February 10, 2025 by Daniela Fleming (‘26)
Once again, welcome back to Five Stars, where I share my favorite “five-star” reads that stood out to me for their distinctive plot, ingenuity, entertainment value, or for some intangible wow-factor. I’ve read a good number of books, especially in the past 3 years, but only a select few earn the coveted five-star rating. So far on this series, I’ve recommended many genres: contemporary fiction, thriller, sci-fi, and mystery. No matter who you are, I’m convinced there’s a genre out there for you. Although we all have different interests, I hope you try out one of my favorites!
This time, my chosen book is The Family Experiment by John Marrs. This book is a speculation on what would happen in the future as technology progressively ingrains itself into human culture. This book is also the most recent in Marrs’ unnamed series about AI, tech, and humanity. It’s exciting, fast-paced, and keeps you guessing. Also, with increasing concerns of AI in the real world, this book shows its readers what could become reality. As outlandish as the story is, when you think about it? It’s not really all that unbelievable.
The Family Experiment takes place in England, where fertility is dropping and only a lucky few can afford IVF, leaving many desperate for kids. Sounds like The Handmaid’s Tale, right? Only in this world, technology becomes a way to give some parents a chance to make their dream a reality. To promote their product, the “Virtual Child Company” creates a televised competition where 10 couples raise a virtual child from birth to adulthood, while the entire world watches online. Over the span of nine months, the parents log onto the Metaverse to raise their child, facing trials voted on by the audience. If they fail? They’re eliminated, and their Meta-Child is erased completely. The last couple standing wins the decision of a lifetime: keep their Virtual child, or have it deleted to try and have a child in the real world. It raises the question: just how far would someone go to get what they want? And just how many secrets are these couples hiding?
I’ll stop there because this book is crazy, and you need to read it. This book is so creative and mildly (or majorly) disturbing, but you will not want to put it down. It’s a wild ride, and I highly recommend it.
With all that said, happy reading!
Source: Amazon.com