So… how do you get across how much you GENUINELY LOVED
a book to do it justice in a review?! 😂

I’m pretty sure this is going to be my favourite book of 2024 and will definitely go into my top five favourite books of all time.. it was perfection. ALL THE STARSSSSS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is Handmaids Tale meets Black Mirror. Set in a dystopian near future world where having children in completely out of the average person price range. The cost of living has gone up and up and up and people are looking for an alternative. Enter The Family Experiment a reality TV show streamed 24/7 where 5 couples complete in the ultimate parenting competition. Each couple have access the metaverse by wearing full AI suits and goggles to raise their meta babies from birth to the age of 18 in a sped up 9 month time frame. The winning couple will be allowed to keep their virtual child or get the opportunity to try for a real world child.. all while being streamed live interactively to the world. Who can judge them on every single move they make…

I loved it… As with all John Marrs books there are 101 layers to the story. The characters and the storyline are built and built and built until reading the book becomes a truly immersive experience.
I loved the computer game, tamagotchi vibes the family experiment gave off. The show gives ultra high tech Sims nostalgic vibes to me as a 90’s kid. But always with the undertones that these avatars have real people behind them. WILD. There was a real blurred line between the characters reality and the audiences perception of them which I enjoyed. I found the relationships of the couples fascinating and really loved seeing each one develop and let the reader into all their deepest darkest secrets. The end was perfection.. I very nearly cried… WHO AM I?!

Overall one of John Marrs’ best! If Netflix don’t snap this up then they are FOOLS! 🤣

The Family Experiment is out in the UK on the 9th May 📚

TW⚠️ Some of the scenes were incredibly raw and emotional, the writing was beautiful at these points especially from some of the women’s points of view. If you are sensitive to baby loss, infertility, miscarriage triggers I’d recommend you give this one a miss 🖤

"The Family Experiment" is an enthralling science fiction book set in the near future, that will take you on a thrilling journey through a reality TV game show. The game show chooses ten contestants, comprising of five couples, who are given the task of raising a virtual child, commonly known as a meta child, for a period of nine months. During this time, the meta child is programmed to grow from birth to the age of eighteen, and the couple who raises it the best wins the game show and gets to keep their virtual child and win a substantial amount of money to help them raise a real child.

The book is well-crafted, with a fast-paced and engaging storyline that will hook you from the very first page. The plot is cleverly written, scarily realistic, and so plausible that it leaves you questioning the possibility of such a game show existing. The twists in the book are well-placed and will keep you guessing and wanting more with every turn of the page.

Although the book mentions previous books, it can be read as a standalone without any confusion. The multiple points of view in the book are easy to distinguish and follow, making it a smooth read.

The characters, although somewhat unlikeable, are well-written, with each hiding a secret that makes them intriguing to follow. The author does an excellent job of keeping the characters' secrets hidden until the right time, making the story all the more thrilling.

As a fan of John Marrs' books, I can confidently say that "The Family Experiment" is my favourite book so far. If you're a fan of fast-paced, science fiction mystery thrillers, or have enjoyed John Marrs' previous books, then this is one book that you should add to your reading list.

Finally, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for providing me with a digital review copy (eARC). These are my honest and unbiased thoughts, which I am sharing voluntarily.

Having read, some but not all of this author's previous books, I was eager to read this one. He does do speculative and dystopian fiction well, making you stop and think. This one is no exception.

What if you wanted to become a parent but cannot afford to? How about a virtual child who lives in the metaverse, it will grow and learn, and it can be designed to have certain characteristics or features. Think about those games we had a few years ago where you had to keep a virtual pet alive, similar to this scenario, but this virtual child becomes more like real life than real life does.

The author has taken the concept of living in a virtual world to the next stage, not just popping in a headset and spending a few hours touring but feeling, and experiencing being a parent. The author uses a competition that selects various people who want to be parents to participate in a game show. They are allowed to experience parenthood over nine months. At the end of this, the child will be 18 years old. The winner will have a few options to choose as their prize.

This speculation as to how people could and maybe would behave is insightful and gives some unexpected challenges and ideas as to how the virtual child is seen. Are they real? Well, they learn, or the program allows them to learn and take on their mannerisms, emotions and reactions so it gives the idea that they are real. In the virtual universe, they feel real as well. It is only when the parent steps away back into the real world that the realisation that the real world does not have the same appeal as the virtual.

Before you think that this could not happen, how many of you disappear for a couple of hours into your phone and do not realise how much time has elapsed? What about the gamers who will go several hours without taking a break from their game? Not as far-fetched as you first thought, is it? Even simpler is how many of us have been absorbed by reading a book, same thing when you think about it!!!

The author takes this concept of virtual children to a very good place, one that shows the good and the bad and the possible. There is more to this, if you have read any books by the author then you will know there is another plot in play and this one was amazing! Nope, not saying anything about it.

What I will say though is that the author creates a scenario that plays to the vulnerabilities of people, especially those who want a child in a world where it is too expensive, where the NHS does not fund and gives the real world a bleak outlook for his characters. He does this well and it is not so much about the areas that the characters live in, but more about how they feel about themselves.

This is a brilliant book and the story spans several genres, speculative fiction, fiction, contemporary, thriller and there is a psychological feel throughout as the story focuses on people and their actions and reactions. Brilliant story and one I would definitely recommend.

Never in doubt that I’d love this book. It’s a John Marrs book so a given it would be amazing. Had me hooked from the very first page and I honestly couldn’t put it down. Another one knocked out of the park!!!
I can’t wait for the next book

I was eagerly looking forward to reading the latest speculative fiction from John Marrs after the amazing "The Passengers" and "The One." I wasn't disappointed! Winking cleverly at these two novels often to remind us that what we're reading belongs to the same speculative future, "The Family Experiment" delivers a scary glimpse into a dark but believable future of humanity, where technology takes over the real world in a brutal way, blurring the lines between humans and AI. The cliffhangers and twists in the plot kept me wanting to read more and kept me trying to guess. Very clever! The characters feel realistically flawed and well constructed. Moreover, I appreciated how Marrs fearlessly tackled the topic of parenthood, presenting raw honest views and different approaches without filters. It added depth to the story and provided a thought-provoking layer.
A very dark premise which plants many debates into the readers' heads. I really, really loved it!

I have enjoyed all books written by John Marrs so far, and this must be my favourite of all!

Set in the same universe as The one, The passengers, and The marriage act (but can be read as standalone), this book explores the possible consequences of being able to raise an AI child in the metaverse, and the moral dilemmas implicated in developing the necessary technology to produce flawless virtual avatars.

The story centres on a reality show where 6 families compete to be the favourite while raising an AI child. The winners will be able to choose either a monetary prize to start a real-world family or to keep the AI child they raised. All other children will be terminated. I loved how the book developed, from quite happy to very dark. The contending families were all superficially very nice, and it was thrilling when things started to surface, making them show their true colours. With short chapters that let you hanging wanting to know more - in true Marrs' style - this book was impossible to put down. The twists were breath-taking and unpredictable, and kept coming even when you finally thought you had everything figured out.

Marrs truly is one of the best speculative fiction writers out there at the moment, and if you haven't read his books I urge you to do so asap!

Thank you so much MacMillan and NetGalley for an advance copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

In "The Family Experiment," John Marrs crafts a chilling and inventive thriller that delves into the unsettling possibilities of a near-future dystopian society. Set in the same universe as his previous works, including "The One" and "Passengers", Marrs takes readers on a journey where the world's population is soaring, leading to overcrowded cities and economic crises. And in particular, it has hit the UK hard!

One of the most striking aspects of the book is its exploration of the societal and technological advancements that have led to this grim reality. Marrs could have delved deeper into the background of how society arrived at this point, providing more cultural and science fiction insights. However, the narrative remains captivating as it unfolds within this intriguing setting.

The premise revolves around a unique solution for those desperate to experience parenthood: virtual children. Through a company offering Virtual Children subscriptions, clients can create and interact with virtual offspring via the metaverse and VR headsets. Marrs introduces this concept through a reality TV show where contestants raise virtual children from birth to eighteen years old within a condensed nine-month timeframe.

The plot is intricately woven with brilliant twists and revelations, particularly as it approaches its conclusion. Marrs masterfully ties up loose ends, delivering a neatly resolved storyline by the end. However, some character interactions feel forced and unnatural at times, detracting slightly from the overall immersion in the narrative.

Overall, "The Family Experiment" is a gripping thriller that offers a thought-provoking exploration of a dystopian future. Marrs's adept storytelling and skillful plotting make for an addictive read, earning it a solid 4 out of 5 stars. Fans of Marrs's previous works and enthusiasts of dystopian fiction alike will find much to enjoy in this unsettling yet captivating tale.

Publishing on 9th May... John Marrs is BACK with another addictive near-future dystopia! 🇬🇧

👶 'The Family Experiment' by John Marrs is set in a UK a few decades from now where the cost of living crisis means a lot of people can't afford kids. A new, immersive reality TV show gives 6 wannabe-parents the chance to raise an AI child in a VR universe that will televise the child's growth from baby to 18 year old in 9 months. Whoever wins will get to choose between either a huge cash prize to fund a real-life child, or keeping their AI child.

❤️ I LOVED this! One of my favourite sub-genres of books are 'books that could be an episode of Black Mirror.' This absolutely fit the bill - the worldbuilding and logic was so good that you can definitely imagine a reality TV programme like this existing! Loved the subtle tie-ins to his other novels too.

⏳ The story is told with alternating chapters from each set of competing parents, interspersed with snippets of online forums, news segments, or adverts. The book counts down to the 9 month deadline to when the winning parents will be crowned, which gave it a tense, page-turning quality.

🇬🇧 It drew from so many strands of current affairs and brought them all together into an incredibly intelligent, sharp novel. Some real news stories were given a dark twist, such as the idea of Europe having become so much more prosperous than the UK that Brits were 'expatriating' their children via small boats across the channel in the hopes of giving them a better life. This part felt eerily prescient and especially heartbreaking.

🖥️ The 'mob mentality' effect of social media was really well written. Because the competitors know that the public can watch every interaction they have with their virtual child, some of them begin to get obsessed with public opinion on their parenting techniques.

🌟 Overall, a fantastic sci-fi / dystopia, highly recommended for fans of 'Black Mirror' or clever, topical fiction.

🎁 Thanks Netgalley for my ARC!

- Katie

(REVIEW POSTED TO INSTAGRAM: @KATIESPENCEBOOKS, REVIEW TO BE POSTED TO TWITTER: @KATIESPENCEY THIS WEEK)

4.5 rounded up

The family experiment follows a cast of 11 adults (5 couples and one single dad) and their virtual children, set in the same world as "The One", "The Marriage Act", and "The Passengers" but can be read as a standalone.

Set in the UK suffering a cost of living crisis, failing (and no longer free) nhs, and overcrowding, where people can no longer afford to start or raise families - unless they’re up for an experiment. 11 people join a reality TV show where they will raise virtual children over 9 months in an accelerated period of growth from birth to age 18 - each child spends 1 month in various life stages: newborn, 9 months old, 2 years old, 5 years old, 8 years old, 12 years old, 14 years old, 16 years old, and finally 18 years old. Each month will come with the usual trials of parenting a child of that age, plus an extra challenge for an unlucky family, as voted for by the shows audience. The same audience who can watch a live stream 24/7, pay to be in the same virtual room as the families without them knowing, live react to parenting decisions with emojis, and even win time with the virtual child. They will ultimately vote on the winning family, judging them on the past 9 months. The prize? To keep the virtual child they have grown to love or delete them for the chance of having their own real life baby (and the money to raise them). As the the months go on, secrets are revealed and tensions raise. There is debate about the ethics of raising a virtual child, their right to life, and if it can ever come close to raising Real Life child. The parents wear fully immersive haptic suits to experience every sensation in the virtual world as they would in real life (including the delightful smell of baby poo), decorate their virtual house, and have virtual avatars to represent them. Every single thing they do will be judged in front of the entire world, as they fight to be crowned the winner, bond with the virtual child they may have to painfully delete, and deal with the show seeping into their real life. With deadly consequences.

The book features mixed media, including press releases, scripts, and social media comments from viewers at home. We are quickly introduced to the 6 families in short chapters about each, with a small bio and a glimpse into their life each month. It was a little overwhelming initially keeping the names and relationships straight but soon became easier. We follow the families on their journey through the experimental reality show and learn more about them. Each has a secret they’re hiding from the world, and some from each other.

I thoroughly enjoyed the immersive world that the author has created. Some of the products we hear about will make your eyes bulge, but that's the norm of this society (and some concepts are not too dissimilar from our own). The secrets and 'twists' were pretty predictable in my opinion, particularly the 'main' one. There was some slight frustration as I wanted them to get on with revealing the secret I already knew, and with characters thinking or talking about their secrets in hushed code throughout, but that's often par for the course for thrillers. The book is an easy and enjoyable read, with the story escalating as it unfolds, and a good sense of mystery and division. The ending neatly answers all of your questions and ties it off with a bow. It was quite funny, whilst also tackling dark themes. Fans of tamagotchi or Nintendogs will probably like the experiment.

I very much enjoyed this read, and will bump John Mars's other books further up my 'to read 'list. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

I simply devoured this book! Reality TV competition set in the future (the same world as The One by John Marrs which I also really enjoyed), pitting parents against each other to raise an AI child? Say less!!

This was book utterly addictive, full of morally grey characters and twists and turns. I absolutely ate it up! It is so original and actually, kind of horrifyingly, I can almost imagine something akin to this really happening in real life.

If you love reality tv, The Sims or even just creepy AI futuristic possibilities… you have to pick this one up when it is released next month!

John Marrs continues to be an auto-buy author and I’m very grateful to him and his team at Pan MacMillan as well as netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read an eARC of this in exchange for an honest review!

The Family Experiment is such a fast-paced thriller that is also so thought-provoking. It's set in the near future where a reality TV show is giving couples an AI child for them to raise whilst competing agains each other. The winning couple gets the chance to either keep the AI child or to win money to pay for them to have fertility treatment to have a real world baby. We get to know each couple and we find out about all of the secrets and lies they all seem to have. There is also a bigger storyline surrounding this that is very prescient and I really liked how this was wound in and how it really made you think. I enjoyed this one and I recommend it.

I always look forward to a new John Marrs book, and The Family Experiment is another fantastic dystopian set story!

In this near-future setting, with a soaring population, cities becoming overcrowded and an economic crisis, the UK has reached a breaking point. People still wish to have families, but a growing number can no longer afford to start a family, let alone raise a child. But there is soon to be an alternative; Re:Born. For a monthly fee, those who are desperate to experience parenthood will be able to have a virtual child, created from scratch, who they can see and interact with via the Metaverse and a virtual reality headset. To launch this new initiative, a reality TV show has been created: The Family Experiment. This story spans the duration of the series following eleven contestants (five couples and a single participant) as they raise a MetaChild from birth to the age of eighteen, but in a condensed nine-month time period all vying for the ultimate prize: the right to keep their virtual child, or risk it all for the chance of a real baby!

Once again, John Marrs has created a fascinating and unique story with a fantastic cast of characters. I loved the alternating perspectives as each showed a different side to the contestants taking part in The Family Experiment, and their reasons for doing so. Something I always really like about John Marrs’ dystopian books are the short, punchy chapters with many a cliffhanger/surprise at the end of them. This was the same in this story and I found myself racing through the pages, desperate to get back to particular characters again to find out what would happen next. I loved how there was so much shock and drama right from the start too!

There were so many brilliant details in this futuristic world and like with John Marrs’ previous books, I could definitely see some of these things happening in the future; it always feels believable, if a little scary. The VR headset and haptic suit, meaning the contestants could feel as well as see their MetaChild, was very clever! Viewers of the reality series could stream the show worldwide, 24 hours a day too; it became quite the phenomenon! There were also lots of shocks and surprises throughout this story and I particularly loved the final chapter in this regard! It’s just the best feeling as a reader when there are so many twists that take you by surprise and John Marrs’ always delivers them in abundance which is fantastic!

The Family Experiment is such a unique and thrilling read and John Marrs for me is the ultimate author! I honestly cannot recommend his books highly enough!

Oooh this was good!
I read this in a day because I kept finishing a chapter and then had to carry on to see what happened next!

I’d only read The One before this and it’s fun to see little snippets from it interwoven into the story, along with other previous books in that world.

A very realistic look at what a bleak near future could be for us, I hate to draw the comparison but it was very Black Mirror/Years & Years coded in a good way.

Will definitely be reading more John Marrs in future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher 4/5 ⭐️

I was overjoyed when I realised I had been accepted to read an ARC or a John Marrs book. Then I suddenly panicked. That meant I would read this and have to wait extra long for a new one?

I didn't want to start it but obviously I couldn't wait


His trademark darkness
His trademark "just one more chapter"

And moments where if I was watching a film I would tear my eyes away for a moment
Some good disturbing moments
But oh my god don't we love them !!


Constant guessing games of what is goinh on.
Desperate to know how things end up and why


Absolutely loved it
As usual John Marrs does not disappoint



All of these opinions are my own.

Ten couples have entered The Family Experiment - a reality tv game show to launch a new streaming service. Think Big Brother on steroids.

What’s the streaming service you ask? For a monthly subscription, you can nurture your very own virtual child from infancy in the metaverse. With cutting-edge VR technology, you'll see, hear, and even touch your child.

The winning couple faces a monumental decision: either preserve their child's virtual existence or gamble for the chance of a real-life baby. With a prize fund capable of realising such dreams in a world where parenthood is increasingly unattainable due to soaring costs.

I held off reading this for as long as I could, knowing once I’ve read it - I’ve to wait for another book to be published! I couldn’t wait any longer ..

Set in the near future world with references to The One, The Marriage Act, and the Passengers. John’s ability to create fiction that’s terrifyingly plausible is unmatched in my option. So many clever concepts and terms that just fit so perfectly.

Ten couples - that’ll get messy and hard to follow, right? Wrong. John’s writing style ensures you’re able to follow the plot whilst still being utterly thrown by what’s going on - in the best way.

We have some truly awful characters, written so well, I was praying for some of them to get their comeuppance. All are authentic and like people we probably all know to some degree. Don’t worry, we’ve some decent folk too.

Towards the end I was thinking about all the loose ends, I shouldn’t have worried, these were expertly dealt with in a way that felt organic and not rushed or formulaic. One twist I guessed, found I was wrong, then found I was right.

Come on John, give us a chance!

I read around 85% of this is one sitting - only stopping because we were going out. I love my friends, but I’d have happily cancelled plans to finish this in one go!

Expect John’s trademark darkness - I didn’t just read some of the more disturbing scenes, I felt them.

A huge thanks to MacMillan and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book for review consideration.  All opinions are my own.

This was my first of his speculative fictions and I enjoyed every single chapter of it. It was addictive and fast paced and kept me guessing the whole way through. I love how this book gives little twists the entire way through. I haven’t read a book like this since I was a teenager and this has definitely reignited my love for dystopian sci fi genre.



I will always recommend Marrs, but trust me when I say this is definitely worth the hype. I’ve already downloaded The passengers and The Marriage Act which are all set in the same world and I can’t wait to get my teeth back into this black mirror feeling world that Marrs has created 🖤

#bookreview #bookstagram #thrillerbooks #thrillers #psychthrillers #bookrecs #bookrecomendations #books #bookworm #aprilreads

4 ⭐ - Thank you @netgalley & @panmacmillan and bookbreakuk for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review. Firstly, wow this was my first John Marrs book and after seeingso many mutal bookstagrammers talking so highly of his work, when I logged in to my netgalley and saw this up for request, I knew I had to request and I am SO glad I did… so thanks everyone as I now will be adding even more books to my incredibly long tbr🤣🤦‍♀️. If you like the show ‘Black Mirror’ you will 10000% enjoy this book, this was truly like reading an episode/series of this book and I really enjoyed. I binged this in just over 24hrs and I have 0 regrets🤣 This was set up as a reality TV show and each and every character I had moments of loving them, hating them, rooting for them and just overall needing to know what was going to happen and who was going to win just like I would had I have been sat watching the show, I found the idea truly unique and I honestly have never read anything like that before! When I finished the book I was literally sat jaw to the floor like ‘was not expecting that!’. Truly does make you wonder, with the right technology what this world could end up becoming.

The Family Experiment follows 10 contestants who can't afford a child in the current economic crisis competing against one another. If they win, they get to keep their metachild and a prize fund of £250,000.

In typical John Marrs style, there are so many twists and turns you will feel like you're on a roller coaster. After all, is anyone ever what they portray in social media, and doesn't everyone have something to hide?

As the show progresses, more and more secrets are unveiled, and there are shocks you will never see coming. The ending was brilliant once again. John Marrs is definitely my favourite author, and his stories are somehow both unbelievable and also a scary reflection on society. 5 stars definitely recommend.

This book is set in the same world as the author's other speculative fiction - it's not a series per se but the later books do reference the earlier ones so there is a bit of a crossover. I'll list the author's suggested reading order at the end of this review... I've read and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one, by the way!
So... back to this book. And it's another cracker! The population is exploding, and the economic crisis is such that there are many people who just can't afford to have a child. But there is a potential solution. You can have a virtual child instead. For a monthly fee, obviously. But for way less than an actual child would have cost. The technology is in its infancy still, so the company behind it has launched a new initiative. A competition. Reality TV. 10 couples will be chosen to each raise a Virtual Child over the next 9 months. The child's development and life will be sped up so that at the end of the nine months, the child will be eighteen. They will face extra challenges along the way, as well as the general "raising a child stuff".
The prize will be that the parents will either be able to keep their virtual progeny, or go on to have the chance to have a real child of their own.
And that's all I am saying about that. You need to meet the "parents" and "children" and follow what happens to them all as the author intends. I will just say one thing though, he throws in a little something extra along the way that you will probably just need to hold on to until the time is right to integrate that thread into the main story... which, when he does, might leave you reeling!
I loved this book. I love the concept, the backstory, the characters. The whole shebang. And, and if you've read this author before it's not a spoiler to say, all the dark stuff too.
I also love the aforementioned links to his other books. It makes me feel smug to understand them. I know, but it's nice!
In fact, the only bad thing is coming to the end and knowing that I now have to wait ages for the next one. Oh well... C'est la vie... and I do know one thing... It'll be worth the wait.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Suggested reading order.
The One
The Passengers
The Minders
The Marriage Act
This one!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I love all of John Marrs’ books. Clever and entertaining and I never guess where they are going