The Marriage Act ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5 (4.5)

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 to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.

John Marrs is one of the most original thriller writers out there and he never lets me down 🙌🏼 this book was fantastic and so thought-provoking with a great plot and some frighteningly realistic scenarios that I can see happening in the not so distant future.

Similar to The One (and also set in that same futuristic world) the book follows multiple different POVs, some readers may find this a little confusing at first as there are lots of names but it becomes easier to follow as you read on. Each chapter focuses on a different couple, and I honestly enjoyed my time reading about each of them. The Marriage Act is super fast paced (pick it up when your in a slump) and the author’s thrilling futuristic take on certain social topics are fascinating. If you like Black Mirror, you’ll love this!

What I enjoyed so much was how Marrs tackled every facet of marriage. And not only that but also the use of social media and what it can do to us as a society. There were so many aspects to this that I really enjoyed, I couldn’t put it down and I would highly recommend it.

Thank you to netgalley and panmacmillan for my copy.

A frightening thriller set in a very believable future where artificial intelligence, autonomous cars and smart homes are standard. I enjoyed the fast paced narrative and John Marrs has created a world that is scarily realistic. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

You know when you have a John Marrs novel in your hand that you are in for a cracking read and this is another in a whole chain of unputdownable ones.
Set slightly in the future again (which is not my preferred genre and I wouldn't normally have read it were it not for the author) we are introduced to half a dozen fantastic characters who we are absorbed in from the beginning.
With a twist at the end of almost every chapter, this Rollercoaster / ghost train of a novel only let's you exhale after reading the final lines.
John Marrs does explain where he gets his ideas from each time but I'll still never know quite how he does it.
Every. Single. Time.
My biggest problem when I recommend his work is advising which book to start with.
They are all absolutely superb.

As a John Marr fan I was delighted to read this book! Its a dystopian novel set around 4 couples and their marriages…. Good and bad. Firstly I was confused and realised reading it in bits here and there was never going to work, so set aside some time and read in one go! Not the genre of book I usually read but as always I admire his style of writing and extraordinary skills

The Marriage Act is another intriguing thriller set in the near future. The unopposed right wing government has introduced the Sanctity of Marriage Act. Encouraging couples to marry by offering incentives such as better housing, cheaper mortgages, good employment prospects and access to automatic driverless cars.
The downside to signing up to the act is allowing ‘Alexa’ like listening devices to be placed in their homes to ensure the marriage is stable and happy. Anything heard that suggests the marriage is failing then relationship advisors are then sent in to assess the marriage, these are powerful agents that can strip them of all their benefits.
This is the story of four couples, which I have to say I found a little confusing at the start with all the different names, but soon was able to follow each couple as their lives were being taken apart.
With subjects from the previous books The Passenger and The Man this book continues the themes of how social media and government can manipulate peoples lives with big brother type scenarios.
A clever thriller with some pretty dark themes and scenes and a few excellent twists.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for the opportunity to review this book honestly.

Wow what a great and interesting story. A unique plot using today's technologies. It took me a while to get into as there were quite a few different characters but once I got past this. I couldn't put it down.

What would happen if the government was able to record us in every day? Would we have better marriages? Would we have happier lives?

These booms answers all these questions with his unique story.

this was really good. dark and intense.
plot kept me on the edge of my seat. characters were not likeable at all but atleast ending was satisfying.

🚨 SPOILERS BELOW:

didn’t like Anthony death though. people who accept their mistakes and are trying to be better version of themselves deserve a happy ending. they deserve the happy endings the most. 😭

thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the copy!

Thank you, Pan Macmillan, for the advance e-galley of this astounding and exhilarating book!

All quotes used in this review are subject to revision and please rely on the final publication of the book.

I am excited and surprised that I got an advance copy of The Marriage Act. The first book I read by John Marrs is The Passengers and I loved it. His writing style and thrilling sci-fi take on certain social topics that are Black Mirror-worthy episodes or even whole season addition!

All I can say for now is that I devoured this book in one day. 👌

Marrs tackled every facet of marriage. The pros and cons of this issue are a needed topic for social awareness and understanding of each take on what marriage is.

The Marriage Act is set in a dystopian society wherein Northampton is separated by the regions, old Northampton outside the act's law, and new Northampton that follows the marriage act law. The marriage act separated married ones in the new Northampton with all the benefits that the government can offer while the singles in old Northampton is abandoned and condoned by the government because of its bad conception of the Marriage Act.

This is a straight fvck up story. If you are a fan of Black Mirror's episodes, "The Entire History of You" and"Hang the DJ", and added marriage act laws that encapsulate you in this world that you didn't choose. A government that decides who you love and whom you should be married to just for the take on some bullish physical and mental health growth fvck up consensus.

"A simple mouth swab was all it took to potentially find who you were guaranteed to fall in love with, regardless of age, race, sexuality, religion, or location."


The novel consists of different POVs that tackle the enticing fact of the Marriage Act and the horrifying world in New Northampton. It tackles the horrifying mental and physical effects of the act and Marrs does it with finesse.

"‘The Marriage Act is as corrupt as the people who stand behind it,’ Corrine concluded. ‘No couple in a Smart Marriage should be treated any better than a couple who has chosen not to upgrade or a person who wants to remain single. And a democratically elected Government should not turn its people against one another even if it believes it’s for the greater good."


Also, Marrs take on the use of social media which affects the whole marriage act is killing me! One of the characters in the story was affected by the whole socmed fiasco and it took a toll on her and her so-called smart marriage.

"Then why not just leave social media?’ ‘Because, without it, you might as well not exist."


The Marriage Act is a straight 5-star read! I will read his previous works and devour them.

P.S.:

‘This is insane,’. ‘We can’t even talk. We’re living in a Margaret Atwood novel.’
This novel could be a concept prequel for the Wives in the Handmaid's Tale.