The Measure

Truly moving and rising good moral questions while also touching hearts. There were aspects which might be considered as needing a second look, be it the fact that the spotlight was very quickly turned to people instead of the origin of the boxes (I can imagine in real life it would last a lot longer wondering about extraterrestrial life and whatnot) or the lack of conspiracy theories about the messages in the boxes, the unexplained things like the 22 year old mark or the calculations for the exact year of death. But I assumed it was either an editorial choice or the author's option to focus quickly on the eight characters and their own look at things, which were already a lot to talk about - and in some cases not even fully explored, maybe. In any case, the consequences - expectations from the government to rule things, the rebellion from the short stringers, the stupidity from the long stringers trying out ways of dying, the whole Lord of the flies attempts at ruling everyone, political use of the boxes, couples making out or parting ways after knowing what would happen, people leaving town and jobs to ‘enjoy life'... it was all very absurd and yet very possible, and it left me thinking for hours after finishing the book - which regardless of academic literary quality is for me the shining star.
Also, even if I had seen the ending coming, it was sad and fulfilling in equal measure.