So many people seem to love this book, but I found it so close to reality and depressing. I loved the premise of the book, the question of what would happen if everyone suddenly found out how long they would live. In this case, we meet a few individuals/couples who are each tied to someone with a short string. The world immediately begins a prejudice against short stringers, and we see how these individual’s lives are affected.

So much of the book focuses on all of the difficulties of what happens in this situation. (Mass suicide, shooting, bombings, hospital issues) So many things reminded me of the parts of life that hurt right now - politicians and political processes that hurt people and have to be the right way while taking away freedom from other people. A few years ago, I would have thought people would rise above bad news and chose kindness, but right now, maybe this is closer to the truth. Not to say, there are a few examples of kindness and the idea that kindness keeps trudging forward and making progress (while evil is enjoying the win). 

Nonetheless, there is a lot to discuss.

“…sometimes overwhelmed Nina to think that she could spend an entire lifetime reading and never keep up.” Ch 1

“The mystery was only a few hours old, but some people were already interpreting the message to mean that the string inside your box foretold the ultimate length of your life. But how could that possibly be true? Ben thought. That would mean the world had flipped around, like the ceiling above him, the humans now seeing from God’s perspective.” Ch 2

“And yet no one could find concrete evidence to trust that these strings were anything more than strands of ordinary thread.” Ch 3

“…there was something almost . . . thrilling . . . about the strings’ arrival. Frightening and confusing, of course, but also, perhaps, wondrous?” … 
…this was the first time the world outside of her books had ever rivaled the stories with its very own plot twist.”
Ch 8

“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get.” —Matthew 7 - Ch 9

“Maybe it didn’t matter anymore where the strings had come from. Even if they were sent from heaven, or beamed down from outer space, or traveled back in time from the distant future, it was people who decided what to do with them now.” Ch 15

“…what might have happened if the strings had appeared before WWII?” Ch 18

“And maybe it isn’t even really about children. Maybe it’s the fact that now I can’t stop thinking about all the other doors that might be closing, too.” Ch 24

“Keep fighting, keep holding on, no matter what. But sometimes I think we forget that it also takes strength to be able to let go.” Ch 26

“The president just created two classes of citizens, based on strings.” 
““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 f-ing distinctions we decide to make up, and then we insist on treating each other differently. We never should have allowed them to start labeling people as ‘long-stringers’ and ‘short-stringers.’ We made it too easy for them.” Ch 30

“The measure of your life lies within. Sure, it’s pointing to the string inside, but maybe that’s not the only measure we have. Maybe there are thousands of other ways we could measure our lives—the true quality of our lives—that lie within us, not within some box. And, by your own measure, you can still be happy.” Ch 54

“…this woman’s life had been lengthened simply because Hank had been alive, and Ben realized that there was more than one way to live on.” Ch 61

“…grateful, to live as much life as possible. And I think that’s as good a measure as any.” Ch 62

“What about all the choices that we make, each day? Who we choose to be, and how we choose to love? Every choice that was made to look, or never look, inside the box.” Ch 72

“The Tree of Knowledge. The reminder that we will all find our ultimate rest beneath the soil, nourishing the life that grows above us.” Ch 73

3.5 stars rounded up

One morning the whole world changes. Everyone 22 years and older wakes to find a box at their front door holding a string. This string is the measure of their life. And so ensues a new way to segregate humans. Those with short strings and those with long. With this comes the propaganda of the reckless and dangerous short stringers who should be restricted from holding positions of power and denied jobs, loans and other privileges for those long stringers. 

We follow the stories of 8 (don’t test me on that number) characters and their decisions around their strings and what they mean. Of course as many multiple point of view novels as we wind our way though the first year of “having the strings” their lives all slowly and subtly intertwine. 

I enjoyed the social justice aspects of the novel and seeing again how easily the human race can be pitted against each other in fear of differences. I did find some of the book predictable and even in the most dramatic moments the book was too calm. I wanted more tension, more angst. 

Overall a really good story of human relationships fighting diversity. 

Too schmaltzy for me.

This book started off STRONG, so I thought I would end up rating it 5 stars, classifying it was one of my favorite books I read this year. I certainly still enjoyed the book, but it wasn’t what I expected.

I liked how the characters and their stories connected. I was frustrated, though, that we never got an answer as to how or why the strings appeared. I get the symbolism: in life, we don’t always know the “why” nor can we always control what happens to us, but we can control our reaction to it; I just wish we got an answer in the story.

What would you do if one day you woke one day to find out that every single adult in the world could know the length of their life? As you can imagine the world could easily fold to chaos. Wow. This book will stay with me. 

Eight people. All wake one day to a world who all have a small chest with a string inside showing how long they'll live. Governments, religions, families, jobs, friends, marriages, all changed overnight. Looking at everything differently. The value of life changing and being argued. 

The different perspectives, and human experiences. The way people's experiences were intertwined. I was gripped, and touched. This reflects SO WELL the world we live in. I'll be thinking of this book for a long time to come. Absolutely brilliant. 10/10 recommend. 

 The Measure opens with everyone in the world over the age of 22 waking up to find a wooden box on their doorstep. Inside each box is a piece of string, the length of which indicates that person’s life span. What follows is the intersecting stories of eight main characters as they and the world adjust to the ramifications of the string. Should the military deploy soldiers whose strings indicated they are likely be killed? Would a long stringer want to marry a short stringer? Could and should governments require people to open their boxes and report the length of their string? Is that information which employers or banks or education providers or insurance firms should be entitled to? What would be the psychological ramifications of discovering you only had 1 year, or 5 years or 10 years left to live - and absolutely nothing could alter that? And how would communities be affected by so many people finding out that information at once? The various scenarios naturally reflect current social, economic and political realities, providing a different lens through which to view present day divisions, discriminations, and power imbalances.

This book is very readable and is full of discussion points, meaning it would be a perfect book club pick. It’s overall message, while obvious and a little trite, is still one worth hearing. A life cannot simply be measured solely by its length.

“The beginning and end may have been chosen for us, the string already spun, but the middle had always been left undetermin