Jaq: A Top Boy Story

by Ronan Bennett

Based on the hit Netflix series, this novel delves into the lives of  Top Boy 's beloved characters. Written by creator and co-producer Ronan Bennett, it promises to be an exciting new chapter of this bona fide TV sensation.

256 pages, Paperback

Published January 30, 2024

About the author

Ronan Bennett is a novelist and screenwriter who was born and brought up in Northern Ireland and now lives in London. His third novel, The Catastrophist, was nominated for the Whibread award in 1998. Havoc, in Its Third Year (2004) was listed for the Booker prize. Havoc has been adapted into a motion picture to be released later in 2012. His latest novel is Zugzwang. His television drama Top Boy will be broadcast by Channel 4 in November 2011.

In addition to Havoc and Top Boy, Ronan has an excessive amount of work writing and creating for both television and the screen.

Long before Ronan ever thought of becoming a writer, he did a brief stint in prison for crimes perpetrated by the Irish Republican Army, crimes he was wrongly accused for.

Reviews

[☠Arianne Reads Horror ☠ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I watched the original top boy which was shown on channel 4 in 2011. Back then, it was unique. It showed a side of life that many people do not see, and in a way that was not made into a comedy or made over the top. It was incredibly raw, unforgiving and a completely brilliant watch.

In 2019, it came back after all that time, same storyline, similar cast and ultimately carried the story all the way through until it's end in late 2023. And if you watched it, there was a HUGE question that every single watcher wanted to know.

When Jaq was advertised, implying a storyline that would eventually answer questions everyone wanted to know, I thought this was a brilliant way to mix medias, perhaps get more people reading so they could know more of the story and get the answer everyone has been dying to know.

Sadly, this didn't really deliver that. The story follows Jaq and her perspective from things throughout the series, including plotlines that were not in the series. Jaq was a mysterious character in the show, and this really does answer a lot of questions about her as a person, her rise in the ranks, her background and life beforehand. Her character is complex and the book does show this and help the reader to understand her more.

This is great, but not what was advertised. It answers zero questions, nothing is solved and apart from individual plotlines relating to Jaq, very little is different. People did not pick this book up for that. The back of the book says "I'm going to tell you everything. I'm going to tell you the whole story". I knew the story, I saw what happened. I didn't need a book to repeat this.

Sure it's fun to get another perspective, but for the most part it's exactly the same words written down, same exact things, screen to paper. Surely Jaq would see things differently, or with a different mindset to certain things? Small changes here and there were made to suit the storylines and suit Jaq.

It was an okay read, but highly disappointing. I think this was a bit of a money grab, knowing what people would think from the tagline and knowing people would be hoping for big questions answered.

[Carrot95x · Rating 2 out of 5]

Manure. Picked this up to see if it adds anything to the tv show. It doesn’t. Stick to writing screenplays Ronan. Say less innit.

[Mathieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you've watched the third season (and more generally all of top boy seasons) you'll most likely not learn much in this book. You will mostly see things from Jaq viewpoint, a couple of other characters will be developed as well but nothing else. I felt like the book leaned way too much on the events that occurred in the series.

Instead of diving into a story most of the time, I remembered things I watched on my computer.

When I first heard of the upcoming release of this book, I was really hyped, I even pre-commended it, I thought that we would probably be seeing the struggles of Jaq to change her life and stop being a roadman, but it wasn't that at all, aside of the main events occurring during season three, there's another plot developed but nothing too crazy...

Overall I think it could have been better if only it tried to be a bit more independent from the series.

[Emily Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sooo disappointed by this! Absolutely loved the show and was gutted when it ended so thought this could be an extra fix. Learnt nothing new really, just everything that happened in the last series from Jaq’s perspective

[Mairead Hearne (swirlandthread.com) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jaq, A Top Boy Story by Ronan Bennett published January 25th with Canongate and is described as an ‘original novel set in the London portrayed by Bennett within his celebrated and award-winning TV drama Top Boy.’

I have never watched Top Boy on Netflix, or read previous novels by Ronan Bennett, so I went into this novel with no expectations and a vague notion of what Jaq, A Top Boy Story was about. Jaq, A Top Boy Story is a novel told from the perspective of Jaqueline (Jaq) Lawrence, a top drug dealer with the Summerhouse crew. Jaq has worked hard to get to the position she is in and now lives with her girlfriend Becks and her sister Lauren, who is pregnant.

Jaq has shown that she is fearless and willing to do whatever it takes to survive. She is extremely protective of her family, with vague plans of a new life away from the one she currently inhabits. Jaq loves Becks and wants to provide a forever home with her but her attention is constantly pulled in multiple directions as the leadership of the crew is in jeopardy.

Jaq gets wind of an opportunity that could be the catalyst she needs to walk away from this life of drugs and criminal activity but there is a huge risk attached to any decision she makes. With Lauren due at any moment, Jaq is torn.

As fractures develop further within the Summerhouse gang, Jaq has to double-down and closely examine her options. This life she leads is a minefield where one wrong turn, one wrong decision means certain death. There is no forgiveness for mistakes made and disappearing usually means only one thing. What will Jaq decide? Will she make a decision that will guarantee her safety and that her family if all goes to plan? Or will she seek advice and look at the alternatives? Either way Jaq’s life is about to change.

There is a great sense of urgency and danger throughout Jaq, A Top Boy Story, as it depicts the lives of those caught up in gangland activity. It is my understanding that much of the content in the novel has already happened on screen so, for those readers who are already fans of the Top Boy series, I have no doubt that their opinions will be quite definitive and exacting. I’m really not sure what audience this book is targeted at but what I can say, for someone like me who knew nothing about any of the characters, it stood perfectly fine as a standalone novel. My only issue was that I did struggle with some of the language being used but I referred to the Urban Dictionary when necessary.

Jaq, A Top Boy Story gives an insight into these characters, providing a more human side to their stories, beyond that of being just drug dealers and gang members. These individuals have personal problems and family members in difficulty like most people have. There is no glamourisation given to their lives, with the fight for survival very evident at all times. It will be interesting to see what true Top Boy fans make of this spin-off novel but I suspect it will be a controversial one!

[Hugh Griffiths]

It's pretty good! Haven't seen the Netflix series and not sure how much backstory I'm missing. It's interesting how much the gang stuff relies on connections and rumours, everyone staying in the loop, and how much that drug dealing is pretty much just outsourced to someone else.

I was pretty confused by Becks? She's a nice middle class professional who is totally ok dating a drug dealer, not freaked out when Jaq dumps a baby on her, and still fine when Jaq turns up at her door during a zoom meeting and bundles her into a car, saying they need to go on the run because Jaq's started a gang war and armed men are coming to kill them. Like, sure there's unconditional love and human emotion, but that felt a bit 2D.

[Cal Watson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think all in all, it’s a great pov of jaq’s experiences throughout the Top Boy TV series. It’s nice to see the book follow the bits of jaq’s story that the show misses out.

I do think that it was a shame that this wasn’t a follow on book after the series has finished about what happens with jaq next as it is a little bit repetitive if you’ve seen the whole show, a shame that the last chapter is the only part of her story that we don’t really see in the show.

overall it was a fun read, not really one for those who haven’t seen the show though as there isn’t much world building + character building at the start.

3/5*

[William Clay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Top Boy was a great show. Jaq is a compelling character and is further developed in this book. The storyline is really just the last series from her perspective which offers nothing new.
Quite a big let down not to say who shot Sully. Probably the main reason anyone would buy the book as advertised.

And the cliff hanger ending seems utterly pointless given how much the character seemed to develop over the book. Is she back doing gangster stuff straight away?

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice companion book to the TV series Top Boy. This book focuses on one of the main characters Jaq and events from her perspective mainly from series 3 of the Netflix series - so if a fan of show but not seen series 3 I would hold reading this till watching show as will spoil. Nice quick and enjoyable read for fans of the show.

[Jodie Devereaux · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was quite excited to read this having watched all the series, but this book was pretty pointless. It basically tells us the story of what we seen on TV, so you don't really learn anything extra.
It was an okay read, I enjoyed reading it, but it was pointless.

[Wiktoria · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's some addition to the netfix show but if you're looking for a interesting read, I don't recommend this book, it doesn't have any real story or plot twist to it, its more of a background to the character

[Dan Potter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice little companion to Jaq's story, although some original side ventures that didn't feature in the show would have been cool. I'm also going to call it season 5 as that's what it is, not 3!
Get scripting that Jaq spin-off series Ronan!

[Miss T · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've never watched the series, so for me this was an interesting read. I think it has potential as a classroom text to engage reluctant readers. Not a literary classic, but a nice simple plot with some thought provoking elements.

[Vicky · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this, if you are a fan of Top Boy the series you will love it too I'm sure, it goes over quite a bit of what happens in the series but from the perspective of Jaq. also it doesn't give away whodunnit to Sully so doesn't spoil the mystery should there be another season.

[Martin Chamberlain · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book gives us nothing at all really, just a look at events from Jaqs perspective.

[Sadie Mabaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be real I enjoyed this. I want that Jaq Top Boy spin-off after reading this

[SJP_Winter · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’ve seen the last series of top boy this is a lot of rehashing of it. There’s a few extra stories but it doesn’t really amplify the story

[James Boote · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn't see top boy before reading this really enjoyed it as my first ever read

[Colin White · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book leaves out the most important question all viewers wanted answered. 2 stars removed for that because otherwise it was nice to hear Jaq’s perspective and see a vulnerable side.

[Cera Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this 5⭐️ purely because i. couldn't put it down and finished in 1 sitting, it gave me nothing that watching the series didn't but still enjoyed it.
Jaq is TopGirl 😍

[Anna]

DNF, sorry Jaq xxxx

[Selina · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a fan of Topboy was really looking forward to reading this book, but was a little disappointed as there was nothing really new to me. Most if not all of the story you would know if you had watched Topboy, the only new things were the mention of Jaqs dad.

[Geraint Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

After arriving to watching Top Boy later than most people, I saw this book advertised too.
I was hoping for a little more, but I'm definitely glad I read it.
I wouldn't say it's a must-read,as like others have said it's mostly just going over what we already new from the TV series.

[art · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.8

🌟🌟🌟🌟.8

the perfect reading to get you out of a slump. Sharp and powerful filled with a lot of action and drama. This book is based on the famous topboy series on Netflix but with a focus on Jaq. It is narrated from Jaq’s point of view which offers a unique perspective and insight to the top boy story that I very much loved reading about. highly recommend 🖤