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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
5 Stars • In The Family Experiment by John Marrs, set in a dystopian Britain where overpopulation and poverty push couples to raise virtual "MetaBabies" in the Metaverse. A reality show pits contestants against each other for the chance keep their AI child or enough money to get a child through IVF, adoption. or other means. As dark secrets unravel—hidden children, corporate exploitation, and ethical dilemmas—the novel explores parenthood, technology’s dangers, and voyeuristic media. In true form, Marrs leaves us with a chaotic, twist-filled climax. #DeliciouslyDystopian
#TheFamilyExperiment #DarkFuture #JohnMarrs #Bookish
#TheFamilyExperiment #DarkFuture #JohnMarrs #Bookish
The impact is substantial when you realize how fast AI is developing and what we are slowly but surely approaching because of its improvement.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Human parents trying to keep their virtual Metaverse children’s screen time to a minimum as to not impede their development is an absolutely flawless allegory to what modern day parenting is like
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
This us a dark future, unpredictable, twisty psychological thriller.
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Whew. The Family Experiment took me on a ride, one I wasn’t emotionally prepared for but absolutely couldn't get off of either.
Let me start by saying: John Marrs does not miss. He writes with this eerie precision that makes you question everything, technology, morality, and most terrifyingly... yourself. And the narration? Spot. On. Each voice actor brought something distinct and chilling to the story, adding layers to an already morally complex tale. This was truly one of those audiobooks that had me pacing the room like, “Wait... WHAT just happened?”
This book dives deep into a futuristic government-run social experiment pairing strangers into artificial families to combat declining birthrates. On the surface, it seems like an advanced matchmaking-meets-parenting initiative, but oh no, this is John Marrs. You just know it's going to go dark, fast. And it did. The psychological unraveling? Impeccable. The moral ambiguity? Deliciously twisted. And the way every character's arc unfolded? So layered. So human. So... disturbing.
The reason I docked just a quarter star is because one of the storylines felt slightly less developed compared to the others, not bad, just not as hard-hitting as the rest. But honestly? That's just me being picky, because the overall experience was still top tier.
This book isn’t just about science fiction or dystopia, it’s about control, grief, loneliness, and how far people are willing to go for connection. It’s haunting in the way only John Marrs can deliver: you’re entertained, intrigued, and then suddenly spiraling into an existential crisis by chapter twelve.
If you’re into high-stakes ethical dilemmas, a touch of Orwellian society, and messy human emotions playing out in terrifyingly plausible futures? This is the one. Put it on your list. You’ll thank me later… or text me in full caps at 2 AM because your jaw is on the floor.
Let me start by saying: John Marrs does not miss. He writes with this eerie precision that makes you question everything, technology, morality, and most terrifyingly... yourself. And the narration? Spot. On. Each voice actor brought something distinct and chilling to the story, adding layers to an already morally complex tale. This was truly one of those audiobooks that had me pacing the room like, “Wait... WHAT just happened?”
This book dives deep into a futuristic government-run social experiment pairing strangers into artificial families to combat declining birthrates. On the surface, it seems like an advanced matchmaking-meets-parenting initiative, but oh no, this is John Marrs. You just know it's going to go dark, fast. And it did. The psychological unraveling? Impeccable. The moral ambiguity? Deliciously twisted. And the way every character's arc unfolded? So layered. So human. So... disturbing.
The reason I docked just a quarter star is because one of the storylines felt slightly less developed compared to the others, not bad, just not as hard-hitting as the rest. But honestly? That's just me being picky, because the overall experience was still top tier.
This book isn’t just about science fiction or dystopia, it’s about control, grief, loneliness, and how far people are willing to go for connection. It’s haunting in the way only John Marrs can deliver: you’re entertained, intrigued, and then suddenly spiraling into an existential crisis by chapter twelve.
If you’re into high-stakes ethical dilemmas, a touch of Orwellian society, and messy human emotions playing out in terrifyingly plausible futures? This is the one. Put it on your list. You’ll thank me later… or text me in full caps at 2 AM because your jaw is on the floor.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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
That was tense. I had a sense of foreboding throughout. It was giving me The Running Man vibes. The toxicity and dangers of social media/ reality TV, plus the considerations around AI, felt so relevant and scary.
The large cast of characters was initially hard for me to keep track of, but I soon got to grips with it. The narrators on the whole were great and helped with this, there was just one narrator I didn't get on with. The sound effects and adverts etc. were very well done, and really added to the audio experience.
Overall just a great and gripping story.
The large cast of characters was initially hard for me to keep track of, but I soon got to grips with it. The narrators on the whole were great and helped with this, there was just one narrator I didn't get on with. The sound effects and adverts etc. were very well done, and really added to the audio experience.
Overall just a great and gripping story.