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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
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:
Complicated
dark
tense
fast-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
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
emotional
sad
fast-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
📚 2025 #19: “The Family Experiment” by John Marrs
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5: Apparently I'm on a speculative fiction kick recently and this one had plenty of elements for an interesting story: incredibly immersive VR, borderline inhumane reality TV, parents selling their children to survive economic crisis.
Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I had read other Marrs books first, but I was a bit underwhelmed. It could also be because I just finished "Playground" by Richard Powers before this and found that to be a much more engaging multiple-storyline book.
My biggest complaint is that the chapters are too short to get sucked into any character's story before you're ripped out and put back into another one. My second complaint is that so much information is simply fed to us right at the end to explain backstories and motivations. I would have much preferred longer chapters and showing instead of telling us the stories.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5: Apparently I'm on a speculative fiction kick recently and this one had plenty of elements for an interesting story: incredibly immersive VR, borderline inhumane reality TV, parents selling their children to survive economic crisis.
Maybe I would have enjoyed this more if I had read other Marrs books first, but I was a bit underwhelmed. It could also be because I just finished "Playground" by Richard Powers before this and found that to be a much more engaging multiple-storyline book.
My biggest complaint is that the chapters are too short to get sucked into any character's story before you're ripped out and put back into another one. My second complaint is that so much information is simply fed to us right at the end to explain backstories and motivations. I would have much preferred longer chapters and showing instead of telling us the stories.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-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
With the rising cost of living, raising a child in the “future” is becoming harder and harder. The plot in this book is that you have 5 couple going on a reality tv show that takes place over 9 months. They are each given an AI child to raise in this virtual metaverse and each month their child progresses up in age, with the 9th month being their 18th year of life. Viewers can tune in, give the couple a “challenge” to overcome (ex: a colicky baby) and share all their likes and dislikes about the contestants. They are each given money at the start of the contest to spend on their child and at the end, the selected winner can either keep their AI child or use their remaining money to start a family in the “real world”.
John Marrs is the king of writing enjoyable fast-paced books. The short chapters and multi-POV keep you wanting to read more and make it seem like you’re reading 5 thrillers in one book because of the multiple storylines and cliffhangers. I also love that he writes his books based off something that’s inspired him and that COULD happen - it always leaves me thinking and I never forget the overall content and message of his books.
My main complaint for this book is just a slight disconnect with the characters. There might have been too much going on at times for me? I also think JM writes unlikeable characters to begin with so sometimes this creates an emotional disconnect for me too. Regardless, I always want to know what happens and the cliff hangers get me every time. “How many more chapters until I read this POV again?” Is a question I often ask myself while reading his books as I get so invested in each storyline 😂 so good.
John Marrs is the king of writing enjoyable fast-paced books. The short chapters and multi-POV keep you wanting to read more and make it seem like you’re reading 5 thrillers in one book because of the multiple storylines and cliffhangers. I also love that he writes his books based off something that’s inspired him and that COULD happen - it always leaves me thinking and I never forget the overall content and message of his books.
My main complaint for this book is just a slight disconnect with the characters. There might have been too much going on at times for me? I also think JM writes unlikeable characters to begin with so sometimes this creates an emotional disconnect for me too. Regardless, I always want to know what happens and the cliff hangers get me every time. “How many more chapters until I read this POV again?” Is a question I often ask myself while reading his books as I get so invested in each storyline 😂 so good.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes