“The grass wasn’t greener on the other side… It was greener on the hills and lush vineyards that surrounded him every single day…”

I absolutely loved this book, omg.

Synopsis: Metaverse family. Can’t have kids? Don’t have the family you want? Join the metaverse, have a baby, watch it grow, live the family life you’ve always wanted within the confines of VR.

Review: I overall really enjoy John Marrs novels. I have always felt like his dystopian novels were a little long & this one was perfect. It was an 11 hour audio book and was easy to BLOW through. Full speed ahead, no brakes.

This concept is a dark one. AI is dangerous and sucking people in for families that they can’t have in real life seems like an easy way to get people into a video game who can never get out. Homelessness due to an inability to work due to a video game addiction (& the issue of the video game addiction itself) are two things that spring to my mind when I think about living in a VR world. I know it’s all created to help people cope and live the life they want, but I’m not here for it. Overall, I think it’s more harmful than good.

Read this if you enjoy:
🏃‍♀️ Fast-paced thrillers
😱 Shocking scenes
🕵️‍♂️ Mysteries you don’t even know exist until they’re unraveled
😳 Complex characters with developed back stories

Audiobook length: 11 hours
Narrator: Full Cast (like 9 narrators)

I also was provided the digital ARC of this one - I definitely read along as I listened as fast as I could. Thank you to NetGalley, John Marrs, & Hanover Square Press!

This was a really compelling novel. I really found the premise to be intriguing, and I liked the references to the other book I have read by this author, The One. The depiction of the characters was flawed and complicated. They felt very real. I liked getting the different perspectives and also forum posts and news articles. The way the whole thing came together was fantastic.

I love Marrs’ books. They always hold an edge if like this can be reality. This concept was so wild to me and at the same time scary. AI completely freaks me out. Loved this one.

A show where different couples and one single man will raise an AI baby who leaps through milestones to adulthood in months rather than years.
The public votes on the winner who can then opt to either walk away with money to start their own true family, or keep their Meta-child.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC!

In The Family Experiment, John Marrs delves into a chilling and thought-provoking future where the world faces an overwhelming population crisis, and raising a real child has become an unaffordable luxury. Marrs introduces us to a dystopian society where technology offers a disturbing solution: virtual children. For a monthly fee, couples can raise a digital child in the metaverse—a simulation so real it’s nearly indistinguishable from the real thing. This disturbing concept is brought to life in the form of a reality TV show, The Substitute, which condenses the journey of raising a child into a nine-month competition, where the prize is either a real baby or the chance to keep their virtual child forever.

Marrs creates a dark and unnerving atmosphere as the couples on The Substitute navigate the highs and lows of virtual parenthood. With the option to opt for a real baby, the stakes couldn’t be higher, and the moral and ethical dilemmas come thick and fast. The exploration of love, parenthood, and the question of what truly makes a family is at the heart of this fast-paced thriller.

Fans of Marrs’s previous work, such as The One and The Marriage Act, will appreciate his signature blend of speculative fiction and psychological tension. The novel not only asks compelling questions about technology’s influence on human relationships but also provides a gripping and twisted narrative that explores the lengths people will go to for the illusion of a perfect family.

The Family Experiment is a haunting commentary on the intersection of technology and humanity, offering a thought-provoking look at what it means to be a parent and what we’re willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of perfection. It’s a must-read for fans of dark dystopian thrillers and those who enjoy stories that challenge ethical boundaries.

A chillingly plausible near-future thriller where cash-strapped couples compete on a reality TV show to raise AI children in the metaverse.

I wanted to love this, but I didn't. I thought the premise was great and could have been so interesting. However, the execution and conclusion kind of lost me. I think following all the different participants and their stories was a bit much at times, and the way everything concluded and wrapped up just seemed unplausible and far-fetched. I still want to read more John Marrs and hope that I like the next thing I read more because I have heard good things about the author.

The Family Experiment is a thought-provoking, thrilling exploration of family dynamics and secrets. Marrs’ suspenseful writing keeps you turning pages, wondering where the twists will lead.

This book should be short listed to be the meat for the next full length black mirror movie! I

was transfixed by this story, as I always am when it’s by Marrs. Enter a world where you can raise an AI baby, the catch you’re doing it 24/7 on a streaming platform. The world is watching and they aren’t going to make these easy.

Not to mention the stakes are high when only one of the selected couples will leave this experience with a child. Secrets can’t stay buried long and the ugliness is hard to hide when everyone is watching.

Marrs never misses with his multiple POV’s full of honesty. This is a wild read.

This book offers a gripping exploration of parenthood in a high-tech, dystopian future. The idea of virtual children and the reality TV show setup is both unsettling and captivating, raising compelling questions about love, family, and what it truly means to be a parent. The fast-paced nine-month timeline creates plenty of drama and tension among the couples, and the ethical dilemmas they face add depth to the story. While some characters feel underdeveloped, the book’s originality and thought-provoking themes make it a standout read for fans of speculative fiction.

I wasn't a fan of any of the characters other than Alice and sometimes Hudson. I found it difficult to keep track of the couples and the stories within the story, and equally difficult to follow dialogue with the off-putting formatting (or lack thereof) that lacked traditional punctuation. But it was an interesting concept and I enjoyed the ethical quandaries. However, the story can be a bit blah. The last 20% of the book was rather boring as it tied up the loose ends and explained the background through some flashbacks. It felt almost "technical" in the end. On a positive note, there are a lot of twists to keep you guessing! I found the book to be just "okay", but I seem to be in the minority on this one! It just felt sort of clunky. Overall a good read for anyone who likes a dystopian-type read that makes you question the precipice we teeter on with AI and with networks who see viewers as dollar signs.

(Rounded up from 3.5 stars)

I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this one and WOW, I was blown away!

Set in the not-so-distant future, couples are given the chance to experience parenthood from an AI, Metaverse perspective. The babies are created through AI and feel every bit real by the parent entering the Metaverse wearing a haptic suit to hold, feed, cuddle and experience normal growth patterns of their child.

The Family Experiment is a TV show that follows 5 couples journey raising their AI baby from birth to 18 years old over a fast-paced time span of only 9 months!

Viewers vote for the “best” parents to 1 of 2 prizes: keep their child forever in the Metaverse or terminate its existence and win $250,000 to start a real-life family.

Although there were many character story lines to follow, John Marrs writing style offers clarify and depth to each character making their stories easy to follow.

There are so many twists and turns and connections to make throughout the book. I highly enjoyed it!

This was my first book to read by John Marrs. Which should I read next?!

Thank you to @netgalley @htpbooks and @htp_hive for the free ebook in exchange for my honest opinions

I loved other John Marrs books but this one didn't quite meet my expectations. It didn't pull me in and keep me wanting to read. Some parts were good it just fell a little flat for me. I still can't wait to see what else he has in store for us.


Thank you netgalley for this arc!

It took a minute to understand what was happening. I don't usually read "sci-fi" but I wouldn't say it's hard core. It's actually probably closer to our soon-to-be reality, which is scary. AI is taking over the world, including giving us MetaChildren, little avatar kids that learn and grow at a fast rate. You can take your kid around the world in just a few seconds, including letting them experience history first- hand. (Like attending Princess Diana's processional anyone??)
Anyhow, there's a reality show where you can win your AI child and keep him/her forever, or you can "kill" your child and take the prize money and go have a real family. As the contestants get caught up in their MetaVerse, some of their reality gets brought to light. This book was trippy, fun and quite frightening - not sure I want to live in the new AI world.

The Family Experiment by John Marrs is a masterclass in psychological suspense, blending dark family drama with chilling twists that’ll make you question what you’d do for the people you love. The premise is as irresistible as it is unsettling: a seemingly perfect family, but underneath the shiny surface, things are anything but picture-perfect. Think The Truman Show, but with much darker secrets and a whole lot more paranoia.

Marrs' writing is sharp, witty, and devilishly clever, keeping the tension taut without ever feeling like it's trying too hard. The pacing is on point, with each chapter peeling back another layer of the family’s carefully constructed facade, all while offering up enough twists to make your head spin—without feeling like it’s just twist-for-the-sake-of-twisting. There's substance beneath the suspense, and the character development is fantastic. You’ll find yourself getting sucked into their messes, rooting for them, and then doubting every single one of them in the next breath.

The concept of the "experiment" at the heart of the story is intriguing, and Marrs does a brilliant job of keeping you hooked as the layers of manipulation, control, and psychological games unfold. The ending, which I won’t spoil, had me audibly gasping (which is always a good sign). It’s one of those books that sticks with you long after the final page.

The only reason I’m not giving it a perfect five stars? The pacing felt just a tad uneven in places—there were moments I wanted things to move a bit faster, or at least for the stakes to feel even higher. But honestly, that’s a small nitpick in an otherwise fantastic read.

4.5 stars—The Family Experiment is a gripping, thought-provoking psychological thriller that asks, “How well do you really know your family?” Spoiler: probably not as well as you think.

One of my favorites of John Marrs! Anytime you think you figured things out, you don’t! The twists are great!

I really enjoyed this read by John Marrs!! The plot and storyline keeps your attention and the twists were great. I did not see the ending coming. There were quite a few characters but I still enjoyed the book. I look forward to reading more books from this author. If you’re looking for a good speculative sci fi you should check this out.

Absolutely adore this author and will read anything they have written or will write. New favorite! Will purchase for libraries.

I love John Marrs alternate worlds, it reminds me of Black Mirror episodes. It's sci-fi but not that far off from our real world. Creepy and introspective...and always thrilling.

The premise of this book sounded so interesting and after reading and liking The passengers, it felt clear to pick this up next.

The Family Experiment is set in the future and takes place in the universe of the one, the passengers and the marriage act. You don’t have to read the others to enjoy this one. If you read the previous books you just get some Easter eggs.

The last publication of John Marrs had all interesting premises and this one continued with that trend. But this one just didn’t work well for me. There was a big cast of characters, they just weren’t that distinct. I had also a problem how one plot point with mental illness was handled.

Still enjoyed the overall explorations.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.