was interesting to see the perspective of how people in power would handle such huge life questions.
This novel gave me way more than just entertainment. It dives deep into the meaning of life and what makes a good life. It explores priorities, the value of connection, and the importance of both the big and the small moments, while also contemplating hope and destiny. It is just so wholly human. Additionally, there were so many parallels to things that have happened or are ongoing (war, COVID, etc.) that it sparked even more deep thought and reflection on my part. This book is the reason I love reading.
I cannot finish my review without mentioning the anonymous letters been Ben and Amie. It was one of my favourite aspects of the book, an absolutely beautiful portrayal of interconnectedness and the power of strangers. Their communication and support of one another made me believe in the kindness and good of people. When there is so much doom and gloom, getting an uplifting (even if fictionalized) account of kindness brought tears to my eyes.
An ambitious debut, I simply could not put this book down! While it tackles themes of death and immortality, it does so in a very human and hopeful matter. I went back and forth between whether I'd want to open my box or not, and came away still unsure. As someone who has bared witness to the death of my person (himself a 'short stringer'), I honestly cannot say whether I'd have wanted to know or not. I don't think anything could ever prepare someone who such a loss. What I do know for sure is that no matter what I'd still feel the same - love would always be a constant. The Measure has found its way onto my favourites list and I will come back to it as a comfort read in the future. I cannot wait to see what Nikki Erlick writes next and I know I'll definitely be pre-ordering it.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• everyone!
• fans of The One and/or The Midnight Library
• bookclubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"The poster was covered with wrinkled photos of famous figures, all of whom has passed prematurely: Selena Quintanilla, Kobe Bryant, Princess Diana, Chadwick Boseman. A meaningful life, at any length was written across the top in cursive lettering."
"But you asked if everyone deserves happiness. I certainly think so. And I don't think having a short string should make that impossible. If I've learned anything from all the stories I've read - of love and friendship, adventure and bravery - it's that living long is not the same as living well."
"'It's easy to look at our time together and think that we were so unlucky. But isn't it better to spend ten years really loving someone, rather than forty years growing bored or weary or bitter? When we think of the greatest love stories ever written, we aren't judging them by their length. Many of them were briefer than my marriage with Maura. But our story - mind and Maura's - it felt deep, and it felt whole, despite its length. It was an entire, wonderful tale in and of itself, and even though I've been given more chapters than Maura, her pages were the ones you couldn't put down. The ones that I'll keep rereading, over and over, for the rest of my life. Our decade together, our story, was a gift.'"
"Dear B,
No matter what happens, I still feel the same.
-A"
Author: Nikki Erlick
Genre: Speculative Fiction
Rating: 5.00
Pub Date: June 28 , 2022
T H R E E • W O R D S
Intriguing • Original • Uplifting
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.
It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out.
But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live.
From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?
As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?
💭 T H O U G H T S
Of course, I'd seen The Measure on so many 2022 favourites lists, yet it wasn't until it was recommended to me as part of my 12 recommendations from 12 friends project for 2023 that I really paid attention to this debut. And in short, from the very first pages I knew I was going to love this book!
I loved all of the characters (except maybe one...) and each of their distinct, yet interconnected lives. While the cast is vast, Erlick does a fantastic job at giving each character a distinct arc, so the reader is able to keep the plotlines straight. Getting to explore different reactions to the strings through a variety of POVs was an absolute gift. There's an underlying political aspect (that I know many won't love) weaved into the story, and I thought it was interesting to see the perspective of how people in power would handle such huge life questions.
This novel gave me way more than just entertainment. It dives deep into the meaning of life and what makes a good life. It explores priorities, the value of connection, and the importance of both the big and the small moments, while also contemplating hope and destiny. It is just so wholly human. Additionally, there were so many parallels to things that have happened or are ongoing (war, COVID, etc.) that it sparked even more deep thought and reflection on my part. This book is the reason I love reading.
I cannot finish my review without mentioning the anonymous letters been Ben and Amie. It was one of my favourite aspects of the book, an absolutely beautiful portrayal of interconnectedness and the power of strangers. Their communication and support of one another made me believe in the kindness and good of people. When there is so much doom and gloom, getting an uplifting (even if fictionalized) account of kindness brought tears to my eyes.
An ambitious debut, I simply could not put this book down! While it tackles themes of death and immortality, it does so in a very human and hopeful matter. I went back and forth between whether I'd want to open my box or not, and came away still unsure. As someone who has bared witness to the death of my person (himself a 'short stringer'), I honestly cannot say whether I'd have wanted to know or not. I don't think anything could ever prepare someone who such a loss. What I do know for sure is that no matter what I'd still feel the same - love would always be a constant. The Measure has found its way onto my favourites list and I will come back to it as a comfort read in the future. I cannot wait to see what Nikki Erlick writes next and I know I'll definitely be pre-ordering it.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• everyone!
• fans of The One and/or The Midnight Library
• bookclubs
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"The poster was covered with wrinkled photos of famous figures, all of whom has passed prematurely: Selena Quintanilla, Kobe Bryant, Princess Diana, Chadwick Boseman. A meaningful life, at any length was written across the top in cursive lettering."
"But you asked if everyone deserves happiness. I certainly think so. And I don't think having a short string should make that impossible. If I've learned anything from all the stories I've read - of love and friendship, adventure and bravery - it's that living long is not the same as living well."
"'It's easy to look at our time together and think that we were so unlucky. But isn't it better to spend ten years really loving someone, rather than forty years growing bored or weary or bitter? When we think of the greatest love stories ever written, we aren't judging them by their length. Many of them were briefer than my marriage with Maura. But our story - mind and Maura's - it felt deep, and it felt whole, despite its length. It was an entire, wonderful tale in and of itself, and even though I've been given more chapters than Maura, her pages were the ones you couldn't put down. The ones that I'll keep rereading, over and over, for the rest of my life. Our decade together, our story, was a gift.'"
"Dear B,
No matter what happens, I still feel the same.
-A"
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Hate crime, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, War, Religious bigotry, Medical content, Death of parent, Cancer, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Bullying, and Terminal illness
Minor: Ableism, Pregnancy, Outing, Classism, Cursing, Drug use, and Car accident
death of partnerptoridactyl30's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Alcohol, Car accident, Classism, Grief, Terminal illness, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Murder, and Lesbophobia
eeefann125's review
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Pregnancy, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Terminal illness, Death, and Mental illness
scrubsandbooks's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This was an incredibly thought-provoking story. A concept like this, where everyone in the world has the ability to figure out how long they will live through a tangible material object, can only be told best in multiple perspectives, and there was a wide variety in the character personalities themselves. Some were long-stringers, some short-stringers, some who refused to look, some who took advantage of their string to get to the top, etc. I loved how the storylines of some of the characters intermingled yet remained predominantly separate. My favorite thing about this book was the deep dive into the dark consequences and impact this event would have on society particularly about the corruption and bigotry. A dark thing to like, yes, but it really made you think!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Terminal illness, Car accident, and War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
sarahweyand's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would. I'm hesitant to pick up books where death is one of the presiding themes and isn't merely ancillary to the plot - they tend to make me anxious and panicky and I'm not looking to have a panic attack or existential crisis while reading. However, I thought this book handled its themes and topics well, and I was okay while listening.
It's clear to me the author did a thorough job of planning and theorizing the fallout and outcomes of her plot idea, because this book seemed well thought-out and complete in its premise. I enjoyed the look into the politics, military, and societal consequences of the strings, and felt like everything discussed was a realistic reaction. I liked all of our characters, even if I didn't feel extremely emotionally attached to them, and I was pretty equally invested into all their storylines, which is a feat for an author writing so many POVs.
The only part where I felt this book was lacking was the lack of discussion around religious implications. I understand that that might not be where the author wanted this plot and theming to go, but it did seem like a clear oversight to have little to no mention of religion. I got over the question of "where did the strings come from" pretty quickly when I realized the author wasn't going to explain, but I was surprised that every person in the book seemed not to care either. There was talk about scientific research, but it was fleeting and didn't touch on what would have clearly been high amounts of religious fallout.
Overall, I'd recommend this book if you feel you're in the headspace to read it! Higher rating than anticipated for sure.
It's clear to me the author did a thorough job of planning and theorizing the fallout and outcomes of her plot idea, because this book seemed well thought-out and complete in its premise. I enjoyed the look into the politics, military, and societal consequences of the strings, and felt like everything discussed was a realistic reaction. I liked all of our characters, even if I didn't feel extremely emotionally attached to them, and I was pretty equally invested into all their storylines, which is a feat for an author writing so many POVs.
The only part where I felt this book was lacking was the lack of discussion around religious implications. I understand that that might not be where the author wanted this plot and theming to go, but it did seem like a clear oversight to have little to no mention of religion. I got over the question of "where did the strings come from" pretty quickly when I realized the author wasn't going to explain, but I was surprised that every person in the book seemed not to care either. There was talk about scientific research, but it was fleeting and didn't touch on what would have clearly been high amounts of religious fallout.
Overall, I'd recommend this book if you feel you're in the headspace to read it! Higher rating than anticipated for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Gun violence, and Death
maggiekate's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mass/school shootings, Death, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: Car accident, Suicide attempt, and Cursing
Minor: Death of parent, Terminal illness, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
katharina90's review
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Really intriguing concept with a lot of potential. Ultimately I didn't care much for any of the characters which made the book less impactful than it could have been.
Maybe there were just too many perspectives which limited my ability to get to know the characters and feel invested in their stories.
I did enjoy pondering some of the questions the book poses:
If you could find out how much time you have left, would you want to?
And if so, would that knowledge change your life choices?
Maybe there were just too many perspectives which limited my ability to get to know the characters and feel invested in their stories.
I did enjoy pondering some of the questions the book poses:
If you could find out how much time you have left, would you want to?
And if so, would that knowledge change your life choices?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Death
Moderate: Gun violence and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Bullying, War, and Outing