The Marriage Act by John Marrs

What if marriage was the law? Dare you disobey?

Britain. The near-future. A right-wing government believes it has the answer to society's ills - the Sanctity of Marriage Act, which actively encourages marriage as the norm, punishing those who choose to remain single.

But four couples are about to discover just how impossible relationships can be when the government is monitoring every aspect of our personal lives, monitoring every word, every minor disagreement . . . and will use every tool in its arsenal to ensure everyone will love, honour and obey.

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I've read two other John Marrs books, both before I started blogging. Both are referenced in this book, but John has perfected a way of seeding in references that still make perfect sense in context, so it doesn't feel like those TV shows where the camera lingers very pointedly  on something innocuous while the soundtrack screams at you and you have no idea why.  As proof, another blogger's review said there were references to a third Marrs book, which I didn't pick up on at all!

This is very much a John Marrs book - large group of characters, high concept, slightly future (in this book, our anchor is the fact that William is on the throne, and a 40 something woman is 'just barely old enough' to remember Brexit.) This time around John is tackling Big Brother (in its original sense) and just how much interference is warrented in society. It reminds me a little of The School for Good Mothers in that the government has decided on the way things Must Be Done and won't permit any deviance.

I always have trouble when there are lots of characters, and that was true here too. Quite late, I was still trying to remember was this the vlogger or the activist. I did better with the men, for a reason I won't spoil (a facet of one was very memorable, so I knew which one was him and which was the other one.). One of them reminded me quite a lot of a character from The One by Marrs!

I can see this as a fantastic book club read - it would certainly lead to plenty of discussions, and not all centered around surveillance either. I look forward to seeing what John tackles next. I'll definitely be reading it.

The Marriage Act publishes on the 19th of January, 2023. I received a free copy and am giving an honest review.