THE POPPY FIELDS by Nikki Erlick is a story about grief and how people choose to deal with it. I was a huge fan of Erlick’s debut novel, The Measure, which leans on a similar trope of telling a story from a cast of different perspectives, and then weaving the characters together in clever, almost sneaky ways, a la “This is Us.” This novel is similar. The Poppy Fields is an experimental research lab in the California desert – where participants go into a chemical sleep for varying lengths of time, with the goal to wake up cured of their personal grief. The story begins in Kansas (lots of subtle nods to The Wizard of Oz throughout the book), where a tornado has grounded flights to California and stranded a small group of people on their way to the Poppy Fields. Stuck with no way to move forward on their journey, they take advantage of the last car – a bright yellow one (can we say yellow brick road) to get on their way. The story weaves through the account of each of their losses and motivations to get to the Fields. We also get an offset view of the societal controversy surrounding the fields and the story of its young founder, as well as a potential side effect of “the sleep,” where some participants lose some of their feelings for their grieved loved ones. Firefighter Ray, grieving his lost brother, Ava on the way to see her sister, Sasha with a lost fiancé and free spirit Sky who is along for the ride, embark on a trip about a lot more than just escaping an airport. I did not find THE POPPY FIELDS quite as compelling as THE MEASURE, but as a healing tale about grief, human connection and the choices we make in the wake of a tragic loss, it is very well crafted. Erlick invites the reader to question what they might do in a similar situation. If grief were something you could sleep through, would you do it? Or is it more healing to share it, to live through it, to choose to be awake and come to terms with it, come what may? Would you be willing to trade your feelings about a loved one for a chance to erase your own pain? In the end, the road tripping crew all find their own answers – whether they choose the sleep or not. It’s a great read for someone who might have dealt with a loss, but beware anyone with fresh grief – there is a lot of emotion in this novel.
From the New York Times bestselling author of the smash-hit The Measure—a runaway bestseller and a Read with Jenna TODAY Show pick—comes a stunning speculative story of healing, self-discovery, forgiveness, and found friendship.
"A masterful, tender exploration of love, loss, and the poignant echoes of memory... A profoundly moving read." —Jamie Ford, New York Times bestselling author of The Many Daughters of Afong Moy
Welcome to the Poppy Fields, where there’s hope for even the most battered hearts to heal.
Here, in a remote stretch of the California desert, lies an experimental and controversial treatment center that allows those suffering from the heartache of loss to sleep through their pain...and keep on sleeping. After patients awaken from this prolonged state of slumber, they will finally be healed. But only if they’re willing to accept the potential shadowy side effects.
On a journey to this mystical destination are four very different strangers and one little dog: Ava, a book illustrator; Ray, a fireman; Sasha, an occupational therapist; Sky, a free spirit; and a friendly pup named PJ. As they attempt to make their way from the Midwest all the way west to the Poppy Fields—where they hope to find Ellis, its brilliant, enigmatic founder—each of their past secrets and mysterious motivations threaten to derail their voyage.
A high-concept speculative novel about heartache, hope, and human resilience, The Poppy Fields explores the path of grief and healing, a journey at once profoundly universal and unique to every person, posing the questions: How do we heal in the wake of great loss? And how far are we willing to go in order to be healed?
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