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Book Review of The Measure

The Measure
VolunteerVal avatar reviewed on + 596 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2


Even if you haven't read The Measure, you've likely heard its premise: On a spring day, everyone worldwide age 22 and older finds a box on their doorstep that contains a string declaring the length of the recipient's life. In Nikki Erlick's debut novel, readers follow eight Americans as they navigate life in the post-string world.

This story has something for every reader - plot-driven as well as character-driven with elements of science fiction, dystopia, and political intrigue. It touches on several major systems of US society including healthcare, journalism, education, a Presidential election, foreign affairs, and military service. It was easy to track each character's storyline, and I was invested in all of them.

This novel is very thought-provoking, and I found myself comparing reactions to the strings with the myriad ways individuals and societies reacted to the pandemic. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Julia Whelan and recommend it.