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dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Abandonment
Moderate: Drug use, Torture, Medical trauma
Minor: Emotional abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Medical content
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Most of the book was mediocre for me. A lot of disconnected stories following the families participating in a reality TV contest. Book was uninteresting until the winner is revealed, and then it finally got good - sort of.
I think the book is a bit too complicated - multiple timelines that seem linear until the reveal and then you realize they were actually asynchronous before and after that moment. And as events unfolded to show how the book came to be, it was still unsatisfying.
Appreciated the nod to The One. I found that book far more interesting. I think it was better written and more ethically relatable. The questions in this book feel a little overplayed in recent years, and it was too conspiratorial and muddled to keep the tension high. Did like that all the loops were closed in the end.
I think the book is a bit too complicated - multiple timelines that seem linear until the reveal and then you realize they were actually asynchronous before and after that moment. And as events unfolded to show how the book came to be, it was still unsatisfying.
Appreciated the nod to The One. I found that book far more interesting. I think it was better written and more ethically relatable. The questions in this book feel a little overplayed in recent years, and it was too conspiratorial and muddled to keep the tension high. Did like that all the loops were closed in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After reading "The Marriage Act" earlier this year, I was quite excited to pick up this new novel from John Marrs.
"The Family Experiment" follows several couples as they try to successfully have a child through AI on a reality television show. In the UK, this seems like the perfect answer for those who want to start a family, but cannot afford it: subscribe to this company's website and utilize a VR headset to enjoy having children, virtually, and a reality game show seems like the perfect way to launch this company. The television show, "The Substitute", will follow ten couples over nine months as they raise an accelerated aging VR child from infancy to the age of eighteen. The winner of the show will get the opportunity to keep their VR child, or they can have a real life baby.
John Marrs's novels broach real life concerns with such an interesting and futuristic approach. Raising a child is such a time-consuming and expensive endeavor, and for a lot of people it is just not feasible. That coupled with a growing population and other concerns really makes people question whether it is worth having children. This novel discusses these concerns in a near futuristic way that seems plausible. We could definitely see someone raising a child virtually with today's technology.
Not only does this novel discuss the logistics of having a child in today's world, but it also explores parenthood in general, and what it means to be a good parent. There are decisions that different characters make throughout the novel that will make the reader question if these people are actually ready to be parents. If this technology were to be implemented in today's world, I think it could be utilized to help better prepare people for how unrelenting parenthood is, and just how big of a responsibility it truly is. There were two plot points specifically that I had a really difficult time reading, but I do think they highlight important aspects of the novel and what it means to be a good parent in general.
I did not love the reality television show aspect, but I do think it was authentic to the story. There were live chats that popped up from the viewers, and one couple took sponsorships to an entirely new level. I think this was, unfortunately, very realistic and authentic to today's world, but I just did not love seeing the hate and criticism come through directed at these people. I also am just not a fan of reality game shows in general. I did know this novel was going to take place during a reality television show, but I was just not expecting how much the novel would feel like how outlandish reality television can get.
I highly recommend this novel, and I cannot wait to see what John Marrs writes next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Infertility, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief
Minor: Infidelity
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Trafficking, Grief, Gaslighting
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Infertility, Abandonment
Minor: Self harm, Terminal illness, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Infertility, Trafficking
challenging
dark
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was my first John Marrs book, and it blew my mind! I kept hearing about it (and his other works) on a podcast and decided to give the audiobook a shot. Let me just say, this book gave me massive Black Mirror vibes, and I mean that in the best way possible. I'm always on the lookout for something that gives me that feeling of sheer terror only the future can provide 😂! There's just something about the feeling of plausibility and the downward trajectory of the human condition that really excites me, it's probably related to my generalized anxiety. The story itself was unpredictable and thrilling. The characters were so multi-faceted that no one could be taken at face value. Sure, there were a few plot holes, but overall, I ate this story up. I can't wait to dive into all of Mr. Marrs' books!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Infertility, Trafficking
challenging
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Trafficking
Moderate: Addiction, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Infertility
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Such a great book, whilst sci-fi ish don't let this put you off as it's still a psychological thriller. It's the author at his best and a follow-on from The One, which is one of my favourites of his I've read. It's premise us about a TV show where couples and a single male raise an AI child in competition to win the chance to either continue with the AI child or delete and have money to raise a biological child in the real world. My description probably doesn't do it justice, but it is thought-provoking and twisty and dark so very dark. Excellent pure brilliance. Superb stuff
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Vomit, Trafficking, Stalking, Car accident, Murder
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Always a fun terrifying read, I loved every book in this terrifying dystopian future universe. Love me some black mirror-esque fiction. I hope these books get an anthology series one day.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Infertility, Infidelity, Trafficking, Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was quite disappointed honestly. I love John Marrs, but this book missed the mark his other books have hit. He tried to lean too far into sci-fi and the twists just weren't up to his usual standard.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Slavery, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation