The Measure by Nikki Erlick

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?

The Measure charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything.

353 pages, Hardcover

First published June 28, 2022Genre(s): Science Fiction; Fantasy; Dystopian

Literary Recognition

Goodreads Choice Awards - Nominated for Best Science Fiction (2022) and Best Debut Novel (2022)

My Thoughts

Question: If you could know the exact month you would die, would you want to know? Or would you rather just live your life without that knowledge?

This seems like one of those "Would you rather?" games but the truth is that this knowledge could affect our lives in countless ways, ways we have probably never imagined. That is what this novel explores. It also explores the greater ramifictions for society as a whole, though. How could this be used to control society? Would it be used to manipulate use or to discriminate against one group or another?

If this sounds dark, that's because it is, but the novel is also filled with moments of hope and resilience. I do not think I would want to know when I was going to die, but I can see how some might use that knowledge to live their life to the fullest, with no regrets.

A good life isn’t measured by longevity, it’s measured by how you choose to spend the time you’ve been given. This book will remind you of that. I gave this book 4 stars.