*spoiler-free*
The Passengers is the first thriller I have read by John Marrs after hearing great reviews and recommendations across social media. This book intrigued me as it is set during a time when driverless cars are the law, and it is the norm to be travelling in a level-5 car that takes you wherever you need it. However, this does not come without consequences as a hacker is seen to be targeting 8 driverless cars that are on track for a fatal collision with one another. If anyone interferes before they reach their destination, they will automatically explode. The hacker then wants the public and a select jury to decide who should live and who should die.
This premise immediately reminded me of the Saw franchise, the Netflix series Black Mirror, and horror films like Circle, where your societal status, race, gender etc are scrutinised and debated to determine your mortality. I did find the start of the book quite repetitive as it delves into each of the passengers and their experience of realising their car was affected by the hacking, but the scene-setting made sense by the end of the book and so it was reassuring to know each part of the plot was relevant.
We are introduced to Libby as one of the main characters, a normal civilian who was asked to join the jury for driverless car claims. This sets up a book of complex character relationships, with the characters having the most intense hidden secrets. These jaw-dropping moments made the book worthwhile and addictive to read. Quickly, the book progresses into a series of back-to-back action, with each chapter capturing human emotion well. Marrs was great at covering the social media aspect of things, which I think was incredibly realistic. Shock, manipulation, and dishonesty are all prominent themes in this book making it an intense read. The Passengers was a lot darker than I expected, but I enjoyed the thrill.
Whilst there were some parts of the book I found predictable, the main plot twist I would have never guessed. This is a huge credit to Marrs as it is not often that a surprise in the plot works as intended, without it being unjustified or undeveloped. The last 100 pages were a huge improvement from the first 100 pages, as the number of plot twists was incredible. I also really enjoyed the romance element in this book. It was not displayed in the way I thought it was, but it worked well and was refreshing to read. Reflecting on The Passengers, I found Jude’s character so interesting, and I was glad to see that there was a lot more depth there than I first expected.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book (once I got out of my reading slump!) and I am excited to read more of Marrs’ books. I own What Lies Between Us and so will definitely get around to this soon.
4/5 stars
Soph's Library 