This was just as hard it put down as other John Marrs books I have read like The One and Passengers. The first real shocking moment was around the 30% mark. I loved the look at AI and potential future ramifications and the idea of spending so much time living in a virtual world. I have it four stars because it wasn’t quite as exciting as the others I have read and the exposition was a little tedious with all the reveals of what happened to the characters plus explaining all the backstories and motivations. I wish some of that had maybe been dispersed earlier.

John Marrs is an excellent storyteller especially in the realms of speculative fiction and this title is no different from his previous, The One. I knew from the beginning this was going to be both an intriguing and relevant read, especially concerning our modern times with technological advancements in the areas of A.I., V.R., and the likes. This was an amazing and provocative read that digs at the core ethics of human intervention regarding meta-children and the disconnect with reality through the overreliance on and excessive use of V.R. I couldn't be more giddy about the premise!

There are 6 contestants competing on a reality show, each are given a meta-child to rear from infancy through its teenage years roughly within a year's time span. The program is made for people who could not afford to start traditional families and is only achieved through the use of VR sets solely. The world of VR is vastly imaginative and mind-bending; the scenes are visually rich. It was one of my favorite parts to read in The Family Experiment but with any grand invention, there is a certain price to be paid. The doom and gloom in this one was strangely cathartic.

There is a lot of secrets and drama to unpack and each chapter ends on a cliffhanger which happens to be my least favorite technique to extend suspense. The story in all its ugly glory is solid and sadly devastating in spite of the satisfying closing scenes. It is a deep dive into a dystopian future that may not be so far-fetch. This is why I enjoy reading from this author and will continue to do so!


Thank you HTP and The Hive for my advance copy of this book via NetGalley.

You know I love me some John Marrs, and boy is he back with another mind-blowing novel that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat! If you’ve loved his previous works you’re in for a real treat. His latest book takes us into a futuristic world where the concept of parenthood has taken a wild, virtual turn.

Imagine this: the UK is bursting at the seams with people, making it hard for many to start families. Enter Metababies, a company offering a unique solution. They’ve created a reality TV show, "The Family Experiment," hosted by the fabulous Autumn Taylor. Eleven childless couples are given the chance to raise AI-programmed virtual kids in the Metaverse over nine crazy months. These virtual children grow up at warp speed, going from newborns to 18-year-olds in just nine months. Parents interact with them through VR headsets and haptic suits, experiencing all the highs and lows of parenting. But here’s the twist - the audience gets to vote! Good parenting gets rewarded with red hearts, while slip-ups earn black hearts. The grand prize? The option to keep their virtual kid or win enough cash to start a family in real life.

Marrs makes it all feel so real and not too far-fetched. Each couple has their own backstory and quirks, making you cheer for some and cringe at others. The drama is intense, and there are moments that will literally make your jaw drop. Marrs is a master at building tension and throwing in twists that you’ll never see coming.

The story is packed with fun elements like online chats, gossip columns, and social media polls that make the whole experience feel interactive. And let’s not forget the hilarious and sharp social commentary sprinkled throughout. It’s a thrilling ride that also gets you thinking about the future of technology and family.

This book is a must-read!!! It’s a fun, fast-paced thriller that’s impossible to put down. I highly recommend this one.

Great read. At first, I found the amount of characters to be overwhelming. The book is very slow and not exactly a page turner. I wasn’t sucked in wanting to read more, but I was wanting to continue to see what happened. Interesting concept for sure, but wish it wasn’t so slow.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and John Marrs for the copy of The Family Experiment.

Wow! John Marrs has yet to disappoint me. This book was so engaging and while I hate that each chapter ends as a cliffhanger, I love it because I NEED to keep reading because I need to know how the story ends. Definitely recommend!!

I loved the different viewpoints in this read. The short chapters made it easy to read. Also the different viewpoints made the book so great. The book also had many twists and turns.

The Family Experiment by John Marrs

This is an adult sci-fi thriller novel, with multiple character POVs.

In this, we are following a cast of characters as they embark on a journey of reality TV in which they will be raising a virtual child over a 9 month period. During this 9 month period, the virtual child will age at an accelerated rate and everything will be televised.

The Pros
- short chapters
- Lots of mention to Marrs other books that take place in this same world
- Kept me engaged the whole time

The cons
- I didn’t really understand the characters motivations a lot of the time.
- Found myself not caring about the characters or rooting for any of them

Overall:
I think this is worth the read if you have read other books by this author that take place in the same world as they interconnect and it is very interesting. Another solid thriller by this author.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me this arc!

This was a great read! I absolutely loved the callbacks to John's previously written novels, The One, The Marriage Act, and The Passengers. A minor character from The Passengers was a major character in The Family Experiment, which is really cool. Note: you do not have to read the three previously mentioned books before reading this one. I would definitely recommend this book. Being a mom of 2 under 2, I found some of the instances very relatable. It was so much fun seeing all of the secrets unfold and seeing how the book comes around in a complete circle.

This review will be posted on my Instagram account at 10:30am est on May 23, 2024.

Title: A Gripping Page-Turner That You Won't Be Able to Put Down

Rating: 5 Stars

John Marrs' "The Family Experiment" is a masterfully crafted thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. This novel is an exceptional blend of suspense, intrigue, and emotional depth that makes it impossible to put down.

The premise of "The Family Experiment" is as fascinating as it is chilling. Marrs introduces us to a seemingly ordinary family thrust into extraordinary and dangerous circumstances. The plot is intricately woven, with twists and turns that keep you guessing at every turn. Marrs’ ability to build tension is unparalleled, and he masterfully paces the story to maintain a high level of suspense throughout.

One of the standout features of this book is its richly developed characters. Each member of the family is meticulously fleshed out, with their own distinct personalities, strengths, and vulnerabilities. As the story progresses, we become deeply invested in their fates, feeling their fears and hopes as if they were our own. Marrs does an excellent job of exploring the complexities of familial relationships, highlighting the bonds that hold us together and the secrets that can tear us apart.

The writing in "The Family Experiment" is crisp and engaging, drawing readers in with vivid descriptions and sharp dialogue. Marrs’ attention to detail brings the setting and characters to life, making the reader feel like they are right there alongside the family, experiencing every heart-pounding moment.

What truly sets this novel apart is its ability to balance intense action with emotional resonance. While the plot is undeniably thrilling, Marrs also delves into deeper themes of trust, loyalty, and the lengths we go to protect those we love. This emotional depth adds a layer of complexity to the story, making it more than just a conventional thriller.

Overall, "The Family Experiment" is an outstanding read that delivers on all fronts. It's a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller that also offers profound insights into the human condition. John Marrs has crafted a story that is both heart-stopping and heart-wrenching, leaving readers breathless and eagerly turning pages until the very end. If you're looking for a novel that will keep you hooked from beginning to end, "The Family Experiment" is an absolute must-read.

John Marrs just blew my mind with this one! This story was downright diabolical, in an amazing way!

I was hesitant as I started reading because of the writing style of the reality show happenings and the multiple different views from each couple but I wanted to keep going and I am so glad I did! This book had me hooked. The families in this story are going on a reality AI show that creates meta children to give them a chance at having a baby. If they win, they can either keep the meta child or they can have it be deleted and keep the prize money to use in real life to try and have a baby. Seems innocent enough right? But not so much! There are so many secrets within each couple and I was constantly being thrown for loops. This was one book I truly never had a full grasp on what was happening or what was coming next, which is exactly what you want in a thriller book. While for me specifically there were parts of this writing style that I didn't care for in general, the storyline made up for that and kept me going. I HAD to know what was happening and who was going to win. I liked how we even closure for each couple and the secondary characters.

This was my first John Marrs book and I can say for sure it won't be my last!

The Family Experiment is a dark and fascinating sci-fi thriller. The UK population is ballooning and the economic crisis is growing. As an alternative to a natural birth a couple can now pay for a subscription and have a virtual child created for them. The child will be created to parental specifications. The parents will be able to access their child through the metaverse with a haptic suit and a VR headset. A new reality TV show is produced to follow several specifically chosen couples and one single parent. The show is nine months long, during which time their virtual child will grow from infant to age 18. The book flows well from the POV of the contestants, with realistic and often horrifying scenes. To say too much would take away from the thrill of reading this complex book. There are backstories and terrible secrets and it is really impossible to put down. Highly recommended! With thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing. My opinions are my own.

John Maars should be a writer for Black Mirror because this felt like watching one of those episodes. The concept of AI leading to the potential demise of families is such a wild idea but it strangely works really well. This is a well-written book and I like how all of his books reference each other. This book is full of twists and turns, and even though I didn't love all of the characters, it was still very entertaining.
I appreciate the unique concept of this book and will definitely be reading his next one!

Big thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with this ARC.

WOW. I love John Marrs psychological thriller books, so I was excited to read an early copy of this one from NetGalley and his publisher. While this genre is outside of my usual realm that I enjoy, I was absolutely floored with The Family Experiment.

The story follows several families competing to win prize money to fund the IVF process, OR to keep their AI generated child they are raising in the competition. It honestly resonated a bit with how they are willing to do anything to start a family, as I struggled with infertility as well. However, the whole introduction with AI and the metaverse was intense, especially with how much experimentation is going on in our current world with AI.

Each couple and character was written SO well. I love how John Marrs books truly do feel so immersive and well thought out. Following the web he has weaved is always such a fun journey. I can’t recommend this book, or John in general enough.

John Marrs never disappoints! This book was SO GOOD! Give me all the dystopian reads and make it a fast paced thriller. Better yet—-give me a book about a reality show contest where you raise AI (meta) babies…sheeeesh! We have multiple POV, twists, turns & an ending you’ll never see coming. This book was a literal trip for me that I had to pay attention to, follow along—never got lost but definitely kept me on my toes and my mind racing around 😮‍💨. An absolute must read!

Thank you @netgalley and @harlequintradepublishing for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

If you’ve got an itch for Black Mirror that hasn’t been scratched in a long time, John Marrs’ books are for youuuu.

I actually just read my first one of his books (The One) last week and was immediately hooked. This one was just as good! Both books follow multiple different storylines but in this one, all the stories intertwine and all come together into one ending and it is ooooh so satisfying. I can’t say it’s a happy or a sad ending…I think everyone just ended up getting exactly what they deserved.

Overall fantastic read! Omw to read The Marriage Act next!

Ever wonder how the world of AI could lead to the demise of families and their futures? Look no further! This book was a page turner from the start that I never wanted to put down. Short chapters leaving you with a cliff hanger at every turn. I was constantly left wondering how the next twist could beat the last and shocked every time! The only thing keeping this from being 5 stars for me was that it seemed to drag on a bit at the end. Regardless, this is a book I highly recommend!

John Marrs is the speculative fiction KING. This book is like fully immersing yourself in a Black Mirror episode, and trust me when I say that you truly have no idea what will happen next. The story follows a 24 hour live-streamed reality tv show where couples who want children, or are suffering the loss of one, raise an AI child from newborn to 18 years. This stemmed as a marketing strategy for Re:Born, a company that can provide YOU with the perfect meta baby. But can you trust them?

It’s chilling to believe this is how AI can potentially evolve in the future. This book is such a page turner!!!

I don't even know where to START with this one...I finished it about a week ago but needed time to process everything. It took me a little while to get into, but once I did I had a hard time putting it down. With AI becoming more and more prevalent in our world, this one brought a lot of dark concerns to light - several couples are competing on a reality TV show while they take care of AI children in the Metaverse. Creepy? Absolutely.

I really enjoyed the alternating character POVs, but some of them were so brief and ended on such steep cliffhangers that it felt choppy and more frustrating than exciting. I also felt like there were TOO many characters to keep track of...honestly, I don't think the story would have been impacted at all if they got rid of Jaden and Selena's characters altogether. While I rated this 5 stars because the story was just so intriguing, these factors would make me lean more toward 4.5/5 if they had half star options.

I read a LOT of thrillers, but this one had the best twist that I truly never saw coming. I feel like a lot of author "twists" are unrealistic and forced, but Marrs did an excellent job tying everything together and showing how each part of the plan played a role. Thank you SO much for this ARC - I can't wait to read more from Marrs!

I enjoyed this dystopian psychological thriller. It had many twists and turns and it held my interest.

I received an arc copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.

This book is an episode of Black Mirror type plot that has a society that is overly obsessed with reality tv and social media.

We have contestants competing in a show that allows you to virtually raise a child. It airs 24/7 allowing viewers to vote on things.

The concept is griping and pulled me right in. I did find that I hated most of the characters. Not a horrible thing but normally I like to have someone to root for.

I wish the pace was a bit faster as well.

Overall I enjoyed the uniqueness the story offered and will be exploring his other novels to get more crazy future society plots like this.