The Poppy Fields
A Novel
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3.7 • 34 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
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?
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
In this thoughtful speculative fiction novel, there’s a place where grief can be put to rest at the edge of the California desert—if you’re willing to risk losing more than pain. Nikki Erlick imagines a therapy center where mourners sleep through their sorrow in the hope of waking up healed. Ray, Ava, Sasha, and a teenage hitchhiker named Sky are four strangers who embark on a cross-country journey, each carrying a loss that won’t let go and a secret reason for seeking Ellis, the facility’s elusive founder. As their stories unfold, Erlick reveals a shared emotional terrain: the ache of sibling estrangement, the quiet wreckage of heartbreak, and the desperate need for resolution. With quiet insight and moments of surreal beauty, The Poppy Fields explores the costs of memory and the fragile grace of human connection. It’s a tender meditation on how we heal and how far we’re willing to go for peace.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this alluring if slow-moving speculative adventure from Erlick (The Measure), four strangers travel together across the U.S. to an experimental and controversial psychotherapy center. Patients at the Poppy Fields, a lab in the California desert, are given a month of restorative sleep, and most wake up with their grief behind them. Some, however, are prone to a notorious side effect, which causes them to lose all affection for their loved ones. Ray, a firefighter, is on a mission to understand why his younger brother, Johnny, died after receiving treatment at the Poppy Fields. Joining him on the trip is Ava, a children's book illustrator hoping to reconnect with her wayward sister after the death of the grandmother who raised them; and Sasha, an occupational therapist who harbors guilt over ending things with her fiancé. Along the way, they pick up teen hitchhiker Sky, whose zest and curiosity causes the other three to open up about their reasons for going to the Poppy Fields. Erlick weighs down the narrative with a prolonged setup and extended backstories, but the character work is top notch, especially as the seemingly disparate travelers find common ground in their resilience. Once this poignant road novel gets going, readers will be in no rush to see it end.
Customer Reviews
Middle marks
An interesting idea, The Poppy Field sleep center, but only a so-so book. Very repetitive, often unrealistic, and just a sad premise. Ivtead it, but can’t say I enjoyed it, or found it thought provoking. Just sort of Ho-hum about the novel and the characters and the writing. Not terrible, but not great.