The Family Experiment by John Marrs is a dark and twisted psychological thriller that explores the complexities of family dynamics, secrets, and deception. The story centers around a man named Nicholas, who discovers he has been part of an experimental family created for scientific purposes. As the truth about the experiment unfolds, the characters are forced to confront their pasts, relationships, and their own identities. With Marrs' signature suspenseful writing and unexpected plot twists, this book is a gripping, thought-provoking read for fans of intense thrillers and psychological mysteries.

A compelling story about the complexities of humans relationships, technology and AI. John Marrs always has the most interesting ways of blending the domestic and the surreal. It's a thought provoking thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat

Marrs just put out a masterclass in dystopia. Like genuinely no one else can compete because this level of worldbuilding, detail and commitment to bringing storylines full circle is incredible. A must read, and now I’m going to binge everything this author has ever penned.

SO GOOD!! I NEVER get to give 5 stars due to so many shortcomings in most books, but this one was WELL deserved!! And the ending did NOT disappoint! Usually I won’t read books based outside my country because of so many unfamiliar terms and what not but I am SO GLAD I gave this one a chance! The author did amazing keeping the language universal. I will definitely be reading more from this author

John Marrs does it again! I don't know what about his books exactly that hooks me so much but he does it every time. This world he has created seems like it would be so futuristic but in reality it could very well be happening right now. He dives into the truth of what could be and might be going on and we don't even know about it because we can't understand the full capabilities of AI. The twists and turns he throws into the mix of the secrets of everyday people just dig you in deeper into the story and you want to know more. I felt like I was invested in this reality tv show just like the viewers they mentioned. I can't wait for more from this universe he has created that in reality is it made up or is it the world we currently live in?

Thank you to Netgalley and John Marrs for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

John Marrs has done it again with The Family Experiment! This book is a brilliant mix of psychological tension, moral dilemmas, and gripping storytelling. The premise is both unique and unsettling, pulling readers into a world where science and human emotion collide in unexpected ways. Imagine a reality show where the ultimate prize is a real child.

"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 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, like his others, challenges your mind into partaking in the impossible. Have a notebook handy because it is challenging to keep all of the couples straight along with their own secrets and issues, but it's worth it!!

I absolutely have to read more from John Marrs!

I cannot believe it took me so long to read this because once I started I couldn't stop. The Family Experiment is a gripping, fast-paced, sci fi thriller that kept me on my toes the entire time. It's set in "futuristic London" and also connects to some of this other books like The One, The Passengers, and the Marriage Act. I absolutely loved that they all connected because through each book we read, we learn just the reality of this futuristic London world we are in and the stories we are reading.

Through multi-POVS, I was pulled in and wanted to know what each family was going through. There were plenty of jaw-dropping moments that will leave you wanting to read more and just like me you may finish this book in one sitting!

This was a 5 star read for me because the sci-fi / futuristic setting of John Marrs books is so needed nowadays. We are advancing fast as a race and reading these possible "what ifs" and "possibilities" just make me realize what a scary future there could be.

I cannot wait for the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book!

“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!