The Measure by Nikki Erlick

Book Description

Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.

It seems like any other day. You wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and head out. But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. The contents of this mysterious box tells you 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?

Review

If you knew exactly how long you had left to live, would you make different life choices?

That’s the haunting question at the heart of The Measure by Nikki Erlick. One morning, people around the world wake to find small, mysterious boxes on their doorsteps. Inside each box is a string, and its length reveals exactly how long the recipient has left to live.

Erlick uses this unsettling premise to weave a story that is both philosophical and profoundly human. The Measure follows eight interconnected characters as they grapple with the reality of their strings. Some cling to hope, treating the strings like cosmic fortune cookies, while others spiral into fear, denial, or reckless abandon. As relationships fracture, careers derail, and hidden prejudices emerge. Erlick skillfully captures how something as mundane as a piece of string can become a symbol of hope, discrimination, or despair.

Erlick’s prose is both accessible and thought-provoking. For me, her story shone brightest when exploring the quiet, intimate moments. The whispered doubts, desperate choices, and unexpected acts of kindness enthralled me. These scenes carried a lingering emotional weight.

Novels like The Measure remind us that death isn’t just an abstract concept. It’s the shadow behind every choice we make.

Despite the heavy themes, the story sucked me in from the start. Utterly hooked by the premise, I rooted for some characters and feared for others.

As I read, the question I couldn’t shake was: If I received a box, would I open it?

If you’re drawn to speculative fiction that asks existential questions, like The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde, you’ll find much to love in The Measure.

Content Warning

Ableism, Death, Discrimination, Grief, Murder, Suicide, Terminal Illness, Violence

The header photo is a composite image. Base image by Ksenia on Unsplash