This is a great follow on from The One! It’s not quite a sequel and could probably be read as a stand alone, however I really enjoyed how the story followed along in the same universe as The One!

The Marriage Act is seriously sinister! In classic John Marrs style, not everything is as it seems and there are lots of twists and turns along the way.

The ending was satisfying and I was pleased to see certain characters got what they deserved! I really enjoyed this one! Thank you to the author and publisher for the sneak peek

Huge thanks to the publishers (Pan Macmillan) for sending me an ARC of this book, thanks to NetGalley, and the biggest thank you to the one and only John Marrs for yet another astonishing read.

I have been a huge fan of John Marrs since reading The One and getting hooked on his style of writing: following multiple narrators, jumping from story to story with everything coming together at some point. The Marriage Act is a speculative thriller set in the near-future. a right-wing Government have introduced the Sanctity of Marriage Act where people can upgrade their marriages to a Smart Marriage which means an Audite listens in on conversations, sending Government workers in if it deems there are any issues. Signing up means access to better housing, education and healthcare, so for many it is a no-brainer. From supporters of the Act, to characters who hugely oppose it, it is fascinating how the stories interweave with each other and gradually unfold with twists and turns galore.

I can' recommend this book more highly. Kudos to John Marrs for writing another blinder.

I am a big fan of this author's novels, and this one is no exception. In a scary, it-could-happen world, marriage is prioritized by giving married people lots of benefits. However, there is a catch -- couples are subject to invasive monitoring and interventions if there are signs of trouble in the marriage. This Orwellian thriller explores themes of invasion of privacy and loss of agency and was utterly fascinating and terrifying in its plausibility.

The Marriage Act by John Marrs
I give this book 5 stars

Britain. The near-future.
The Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.
Four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of their personal lives.

A tense,twisty phenomenal read!
I love it when a books concept scares me the way this did! A cleverly crafted,creepy,and totally believable look at what our future with technology and control could evolve into.l was drawn into the short sharp chapters,each with a fast paced narrative from the 4 main couples,,a vlogger,a government official and relationship advisor.A thought provoking speculative thriller……..I dare you to read it!!
With thanks to Netgalley,John Marrs and Pan MacMillan for my chance to read and review this book.

Oh WOW what a cracking read The Marriage Act turned out to be! John Marrs dystopian thriller set in the not distant future seem ludicrous but the more you read the more frighteningly plausible The Marriage Act becomes.Terrifying, and darkly twisted I flew through this book.

The premises is one that sounds bonkers, married couples can sign up to a Smart Marriage, with promises from the Government that they will be able to access better accommodation, career prospects and not forgetting the health and tax benefits! Sound to good to be true? Of course there’s always a downside! In this case the couples have to agree to be recorded and monitored anytime day or night. If the couple's recordings find anything of concern then Relationship Responder are alerted, the futures answer to marriage guidance counselling provide support or advice where needed.

The story is told told from the perspective of several individuals some of whom are in agreement with the Act, others rebelling against it. At first it can be confusing as the author introduces the reader to an array of characters, but they each have a distinctive voice so any confusion soon ebbs away.Reading The Marriage Act made me think would I upgrade to a smart marriage? Most definitely not as the The old adage goes, 'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is'.

One of the strengths of this book is how the story develops, and how the author gradually reveals the lengths the government will go to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey! The author has a unique way of writing about the implausible that convinces the reader that this could happen in the future. Mind-blowingly good The Marriage Act is engrossing and highly entertaining, I absolutely loved every page of this original dark, unnerving tale.

John Marrs is one of my favourite authors, so I was very excited to have the chance to read this one early!

The Marriage Act is one of John Marrs speculative thrillers.
The world John Marrs has created is so clever, but certainly eerie that things like this could be in our future!
I really enjoy seeing references to The One and Passengers.

It is written brilliantly. We follow multiple different characters throughout, and the end of the chapters always leaves you wanting more which makes it so hard to put down.
There are always dark twists in his books which I love!

Thank you to Netgalley & the publishers for allowing me to read The Marriage Act ahead of it's release in 2023.
Another great read from John Marrs!

I have read all of John Marrs books to date and would like to thank NetGalley for letting me read The Marriage Act. Like of the books once you start reading you just can't put them down and each one just gets better. I thoroughly enjoyed this five star read and look forward to his next book

This title will be out in January 2023, but I just couldn't wait to read it so here's my first Netgalley review for 2023!

This is John Marrs' 10th book, I've read five of them and I still have two of them on my shelf 'to read'. You could say I'm a fan!
The Marriage Act is (again) very well-written and cleverly done, with a plot that flows seamlessly, characters that come to life more with any page you read, and an interesting look at the future. A future where you'll soon be a second-rate person when living alone. From a young age people are taught that being in a marriage is the best and safest option. Being partnered via DNA is still very important, but if you haven't found 'the one' for you, you have to just make do and use the old-fashioned way: meet someone and fall in love. This title will be out in January 2023, but I just couldn't wait to read it so here's my first Netgalley review for 2023!
The story in The Marriage Act revolves around a couple of people who give the reader a look into how the world has changed. It's not only the marriage as such, it is also the laws that dictate how and where you can live, and if the marriage fails, what the consequences are.
All characters in this story have to face certain consequences of their deeds... and they are all in for a surprise.

Thanks to Netgalley and PanMacmillan for this review copy.

It's no secret I love John Marrs books. This doesn't stop me from giving a true review.
But yes he has done it again, another 5 star from me. If you enjoyed The One, The Passages and The good Samaritan you will enjoy this book. This book is laid out similar as in you follow the different characters, there are references throughout the book to the dna matching and the driverless cars and as all of John's books a gripping dark read. Loved it!!

After finishing reading The Marriage Act I didn’t feel ready to review it straight away. I felt like I needed time to process what I’d just read.

Like all of John Marrs’s speculative thrillers it really makes you think about society as a whole and the terrifying possibilities of what if? In The Marriage Act the what if scenario is what if the Government could control your marriage, telling you if you should stay together and discriminating against those that are single, even if you are widowed.

It’s a really scary thought and I loved all of the perspectives we got throughout.

John Marrs is becoming one of my favourite authors, I am loving his style of writing and The Marriage Act did not disappoint. I wasn’t too sure how this book was going to go but I was hooked from the beginning to the end, although the ending didn’t end how I thought it would- I still thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Just like the rest of John Marr's back catalogue, I found myself getting sucked straight into the world he builds. Such a clever concept and artfully executed!

I’ve read a few John Marrs books and found them all gripping. The Marriage Act is another great book with a story that is as mesmerising as terrifying….


Set sometime in the future, The Marriage Act is in place in England, allowing married couples to upgrade their unions in return for better housing, lower taxes, better healthcare…..and wearable tech for their bodies and Audite recording devices for their homes whereby their every word is recorded and analysed. If the couple is deemed to be at risk then measures are put in place to “help” with their marriage.

Told by a number of narrators, seemingly unconnected at first, this book is truly eye opening in considering what life could be like in a dystopian style future. I especially liked the nods back to some of John’s previous novels and how they all fit together over time.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review.

Thank you Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.

2.5 rounded up

One sentence review: An ambitious Orwellian "thriller" that falls short

SYNOPSIS

In near future Britain, love has been weaponized by the government to force society to obey and listen. Married couples benefit immensely while unmarried couples, singles, widowers, and divorcees are strapped with higher taxes, expensive mortgages, and limited public-funded resources. Four couples are faced with the choice: stay and obey, or leave and face the consequences.

MY OPINION

This is like the popcorn thriller version of 1984. John Marrs was feeling particularly ambitious when he decided to write this novel. Although his author's note talks about how the idea was born from a discussion about how smart device monitoring would alter our romantic relationships, he ended up biting off a lot more than this. It's not so much about relationships, but about how constant monitoring impacts individuals on every level and as a society. The effect of continuous monitoring and AI extends beyond the constraints of the four couples' relationships and bleeds into everything from social media and work to their children's education and personal finances.

While I appreciate the Orwellian themes in this novel, the very average writing is what keeps it from being bangerlicious. Marrs' writing style could be described as "ICYMI". He tells, tells, and tells again, as if he doesn't trust the reader to be able to pick up on the themes and overarching messages. For example, he spells out parallels between events in the book and real-life historical events:

Anthony wondered if the location was deliberate given the supporters of the Chartist Movement campaigning for political reform had once gathered there for a protest for democracy in an industrial society. Almost 200 years had passed and the [Freedom For All] was fighting for similar rights. History repeats itself, he thought. COME. ON. LMAO. You have to believe your readers can deduce this message on their own. Plz.

Beyond the big red arrows pointing out the core messages, I found the characters and conflict to be shallow. I read this was detached amusement; none of the "setups" between the couples had me on the edge of my seat. I'm not the type who needs to be pistol-whipped with extreme shock value to enjoy a book. A "predictable" plot can still bang if it hits emotionally, or intellectually. But the intellectual part was off the table because John was deep throating me with those messages so aggressively. Unfortunately it wasn't doing anything to me emotionally either, and you think it would because the messages are VERY real and applicable in today's society.

Truthfully I really didn't give two rats asses about any of characters. I found myself annoyed by their selfishness. Corrine was a massive hypocrite who embodied: "how dare I face the consequences of my own actions." Noah should've been single, forever. Jeffrey and Roxi needed in-patient psychiatric care. Owen and Luca were inconsequential. Mitchell was a Disney villain (I literally pictured Elon Musk at times). Oh yeah, forgot about Arthur. He was a blend between inconsequential but also needing therapy.

Ok and then the ending. The last 15% or so was straight out a Scooby Doo episode. Lots of last minute hail marys and happenstance to make everything wrap up neatly and conveniently.

Anyways, I applaud Marrs for thinking outside the box on this one. It was MUCH more "intellectual" than Keep It In The Drafts (Family). And there were no skulls with hair attached, so that's a plus too. In my irrelevant opinni, it wasn't written subtly enough to be hittin. I would like to see this kind of premise taken on by an author like Iain Reid aka king of sparse prose 'n spooky vibez.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: interesting theme and message

Cons: even my dog Nobu would understand the point Marrs was tryna make by the way he was spelling it out, lacklustre ending, was giving me absolutely nothing emotionally

What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey?

Britain. The near future. A right wing government believes it has the answer to society’s ills the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.

But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement . . . and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.

Totally recommend another great book from John marrs I couldn’t put it down really enjoyed this book
Thank you NetGalley and Pan McMillan
I just reviewed The Marriage Act by John Marrs. #TheMarriageAct #NetGalley

Unfortunately this book just wasn't for me and wasn't the intense thriller I was expecting and more of a dystopia Sci-fi adventure.

The Marriage Act centres around a New World Order whereby couples are encouraged to engage in the Sanctity of Marriage and in return receive greater medical care, housing, cars etc. However like anything there are flaws to the system where people manipulate the system for their own greed and there are others who become victims of such interventions.

What I found very eerie was how this could potentially be our future. It makes you realise our reliance on social media, our need for others to validate ourselves, our obsession with celebrities, both in the traditional and social media sense and how AI will be a part of our future.

I want to thank Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for this ARC.

I am always excited to get a new John Marrs book to read. He is one of my favourite authors and I think he has an amazing imagination. This book did not disappoint, I don't know where he gets his ideas from, but they certainly make an interesting if somewhat disturbing world. Well worth a read.

John Marrs is very good at writing futuristic, almost utopian novels that force you to think about current affairs

Very much enjoyed this again, as I have with all his books!

Britain in the near future has a Right wing government, who, on advice from researchers that married people are healthier, are happier, are more productive, and raise more confident and intelligent Children, have introduced Yhe sanctity of marriage act Signing up is optiona, however, if you do you will be guaranteed, a house in one of the New towns, access to better schools, greater employment aspects, access to NHS+, , and the government listening in to your conversations to ensure that your relationship stays on track...What could possibly go wrong?
Another excellent tale from the brilliant author John Marrs, drawing on ideas from his other books, this is a story about freedim, freedom of speech, love, diversity, and inclusivity

There’s nothing more satisfying than curling up with a John Marrs book, so I was thrilled to be able to get my hands on this one.
What I loved about this book is how it relates back to some of the authors others books, namely The One and The Passengers and it gave me a real feel of familiarity.
The theme of this book really gave me food for thought and sent my mind into overdrive with the “what if” scenario of this actually being a “thing” in the home regarding marriages.
As usual with a John Marrs book, there’s shocks, twists, “gasp out loud” moments and such a clever, well thought out plot running throughout the book.
Another great book from the fabulous Mr Marrs!