Book Notes: John Marrs’ The One

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Clarissa

January 12, 2025

Imagine a scientific advance that puts an end to sexism, racism, homophobia, and domestic violence. It also makes national borders even more porous. What can such an invention possibly be?

John Marrs’ psychological thriller The One gives an answer. A DNA test is invented that pairs people who are genetically matched to be perfect romantic partners. DNA doesn’t recognize racial or ethnic differences, and even matches two heterosexual people or people with an enormous age difference. You only have one perfect match in the whole world, and a DNA match test can help you locate that person. National governments then have to oblige and facilitate immigration for couples eager to be united with their one perfect match. Heteros have to make themselves gay if they are so matched. Marriages break up if the spouses aren’t genetically matched.

Of course, humans are more complicated than sciencey attempts to sort them neatly, and all manner of shady dealings and mysterious behavior begins. The One is a bestselling thriller that deserves its popularity. Well-intentioned efforts to use science to make humans much more predictable and controlled always end badly. The book is clumsy in its closing chapters but the premise is good and worth exploring.

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5 responses to “Book Notes: John Marrs’ The One”

oldcowboy3

January 12, 2025
Complemently genotypes?!?! Girl, what have you been smoking ;-D

C’mon our behavior is more than our genes. We obviously carry some innate aversions and attractions*, but our thoughts and beliefs are created by our experiences.
- e.g. female olafactory preference for males with different genes than their own
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1. Clarissa
  
  January 12, 2025
  
  Oh, I agree. The premise is fantastical. It’s not the genes but the neuroses that attach to a partner. But the book goes the gene route to make it more fun.
  
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el

January 25, 2025

Thank you for this recommendation. “The One” was at my local library – a very happy surprise – and I read it in two days. Many single people may pity taking this DNA test isn’t an option in reality.

As for the ending, I don’t have ideas on how to improve it. Liked that the scientist, who discovered this gene, saw it was not required after all for falling in love, unlike one’s readiness to let oneself open to another person in one’s life.

Mandy’s story was especially touching for me, even if we ignore the less realistic final scene. Was surprised at her sisters’ complete lack of understanding after hearing of her pregnancy.

One website describes her as “Mandy’s greatest failure is self-delusion. Terrified of never having children, she deceives herself into believing a soulmate and children will make her whole.” I do not think it’s self-delusion to feel stuck and deeply unhappy at 37 w/o a spouse or children.

“The One” was only in English at our library, so I loaned Marrs’ “The Passengers” for my mother. For now it reads like SF, but in a few decades we’ll all live in this reality 100%:

You’re riding in your self-driving car when suddenly the doors lock, the route changes and you have lost all control. Then, a mysterious voice tells you, “You are going to die.”

Just as self-driving cars become the trusted, safer norm, eight people find themselves in this terrifying situation, including a faded TV star, a pregnant young woman, an abused wife fleeing her husband, an undocumented immigrant, a husband and wife, and a suicidal man.

From cameras hidden in their cars, their panic is broadcast to millions of people around the world. But the public will show their true colors when they are asked, “Which of these people should we save?…And who should we kill first?”

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1. Clarissa
  
  January 25, 2025
  
  I think the point is that this invention was a fake. People simply convinced themselves to be in love because it was “scientific.”
  
  I agree about Mandy. Her pain was very real and realistically described. That people want to pretend it doesn’t exist is the problem of their own lack of self-awareness.
  
  To me, this is a story about the unbearable burden of uncertainty. There’s no shared moral code, no corset, and people are drowning in choices. They’d give anything, travel across the world and even change their sexuality, for ar least one choice to be made for them.
  
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  1. Clarissa
    
    January 25, 2025
    
    I’m very happy you enjoyed this book and discovered this author. I only found him because of Kindle Unlimited that is opening my reading horizons.
    
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