The Poppy Fields presents an intriguing premise: what if there was a place where you could sleep away the pain of losing someone, but with the risk of waking up feeling nothing for them at all? It's a thought-provoking concept that tackles the universal experience of grief and the lengths we might go to escape it.

The author's writing is undeniably excellent. The prose flows beautifully, and the characters of Ava, Ray, and Sasha are well-developed, each dealing with their own distinct grief and backstory. The book succeeds in making readers feel seen in their own experiences with loss.
However, The Poppy Fields feels more like an extended meditation on grief than a fully realized novel. The pacing drags considerably, with roughly three-quarters of the book devoted to the journey to the fields rather than exploring the fascinating premise itself. There is a lack of forward momentum that makes the reading experience feel static at times. The inclusion of Sky as a fourth character feels unnecessary and somewhat disconnected from the story, diluting focus from the stronger characters.

Despite my issues with it, the novel succeeds in exploring how different people process trauma and loss. It's deeply emotional, even if it doesn't quite deliver on its narrative potential.

I loooooove how nikki erlick’s subgenre rn is “what if” books. For THE MEASURE — what if everyone knew how long their lives would be. For THE POPPY FIELDS — what if there was a way to sleep away your grief.

The concept is simple. How much better are things the next day — just one night’s sleep helps, but what if you could sleep for two months? That’s what The Poppy Fields lets its patients do.

Now, the book is kind of tangentially about the fields, but it’s more about a handful of characters and their connection to them. It’s a journey story, not about the destination. I love this type of story but I did feel like nothing was really happening for a while. Short chapters def moved it along!

This book comes out June 17! Thank you to william morrow and Nikki for the advance copy! And if you haven’t read THE MEASURE yet… pick it up IMMEDIATELY!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the eARC!

I enjoyed this book so much! The storyline was intriguing, but I think my favorite part was the discussion and exploration of grief. It was this exploration that pushed this book into the 5-star category for me - it has so many intriguing thoughts about grief - I already foresee myself rereading this ready to glean even more about grief.
The characters are interesting, and I liked the balance between the current storyline and flashbacks. I also really enjoyed the nods to the Wizard of Oz (there aren't a ton, but there are some fun ones).
And I loved how we watched the characters grow and interact. And grow their thoughts about the Poppy Fields.
I'd absolutely pick up another Nikki Erlick book - she's a fantastic writer with really intriguing ideas.

Q. Why have 100,000 People Chosen to Sleep for a Month?”
A. To try and heal their broken hearts. 💔

In a remote part of the California desert, lies a therapeutic center called “The Poppy Fields”. It is both experimental and controversial and free to those who are accepted, after applying. Thousands of people are currently lying in unfamiliar beds, side by side, wearing identical crisp red pajamas, the sight reminiscent of the field of flowers.🌺

Most are grieving the loss of someone, some through death-some through betrayal-and most will sleep for a month. After patients awaken from this prolonged state of slumber, similar to a medically induced Coma, the majority of them will wake up feeling like the pain is finally no longer “all consuming”.

But a full 25% of all patients will suffer an irreversible side effect-the inability to ever again feel emotions toward their lost loved ones. Is not feeling the “pain” worth not remembering the “love”?

Three strangers are on their way to the “Poppy Fields” -all for different reasons. Ava, and her friendly dog P.J., a fireman named Ray, and Sasha, an occupational therapist. Along the way, they will also meet a free spirit named “Sky”.

Each believes that the “Poppy Fields” will be able to give them the closure they need-but they might only need this shared journey to give them the answers that they seek.

3.5 ⭐️

Nikki Erlick’s “The Measure” was my favorite book of 2022 so to say that I was dying to get my hands on an early copy of this book would be an understatement. It was definitely one of my MOST ANTICIPATED reads for 2025.

PERHAPS my expectations were too high after reading the many rave reviews for this book, but I found the PREMISE far more compelling than the execution. There is a LOT of thought provoking reflection on the topic of grieving (great for book club discussion) but I wasn’t connecting emotionally with these characters or their journey.

PERHAPS, it was because I recently read another work of SPECULATIVE FICTION, which also dealt with grief and it did so with a more engaging story which I preferred to this one.

I’m rounding up for the original premise and because I didn’t feel the desire to skim, which are two factors which usually convince me to round down-even though I wasn’t as enamored with this story as many other early readers.

Publication date: June 17, 2025

Thank You to William Morrow for the gifted ARC provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.

An exploration of grief, love, loss, hope, healing, given and found family.

“Grief was love in it’s second shape”

The Poppy Fields is an experimental treatment center where those who have experienced life-altering loss can go to sleep through some of the darkest depths of their grief and awaken, 4 to 8 weeks later, with the burden lightered and more tolerable.

4 people (and a pup), carrying vastly different kinds of pain, end up traveling together to the Poppy Fields. Each characters internal dialogue and contemplation of their circumstances is thought-provoking.

The story explores the deep wells of the human experience and demonstrates how much each person can be holding under the surface.

If you could sleep through the worst portion of your grief, but you risk losing how you felt about the person you lost… would you do it?

This one is thought provoking and deep. It will shake you to your core and make you question yourself on what it means to grieve and live. Really it is – how far are you willing to go to relieve yourself from heartbreak? In my opinion, it is really a book with a whole lot of low – and no relief for light, joy, or hope. Needless to say, I need to go read something happy now.
That being said - I really enjoyed the narration and prose of this one. It has 10 narrators, and I loved the jumping in and out of the story and talking about what the public thinks about the facility. I like how everything is set-up for the story, apart from character development. I feel like I never really get to know (or become attached to) any of the characters. It doesn’t really take away from the story, but I usually have at least one character I like. I really was ambivalent about all of them.

What a wonderful book on the human experience and how grief changes and molds us and how each of us deals in a different way.

I was drawn in to each persons story and their character development was wonderful to see. The concept of a place to go that is specifically designed to help deal with the overwhelming feel of grief whether it’s for someone we knew, a job we love but takes over our lives in unexpected ways.

This book was a heart wrenching and heartwarming.

If you loved the 2004 movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” this should be your next read. Somewhere in the California desert, a treatment center called the Poppy Fields will put you to sleep to cure your heartache. There may be side effects, but how could they be worse than the pain of lost love? (Recommendation will be sent to readers of WordSmarts.com email newsletter)

Wow is all I have to say. The Poppy Fields is such a thought provoking read. The big question, if you were able to sleep for a month to lessen the pain of losing someone, would you do it? Even if that meant when you woke up there was a chance you would have no emotion towards that person? In this book 4 strangers end up coming together to embark on a journey to The Poppy Fields, but all for different reasons. Talks of life and love and loss. Lessons to be learned and shared. This would make a great book club read, as there are lots of elements to discuss! Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc!

This was another thought provoking read that made me self reflect on what I would do in the same situation. I enjoyed the multiple POVs and background stories. Grief is a wild thing and everybody processed it in a different way. I cannot wait to read her next book as so far I’m two for two. Thank you for the free e-arc, NetGalley.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

4.5 stars 💗

the poppy field was a fantastic novel revolving around how people manage intense grief, loss, and depression through going into an assisted sleep, or medically induced coma, for a specific amount of time as part of a scientific study.

there was quite a lot of social commentary throughout this novel, and i appreciated the author’s thoughtfulness behind specific aspects of the commentary.

as for the audio, the narrators did a fantastic job!

The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick is a novel about what we risk when we try to outrun pain—and what we stand to gain when we face it. Fans of The Measure will find echoes of the same thematic richness here: questions of destiny, the meaning of time, and the beauty of human connection.

Deeply human, it explores the complexities of grief, healing, and the lengths we go to find solace. Erlick writes with quiet power and emotional insight, reminding us that even in the most desolate places, beauty and connection can still take root. This is a book that lingers—just like The Measure—and cements Erlick as one of today’s most thoughtful storytellers. Her ability to explore grief, hope, and the small miracles of everyday life is both rare and resonant.

It’s a novel that balances emotional intensity with quiet optimism—one you’ll want to recommend to everyone you know.
#ThePoppyFieldsDeluxeLimitedEdition #NetGalley #williammorrowbooks

A fantastic and thoughtful book that really dives deeply into the complex emotions of loss and those impacted. I really enjoyed the premise of the Poppy Fields and what it represents and loved the characters in the book that really adds to the story. Nikki Erlick is incredibly imaginative and her writing style really does wonders to draw the readers into the world.

What if you had the chance to erase your biggest loss? Your biggest heartbreak? Your worst experience. The Poppy Fields were created to help those suffering from all different kinds of grief. While some patients thrive after being treated, we soon see that a side effect appears in patients wiping those grief stricken memories, forever.

The Poppy Fields give individuals the option to cure any grief that they may be experiencing. Through some scientific processes, this treatment center helps those who have suffered extreme loss or heartache through weeks of sleep. Are there risks? Some say there are and a few of the sleepers wake up with a known side effect.

This story follows 4 strangers who met after a canceled flight out of the Midwest. Three of them are headed to The Poppy Fields for their own specific reasons, and a cross-country drive helps them all open up and share their own story a bit. The different perspectives help them all explore their need for healing and what they may be inclined to do to reach that ultimate healing.

Nikki Erlick has solidified herself as an instant-read. She does a phenomenal job of showing how grief can take different shapes, and it really struck a chord with me. Erlick's prose is so beautiful, and many of the lines will stick with me. I'm so glad that The Poppy Fields lived up to my expectations after reading The Measure.

I love the way Erlick weaves the story of these strangers together. Like The Measure, I had to stop what I was doing several times when a connection or reveal was made because I was knocked out by it (even when I saw the connection coming).

Would I sleep in the fields? Probably not, but the story made me ask myself the question several times and I completely understand why someone would choose to sleep there.

After loving The Measure, I was really excited to read anything by the same author and was definitely not disappointed. The story unfolded in a way that draws the read in right away. There was good character development, intrigue, and wisdom to learn along the way.

📖 Thank you to @netgalley and @williammorrowbooks for the ARC!

I didn’t click with The Measure, but early praise for The Poppy Fields had me curious—so I gave it a shot.

It starts slow. I didn’t immediately connect with the characters, but eventually the emotional threads settled in, and I began to see what the story was reaching for.

The book follows four strangers—Ava, Ray, Sasha, and Sky—each carrying their own form of grief, as they journey to a desert retreat called The Poppy Fields, where people can sleep through their sorrow. It’s speculative, reflective, and soft in all the right ways.

Each character brings something different: Ava is processing unresolved family pain, Ray’s living with quiet sorrow, Sasha mourns a future that never was, and Sky drifts with secrets and softness. Over time, their stories begin to entwine—and that’s one of the most rewarding parts. Everything connects.

What stood out most in this story wasn’t the sadness—it was the way these strangers slowly became threads in each other’s healing. Quiet, meaningful, unexpected.

It’s not fast-paced—it’s more like a quiet road trip: wide skies, slow turns, and unexpected emotion. But if you let it take its time, it sneaks up on you.

And despite the promise of sleep and forgetting, this is one story that lingers. The Poppy Fields might just stick with you—no nap required.

Also? This book had road trip playlist energy written all over it—so I made one for each character… and obviously myself. Swipe through and vibe accordingly. ✨

Which character’s playlist are you stealing first?

3.5 ⭐️

This is my bad—I went into this thinking it’d be more plot driven and lean more heavily into the sci-fi/speculative piece, versus the heavy, character-driven story this wound up being. Because of that, I kept finding myself disappointed when we didn’t get certain answers or cliffhangers from a chapter were resolved with an emotional decision (as opposed to something dramatic happening).

But obviously, yeah, it’s a beautiful story, and it seems the reviewers who knew what they were getting loved it!

The Poppy Fields was one of my most anticipated books this year; unfortunately, I’m rating it 2 stars rounded up to 2.5.

The premise of this novel was extremely unique and interesting, but the pacing felt way off. While I appreciate the character-driven style, the repetitiveness of each character’s backstory left me feeling disconnected from them. By the conclusion of the novel, I didn’t feel any sort of emotion about how any of their individual stories were resolved.

I also thought that this book was more tailored for a niche audience. It had some profound and valuable themes (i.e. grief and faith can coexist), but the story as a whole is definitely more suited for someone who is navigating their own grief journey. Otherwise, the story drags, repeats itself, and the overuse of rhetorical questions and exclamation marks throughout cheapens the writing. This was a miss for me.