On one fateful day in the near future every adult on earth wakes up to find a mysterious box containing a string on their doorstep. Implausible? Yes. But the boxes, and the strings they hold, are only an excuse to launch a very thought provoking story. The story doesn't focus on the boxes, but the ripples they send out to society and the way recipients react to the contents. Relationships are blown apart or strengthened. Those who received short strings find themselves the victim of discrimination. The strings are politicized and studied by scientists. We meet members of a short string support group and their partners and families as well as the family of a man running for president. The characters are diverse and well developed and the reader becomes as deeply intertwined in their lives as the strings in boxes.

A thought provoking audiobook, well written, and with an excellent narrator. This story has several main characters, each one struggling with the knowledge how long their life will last or the decision to not want to know. Relationship issues, prejudice against “short stringers,” deceit, acts of cowardice, and acts of courage,
This book makes you looks at yourself and how you would react given this “gift.”

This was a very thought provoking read. The entire world has the ability to see exactly how long they will live by opening a mysterious box and measuring the string left inside. This poses all sorts of questions. Does a person really want to know how long they will live? If you look at the time you have left what will you do with it? This would be an excellent topic for book clubs and discussions. The story centers around several characters that all face these questions and more as they navigate this new world. From relationships to politics to discrimination the story covers a wide variety of topics impacted by the strings. The characters were very interesting and I really liked how their stories were inter-woven throughout the book. This is a solid debut and I highly recommend it!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review

#NetGalley #TheMeasure #NikkiErlick

Thank you, NetGalley, for an audio-ARC of The Measure by Nikki Erlick.
Great premise, great writing, and great execution make this a must-read book. Told from multiple points of view, Erlick's writing moves the reader seamlessly between each, interlacing and weaving a solid story from beginning to end. Erlick uses the measure of a string to create metaphors and analogies that parallel with today's stereotypes and racial struggles, forcing the reader to question our society. Narrator, Julia Whelan is the perfect voice for this novel.

Would you open your box or not? A very thought provoking book and perfect for book groups. Lots to unpack and lively discussions will follow. This book follows several characters and their decisions and outcomes after receiving their boxes. All take different paths for different reasons.

I only listened to this because I love Julia Whelan, the narrator. Wow. What an incredible concept. I found myself thinking about this book constantly and wanting to talk about it with everyone I saw. I loved it. It'll be a difficult book to follow in the way all great books are. I highly recommend listening to this because Julia Whelan's performance was perfect. Absolutely worth the read. I'll be buying this one when it comes out and telling all my customers about it.

If you had the choice to know how long you had to live, would you want to learn this information? This is the exact scenario that plays out to absolutely everyone around the world over the age of twenty two; soon after a mysterious box shows up containing a string measuring the length of each one’s life. Told from multiple points of view, each character ponders the deepest questions humans ask themselves. This deeply rich and layered debut novel is for fans of THE IMMORTALISTS by Chloe Benjamin.

This one was bitter sweet from beginning to end and one of those books you just don't want to put down. Nikki takes us on a journey through what society might look like if we all suddenly knew how long we were going to live. I adored every single character and the story flowed easily between their lives.

This is going to be a great book club pick and is sure to prompt many deep and fascinating discussions!

Julia Whelan does a wonderful job of narrating and was a pleasure to listen to.

What if you knew when you were going to die? Would you change how you live?
This book is one of the most thought-provoking I have read. IT challenges the reader to consider both sides of living or dying. What is your life worth? VERY powerful. I recommend it for anyone....especially if you have ever questioned your own legacy and relationships.

I would give this one 6 stars if I could.
Wow! What a great book!
This is dystopian fiction that could easily become the next required reading in schools. It is at least as good, with as many thought provoking messages, as dystopian classics such as 1984, Lord of the Flies, and Animal Farm. Since it is set in a modern context, it might even be more intriguing to readers. It would likely feel more relevant for students.
All of the characters, atmosphere, and dialogue were beautifully developed. There was no extraneous detail, meaningless banter, or filler. Every single word of this book contributed to the plot.
There is so much profound content in this book, I do not know where to start. The premise of strings representing the life expectancy of every adult on earth is fascinating. They are sealed in boxes and appear from nowhere with absolutely no explanation. Where they came from or why is not the point of the story. They are simply there and humanity has to deal with the issues that arise from them. Social issues such as discrimination, personal choice, relationships with others, politics, etc. are addressed in this clever dystopian context.
This is the best book I have read this year and one of the best I have ever read.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I usually refrain from reading fiction solely via audio, but Julia Whelan being my favourite narrator, and the plot of the book being as intriguing as it is, I couldn’t resist. I’m so happy I didn’t. This is an incredibly well-crafted story about found family, love, grief, oppression, and people coming together to find something good in the midst of a terrifying new reality. I expect big things from this book, and I feel very lucky to have read this before its’ release date. I’m eager to recommend this to as many people as I can.

If you could choose to know the length of your life, would you? Such is the premise of The Measure by Nikki Erlick. One morning in March, everyone 22 years old and over worldwide receives a small wooden box. On the lid is the statement, "Inside contains the measure of your life." Each box contains a red string; some are short and some are long. No one knows where they came from or what they mean, but eventually it becomes clear that those will short strings will die young and those with long strings will live long lives. The Measure follows a handful of people, some with long strings, some with short, as their lives interconnect. It is a beautiful story about living life to the fullest, taking chances, and ultimately hope. Nikki Erlick has written a captivating story and Julian Whelan narrates it beautifully.

Wow! I “binge” listened this book in 2 days. It is incredibly thought provoking. I brought up the premise with my family, asking them what they would do with their box. Lots of discussion at my house and I am sure lots more will be sparked by this novel. I really appreciated how well so many possibilities were weaved through the book and together. I found the book intriguing and was kept interested from start to finish- although I did guess a few of the storyline endings- they were so well told I enjoyed them anyhow. I will definitely be recommending this book when available at the bookstore that I work at.

I absolutely loved this book! So original, interested, captivating! I am already telling everyone I know about it and can see it for sure as a book club selection. Every detail was so well thought out. I love when someone comes up with such a compelling storyline. Well done!

A truly original work that makes you laugh, cry and think deeply about your life. The audio was stellar -- I did a combination read, using the print galley interspersed with the audio and thought the narrator was perfect for the story.

If you want to read a book inspired by pandemic experiences but NOT actually about a pandemic, pick this up. If you want to reflect on some of the ways that Americans processed the events of 2020, but not through the lens of real events, pick up this book. If you want to think about best how to measure a life, and to truly consider the advantages and disadvantages to knowing the date of your death, pick up this book. And, if you want to do the sci-fi dystopian work of imagining how that knowledge would impact society at large (the first time I've ever encountered this premise on that scale!) definitely pick up this book.

Finally, if you want to be soothed, engaged, and delighted by your narrator, pick up this audio book! Julia Whelan never disappoints!

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advance audio copy!

Wow. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. Absolutely within my top 3 favorite books this year. It really makes you take a hard look at who we are as a society. The narrator was perfect for this book.

This book will make you think about your choices. At first it may seem like there are too many characters - I made a list. But they all intertwine as the book goes on. This narrator is wonderful. She does each character a little bit different but not too fake.

This book takes the age-old question of "if you knew how long you would live, what would you change" and turns it on its head. "The Measure" gives that information to the world in the form of little boxes with a string inside, then watches to see how it plays out. Its characters are forced to rethink their lives, and some who would never find themselves being discriminated against suddenly find themselves in that situation just because of their string length. The audiobook is narrated by the incomparable Julia Whelan, which just adds to the enjoyment of it. Highly recommend.

Thought-provoking novel questions what would happen to our society and relationships if we all knew how long we had to live. One night every adult in the world receives a box with a string that indicates the length of that person’s life. Told from interwoven, multiple perspectives, individuals must determine how to define their lives with this knowledge and navigate the changes of this new era.