The Measure

A Novel

De: Nikki Erlick

Narrado por: Julia Whelan

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - The Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick!

""A story of love and hope as interweaving characters display: how all moments, big and small, can measure a life. If you want joy, love, romance, and hope—read with us."" —Jenna Bush Hager

A luminous, spirit-lifting blockbuster that asks: would you choose to find out the length of your life?

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?

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.

Enchanting and deeply uplifting, The Measure is an ambitious, invigorating story about family, friendship, hope, and destiny that encourages us to live life to the fullest.

©2022 Nikki Erlick (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

liked it

I liked the book, didn't love. It kinda dragged in some places. I didn't like the amount of politics in it. I do like the back fourth between characters.

Lots to Think About

First of all, there is no better narrator than Julia Whelan. Just outstanding. Every time.

This book is incredibly relevant. The responses to the boxes/strings are so believable, after a point you forget to wonder where they came from.

How do we make decisions about our lives when so much is beyond our control? The question rings true for the book and for our lives outside the book. Very provocative. Great character development. An excellent read.

Oh…So missed the mark.

Such a great premise. Such a mediocre manifestation. Liked the general set up with characters having their own chapters, but really didn’t like the characters! Was “forced” to skip the through the last hour because it was just too tiring listening to the final chapters. Could have cut out a lot of boring conversations and drawn out traumas. Like a lot of reviews, the political part of the story was almost too cliché-ish. This is the writers first book?… deserves a “good job and congratulations”! Great beginning, very flat middle, most of the end can be skipped, slight elevation last 10 minutes.

Great premise. story fell short.

struggled to finish. premise had a lot to work with but it fell short. couldn't really get too invested in any of the characters.

A great concept…

But turned maudlin and predictable and seemed like it would never end. Became rather heavy-handed.

Wowza

Wow! What a great listen! Relevant to what the world sees now. Well written and the narrator was spot on! Highly recommend

Great listen!

Interesting premise and well thought out. Definitely a “page turner”! Narrator is also excellent! Very thought provoking and would make an excellent book club choice!

Would have listened through in one sitting

I was immediately snagged by the story and the characters. I thought I knew how it would end and the ultimate meaning of the boxes from the start... I was wrong. Loved it, would listen to it again... which I never do, and I didn't want it to end.

Interesting premise, lackluster execution

The book has an interesting premise - it definitely made me think about whether I'd want to know the length of my life. Would I open my box? I also wondered why these boxes suddenly appeared. What is the point of giving people this knowledge? It almost seemed like a social experiment being played on humanity by cruel gods.

Unfortunately, I felt the execution wasn't as exciting as the premise. The story dragged sometimes, getting into the minutiae of characters' lives that, frankly, got boring. I found some story arcs were more engaging than others, and I started to get impatient for the book to end. But Julia Whelan's narration was great. She made the most of the material she was given.

Thought provoking

Great story and narration. It really made me wonder what I would do in the same situation.

Worth the credit!