The arrival of mysterious boxes holding the “measure” of the recipient’s life upends the entire world in Nikki Erlick’s poignant, life-affirming debut, THE MEASURE.

On a morning like any other, every single person in the world over the age of 22 wakes up to find a personalized box on their doorstep, inscribed with the statement “The measure of your life lies within.” Some open the box and are greeted with long strings, others with short ones, and a significant portion of the population chooses to leave their box unopened, certain that what’s inside is a hoax or vicious prank. But after studying them in detail, scientists conclude that the strings do indeed reveal the measure of one’s life. Before long, they are able to calculate when every single person on Earth (over the age of 22) will die, down to about a two-year margin.

You might think that the strings themselves are the force driving the book’s plot. However, they are only the catalyst for the characters, a collection of eight very different people, each living with their own box and fate-telling string. Intelligent, fact-driven Nina is a perfect foil to her fun-loving girlfriend, Maura. They decide to leave their boxes closed, as Nina refuses to be swayed by anything not confirmed by science. But when the Department of Health reveals that the strings are accurate, they make the gut-wrenching decision to open the boxes, only to learn that one of their strings is half the length of the other’s. Their relationship immediately becomes defined by the promise of heartache.

"I doubt I will ever use the term 'life-affirming' when describing a novel again. No other book could ever measure up to what Erlick has done with this tender, original and gripping debut. I cannot think of a reader of any genre who would not find something to love in THE MEASURE."

Across New York City we meet Ben, a bright and charming architect whose life imploded as a result of his short string, but he refuses to bring his family down with the same knowledge; Hank, a doctor who has spent the entirety of his career under the delusion that he could fight death, only to learn that there is no winning; and Amie, Nina’s little sister, whose passion for literature encourages her to continue to live in the fantasy that her plot is still unfolding, string or not.

We also meet Anthony, a smarmy, snide and manipulative presidential candidate who sees in the strings a chance to stand out from his peers and capitalize on his country’s fear, rather than encouraging it to hope. Rounding out the cast is Anthony’s nephew, Jack, and his roommate and best friend, Javier. Both are army hopefuls whose dedication to their country stems from very different roots --- Jack’s in fear of disappointing his heralded family, Javier’s in his desire to give back to the country that afforded him his freedoms.

Next, we see the world’s response on a person-to-person level, with short-stringers either becoming angry or desperate for medical attention to find and prevent the fate with which they’ve been presented. Long-stringers, meanwhile, become reckless, assured that no matter what high-stakes stunt they attempt or drug they try, they will not die (though, in many cases, they will become gravely injured or disabled). Insurance companies claim that short-stringers are not worth the risk or cost of numerous medical tests or attention; loan officers deny short-stringers loans to buy homes and start businesses, claiming that they’re no longer a good investment; and employers, unwilling to pay high insurance premiums or train and retrain new employees, begin to include questions about the lengths of applicants’ strings on their job postings.

With each new slight, the short-stringers become more horrified, desperate and angry. And finally, as we have seen so many times before, they become violent. Inevitably, they are typecast in the news, media and pop culture as volatile and untrustworthy. Because the strings arrive during an election year, the country becomes even more divided and, thanks to Anthony, even more afraid.

Erlick brilliantly and incisively employs the science fiction of the string to play upon readers’ understanding of our own history and the present-day crises occurring in our country. If the outing, disenfranchising and harming of short-stringers don't bring to mind the discrimination and abuse of women, people of color, and queer and transgender individuals, then you’re missing the point. While having a tangible item makes THE MEASURE easy to follow and understand, it also makes the truth of our own world more jarring as it reflects some of the most insidious crimes and cruelties of our society.

Despite these and other poignant, heart-stopping revelations, THE MEASURE manages to strike a hopeful, heartfelt tone, highlighting not just the evils of the world, but also its jaw-dropping beauties. The characters are gorgeously, expertly rendered, each fully fleshed out and utterly alive. But what makes them so special is how Erlick carefully ties them together, weaving their stories in and out of one another’s so delicately that you have no awareness of her doing it until it’s too late and you’re already rooting for each and all of them. I was so taken by these characters that, for the first time since childhood, I felt the urge to flip ahead and see what happened to each of them.

I doubt I will ever use the term “life-affirming” when describing a novel again. No other book could ever measure up to what Erlick has done with this tender, original and gripping debut. I cannot think of a reader of any genre who would not find something to love in THE MEASURE. This irresistible novel will be a natural pick for book clubs everywhere, especially those who love the works of Jodi Picoult, Ann Hood, Mary Beth Keane and Cara Wall.