A review by happiestwhenreading
The Poppy Fields by Nikki Erlick

3.0

So this is basically a big fat bummer for me. After loving Erlick’s debut, THE MEASURE, I did have high hopes for her next book. I was also reasonable with my expectations…and while her signature style of taking something just *slightly* beyond our current realm of thinking and making it realistic enough to get us thinking is there, the execution fell way flat. 

 

The first half and the second half of this book felt like two separate books to me. Admittedly, I did head into this one thinking it was more literary fiction…but the first half didn’t feel that way at all to me. It reminded me of Annie Harnett’s book, THE ROAD TO TENDER HEARTS. For a majority of this book, we are on a road trip across America and there is little talk about the actual Poppy Fields. 

 

In the second half, we finally make it to the Poppy Fields and the books tone takes on a more serious tone. I’m gonna say - I much preferred the second half…and by then, I just really didn’t care. 

 

Something just felt very off with this book…was it the marketing? My incorrect assumptions about the premise? Erlick’s execution of the plot? I’m not sure…but this was a huge fail for me and I’m really sad about it.