A very clever interesting idea but it fell flat for me. I struggled to connect. I felt grief throughout, and maybe that was the point. Finding a way to survive even when all feels lost. The title matched some of the vibes that a poppy field brings to mind, but instead of waking and heading to Oz I just wanted to give up. Love the creative plot idea but I just couldn’t get engaged to love it. Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow Publishing for an advanced read copy of The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick.

Ellis has devoted her life to science and the study of how sleep can impact grief. She built a facility called the Poppy Fields that’s gained national attention for the thousands of “sleepers” that have undergone its treatment. What seems like a cure for life’s deepest pain and losses can sometimes leave sleepers with a side effect that often adds a new layer of grief.

This book not only follows Ellis but is told from the multiple viewpoints of others connected to The Fields through news articles, patient applications, and family members memories. It tells of how deep the love of our family and friends can run and how far we will go to take the sting of those losses away.

The Poppy Fields is sweeping, emotional, and beautifully told—a story that blooms with love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit. Nikki Erlick has such a graceful way of writing that every page feels vivid and purposeful, like stepping into a painting filled with both light and shadow.

The characters are layered and real, their choices and heartbreaks pulling at the heartstrings in a way that feels universal. I especially loved how the themes of memory and legacy are woven throughout—it’s the kind of story that makes you pause and reflect on your own roots and connections.

Lyrical, moving, and unforgettable, this is the sort of book that stays with you long after the last page is turned.

The Poppy Fields is a lyrical, thought-provoking novel that echoes The Wizard of Oz while asking deeper questions about grief—what we’d risk to avoid it, and whether true healing requires fully feeling it. Nikki Erlick’s storytelling is tender and imaginative, with characters on a journey of belonging and self-discovery. While the pacing dragged at times, the emotional payoff was worth it, leaving me reflective and moved. A beautiful read for anyone who loves allegory and stories that linger after the final page.

Thank you to @williammorrowbooks for the #gifted advance copy.

I love Nikki Erlick's writing, after reading the Measure I was looking forward to any new release and this one did not disappoint. It is very character driven which I love in books. Each character have their own reasons for traveling to the Poppy Fields. I especially love Ray and Ava's stories. I was definitely guessing a lot through the book.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick
Fiction
Pub Date: June 27, 2025 Out now!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I was so excited to get an early copy of this one on Netgalley. The Measure is one of my favorite books ever! So I couldn’t wait to see what Nikki had in store for us this time.

The Poppy fields are a place where you go to heal your heart. An experimental and controversial treatment, where people are able to sleep away their trauma. Only people who they deem appropriate and those that are aware of the possible dark side effects.
We meet four strangers who are headed to the poppy fields for different reasons, but end up stuck together to get there. Their stories all different but end up looping together.

Once again Nikki perfects at giving us a story where you question “what would I do in this situation?” This book is thought provoking and deals with some tough issues.

I was a huge fan on The Measure and it's still a book that has remained with me. I was excited to be selected for Nikki Erlick's latest, The Poppy Fields which promised a similar thought provoking storyline.
Focused on the theme of grief and how everyone faces and processes grief, an innovative but controversial treatment offering "sleeping therapy" at The Poppy Fields is available via program acceptance. This treatment suggests helping patients to "live again" and deal with their own grief. This comes with a caveat, however, in that there poses the risk that patients may complete the sleeping process with a side effect. Is it worth the risk?
The premise was very interesting and thought provoking however I found myself skimming through the characters journey towards the Poppy Fields which it why I rated 3 stars instead of a higher rating.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love the writing of this author and the topics they write about. This book is very thought provoking. Great for book club as conversations on the topic can go on for hours. Highly recommend.

I'm a huge fan of The Measure and I went into the Poppy Fields expecting something similar given the theme of the book but the story fell flat and the characters didn't feel as nuanced as they did in The Measure. For The Poppy Fields, I was hoping we would get more insight into how and why people needed to go to this specific location to sleep or possibly what was happening within their minds that created this change in the grieving process. A majority of the book is mostly a road trip with a group of characters, which didn't seem like it needed as much time as it did in the book. I would have liked to see more about what was happening in the Poppy Fields or storylines of people who are dealing with the aftermath of The Poppy Fields. I'll continue to read more of Nikki Erlick in the future but I think this book was meant for a different type of reader.

When an author writes another book after the first is mindblowingly sensational, I always wonder if the next will be just as fascinating? Can they really come up with another totally unique storyline?

Nikki Erlick sure did. The topics she explores and the plot she crafts to do so are nothing short of incredible. If you could sleep to get through the hard first few weeks of grief after loss, would you? Complete strangers band together on a roadtrip to go to a facility called the Poppy Fields that allows its patients to do just that. They each have their reasons for going that make for some jaw-dropping plot twist moments.

My favorite quote is when the director explains why they named it after poppy flowers. The interviewer says they assume it’s because of its narcotic powers. Swipe to see Ellis’ response. Strength from the rubble is the theme of this book!

Readers looking for The Measure part 2 will possibly be disappointed, but I think it’s a disservice to the beauty and truth in this book to go in with that expectation. This set of characters and the range of emotions the reader gets to experience alongside them is quite the ride.

Thank you so much to @williammorrowbooks for the BEAUTIFUL #gifted copy. I’m a forever fan of Nikki Erlick!
4.75⭐️

When I first picked up The Poppy Fields, I was hooked by the premise right away. A treatment center in the desert that lets you literally sleep through grief? As someone who’s been sideswiped by loss, that idea hit me on a personal level. If I could’ve skipped even a fraction of that pain, would I have done it? I honestly don’t know - but I was curious to see how Erlick handled the question.

The story follows four strangers (and one very good dog) on their way to the Poppy Fields. Each has their own reasons for seeking this controversial healing method, and their secrets slowly come out along the journey. At the center of it all is Ellis, the enigmatic founder whose work promises hope… with a few unsettling side effects.

I’ll be honest - this isn’t a fast-paced book. There’s a lot of thinking, a lot of talking, and at times, it felt like the plot was dragging. But Erlick knows how to weave big, emotional concepts into her characters’ journeys in a way that feels intimate. Even when I was restless with the pacing, I was still drawn in by the ideas at play.

This was my first Nikki Erlick book, and while I wished for more momentum, I really enjoyed her style. She’s the kind of author I’ll come back to, because the themes she explores stick with you long after you’ve finished the book.

If you’re interested in grief, healing, and the what-ifs of bypassing heartache, The Poppy Fields is worth checking out. It’s not a page-turner, but it’s thoughtful, emotional, and unique.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Really enjoyed this one. Especially because it made me cry multiple times. I really enjoy her writing style, so engaging, and I loved the exploration of yet another difficult, interesting topic-dealing with grief. Fascinating and so human.

For a book titled The Poppy Fields the characters don't arrive at the poppy fields until 85% in. This is a road trip book of a miss-mash of characters driving across the country to the poppy fields where individuals are put in a medical induced sleep for a month or two to deal with grief. None of the characters really have an interesting enough back story to make this more than a snooze-fest.

I was initially drawn by the cover. I have not read The Measure but now intend to. The Poppy fields was beautifully written. It had me look at life differently. I could not put it down.

The Poppy Fields is a thought provoking story that leaves readers asking: would I be willing to risk remembering to get over my grief?

We follow unlikely travel companions on their quest to the Poppy Fields. Each with their own reasons for visiting, and each will learn along the way a little more about themselves.

I loved this story. The found friendships and self discovery made this whole story both thought provoking and moving.

AudioRead - Full Cast - Well Done!!

This book is shelved as a "Sci-Fi/Fantasy" story category. This is not your typical Sci Fi in my mind.

This is the story of the Poppy Fields, an experimental and controversial treatment center that allows people dealing with the loss of a loved one to sleep through their pain in a prolonged slumber. When they awaken from this sleep they will be healed. But there are some potentially shadowy side effects. The story follows 4 strangers who travel to make their way to the Poppy Fields. This was such a beautiful tale of love, loss and moving on in the most unexpected way.

The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick is so unique and heartbreaking. Everyone deals with grief differently.

Nikki Erlick’s novel The Measure was one of my favorite’s and I couldn’t wait to read her newest release, The Poppy Fields.

In an isolated area of California, an experimental treatment center offers patients the opportunity to escape their grief through sleep and hopefully process the pain on an excelerated timeline. But only, if they are willing to accept the side effects. The story follows four characters as they travel from the Midwest to this location, each for their own reasons and each with their own secrets.

Erlick’s portrayal of grief and loss and how technology could address this human phenomena is a fascinating premise. I loved the way the characters connect and grow throughout the story. While the subject is heavy, the overall feeling of hope gives the novel an optimistic and upbeat feeling.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced reader’s copy.

Such a unique concept and wonderful look on how non linear grief is. Overall, it was a little slow and boring, but the larger themes were intriguing.