We really like Marrs books and I had put this one off for a bit because of the whole government/Act even though that is the premise for the book. That part put me off as I don't usually do politics (although I have taken more of an interest as I get older) and the whole idea of it & being a Marrs I picked it up. He has a knack for writing characters you want more of (whether you like them or not) and writing about subjects you normally wouldn't be drawn to. The characters though, how he writes them and draws you in you get interested and invested where you struggle to put them down, same case here.

The Marriage Act is set in place by the government where you get all kinds of benefits for signing up, better homes, better perks, healthcare, you have all the mod cons that periodically record in your home. If they pick up issues in your marriage you get put on a level one and a relationship adviser type comes to your home. They help or you can go to next level, if things go bad it can end up going to court and you getting divorced whether you want it or not. Whilst the Marriage Act brings many good things it can also bring a lot of unhappiness if you end up on the wrong side.

The book centres around a few main characters, Roxi - obsessed with social media and finally finding her niche to be an influencer and getting the buzz online that makes up for the dullness or wife and motherhood. Jeremy - when you are highlighted as having relationship issues you are assigned a counsellor type, relationship responder - that is Jeremy but dear Jeremy isn't exactly what he seems and has his own interests at heart rather than yours. Anthony works for the man, a government employee who sees things us wee folks aren't meant to and is growing a conscience the more he is tasked to do. Corrine is part of a movement against the government and the unfairness of The Marriage Act and wants people held accountable. And lastly Arthur, elderly, happily married to June, age brings its own problems and Arthur is very aware they are being flagged for review, the last thing he wants. Because even though him and June are happy, the government also have things in place for partners who are dependent and June is fine she is just forgetful. The government has things in place for all issues in marriage, ailments, if a partner becomes a dependent or drain on society and Arthur doesn't want them coming to his home assessing them.

Oooft guys, so most of us have Alexa's, smart watches, laptops etc and in a similar fashion the Government use these to make sure marriages are happy, healthy and compatible. They can and do put tips to you via your devices and any issues you go onto the level 1. As much as the Marriage Act gives positives and financial benefits, as the book goes on we see just how bad things can be. If you go against the government, if you get a little power, what happens when things are threatened or removed.

It has very dystopian vibes but the truly scary thing is it isn't too far a stretch to seeing this happen. We already see people obsessed with social media, followers, the power of influencers and how some folk do abandon or put their social media above their family and actual real life.

The book has some real shady horrible characters, like jaw dropping at some points because dear lord what is wrong with these folks! However it only shone a light on just how lovely Arthur was, uck Arthur was a total scone and my absolute fave character in this one.

I also love that Marrs has nods to his other storylines in this, I LOVE reading Master King's books and when that happens being delighted. Same happening in this one and it is no mean feet to be fair. I think I have a couple of Marrs to catch up on and I will be firing them up the tbrm, even when your brain is toast and struggling to read I still managed to envelope myself in this, 4.5/5.

Another great book by John Marrs, the king of speculative thriller. This book, like The One and The Passengers, was terrifying and yet realistic. Another scary insight into how our society may well go. It had me hooked from chapter one, another distinct characteristic of the author, I loved the many twists and surprises throughout the story that kept me guessing till the end and the chapters from different characters' perspectives. Highly recommend!

I personally prefer the books John writes about the future. As soon as I see that the plot is set in the near future - i add it to my tbr.

Where have I been?

The Marriage Act by John Marrs was sitting on my shelf for ages and I had the opportunity to get the audiobook......WoW This book was excellent! and soooooo hard to turn the audiobook off.
It was full of twists and turns, that just had me sitting on the edge of my seat,
John Marrs has now become one of my favourite authors he has a way of bringing you into the story and will have you guessing till the end!
The characters were likeable, chilling and relatable-love this book.


Just Brilliant I Loved it!

I highly recommend this book and especially the audiobook. The narrators Narrated by: Clare Corbett, David Monteith, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart, John Marrs, Joshua Riley, Nathalie Buscombe were all spot on.

As always another great read from Mr Marrs. Quite a disturbing read though on the sanctity of marriage, encouraged by better conditions, home, job etc if you are married. Technology has no empathy and this is made clear in this book. Very original storyline and very believable which is unsettling.

An enjoyable read, which you can always expect from John. Didn’t grasp my attention quite as much as some of his other novels but provided a scary look into where technology could take us.

2.5
I am so sad to say that I didnt enjoy reading this book as I was hoping to, start boring,middle boring,end boring:((( I was reading all the reviews before and after reading and I was so excitedd, but it was so underwhelming:(
I started reading this around June 2023, and it took so long was so boring so i paused and was going to continue it later. I picked it up again from the beginning at the end of january and it was different than reading the first time yes but still boring:(

John Marrs is one of my favourite authors and I really wanted to love this book but it just didn’t hit the spot.

I’ve read all of his previous books and particularly enjoyed The One and Passengers which like this are set in the near future. The concept of this one was fascinating and parts of it were both interesting and compelling however there was just too much doom and gloom in it and Arthur’s story nearly set me over the edge. I often found myself confused and muddled up with the vast range of characters and the majority of them irritated me beyond belief.

The way Marrs writes and the subjects he covers are mind boggling and like no other and it’s scary to think that the possibility of things that he writes about aren’t infact that far away. An enjoyable enough read but not one of my favourites.

I always find the author's very futuristic reads very gripping and more than a little creepy and this one is no exception. A good read with plenty of characters to keep track of but it moves along at a good pace and made me want to keep reading.

@DNF at 50%

I really enjoyed What Lies Between Us but this one moves very slowly and the multiple POVs stories did not help in this case to make the book flow and more interesting. Although the idea of the marriage act the perks etc is interesting, the stories were not interesting enough for me to continue reading it.

The good points were the representation with the M-M couple and the influencer wannabe and how she is so obsessed with success

Another brilliant read from John Marrs! Such an interesting concept and you never know thats where we may be heading! Definitely thought provoking! Loved the storyline and good strong characters.

Deserves the 5 stars

Thank you Netgalley.

Again John Marrs has written a book that had my head in a total spin, An unputdownable speculative fiction thriller. Brilliant

I can't quite decide about these futuristic books by John. They're good, and have plenty going on to keep you reading one more chapter, but there's just something I can't get on board with. Dystopian style stories aren't usually my cup of tea, and whilst I'm not sure this book would be classed as Dystopian, it's similar. John Marrs is a brilliant writer, he's got some great books (I've read them all and shall continue to do so), I just don't personally love these ones.

I absolutely loved this concept! It was so interesting reading about this new way of life that actually you could imagine being a reality. I loved hearing from different peoples pov. As always with having multipe pov, I was invested in some stories more than others but they were all really interesting and it was great to hear different view points of people in different situations and positions. It was very well done, as always with John Marrs. He creates these new world in such a special way and I love how he weaves these worlds with the real world. I especially loved the story around the influencing world and how it can affect people. Overall it was a fantastic read which kept me thoroughly entertained and gripped and it’s also very thought provoking

If you like The One I'd give this one a go. Not as good in my opinion but still worth the journey. Wacky concept that we watch relationships play out through.

I don’t quite know what to say about this book. It certainly kept me reading. Some of the characters I could not get behind especially Roxi. Her shallow and self centred nature made her a completely dislike-able character. I found the whole premise of the story of AI ruling more of society nerve wracking, not because of the story itself but due to how much technology has changed over the decades and how as a society we already have devices that can track our movements and respond to voice commands. I didn’t know how much I would enjoy this, however found it a very entertaining read.

This book was fantastic. The third and by far my favourite John Marrs novel. While described as black mirror/alt reality/tech horror, before this book I had never agreed. This is and should be made into a black mirror-esque film.
The setting is a near future England. The government has sanctioned The Marriage Act. A perk incentive way to enforce and control it's citizens. Through a variety of POVs we get to see how far the tech will go to enforce the Draconian government control and smothering watchful eye. Particularly touching was Arthur after the death of his wife. However this has also created my most hated bad-guy I have read in a long time. Jeffrey was vile. He was so despicable and despised. Oooo I hated him so much. What a slimy, sly, venomous creation. *applauds Mr Marrs*
The authors notes at the end of the book as to the research made to create this was grim reading too. What will the future hold to the listening devices within our homes?
This story was a dreadful one, but my god it kept me riveted to the edge of my seat, simultaneously clutching my invisible pearls, biting my nails and grinning devilishly!

This book is terrifying in that I truly think it could happen!
What happens when the world can see into your marriage and tracks every movement you make, every phrase you say and what happens when you no longer have control of your life.
This book is a very good psych thriller with a bit of the scifi addition.
My marriage was totally affected by this book.. it made me stop and think about what I say, how its interpreted and how I meant it.. shockingly good

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this, however as much as I like John Marrs other novels, I couldn't get on this this.

Like with The One, John Marrs shows again that the course of true love does not run smooth. It's thrilling right from page one as we explore a dystopia where breaking marriage vows has serious repercussions and being in a relationship is pretty much your only option. It feels so topical and realistic I want to scream: "don't give our government ideas!" I'm currently single, partly through choice, partly because I'm demisexual, so this book made me consider what life would be like for me in this society