An Unexpected Surprise, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                       I really had no idea what I was in for, when I picked up Nikki Erlick's debut novel, "The Measure."  Sure, I expected a character study, but not with a large measure of Rod Serling, and dollops of Shirley Jackson and Jack Finney thrown in.

                                        The premise is simple.  One day in March, and giving no discernible explanation, everyone in the world, 22 years old and over, finds a box on their doorstep.  There is a message on the front indicating that inside is the measure of their life.  When opened, a piece of string is found.  Long strings indicate a long life, while short strings, well.........

                                          What is also not explained is how the recipients who open the box--some choose not to--figure out the number of years.  Ten, twenty, five?  From a piece of string?  This is the frustrating, yet tantalizing tease Erlick throws at the reader throughout the course of the novel.  And how about the recipients?  How do they react, and deal with this?  Going further, if we were one of the recipients, readers, how would we deal with it?

                                              Those under 22 do not escape.  When they reach that age, a box is delivered to them.

                                                To say anymore would be to ruin the story.  I will just say that while this sounds like a downer, it really is not, and ends on a note of hope.  As alluded to in here, Pandora left that in the box for mankind.

                                                    It is well written, fast, furious and fun.  I was completely surprised by what I thought would turn out to be an ordinary domestic story.

                                                      As for me, darlings, well there are some things I would rather not know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!