3.75 stars, rounded up

The audio format of this book was very enjoyable, with a large cast of narrators and clips of articles and interviews interspersed with the story. It really made the plot come to life, and some of my favorite quotes and revelations came from the additional snippets. Highly recommend the audio for anyone planning to pick this one up!

This story follows four strangers who meet along their journey to The Poppy Fields, a facility in the California desert that offers a healing treatment for people experiencing profound grief and loss. The Poppy Fields will provide an experimental treatment, free of charge, that allows the patient to sleep for a month, emerging healed from the pain of their grief and able to move forward with their life. The catch is that 25% of patients wake up with no memories of their deceased loved one.

This story had some very lovely observations on love, grief, and memory, and I really enjoyed how the author wove together the stories of the characters - her signature writing style from her previous book as well. I didn't think this book was as philosophical as I expected, and I think anyone who has experienced grief or loss in their life will understand the themes presented here fairly readily. I do expect this will be a popular book club selection though!

This is a road trip story with the destination being the Poppy Fields, a treatment center where people can sleep away grief. It starts out very Planes, Trains, and Automobiles when the airport where our main characters are is hit by a tornado. Three people decide to drive together to the Poppy Fields (along the way, they pick up a 4th, but I'm not sure that she added anything to the story).

Ava is going to find her sister. Sasha is going to try to get them to let her sleep away the grief she feels after the loss of her fiancé (her application was rejected, but it couldn't hurt to try in person). Ray is going to find some answers about his brother, who was a patient. (Sky is the fourth person. She is off to explore the world and learn about herself, and they offer her a ride.) During their multi-day journey, the characters learn about themselves, one another, and the ubiquity, yet uniqueness, of grief.

The other main character is Ellis, the person who came up with the Poppy Fields. She offers her service free to anyone who completes an application and passes the interview. But the board is getting antsy and wants to open multiple treatment centers and start making money. The problem is the side effect which affects 25% of patients.

When Ellis developed the concept of the Poppy Fields, it was to help people live through horrible loss. Patients go to sleep for 1-2 months, wake up, and are able to keep on going with their lives. The crippling sadness is gone. But the side effect can affect anyone, and it may not be worth the risk to be rid of the pain.

Like her first book, The Measure, The Poppy Fields will get you thinking. If you could skip the overwhelming sorrow you feel when you lose someone, would you? If there was a terrible risk, would you still?

I listened to the audiobook, which has a full cast. They all were really good at getting the personalities across through their voices. It was seamless, with no gaps between readers.

My thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars
THE POPPY FIELDS is so not my usual genre, but the synopsis really intrigued me and I'm glad I gave it a try! Grief is personal, painful, and often misunderstood. Some people never move past it, stuck in a cycle of sorrow. The journey through loss is never the same for any two people. As someone who's gone through a lot of grief over the last year and a half, I knew this book would be a bit more personal for me.

At its core, this book is a magical realism literary fiction novel, with the plot involving a a new treatment that promises relief from grief. But the cost may be losing the emotional core of who they were. I know we want to move forward or passed our grief, but I do believe that it helps mold you. Four strangers and a small dog travel across the country seeking answers. Each carries hidden pain and hopes for healing. What they find at the center may change them—or erase the parts they hold dear.

Overall, THE POPPY FIELDS made me THINK. It was very moving and really compelling when it comes to dealing with the depth of personal grief. I did feel that the pacing was a bit off at times and I saw myself not fully immersed at times, but I do believe this book will get people talking. I believe that this book will be a great social commentary for those struggling with overcoming grief and allowing people see a different side of how to cope. I feel like I've learned something after reading this book. I alternated between the physical and audio and I believe that the audio was a stronger listen for me. I am unsure if I'd dive back into this author's works, but I am glad I took a chance with this one!

i related to this book so much and i definitely cried more than once while reading. it was really good though!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the audio ARC. ♡

Audio format 🎧

I loved Nikki Erlick's first book and had high hopes for this one. It did not disappoint! The story line is super unique and I absolutely loved the plot and the different writing styles in the book (e.g. interviews, articles and the main plot).

I had some issues with the narrators in this audio book. I liked the different voice acting for the different characters and how the interviews and interspersed articles etc. were narrated. But I didn't love the main narrator in this one. The voice acting was a bit flat for me and I zoned out several times.. When the narration changed tones and characters it was excellent.

I would like to go back and read this in book format but for the audio I am giving this one a plot score of 5 stars but a narration of 3 stars (average) for an overall score of 4 out of 5.

Thank you to Net Galley and HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio for an advanced listener copy of this book. Opinions are my own.

Nikki Erlick has a song in her soul that appears will take a lifetime of gorgeous books to sing, and I do not mind that at all :) Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this audiobook & novel!

Specific to the audiobook, I want to say bravo to the narrators for making it one of my favorite listens in a long while. I usually am someone who has a difficult time listening to fictional audiobooks because the character voices can be difficult to listen to, but you all kept me on the edge of my seat (whether in the car or on the couch) and shushing my husband so I didn't miss a moment.

To all who open these pages: who is the person you have lost or fear losing? You lie in bed trying to keep their face etched into your eyelids, you feel their name echo between your heartbeats. The fear plagues you because not only will you face their loss but you fear you'll lose your life as well. Or maybe you don't fear that loss at all, you have resigned yourself to a life of shadow and grayscale; never whole again. Every moment is agonizing pain, but there is nothing you can do to stop it except to stop yourself--right?

Welcome to the Poppy Fields! *cue wii theme song* If the loss of your loved one has made you a shell of yourself or an angry alcoholic, please call 1-800-555-2212! We'll give you the best sleep of your life! All you have to do is make it here and cross your fingers that you won't be the 25% who gets THE SIDE EFFECT...

Grief is arguably one of the most potent emotions and experiences a person can experience, and rarely can be captured in the whole of its essence outside of experiencing it oneself. And yet, Nikki stepped up to the plate, rose to the challenge, and left me breathless with The Poppy Fields.
I was absolutely fascinated by the concept of "sleeping" to alleviate grief. I've worked in mental health for upwards of a decade, and as the book began I thought of all of the faces of the people who I've worked with and suffered from grief. I also thought of myself and how if I lost my partner and had the Poppy Fields as an option, I would have done most anything to get there to alleviate what I know will be borderline life-ending grief.

I think what is so haunting about this book is that it is a blink of an eye from being true. I can read all kinds of dark horror, but this is the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night. I actually had to wait a week before giving this a review because I felt a need to let it all sink in before sharing my mind here. This work of art is a book that will be in my top 5 for this year, guaranteed. I cannot wait for the general public to get their hands on it so I can FINALLY talk with someone about it!! I will be sharing it with all of my community and I hope all of you who find this review enjoy it as much as I do!

I listened to the audiobook. I really enjoyed the narrator. I liked this book. I didn’t love it. The story follows a group of people heading to the Poppy Fields. It’s a place where you can sleep through your grief. Each has had a different sort of grieving experience. I enjoyed the friendships that were formed. I like the way the author addresses different types of grief. I feel like there was something missing toward the end of the book but I can’t figure out what. Maybe I wanted more?

The story follows a small crew of characters who are all journeying to The Poppy Fields. They start out separately but all end up connecting in ways that change their lives and their future paths. The Poppy Fields is a controversial and experimental treatment centre that allows a person to literally sleep away their grief. It not easy to be accepted and it comes with some serious life altering possible side effects.

The story is about healing from grief and how far we are all willing to go in order to stop the pain of loss. Its a heartbreaker and i loved it! I'm in awe of this authors ability to bring such speculative fiction to life!

A great follow up for this author - I liked The Measure a lot more, but this was still very good. I'd say not much happens in this more, it's more about the character as opposed to the plot, but would make for great discussion. An extremely inventive and interesting concept.

If you could sleep for a month or two after a devastating loss, and wake up able to cope with your grief, would you do it?

This novel raises the question, as people apply to the Poppy Fields, an facility in California that allows you to sleep away your grief under supervision and medication. For a percentage of the patients however, they wake up with an emotional numbness, no longer feeling any emotions about the person they had lost. Is the time at the Poppy fields worth that risk, to be able to get on with your life after grief?

We follow Ava, Sasha, Ray and dog PJ who are making their way to the Poppy fields each for very different reasons. When a travel issue upsets their plans, they decide to road trip to California, and along the way they pick up free spirit Sky who decides to journey with them.

A reflective and philosophical novel, these travelers explore their grief, sharing their individual stories and discussing their feelings about the facility, and its creator.

I thought that the characters were all really well drawn, and the author did a great job of showing all the different aspects of loss and grief. I listened to the audio book and it was so well done. Multiple narrators share the different POVs in this novel - from patient interview notes to articles about the facility. They did an excellent job and this was a great book to listen to.

I will have to try another of Nikki Erlick's novels.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange of my honest thoughts. (Audio Version)

This is not the type of book I would normally pick so it did take me a little longer to get into and to finish.

Following four different strangers (and a dog) who are trying to get to the same place for their own personal reasons.. destination The Poppy Fields, which is a treatment center in a remote part of California desert, a therapeutic center that is controversial for some. It provides an experimental "sleep" to help heal and overcome a devastating trauma, usually the heartache of loss. But like most experimental treatments lies side effects... some wake up feeling the pain from their grief is gone, but some wake up with the loss of ability to feel any emotions ever again. Is it worth the risk?

Audio Version- not listed as a full cast, but has multiple narrators and formats including some newspaper articles and interviews. The audio was enjoyable and easy to listen to.

I did enjoy this, it's definitely one of those books that keep you thinking. And leaves you wondering if something like this was actually available would you be interested?

While listening to this I couldn't help but to think about The Wizard of Oz, and the connection to the Poppy Fields putting you to sleep.

Publication Date for The Poppy Fields: June 17, 2025

The Poppy Fields is a moving, beautifully written story built around a fascinating idea—what if there were a place where people could go to sleep away their grief when nothing else seems to help? Erlick takes that concept and weaves it into a journey that’s equal parts emotional and unique.

When a tornado cancels all flights out of Kansas City, three strangers end up traveling together toward the mysterious Poppy Fields in California. Ray is searching for answers. Sasha is desperate for a second chance after her application to the Fields is rejected. Ava—along with her loyal dog—is trying to reconnect with her estranged sibling. And Sky, a whip-smart teenager, who joins the trio for several days, is determined to take control of her story instead of waiting around for life to begin.

While there was resolution for each of the characters' journeys, that said, the story loses a bit of momentum once the group finally reaches the Poppy Fields. After such a strong build-up, the arrival felt a little anticlimactic. While there are still tender and insightful moments, the emotional payoff didn’t fully land for me the way I hoped it would.

The audiobook features a standout performance from a full cast, with Marin Ireland delivering a particularly powerful narration. Her voice brings real emotional weight to the story. She captures the ache of grief, longing, and flickers of hope that keep people moving forward. Every character feels distinct, and the other narrators' performances add depth that enhance the listening experience.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Harper Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise. This will be an excellent book club pick. I also Loved how the characters were intertwined without being cheesy about it.

The audio fell a little flat bc I wouldve Liked each MC to have their own voice.

Nuance is the name of the game when it comes to Nicki Erlick books, and honestly, I love the feel of a lesson in philosophy as I leaf through the lives of the characters on the pages— or in this case, through the lives of the voices in my ears.

I received the audiobook courtesy of NetGalley and Harper Audio— and I finished it in a day.

The question posed in this book is one I’ve often pondered— can I sleep through my depression? And honestly I’ve tried it with varied results. The book focuses on different types of grief, and whether this restorative coma might help people move through the grief in a healthy way… which sounds like a conundrum already. But when you add the potential side effect, it is painful to think through. And as with The Measure (Erlick’s other book), she uses the characters to present a nuanced way to look at both decisions, changing my perspective and opening my mind, and the minds of her own characters, by the end.

My favorite part of these books is the thoughtfulness that they instill in me, and in those that read them. They open up interesting conversations that I can’t wait to have with people who read it.

The narration was fantastic. I loved the different voices for the “testimonials” throughout the book, and the main narrator was really talented, I liked her at various speeds.




CW/TW: lots of different death (grandparents, partners, parents, siblings, children);

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒐𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑭𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅𝒔
5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Nikki Erlick
Format: ALC

This book is absolutely incredible! Although it’s a work of fiction it’s also very factual and insightful when it comes to grief.

The premise is that there is a facility (𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑦 𝐹𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑𝑠) out in the dessert where people can go to help deal with/heal from whatever grief/loss they’re going through. At the facility you’re essentially put to sleep for 1-2 months. When you wake, that grief is still present but it’s not as sharp, not as all encompassing as it was before.

The story follows Ava, Sasha, and Johnny (along with several side characters) and their journey to/experience with the fields. They each have their own reason for visiting but life had a unique way of bringing the total strangers together to make the journey together. It also features Ellis, the creator of the fields.

The author does an amazing job depicting how grief is truly an individual process. How everyone handles grief in their own way. What society thinks grief should look like versus the reality of it.

“𝘓𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 . . . 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘸𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘥. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘯𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 . . . 𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯. 𝘍𝘪𝘨𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘢𝘥.”

“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘺, 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘶𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘶𝘳𝘨𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘥. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭.”

“𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘦.”

Thank you to HarperAudio (Harper Collins Publishers) for the advanced listener copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I will preface this that I LOVED The Measure and am still thinking about it months later. The Measure and The Poppy Fields are similar structure-wise but I think that The Measure was more successful. I loved how in The Measure there was a giant shared event and then the ripple effects that secretly overlapped and connected characters. The Poppy Fields focused on grief, which is an inherently an individual experience, so it felt like all characters were on their own parallel journeys that all happened next to someone else's.

My biggest gripe was that this book was a road trip story up until the 85% mark, and all the life stories were told in flashbacks - nothing really happened in the present to propel the plot along. Also, a flow complaint is that Erlick so slyly transitioned between POVs in the same chapter and even in the same paragraph, that even though it wasn't awkward, it was confusing at times.

Erlick is clearly a very talented writer and I will continue to pursue her books, as I find her prose to be ultra smooth and she creates psychologically conflicts that my Ethics degree brain finds so appealing.

P.S. While this book wasn't a knockout for me, the audiobook quality was top tier! Full cast!

A unique and well written novel with a full cast narration. Reading the digital ARC and listening to the audiobook made for a wonderful reading experience.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this audiobook.

The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick releases on June 25, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! 💖

I was SO excited to get an advanced copy of the Poppy Fields after reading The Measure. In her true nature, this was another winner!! Nikki Erlick's brain is wild. Her creative process and the worlds she creates are scarily realistic and also out of this world. 🌎

The Poppy Fields brings us into a world where the broken-hearted and grief-filled are able to sleep through their pain, and wake up fully healed. Would you try it out? What if there were shadowy side effects? We follow four strangers en route to the Poppy Fields from the Midwest to the Poppy Fields, where they are on their way to find Ellis, the founder. 💔

Grief, trauma, healing, loss, recovery, suffering. This is a heavy one! Just like The Measure, The Poppy Fields is a book that you continue to spend your day thinking about when you're not reading it, and will be a book I think about long after! 🤔

This was a pleasure to listen to on audiobook - even more fun that June is audiobook (appreciation?) month!! The different formats that the story is told in (transcripts, media, interviews, etc.) made it even more entertaining to listen to. 🎧

There was even a mention of The Measure - so cool! 📏

I can't wait to see what Nikki Erlick comes up with next!! The Measure was published in 2022, and The Poppy Fields is releasing in 2025 — all I'm saying is that it was worth the wait!! 👏🏻

4+ stars! I started this read on audio because of the interesting concept, but flew through it because of its varied viewpoints and meditations on grief. Honestly I was a little bit skeptical when I picked this one up -- I thought the concept of The Measure was intriguing as well, but it ended up falling flat for me -- but I'm so glad I gave it a chance.

This felt like a very personal subject matter for the author, and the variety of losses and reactions that are weaved throughout the story build something really special. I actually found myself more moved by the intermittent chapters of side characters' applications to sleep at the Fields than some of the main storyline -- there was something so raw and honest about them. The primary storyline of strangers making their way to the Fields after canceled flights was a good vehicle for them to slowly unravel their stories, but I definitely enjoyed the sections of personal reflections more.

Definitely give this one a try!

Loved this book! It’s such an interesting premise and like The Measure it makes you think and question how you would react. Her writing pulls you in and the characters were relatable. She tackles a tough subject in grief, but she did it in a way that I think will really resonate with readers. I recently lost my aunt and I was struck by how Nikki talked about grief in such a poignant way. Highly recommend this book! 4.5 stars!!