The Measure by Nikki Erlick (Book Review by Stacey Lorenson)

There has been a groundswell of conversation about The Measure by Nikki Erlick and I was excited to have the opportunity to read this novel. Erlick examines a series of societal concepts that question the meaning of life, or in this case, the measure of life. How does one measure the quality of life? Does the longevity of life have more meaning versus someone with a shorter life span? How does classism effect quality of life? “But this is what humans have always done,” Maura said, her anger swelling inside. “We segment ourselves based on race or class or religion or whatever fucking distinctions we decide to make up, and we insist on treating each other differently” (p. 133). Erlick presents a utopian world where everyone twenty-two and over receives a box that contains a string denoting a persons’ life span. This sends people, worldwide, into a panic of life altering decisions. The author offers a panacea of problems utilizing a non-threatening piece of string symbolizing oppression, containment, political maneuvering, personal, professional, and societal restrictions. Erlick bestows readers an opportunity to reexamine marginalization by presenting common societal issues in emotionally relatable prose. In doing so the reader is free to reinterpret societal and political misdeeds that apply to today’s realm. I would have preferred Erlick approach these multi-leveled themes with an incomparable perspective of systemic behaviors. Instead, the author stated and restated the obvious throughout. However, the impassioned discussions stimulated by The Measure will be this provocative novel’s true measure of accomplishment.