The Family Experiment by John Marrs (eARC Review)

Format Read: eBook

Source: NetGalley

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Sci-fi

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Publication Date: 9th May 2024

Synopsis/Blurb (Taken from Goodreads):

“The world’s population is soaring, creating overcrowded cities and an economic crisis. And in the UK, 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. 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 . . .”

My Thoughts

“The Family Experiment” is an enthralling science fiction book set in the near future, that will take you on a thrilling journey through a reality TV game show. The game show chooses ten contestants, comprising of five couples, who are given the task of raising a virtual child, commonly known as a meta child, for a period of nine months. During this time, the meta child is programmed to grow from birth to the age of eighteen, and the couple who raises it the best wins the game show and gets to keep their virtual child and win a substantial amount of money to help them raise a real child.

The book is well-crafted, with a fast-paced and engaging storyline that will hook you from the very first page. The plot is cleverly written, scarily realistic, and so plausible that it leaves you questioning the possibility of such a game show existing. The twists in the book are well-placed and will keep you guessing and wanting more with every turn of the page.

Although the book mentions previous books, it can be read as a standalone without any confusion. The multiple points of view in the book are easy to distinguish and follow, making it a smooth read.

The characters, although somewhat unlikeable, are well-written, with each hiding a secret that makes them intriguing to follow. The author does an excellent job of keeping the characters’ secrets hidden until the right time, making the story all the more thrilling.

As a fan of John Marrs’ books, I can confidently say that “The Family Experiment” is my favourite book so far. If you’re a fan of fast-paced, science fiction mystery thrillers, or have enjoyed John Marrs’ previous books, then this is one book that you should add to your reading list.

Finally, I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Pan Macmillan, for providing me with a digital review copy (eARC). These are my honest and unbiased thoughts, which I am sharing voluntarily.

My Rating