The Book Review Café's Reviews > The Family Experiment

John Marr’s is fast becoming the “king” of speculative fiction. He has a knack for coming up with the most ingenious plots set in the not too distant future. At first, they may seem farfetched. But within a few chapters he convinces the reader the implausible is terrifyingly plausible. The Family Experiment is a new televised virtual TV program watched by millions of opinionated armchair critics (I loved how the author incorporates our obsession with reality TV into the plot). Viewers get to watch ten couples raise a virtual child from birth to eighteen years over a nine-month period. Members of the public get to vote and choose challenges and at the end the winners will get to choose their prize: the right to keep their virtual child or take the prize money to start a family in the real world. Yes the plot sounds bonkers! But trust me, it really works in John Marrs more than capable hands.

The Family Experiment has a large, diverse cast of characters, but each has a unique voice and their own story to tell. I found myself completely invested in each couple, as we follow their highs and lows, and see them pushed to the limits by the viewers’ monthly challenges. Some contestants are clearly harboring secrets, and John Marrs slowly exposes their private lives, adding to the overall tension. Social media has a powerful part to play in The Family Experiment. Even in the future, it’s a tool that sways opinions and encourages wrath, and the spread of misinformation.

The plot took on a darker, far creepier tone as relationships begin to fracture as the contestants’ secrets come to light. There were so many shocking surprises along the way, which I can honestly say I never saw coming. Ultimately, it’s a book that explores the complexities of relationships and family dynamics. I absolutely loved every page of The Family Experiment, and I would recommend to anyone who enjoys speculative fiction with a thought-provoking plot. One final thought: If there was an award for an ‘author with the most incredible imagination’, John Marrs would definitely get my vote.


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