REVIEW: “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick

The great American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote, ‘It is not the length of life, but the depth of life.’

You don’t need a long lifetime to make an impact on this world.

You just need the will to do so.
Nikki Erlick

PLOT OVER-SIMPLIFIED

One morning, everyone around the world wakes up to mysterious boxes on their doorsteps containing a string whose length corresponds to the length of their life. This story follows 8 individuals and how they choose to act, or not act, on this knowledge.

MY THOUGHTS

This book is a stunning gem of a debut.

Despite the reviews I write, I rarely ever take notes when reading. Somehow, I wrote more notes in the span of the first 20 pages than I ever have on any book in my life. Even for AP English.

Erlick began writing this novel before the COVID pandemic began, however, it was ongoing when she finished it and the timing of this story is just uncanny. Erlick is incredibly thought-provoking, and I found myself wanting to discuss this story with anyone and everyone who would listen.

My husband. My mom. My maintenance guy.

You don’t need to have read this book to ask yourself: “Would I open my own box if given the chance?” This question alone kept me up at night.

The different personalities, approaches, and insights of each character touched my heart. You are bound to find yourself in at least one character, for better or worse.

I found myself in Hank.

He’s a doctor, like me, and I realized that if given the chance – I would open my box. Just as he did. Not to torture myself, but to act on it. I have proudly spent the entirety of my 20s studying and training to become a doctor – however, I’ve had embarrassingly little time to actually live and enjoy my own life.

If my string were even remotely short, I wouldn’t spend my last years working 13-hour days, charting for 4-5 hours a day, working tirelessly to pay back my student loans.

I’d want to spend my time traveling, hiking, camping, smelling the fresh mountain air, and making memories with my husband and family.

P.S. I also am exceedingly grateful that Erlick wrote a world where only 22-year-olds and older receive strings. Can you imagine if CHILDREN received boxes? Those poor parents wouldn’t sleep a wink again. That is just one of the many details of this story that kept me thinking for weeks after finishing this book.

I am so excited to see what Erlick writes next.