I’m Booked: “The Measure”
Written by Ally Abruscato. Graphic by Charlotte Beck.
Death is a strange thing. An inevitability that most of society chooses to ignore until they are forced to face it. Nobody knows how long they have in this world or what awaits in the next chapter. “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick creates a reality where everyone’s fate seems to be pre-determined.
In “The Measure,” everyone receives a box containing a string that implies how long their life will be. These strings send the world into a spiral. The book follows several characters and their reactions to the boxes. People around the world debate if they should even open their boxes. Those who do look at the string grapple with their limited time left on earth. At the sight of a short string, one could choose to live the rest of their life to the fullest. Still, the impact that has on one’s relationships can be detrimental. “Short-stringers,” as they are soon named, become a marginalized group in society. Relationships suffer, politicians get involved, and the world becomes divided.
“The Measure” sparks an interesting conversation about death. It makes the reader wonder if they would want to know their fate if it sat in a box on their doorstep. The book also prompts people to think about time and how relevant or irrelevant it can be in one’s everyday life. As a young person, it is easy to ignore dreams and leave them for a future self. However, when forced to confront time, one has to truly prioritize what matters to them.
I found this book to be thought-provoking and entertaining. One of my favorite quotes was, “That the beginning and the end may have been chosen for us, the string already spun, but the middle had always been left undetermined, to be woven and shaped by us.” While it was a stimulating book, I wasn’t obsessed with it or its characters. I think some missed plotline opportunities could have propelled the storyline a bit further. Still, it was a fun read that was executed well, especially considering it was Erlick’s first book.
As Editor-in-Chief, Ally Abruscato leads and supports a talented group of staff and contributors in pursuing their creative endeavors. At SCAD, Ally majors in Photography and minors in Advertising & Branding. She regularly offers pop culture insights through movie reviews, articles and her weekly column, “I’m Booked.” When she’s not writing or taking photos, Ally’s probably outside, reading or running.
