The Family Experiment is a twisty near-future science fiction book. Technologically, it feels both feasible and unsettling (I believe that's the point of a lot of near-term sci-fi). However, there are a ton of characters and many of them you just don't get to know very well. Plot abounds, there's rarely a dull moment, and the resolutions were satisfying and helped justify some of the earlier events, but the combination of limited character development and the outlandishness of most of the main plot turns meant there was little if anything for me to really "connect" with. All that said, I would probably still recommend this (and possibly the other John Marrs books set in this same "universe," though I haven't read all of them) to readers who prioritize twists and turns and are looking for something with more layers than a domestic thriller.

(Note: I read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this novel through NetGalley)

What a binge worthy read! This is my first by Marrs and it won’t be my last. This was set in a dystopian future where the Ai and metaverse are very real and extensive parts of peoples’ lives. Honestly the way things have gone doesn’t seem that far-fetched. It’s quite the rough setting! At the same time this is a reality tv show! Couples get and raise an Ai baby who develops into a child .. and are voted on by viewers-who’s the best parents? Who deserves to win? Are these ai babies even real? What rights do they have? How has the ai learned to be human?

There were a few twists and turns. Some jaw-dropping moments. The very end that felt more like epilogue was too long. But I’d still recommend this one if these are topics that interest you!

The audiobook was done phenomenally.

I was unable to read this due to the formatting of the digital copy. I think it was a PDF so I was unable to change the font without the words leaving the page. I have poor vision so it made picking this book up very arduous. I did not finish it but I would like to get a physical copy of this one since Marrs books are usually standouts for me.

Very entertaining, edge-of-your-seat thriller. A little hard to keep track of all the families and names at first.

So good! It was a little difficult to keep the different families straight at the beginning but it got easier as I read on. Loved the twists as well!

I was very excited to get to this book. Unfortunately, this was not for me. I kept getting so confused throughout the book and just didn't enjoy it. I do look forward to reading more of John Marrs in the future though.

There are no words. This was the most unique thriller I think I’ve ever read. If you’re looking for unique, something that’s unlike anything you’ve read before, this is it!

The Family Experiment is such a fascinating idea for a book. John Marrs has the ability to suck readers in and keep them constantly guessing. This one is no different. Highly recommend this one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Family Experiment by John Marrs. What a ride. Metaverse and AI collides with human brokenness. The jealousy, greed, selfishness, desire, addiction, all the things we struggle with are broadcasted in a live competition in the metaverse while colliding tragically with real world events. Couldn’t put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.

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What a great concept- families competing to have the chance to raise an AI baby so they can get money to raise one in the real world. I definitely didn’t predict where this was going. I love the way Marrs thinks.

How thought provoking!
How imaginative!
How entertaining!

The writing and storytelling are terrific!
The development of the storyline has a wonderful flow and I didn’t want to put this book down.The topic was interesting and so original.

This is probably my favorite book by John Marrs so far.

John Marrs does it again returning to his speculative/dystopian universe with The Family Experiment. This time we get to experience a reality TV show mixed with the AI angle. I really love being able to return to the same universe over and over. They are interconnected stand-alone books that can be read separately or in order. The world is richer and the Easter eggs are interesting if you’ve read them all but you won’t feel lost if you begin with this one.

As a bit of a reality TV junkie, I found The Family Experiment show a clever way to explore the MetaBaby concept. There was a somewhat large cast of characters but using the reality show framework was a logical and interesting way to introduce them all and have all the varied POV’s. It did take me a little while to keep track of all of them. Most of the characters had few redeeming qualities and were not very likable. I didn’t find that it took away from me enjoying the stories. It was liked watching a trainwreck. You didn’t love it but you couldn’t look away.

John Marrs does such a great job building up of suspense. The pace was started out a little slower compared to some thrillers but definitely picked up and I found the plot twists satisfying. I just always love returning to this universe.

I honestly love everything that John Marrs writes and these dystopian sci-fi books really scratch an itch my brain didn't know it had.

I wasnt able to read The Family Experiment before its publish date but now that I have read it I gave it 3.5 stars.

I’m new to dystopian thrillers and I loved this one! It truly creeped me out and it was so believable which made it even more scary! I love reality tv so the premise of this book was super intriguing to me. The characters, the twists and turns, it was all so wild!

I love John Marrs. This was my first sci-fi by him and I enjoyed it so much! It was so twisty, entertaining, and had me on the edge of my seat. Can't wait to read more of him!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my review.

This may very well be my all-time favorite John Marrs reads. (Even though I recall saying that when I finished The One. And I’ll likely be saying it again when he releases his next

This was my first John Marrs novel. I was so excited to try him out. This might not have been the best one to start with, (The One might have been a better choice, as it’s kind of the start of this universe) but I was still glad I picked it up! I love the theoretical questions it posed- if something *feels* real, how do you start to differentiate between that and real life? - but made into a bit of a suspense novel, made it all the more fun. If you’re into speculative fiction, and love suspense, John Marrs seems like a great place to start. I definitely want to read more by him now!

John Marrs novel always make me want to read them.

This one was a little odd and wasn't his best novel. It was ok but not something i would recommend. It did not keep me engaged and i really just wanted to DNF and I have never done that with a John Marrs novel.

I will continue to read from this author.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

One of the blurbs on the cover of the book said “Nobody does scarily plausible near-future like Marrs. This—his best yet—is an unsettling and immersive rollercoaster which hurtles towards a chilling denouement. A truly thought-provoking, single-sitting thriller. Loved it.”

I agree wholeheartedly. This book broke me out of my book slump. Loved it. 4.5 stars.