Two of the most popular trends of this century have been the proliferation of reality television and the rise of Artificial Intelligence. Both have their fans, but both have their critics. In particular, the potentially harmful effects of AI have been a prevalent topic of discussion in the last year. Author John Marrs has written several books on the impact of unchecked AI in a dystopian future. His current novel, “The Family Experiment,” continues that trend amidst the backdrop of a wildly successful reality TV program. The result is one of his best books on any subject yet.

“The Family Experiment” is based on the concept of the Metaverse, which can best be described as the Internet on steroids. It’s the home of all sorts of virtual reality programming. Want to design and spend time in your dream home? You can build it in the Metaverse. Want a dream vacation anywhere in this world or beyond? You can find your Shangri-La in the Metaverse. And coming soon, according to the company behind the concept, are MetaBabies. They are toddlers who exist in the Metaverse. They look, sound, and feel natural (for those with the right equipment) and can be raised by parents who can’t have or don’t want actual children.

To sell the public on the concept of MetaBabies, Re: Born, the company behind the idea, sponsors a new reality TV show called “The Family Experiment.” Five couples and one single parent will raise their MetaBabies for nine months. During that time, each MetaBaby will grow by leaps and bounds, “aging” from an infant to an 18-year-old in a series of monthly steps. The audience votes on the eventual winner, who will get a cash prize sufficient to buy their own MetaBaby or raise a family the old-fashioned way. What could go wrong?

As anyone who has read one of John Marrs’s similar books knows, plenty can and does go wrong. “The Family Experiment” follows the six competitors over those nine months, showing their ups and, mostly, downs. The first down occurs in the book’s third chapter when one couple exits the competition abruptly when the “father” shakes his crying MetaBaby too hard. Bad for the MetaBaby and its MetaFather, but good for ratings and the chances of the remaining contestants.

John Marrs’s books are filled with twists and surprises, and “The Family Experiment” has its share, so much so that I won’t reveal any more of the plot. Suffice it to say that each contestant has some skeletons in their closet, and those are gradually revealed throughout the book. (At one point, I wondered how carefully the show’s producers were vetting their potential contestants.) Unlike other authors, Marrs does not throw in twists and surprises just for the sake of fooling his readers. Each new piece of information readers learn puts people in a different light and adds to the understanding of the book’s overall storyline. The reality show eventually finds a winner, but the events that occur after the winner is announced finally explain everything and provide some of the biggest surprises in the book.

To bolster the apparent realism of the fictional world he creates, the author periodically inserts excerpts from the discussions in fictional chat rooms. The participants there expressed their pleasure or displeasure with the various contestants and gave their predictions about the outcome of the TV show. I don’t take part in these chat rooms, but the excerpts appeared realistic. The author also adds fictional news articles from politicians decrying the show’s concept.

The author’s fictional Great Britain is a society where the costs of raising children have become prohibitive for many. That’s in part because of various marriage laws that have been adopted. As a result, many parents send their children out of the country for a better life, which is often illegal. As a result, the idea of raising MetaChildren at a fraction of the cost of actual children is enticing for many. I’m not familiar enough with British laws and their economy to know how far-fetched this political scenario is. Still, it clearly concerns the author enough to inspire, at least in part, “The Family Experiment.” Although the book may have been inspired by the author’s political views and fears, it’s not a clumsy political tract. Instead, the author’s futuristic vision is scary, but the novel is always entertaining.

My only quibble with “The Family Experiment” is the lack of background concerning the characters before the competition begins. One pair of contestants is eliminated before most readers learn their names or know anything about them. This is not a typical sports novel where the author steers readers into rooting for or against specific contestants. Still, an introductory chapter giving information about the characters would have been helpful. That would easily fit in with the reality TV theme, where viewers see a brief video about each competitor before the contest begins.

“The Family Experiment” is one of John Marrs’s best novels, and that’s high praise indeed. The author displays his deftness in carefully selecting his language. I re-read some parts of the book after I was fooled to see if the author had lied to me earlier. I found instead that I misled myself by making certain assumptions about the author’s descriptions of people and events. As I said before, the author’s frequent twists and reveals aren’t just for show. They allow readers to peel back the fictional show’s innocuous façade and reveal the ugliness within. “The Family Experiment” arrives on bookshelves at a timely moment in the discussion of AI. However, that timeliness doesn’t detract from the book’s quality. This is an excellent example of cautionary speculative fiction and an entertaining, albeit sometimes chilling, read.

NOTE: The author graciously provided me with a copy of this book. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.

John Marrs is one of my auto-buy authors and I love his thrillers. But my absolute favorite books of his are his speculative fiction books set in the same world of The One and The Passengers.

The Family Experiment is another of his amazing speculative fiction books which is set in a near future. A reality show made up of 11 childless contestants raise an AI child from birth in a Metaverse environment. While wearing a haptic suit, gloves, and headset, it’s hard to tell the difference between the Real World and the Metaverse.

The POVs go back and forth between the six sets of contestants, news articles, and the feed of the viewers. The viewing audience are able to stream 24/7 and comment and vote throughout the entire 9 months until one family wins. The child grows from birth to 18 within that 9 month period. Only the winning family gets to choose whether to keep their child or choose to delete them. All of the other AI children are automatically deleted.

As usual with a John Marrs book, the reveals and the twists are bonkers! I can never guess what he’s going to do next and it’s always so unexpected! I seriously can’t get enough of this crazy author.

*Thank you so much to Harlequin Trade Publishing and to NetGalley for the gifted eARC!*

Quick Synopsis: With population and prices skyrocketing, many people cannot afford to start a family, so a company invents the technology that would allow couples to raise AI children in the metaverse with the help of a VR headset. To help raise awareness about this new technology, the company launches a reality TV show following ten couples over nine months as they raise their AI child. The winner will either get the choice to keep their AI child or take the prize money to raise a real child.

Strong Points/Weak Points: This book was wildly outrageous, yet very entertaining. It felt like I was reading a reality TV show. While I enjoyed the twists and turns, they did feel a bit ridiculous at times. Overall, it was a fun concept and an amusing read.

Gasp! What a true mind f*** of a book! A dark and twisted tale based on real world concerns, The Family Experiment took me into the disturbing realm of artificial intelligence in all of its potential horror. From its even pace to explosive climax, the plot was brilliantly written in all of its well-plotted glory. Trust me when I say that there wasn’t a thing missing from this mind-bending speculative thriller. Time after time, a cliffhanger chapter had me shouting “Wait, WHAT?!” into the night as I pushed on to finish this nearly 400 page book in just a single evening.

Told through round-robin multiple POVs, the character list made the plot come alive. With persona after persona filled with secrets deftly hidden from sight, I didn’t know who to trust as the game got underway. And believe me, this was wholeheartedly a game. By the end, the reality TV show feel simply oozed from the pages. But it was the dynamic backstories demonstrated through easily interwoven flashbacks that made each character into fully fleshed out individuals. Running the gamut from unexpected hero to evil villain, each and every one played their role to perfection.

The strongest piece to this five star narrative, however, was easily the deep dive into AI. Mixing together a very real Black Mirror premise with Marrs’s standard fast-paced, thought-provoking drama, all of my worries about what the tech bros newest toy could do to our world utterly came to life. While perhaps it wouldn’t occur in quite such a colorful way, all of the alarming qualities were still there in black and white. For that reason, I think this would be a dynamite pick for a book club book. After all, there would be so very much to discuss.

There were only a couple of teeny, tiny flies in the ointment. One would be the long list of characters at the outset of this novel. Additionally, the ending left something to be desired. Not in the outcome, but instead the slow rollout of facts in the conclusion. Maybe a bit of editing was needed? Despite this, however, it still didn’t ruin this one for me in the slightest.

All said and done, Marrs has clearly done it again. The fourth book set in his near-future world fully doused in warning, be sure to check out The Marriage Act, The Passengers, and The One. Already an auto-buy author for me, the short chapters, mixed media format, and jaw-dropping twists merely confirmed for me that this was Marrs yet again at his best. From the non-stop suspense to the intricate plot, I was wholly consumed as I binged this book from beginning to end. So be sure to grab this one ASAP. It’s sure to be one of 2024’s most buzzed about thrillers. Rating of 5 stars.

Thank you to John Marrs, Hanover Square Press, and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Is an AI child the same as a bone and flesh child? How much of your real-world life would you sacrifice to raise a child in the MetaVerse?

This story takes place 20 minutes into the future where society has become even more dependent on technology, and the hottest reality show is watching several families raise an AI child for the chance to either with the opportunity to keep that AI child, or have it deleted forever for the chance to have a child with in real life.

We meet several families that all look a bit different, and they all seem to have their own secrets that could prevent them from being the big winners. At first, keeping the stories of each individual family was a bit difficult because there was so much story, but after a while, the story settled and moved at a pace that just kept getting faster and faster. Seriously, this was very difficult to put down.

People will very quickly compare this to Black Mirror, as they should. if someone is a casual reader or just now getting into reading, this book is just a fantastic place to start. This book deals with so many things that are creeping up on us as a society- AI, deep fakes, social media, the power of influencers, etc. I don't know if it's a warning about where we are going, or a reflection on where we already are. It's a book you'll want to talk about for week.

I highly recommend this for anyone wanting to have a book that's fast-paced, wants a familiar genre, and those who are looking for their next book club read.

I received an advance review copy for free from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. #TheFamilyExperiment #NetGalley

Do yourself a favor. Buy this book. Now.

An AI program in the metaverse allows you to raise a child, experiencing everything virtually from birth to adulthood. Before it gets rolled out to the public, an instant viral reality show puts 6 parental units to the test. The winner will either get to keep their meta-baby and any unspent funds or will have their fertility treatments paid for to start their real-world parenting journey. Within the first week a family is eliminated. This was an exciting read with twists and turns at every swipe of the page.

I especially enjoyed the sprinkling of additional media throughout this book. Some Reddit style feeds, different memos and bulletins, and news stories were among the nuggets of goodness bringing you deeper into the world Marrs has created. I typically read audiobooks but I would have missed out on the creative presentation of these tidbits.

I was so excited to read this book. I’ve been a member of the Psychological Thriller Readers on Facebook and was beyond thrilled to be selected to read this ARC. While it’s already been released in the UK, we are excitedly waiting for the release here in the US on July 9, 2024.

This book was very slow to start. I found the chapters hard to follow at times. The characters were well developed and the storyline was very intriguing. I love John Marrs books but this one was not for me.

I don't typically read dystopian or sci-fi novels but author Marrs is one of my favorite writers. I won’t pass up the opportunity to take a look at any of his new offerings.



This novel is set in the futuristic virtual reality, with desperate clients who want the perfect child, and who are chosen for a virtual reality tv show. Several couples are given the opportunity on the tv show to raise a virtual "Meta Baby" through a virtual headset in the Metaverse. These couples are competing for a chance to either keep their child, or win money to assist them in starting a family in the real world.

This was too far out there for my taste, a little scary too at the thought of the plot, and there were a lot of characters to keep track of, all with secrets, which should have drawn me in, but didn’t. It just wasn’t my kind of book.

Fans of dystopian thrillers/sci-fi, will devour this. Release day is July 9th. Pick up a copy of it at your favorite retailers.
My thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the galley e-copy to peruse and review.

I don't know how this man does it, but I want him to never stop. Another great read by John Marrs. A reality show where contestants compete to win by raising AI Children. Unique idea, and had me hooked from the start. The multiple point of vies and short chapters are his signature writing style...and they are *chefs kiss*

4 stars

This is my first book by this author, but it won't be the last.

When the novel begins, readers learn that population growth and the outrageous expense of raising a child have made it nearly impossible for many to achieve their goals of establishing a family. Of course, those desires linger for some, and those with the means will have a new option: a virtual child with whom they can interact exclusively in the metaverse. Several teams (some couples and one individual) get to test out these virtual children in the most public way - as part of a reality show that offers almost round the clock viewing of the parents as they interact with their new children, as those children age (rapidly!), and as they all make new and wild discoveries about each other.

The premise of this novel is great, and some of the details are just bone chilling. It's easy to imagine all of this happening later today. At first, I did struggle to keep each parent team in order, and a couple of the storylines merged for me at times. That noted, this is well paced, and once I found my footing, I could not wait to see where this was all going.

After reading this book, I'm not sure that a virtual child is much easier than the traditional sort, but they - and the complicated characters who are interested in them - definitely make for a good read.

John Marrs has done it again! Captivating and refreshingly unique, The Family Experiment is a speculative thriller that takes place in the same futuristic world as The One, The Passengers, and The Marriage Act. You do not have to read those books before this one. On the surface: reality tv, the Metaverse, virtual children, couples who desperately want a child but can't have their own, a competition to be best at raising a virtual child for the reward of parenthood. Below the surface: so much more. This book is fast paced and packed with dark twists, surprises, and intrigue. I love the number of characters that we get to follow, which keeps the story from growing stale. As always, Marrs does an excellent job with character development and making it easy to differentiate between the characters as you read. This book kept me on the edge of my seat; I did not want to put it down. The Family Experiment releases in the U.S. on July 9th. Go get yourself a copy!
Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for this opportunity.
This review has been shared on 7/7/2024 to:
1. Goodreads
2. Psychological Thriller Readers group on Facebook

Gosh, John Marrs is good. He has easily become one of my favorite authors. I’m also shocked to say I think I might actually be a major sci-fi fan and he is one of the reasons why!

I flew through this novel (and that’s saying a lot with an infant at home). The premise was super unique and fun to read. I will say the amount of characters was A LOT to keep track of and I really had to think about who was who each time the characters changed. If you can get past that aspect I think it added to the plot of the story for sure.

I was a big fan of The One, but haven’t read The Marriage Act yet. While it isn’t necessary to do so, I do wish I would have done so before reading this as it was referenced several times in the story.

Overall, another great read by John and one that I’m excited to recommend to others! 5⭐️s!

All I can say is WOW! This is the second book I’ve read by John Marrs, and now I want to read all of them. I read The One last year and absolutely loved it. This book has call backs to all of his other books set in this universe, so I wish I had read the others. However, I was hooked on this! Basically, the premise of this novel is that in the future, there is a way for people to have a virtual AI child. In this story, couples have to compete in a reality show where they take care of an AI child in the metaverse, and whoever gets the most votes gets to keep the child and some prize money. But there is a whole lot more going on! Secrets are revealed about each couple (and the single dad of course, who has the best storyline, in my opinion) and things get wild.
If you’re a fan of futuristic books with some suspense, this book is definitely for you. I would just suggest reading at least one of his other books first so you kind of get the gist of what this universe is like!

I'm left with conflicting feelings on this book, however, I stick by my 4 star rating.

The premise is that you can create a child through artificial intelligence and virtual reality and "raise" it at your convenience in a virtual, but very realistic world due to advanced technology. The couples in the book have been selected to "test drive" the program through a reality TV show.

I enjoyed reading this book but the format was something I had to get used to. Most of the book felt like each set of characters had their own chapters and stories independent of each other except for the fact that they were all part of "The Family Experiment". None of them had any interaction with each other until the very end of the book so at times I felt there was a lack of continuity. At the same time I was compelled to continue reading as it was evident that each couple had a sinister secret they were hiding. In the end, everything tied together but by that point I pretty much predicted the outcome.

Overall, I'd recommend this thriller as it was "different" in it's formatting and definitely not a boring read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Family Experiment by John Marrs is an absolute gem of a book. It's such a great example of speculative thriller. Intense, intelligent, thought-provoking, it will make you question how you view AI and its impact on people and their lives. Families compete on a reality tv show where they spend 9 months raising an AI from newborn baby to teenager. If they win, they get the choice of keeping the baby or receiving funding to have their own real-life baby with paid for IVF treatments, etc.

The writing is absolutely brilliant. The concept of Metaverse is so unique. The story itself have so many twists that will have you completely hooked and reading till you finished.
I love how the story is told, with its multiple points of view, switching between different characters, their individual stories and voices strong and well developed.
The Family Experiment is absolutely exceptional. One of those books that I know will stay with me for a very long time. Highly recommended!

This book was so interesting! All of John Marrs’ concepts are so unique and well thought out. It’s about a group of contestants on a reality TV show where they have to parent AI children in the Metaverse. Through technology, it looks, feels, and sounds exactly like parenting in the Real World. But the contest (and none of the contestants) are what they seem. The book is written in such a way that makes you want to keep reading so you can find out what’s going on, and I truly did not expect any of the twists! It also really makes you think about AI and technology and what it makes possible. Definitely an exciting and thought-provoking read!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for the opportunity to read before pub day! ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. THE FAMILY EXPERIMENT is out on July 9th!

In this dystopian thriller, John Marrs imagines a future where families unable to afford real children turn to virtual parenthood. Parents don VR suits to raise virtual children in the Metaverse, competing on a reality TV show for a chance to either keep their child or win money to start a real family. Each family harbors dark secrets, and the twists keep coming.

Marrs' vivid descriptions and fast-paced plot make for an immersive and thrilling read. Although the ending felt rushed, it was a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended for fans of speculative fiction and thrillers. Thank you to NetGalley, Hanover Square Press, and the author for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

I have always heard such wonderful things about author, John Marrs! Im not sure what took me so long to pick up a book, but I’m so glad I did. This book was well executed and well imagined. I was thoroughly engrossed and cannot wait to read more. The Family Experiment is a complex book told from multiple POV’s. It alternates between past and present with a clear distinction.

Marrs has created a world where we have taken technology to the next level. Humans are submersed in it. This world has multiple families unable to afford to have families so they created a way for parents to have virtual children. Parents out on a suit and visit the meta verse to experience parenthood in every single step. The book is about 6 sets of parents that are trying to start a family, each family has a deep dark secret with each twist bigger than the last. Oh and the parents are competing on a reality tv show where the cameras follow the parents 24/7 and the winner gets to keep their virtual child or get the money needed to start a family in the real world.

What a roller coaster ride of a book! I didn’t know which family to root for. Marrs descriptions helped me to feel submerged in the book. I highly recommend this thriller! I can’t wait to pick up Marrs other books! Thank you to NetGalley, Hanover Square Press and the author for the opportunity to read this book. My opinions are honest and my own!

I just want to live inside John’s head for a day.

The Family Experiment is about a group of people who join a new reality TV show where over the course of 9 months, they raise an incredibly realistic child in the Metaverse from ages 0-18 while being broadcasted 24/7. At the end of the 9 months, they can choose to either keep their Metaverse child or terminate them for cash.

Each family has their own set of demons and secrets that unravel one by one. While it’s not my favorite of his, this was a wild ride from start to finish. And if like dystopian/futuristic technology mixed with mystery/thriller, this is perfect for you.

4/5 stars. I LOVED the concept of this book and am a huge fan of John Marrs' speculative thrillers. This would have been a 5 star for me if it weren't for the ending, I felt that it fell flat.

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC.