John Marrs is quickly becoming an auto-read author for me. I fell in love with his speculative fiction novels after reading The One a few years ago and have devoured each one since. The Family Experiment is no exception. It follows a similar format to his others in this loosely connected series where there are several characters that each have a different experience with the newest scientific development. In this case, there are several families who are chosen to participate in a 24-7 live streamed reality show where they are given fast-aging AI children. The children don't really know that they are AI - only "alive" in a metaverse. Streamers watching at home can send reactions, money, and sponsorships to the families to create an even better metaverse for their children.

Sounds great, right? No notes! Well, if you've read anything by John Marrs before, you know that all is not what it seems and although these scientific advances look great on paper or in theory, once they are put to the test in the real world, unforeseen craziness ensues. I want to walk around in Marrs' brain for just a few hours while he is plotting these books, because that has to be a trip. He seemingly thinks through every possible weird, crazy outcome and them amplifies by a thousand. And it still ends up being plausible.

Definitely give this one a try if you are into the speculative fiction or close sci-fi micro-genre like I am. And, with AI becoming more and more of a reality lately, this doesn't seem to be too far out of the realm of possibility. Scary...

If you are a Black Mirror fan, then you absolutely NEED to put The Family Experiment on your list. Be prepared to be deeply unsettled in the best way possible, because this is a commentary on society that almost hits a little too close to home.

The Family Experiment is the newest reality show, where six couples are given the AI baby of their dreams to take care of in the metaverse. Over the course of nine months, the couples will raise their baby through development gaps until it turns eighteen. Viewers will have access to 24/7 live streams, will vote for which couple deserve to receive a challenge each month, and ultimately vote for the final winner, who can choose a cash prize or to keep their child in the metaverse.

But each of these couples has their own agenda for being on the show, something happening in real life that they'll do everything to conceal from their audiences. They want to show themselves as picture-perfect families in the metaverse, but that's far from the truth in reality...

I thought this was SUCH an interesting topic for a book, totally unique and never done before. I love John Marrs and he clearly is such a creative writer. The story is not only told through the POVs of the couples, but also news articles and livestream comments from the audience. There's even a statement from Pope John Paul III condemning AI babies (that's the part that really sent me over the edge!).

I loved this book for its creativity and thought-provoking elements, but I did feel like the plot dragged on in a few places. I still read it quickly, but trying to follow so many couples meant sometimes felt like it was doing too much. The way the ending wrapped up a few plot lines was interesting, but I felt like the plot could've done more for me based on how interesting the topic was.

All that to say, I really did think this was a fantastic book and HIGHLY recommend picking this up when it releases!

John Marrs is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I’m not one for science fiction, but do like speculative fiction, and he does it wonderfully. I like that this story was in the same universe as The One and others of his. I also like that his characters are flawed, some deeply so. The range of emotions I felt through this book were all over the place and I audibly gasped when I learned the fate of Issy. I can’t wait for more stories in this universe. It has short chapters which I love.

This book tops the list as the most unique book I’ve read to date! (3.5 Stars!)

While I read plenty of genres, sci-fi is one that I typically shy away from. However, I had yet to read a book from John Marrs, and his thrillers came highly recommended. When I saw that his latest book was available on NetGalley and it was a speculative fiction combining sci-fi and thriller elements, I thought it would be a great way to dip my toes in the water!

It took me about 75 pages to warm up because it was certainly “out there” for me as someone not used to this genre. As a parent, I also found the whole situation really messed up. AI babies mixed with a reality tv show where parenting is gamified…? It felt like Big Brother meets The Sims meets a Tamagotchi, and the absurdness turned me off for awhile.

However, once I came to accept that this is just how this world operates, I settled in to the sci-fi just in time to get sucked in by the suspense. And let me say, the plot twists hit fast one after the other in the back half of the book! Even though it weirded me out, I also couldn’t put it down either 😂

On a deeper level, this book poses lots of questions for discussion about the ethics and future of AI, social experiments, virtual reality and the “what ifs” that might pan out if these things go unchecked. It was surprisingly thought-provoking, which I don’t typically expect in a thriller!

If you’re already a fan of John Marrs, this is set in the same world as his other speculative fiction books like “The One” and “The Marriage Act”, so if you liked those I’d imagine you’d also like this!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 This is my first John Marrs novel (surely not my last) and I thoroughly enjoyed it!
AI it seems has made its way into all of our lives in one way or another and in The Family Experiment the Meta Universe has been used in the creation of a game show! Couples are chosen to parent a virtual child from birth to age 18 (9mos in the virtual world) in their totally immersive world. All of which is viewed in a 24 hour live stream that is watched and rated by the audience. The winner will get a huge cash prize! The competition is fierce. But wait! None of the couples are what they appear to be…

A real page turner! Interesting, exciting, a great story with an unforeseen twist at the end! Will this be in our future?

Thank you NetGalley, John Marrs and Macmillan Publishing for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve seen so much about the books of John Marrs, but this is the first I’ve read. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I loved this book, and it was a five-star read for me! I highly recommend the book to thriller fans looking for something unique. The Family Experiment takes place in the same universe as the author's previous books, The One, The Passengers, and The Marriage Act, but works well as a standalone if you're like me and haven't read those books. The book is a Speculative Thriller and imagines a future in which the technology exists to create virtual children that parents can access through the metaverse with a headset and special suit.

Five couples and one single parent are chosen to compete on a reality show and will be judged on how they raise their virtual child. The winner can keep their virtual child or take the prize money for the chance of a "real" child. Each person in the competition is keeping secrets and the tension builds as the contest heats up and weaknesses and flaws of the contestants are exploited for the drama of the show. The sponsoring company is out to make more money and doesn’t care who they hurt to get more viewers for the show. I was engaged throughout the book and was shocked by the ending. The Family Experiment is one of my favorite books of the year, so I definitely want to go back and read some of the prior books that are in the same universe as this one.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press, and The Hive. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

I think I’ve come to the conclusion recently that when I’m reading a thriller I prefer to have multiple things going on at once/things I need to try and figure out. This book gave me that and more. This story follows an immersive and futuristic reality show where couples raise an AI child from birth to 18 in 9 months. The show gives the audience the ability to live stream 24 hours a day and even purchase the opportunity to be in the room with the contestants in the metaverse (without them seeing, of course). Told from the POVs of each of the couples, we are quickly thrown in the deep end and start to learn the intricacies of each family. Each family has their own demons they are trying to run from throughout the competition and we get a front row seat to everything that ensues. From the very beginning I was on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next and trying to put together clues as to how everything would come together. This is one I will be recommending to people for years to come. The Family Experiment will be out on July 9th.

I highly recommend reading The One, The Marriage Pact, and Passengers first. The dystopian universe Marrs has created is awesome - but you definitely want to have the context of the prior books. This book really makes you question AI and the human experience. When is it taking it too far? I feel the disconnect between reality and virtual reality and it was a great commentary on how attached we are to things that "are not real". Marrs does such a good job writing deplorable characters and this one may be a record for me. I think I hated every single character. This book is such a unique concept and was a really fun read.

Thank you to the publishers for access to an early copy of this book 😊. This was a great dystopian kind of read. Contestants in a reality show are all given robot/AI babies and are competing for money to start their own families. Each couple had their own tensions and reasons to win the show. Really showed the lengths people will go to to have a family. This also made me think about where reality TV might go in the future.

In the UK’s near future, a breaking point has hit - no one can afford expensive fertility treatments or even to raise kids conceived naturally. Instead, people are able to care for children in the metaverse through virtual reality. And now, a game show called The Family Experiment will give viewers 24/7 access to watch 4 couples and one solo dad raise a child in nine months (all 18 years of accelerated growth) and vote on who was the best parent. The winner receives $250,000 and the choice between keeping their adult child in the metaverse or using the money to fund a real one.

I swear I either read or watched the movie for The One, so technically this is my first John Marrs book, but it won’t be my last. I ate this up! With short chapters, lots of cliffhangers, and characters connected in unforeseen ways, I ripped through to find out the ending. After researching Marrs’ other books, there are nods to The One, The Marriage Act, and The Passengers in this book, but they seemed more like callbacks - I didn’t need to read those to follow this story.

4.5 stars

Now I want to blow through his other books! What John Marrs book should I prioritize next?

Thank you to @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the free digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

3.5⭐️
This was another great futuristic concept from John Marrs, showing the dangers of technology. This book takes place in the same world as “The One”, “The Marriage Act”, and “The Passengers”. Although it’s not necessary to read his other books first, I feel like having knowledge of them might help to understand the world further as they’re referenced throughout. I loved the unique concept of this story, the world that he’s built, and all the twists. However, there is are so many characters that I found it hard to keep track of everything taking place.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hanover Square Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Unpopular opinion by far.

I have tried so hard to get into this book and I just can't. I don't typically read Distopian novels but I heard so many great things about this book.

For the fans of dystopian thrillers this is a 5 Star.

I did dnf but It's definitely me! Not the book.

⭐️ 𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝔼𝕍𝕀𝔼𝕎 ⭐️
The Family Experiment by John Marrs
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

sᥡᥒ᥆⍴sіs:
Some families are virtually perfect…

The world's population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, the breaking point has arrived. A growing number of people can no longer afford to start families, let alone raise them.

But for those desperate to experience parenthood, there is an alternative. For a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality TV show called The Family Experiment. It will follow ten couples as they raise a virtual child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child, or risk it all for the chance of a real baby…


mᥡ rᥱ᥎іᥱᥕ:
This was my first John Marrs book and I loved it! The concept of MetaChildren was so interesting, it immediately sucked me in. Right from the beginning there were twists and shocking scenes that made my jaw drop. It’s written in multiple POVs of all the different parents which made this book super easy to fly through. Just when something big would happen with one couple it would cut to another. My mind is still blown from all the twists and turns this book took as well as the ending of it all. I wish I could reread this book from scratch without any knowledge of what happens. This will definitely be one of my top books of 2024.

This was amazing. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time! I read this a couple of weeks ago and think about it almost daily. John Marrs can terrify me with his writing. This world is so close to becoming reality that it gets you thinking and then the anxiety creeps in and becomes all-consuming (in the best way). On Goodreads I gave this 4.5 rounded up because I felt the epilogue went on too long and took away from the last big reveal of the story.

Ten families are given the opportunity to raise their own MetaChild under the watchful influence of…well, the entire world. At the end of the new nine-month reality show, The Family Experiment, one winner will choose between keeping their virtual son or daughter or receiving a cash prize large enough to start their own Real World family. The losers’ children will be deleted immediately. That is, if they make it to the end at all.
John Marrs’ latest novel is unsettling in an important way, and it highlights the human cost of the rise of AI as well as the ethical quandaries it presents. He goes beyond the basic questions of when a computer-generated individual is considered a “person” and looks at the effects of technology on social class, economics, and politics. What happens when human intelligence is a commodity to be bought, sold, and exploited? What does it mean to love someone who only exists in a virtual world? What are the long-term repercussions of trial by social media? And who – if anyone – stands to benefit from the new digital age?
This novel is perfect for reality TV fans, especially of shows like The Circle and Big Brother, as well as sci-fi readers of novels like Three-Body Problem. The fast pace and diverse characters had me hooked from page one, and I can’t wait to see what people think when it releases on July 9, 2024. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

WOW is all I have to say! This is my third book by this author and by far it’s my favorite!! The futuristic setting, the edge of your seat thrills, the constant state of WTF did I just read… just all of it, SO GOOD!! Don’t miss this book. I gobbled it up and so will you! 4.5 easily! Thanks NetGalley for this ARC!

This was my first book by the author and definitely not my last. I was on the edge of my seat through out the story. Although the pacing was a little slow I was still able to engage myself in the storyline.

I love this near future world that John Marrs has created and the Family Experiment didn’t disappoint. although somewhat slow paced this is a thought provoking story with a lot of twists through out and especially in the last few chapters

The Family Experiment is the third book in this futuristic timeline, alongside The One and The Marriage Act.

A number of couples have signed on to be a part of a reality show where they are raising this AI child in the metaverse. Whoever is deemed the best parents gets to decide if they keep their AI child or if they will delete them and get enough money to have a biological child through IVF or IUI. Tune in any time of day to watch a live stream of the couples and send red/black hearts to let them know how they are doing.

I've really enjoyed these semi-futuristic books that John Marrs has been putting out. I had a hard time connecting with this one despite how much the author tried. I could not see how someone could become connected to a virtual child.

Like his other books, we get to see multiple POVS from a handful of couples who all have their secrets. I enjoyed getting to spend time with each one.

In the U.K. , a growing number of people can no longer afford to raise a family. But for those who are desperate to experience parenthood, there is an affordable alternative...for a monthly subscription fee, clients can create a virtual child from scratch who they can access via the metaverse and a VR headset. To launch this new initiative, the company behind Virtual Children has created a reality TV show called The Substitute. It will follow ten couples as they raise a virtual child from birth to the age of eighteen but in a condensed nine-month time period. The prize: the right to keep their virtual child, or risk it all for the chance of a real baby…

This book is set in the same universe as his novels The One and The Marriage Act, Once again John Marrs has touched on my deepest fears about AI and the dangers it imposes, and the fine line between safe and dangerous in the metaverse and how hard it is to tell when you have crossed that line. This book had me captivated from the very first page, and I didn't want to put it down until I was finished. It is told in the views of the different contestants, with VR ads and chats for The Substitute sprinkled throughout the book. Every time something major happened a chat popped up with people discussing what they just witnessed and, just like in real life, passing judgement on those people. As his books always do, I am left feeling a little unsettled, because something like this truly could be in our future and that scares me. I can't wait for his next book to come out!