Goodreads

Release date: June 28, 2022

Publisher: Harper Audio

Genre: Dystopian

Synopsis:

It seems like any other day: You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out. But today when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to 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 a sweeping, ambitious, invigorating story about family, friendship, hope, and destiny that encourages us to live life to the fullest.

Review:

When I first heard about this book the premise immediately fascinated me, it’s like you cannot even imagine such a thing happening but also you kind of can. Unsettling for sure. So going into it I assumed it would be deep and maybe even heavy at times and it was, but it was also super thought provoking and insightful. The amount of questions it raises is staggering, it explores a plethora of issues and I can see this being a fantastic pick for a book club. There is SO much to be discussed here, I actually wish I had a group of people to chat with when u finished myself. I don’t wanna get too deep into the plot but you get multiple perspectives from several characters and I enjoyed hearing from each of them. You may think this one would be pretty depressing and it’s really not, yes there were sad moments but also moments of hope. It was poignant and as usual Julia Whelan gives a fantastic performance in the audio version. Definitely check it out if you want something a little meatier this summer.

Overall rating: 4/5

Thanks to the publisher for my review copy.