The latest addition to John Marrs' clever, speculative sci-fi world does not disappoint - it's right up there with the best of them. This author never fails to impress, with pacey writing and short chapters and stories which explore the dangers of technology but also an astute exploration of human relationships. And, as always, there's plenty to unpack with this one, from themes of family and fertility, to fame and social media, to AI.

As the population and economic crises soar, less people are starting families in a traditional sense. But, there's a new alternative on the scene - virtual children. Parents are able to join the 'metaverse' via a VR headset and experience raising a child of their own, from holding them as a baby to dealing with the difficult teenage years.

As if this wasn't dystopian enough, the company behind the virtual children creates a television show out of the concept. Various couples, or individuals, can enter the metaverse and raise a child, and viewers will watch live as they get to grips with parenthood, voting for their favourite. The winner gets to keep their virtual child or take a cash prize to start their own family.

The book introduces the reader to a wide range of contestants, and each chapter brings us a different point of view. It took a while to connect with the vast cast but - due to the cut-throat nature of reality TV - they're whittled down quickly and, as the controversy and drama took hold, I was hooked.

I would have liked to have heard a little more from the AI and understand how much they really felt emotions. There's been a few books in recent years which have provided more narrative from the AI's point of view. For the majority of this story, they present themselves well as humans, but we don't really get to explore the question of how deep their emotions run. There's one point when one of the young AIs learns what she is, and becomes upset that she'll never get to see the 'real world', but this is one scene and isn't really explored again in any detail.

However, we do get to see a lot of how they were developed and modelled on real people, how they can impact humans and how the humans try to control and mandate them. It is fascinating and entertaining - everything I'd expect from this author.

I really liked the idea of this book and have read and loved other John Marrs books.

I’m not sure why I’ve struggled with this one. I think it may be the number of characters and it feels slow which made it hard for me to get into. I definitely seem to be in the minority here so am sure the book will do well.

Many thanks to #NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I don’t know what goes on inside John Marrs’ head, but no one could ever accuse him of lacking imagination. Wild, but scarily real and frighteningly plausible, his ideas combine to produce speculative fiction that’s among the finest of the genre.

The Family Experiment is Marrs’ third book set in an AI-driven world and follows on from The One and The Marriage Act. This latest, a spectacular piece of writing that combines a revenge trope with a near-future setting, can be read as a standalone, but for the full world-building experience, I highly recommend reading these other two first.

Here, AI has sufficiently advanced to be able to create virtual children for people who either can’t, or can’t afford to, raise children in the real world. Parents can engage with their custom-designed “offspring” in a metaverse using a VR headset.

To launch the initiative, its creators have set up a reality TV show, featuring 9 couples and a single father, who will compete for the prize of either keeping their “MetaChild” or taking a cash sum.

What follows is one thrilling ride, Marrs deploying a clever pincer movement to trap us in the unfolding storyline. On the one flank, we’re drawn into this imagined future, as the contestants are filmed adjusting to new parenthood in the metaverse, with all the AI tools available to them. On the other, in the real world, we get glimpses into the contestants’ pasts, their relationships, and the dark secrets they’ve kept hidden from their partners.

It’s an absorbing, exhilerating read. A page-turner par excellence. I was well and truly hooked but at the same time convinced that the end game was not about last family standing.

And I was right! In typical form, Marrs had a doozie of a sucker punch up his sleeve. And when it hit, it hit hard, seamlessly dovetailing with the mysterious events of twelve years ago referred to earlier in the book to deliver a sensational ending.

Add this to your TBR NOW!

John Marrs has a unique way of writing some of the most engaging, mind messing books. This book is full of twist in the futuristic world, were childless couples go on a gameshow to become parents of meta children. This is a face paced read for a mastermind storyteller

Wow, another brilliant read from John Marrs. Set in a futuristic world, 10 contestants compete in the ultimate game show - 'The Family Experiment'. The world population is ever growing, towns and cities becoming more overcrowded and the growing cost of people being able to afford to have a child and raise them, becoming a parent in this new world seems impossible - but there maybe a solution. In the Metaverse, virtual children exist. However, before this is launched, these 5 couples go head to head to try and win the ultimate prize. Although on the way to the final of the gameshow, in typical John Marrs style, there are huge twists, brilliant revelations and fantastic characters that totally pull you in. The pace of the book was fast, with huge twists from the start and they continued until the last page of the book. would recommend to anyone who enjoys speculative fiction. totally un-put-downable!

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Another cleverly plotted, chilling speculative thriller from John Marrs.

Told from several timelines, the reader is gradually fed pieces of the story to try to put together.

I found there were a lot of characters and names to get to grips with (10 couples and their meta children to start with), although they were all realistically portrayed, whether they were AI or human.

The idea of having a meta child makes for really interesting reading. That, along with references to events from John’s other speculative books, make for quite an uncomfortable view on human nature and where life could possibly go in the future. It paints a scarily realistic view!

However, as with all of John Marrs books, don’t think you have it worked out, the twisting plot and unexpected revelations throughout mean nothing is as simple as it appears. Reality TV and human beings really suck!

I think what makes this such a successful read is, that it runs so closely to reality which is hugely unnerving.

The world that John marrs creates and writes about is just the best, sharply observant, subtley cynical and inventive with a dose of reality. The family experience contains references to other books and is about a world where AI dominates in a reality tv world. Amazing characters and totally gripping, If only every book absorbed me this way, although I’d never go out!

Once again, Marrs delivers mind-boggling storytelling that never fails to captivate. His narratives prompt profound moments of introspection, leaving readers hungry for more. Here's to eagerly anticipating the next Marrs story!

Can Mr Marrs ever write something bad?
I don’t think so!

Again, he shows us why he is one of the greatest thriller writers!

I love how the book was constantly referring to things that he wrote about in his ours books like the DNA match as it really brought the ‘same universe series’ together.

Definitely check it out

Another excellent dystopian thriller by John Marrs. I was hooked from the start. Lots of characters to get your head around but I didn’t find that a struggle as they are all so different.

Wow! What an interesting idea for a book!
Contestants are participating in a live experiment where they each get a Metachild to raise to adulthood.
The experiment lasts for 9 months and at every month there is a jump in the child's age until in month 9 they will reach the age of 18.
Viewers will vote on a winner at the end of the experiment, and can leave red or black hearts at any time to give their approval/disapproval on how the families are getting on. The winners can choose between taking the prize money to raise a child IRL, or to keep their Metachild.
I loved this book, and the idea behind having a Meta child is both alarming and exciting. It was well written and thought provoking.
Who knows where AI will take us in years to come....

I’ve read The Passengers by John Marrs and enjoyed it so I was keen to read his latest novel, The Family Experiment. It follows eleven people who have been chosen to take part in a new virtual reality programme called The Family Experiment. Each family will raise a child in the Metaverse for nine months, with viewers deciding on challenges and voting for who will win.

There are a lot of characters in the book but I found that I was able to follow who was who, apart from Cadman and Gabriel who I kept mixing up for some reason. It becomes apparent that everyone is hiding something and no one is as innocent as they seem.
I got into the story straight away and the short chapters keep it well paced. I liked that the story was also interspersed with articles and extracts from chats of viewers watching the programme.

Scarily, the idea of raising virtual children in a metaverse and reliance on AI doesn’t seem that far fetched or futuristic. 😬
For me, the book made me think a lot about different issues. AI, the ethics of it, and the dependence on it taking jobs away from people who had hoped to have careers for life. Should people be allowed to raise children in a metaverse and what are the ethics behind that? If someone really wants a family are they more likely to be manipulated? It also made me think of the cost of living crisis and if that continues and gets worse, how will that impact people and what will they do in order to survive and keep a roof over their heads.
The book also deals with issues such as addiction and loss, and these are dealt with sensitively.

I enjoyed this book a lot. It’s a good story that keeps you guessing, but also makes you think about what could happen if AI continues to progress. In addition to The Passengers, references are made to some other books by the author, but it works fine as a standalone. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author and would recommend this book.

Brilliant, dark and chillingly plausible near future speculative thriller, from the same world as The One, and The Marriage Act.

The soaring population has caused a worldwide economic crisis. With many families unable to afford to have children, one tech company has come up with the idea to create online children you can interact with in the metaverse using VR headsets and haptic suits.

A new reality TV show will be the vehicle to launch their new product, and the winner will be able to choose whether to keep their virtual child or receive the cash to afford a real child.

As increasingly dark secrets emerge about the contestants, we also explore human trafficking and the costs of AI.

SPOILERS

This was SUCH an interesting read! It really gave me Black Mirror vibes and really makes you think about how things might go in the future.

All the characters are compelling and you’re just kind of waiting for the shoe to drop on some of them throughout the whole book. I can honestly say I didn’t see the end coming at all. Especially finding out that Zoe & Dimitri had sold their child to pay off their debts and acted like he got lost and killed. I didn’t know who would win throughout it, but the twists and turns although you know they’re coming, really did surprise me throughout the book. Hudson being a whistle blower, Issy ending up at the bottom of the ocean while trying to escape her parents.

One of my favourite parts that really cracked me up was advertising for therapy in the AI world for people who spend too much time in the AI world 😂.

I haven’t read anything by John Mars before but after reading this I will be checking out other books by him because this was just so compelling, if not frustrating for the chapters it sometimes took to finish the reveal 😂.

Oh my god, how brilliant was this book?!
I went in not knowing what to expect - I love a dystopia but not super keen on thrillers. My friends raved about it but I hadn’t heard of this author before… and let me tell you, I’ll now be reading his back catalogue!
This book had me hooked and invested throughout - I devoured it in less than 2 days and felt bereft when it ended.
Loved the social and political commentary, loved the idea behind it and the writing was fantastic. I am definitely a fan!

📖 BOOK REVIEW 📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#TheFamilyExperiment by @johnmarrs.author @panmacmillan

➡️synopsis

Ohhh I do love it when you’re not sure you’re going to like a book and then you ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT. The world building, multiple POV / narratives to follow, short snappy chapter and how it all came together was just wonderful, addictive reading. Marrs welcomes you into his futuristic worlds with a warm hug; nothing is too wacky or too unbelievable and I was engrossed from start to finish.

With thanks to author #johnmarrs #panmacmillan and @netgalley for allowing us to read this one early!

RELEASING: May 9th

-EMILY

@the_book_girls_1

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish! What an amazing idea for a book: can’t afford a child in real life? Have one in the Metaverse, then watch everything around you crash and burn. We follow multiple couples taking part in this (ethically questionable) reality tv show, where contestants raise Metaverse children, with the winner either keeping them or taking the money to raise a real world child.

Each contestant seems to have issues coming out of their ears which makes this an absolute page turner. I LOVED the very final chapter too. Put this one on your TBR, you won’t be disappointed!

The only downside is I wish I’d read The Passengers and The Marriage Act first, as this is set in the same dystopian future world.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Another amazing book by John Marrs.

He always manages to take a subject that could scarily become true and show the pros and cons. This was brilliantly written and I was obsessed (like the reality show it depicted) with each of the couples and had my faves.

Had no idea where it was going to end up and loved how each chapter ended on a mini cliffhanger meaning I was unable to put it down.

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t get into it. The premise is very interesting and I’ve heard great things about John Marrs. Perhaps I’ll try another of his books to see what they’re like, but this one sadly wasn’t for me.

I have loved all books by this author and this was the same. I liked how the characters all linked and the storyline which had me guessing until the end