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Toppers
NA
312 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2016
11 people want to read
About the author
Aayush Gupta
2 books3 followersAayush Gupta is an author-screenwriter who oscillates between Delhi and Mumbai depending upon the medium he’s working on at the moment. He’s done his M.A. in English Literature from Kirori Mal College, and B.A. (Hons) in Journalism from Maharaja Agrasen College, University of Delhi. He's also trained as a Santoor instrumentalist under Pt. S.N. Sopori, and is a Sangeet Prabhakar from the Prayag Sangeet Samiti.
His debut novel Toppers, a YA political thriller, was published by Penguin Random House India in 2016. Since then, he’s been a part of writers’ rooms in Eros, Zee, and Yash Raj Films. He's written over 25 episodes of Sony's iconic cop series, CID, and is the writer of Yash Raj Films' The Railway Men , a show centred around the Bhopal Gas Leak. He’s produced and presented shows for All India Radio’s External Services and National channels.
Under his own banner, Guddi Productions, he has directed and co-produced non-fiction series for India's public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati on Indian Handicrafts and Rural Innovations, as well as documentaries for organisations like Gandhi Smriti & Darshan Samiti, NCERT, and Directorate General of Home Guards.
My Name Is Not Devdas is his second novel, a darkly subversive contemporary retelling of Saratchandra Chattopadhyay’s Devdas.
His debut novel Toppers, a YA political thriller, was published by Penguin Random House India in 2016. Since then, he’s been a part of writers’ rooms in Eros, Zee, and Yash Raj Films. He's written over 25 episodes of Sony's iconic cop series, CID, and is the writer of Yash Raj Films' The Railway Men , a show centred around the Bhopal Gas Leak. He’s produced and presented shows for All India Radio’s External Services and National channels.
Under his own banner, Guddi Productions, he has directed and co-produced non-fiction series for India's public broadcaster, Prasar Bharati on Indian Handicrafts and Rural Innovations, as well as documentaries for organisations like Gandhi Smriti & Darshan Samiti, NCERT, and Directorate General of Home Guards.
My Name Is Not Devdas is his second novel, a darkly subversive contemporary retelling of Saratchandra Chattopadhyay’s Devdas.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 25, 2017
Rating : 3.5 stars
Toppers is a book set in an elite high school for the best students in the country.
It turned out to be a surprisingly dramatic and thrilling read, given the premise.
The key characters were brilliant. Ambiguous and some unapologetically self-serving, whichever they were, they stayed true to their selves till the end.
I found the child prodigy Ramanujam who is a selfish, callous sociopath, to be very intriguing.
So many questions. What has he seen in his young life that made him this way?
I knocked off half a star only because I thought there was an imbalance in the treatment of the characters; it felt like the author had preference to certain characters as opposed to the others. (also, not to mention, the lack of development in the supporting girl characters, sparse as they were. That IS something I look for in books)
Although the book starts slow, the impressive prologue kept me reading on and the twists did not disappoint!
I loved the epilogue!
Overall, this was a very well-written book which I enjoyed reading.
Do check out the full review in my blog
My thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
Toppers is a book set in an elite high school for the best students in the country.
It turned out to be a surprisingly dramatic and thrilling read, given the premise.
The key characters were brilliant. Ambiguous and some unapologetically self-serving, whichever they were, they stayed true to their selves till the end.
I found the child prodigy Ramanujam who is a selfish, callous sociopath, to be very intriguing.
So many questions. What has he seen in his young life that made him this way?
I knocked off half a star only because I thought there was an imbalance in the treatment of the characters; it felt like the author had preference to certain characters as opposed to the others. (also, not to mention, the lack of development in the supporting girl characters, sparse as they were. That IS something I look for in books)
Although the book starts slow, the impressive prologue kept me reading on and the twists did not disappoint!
I loved the epilogue!
Overall, this was a very well-written book which I enjoyed reading.
Do check out the full review in my blog
My thanks to the publisher for providing a copy for review.
February 6, 2017
Loved rikkhe rajput. Character development of Himanshu and vishakha flawlessly done.
A good thriller set in unusual setting: a school.
it was refreshing to read something original like this, that too from a first time author.
A good thriller set in unusual setting: a school.
it was refreshing to read something original like this, that too from a first time author.
February 25, 2017
Review: Toppers
Truthfully, this is first fiction I have read after a long gap.The best thing about young teen novels is they grow with you.
In Toppers, I couldn’t have cared less about who becomes head scholar of Woodsville or whether Himanshu and Visakha end up together probably because its been more than 15 years since I finished my school. But the strategies and one upmanship between Dev, rikkhe and Ramanujam is what adult readers would like in this novel.
The story being set in a upmarket Delhi school, where wealthy kids vie for either top marks or being the head scholar or house captain. The premise is pretty serious with comic situations placed few and far between.
The writer takes his time to etch out each of the characters, but none holds on to readers’ psyche like the way the Ramanujam’s character does.
The Reader has to sustain interest in continuing to read the book for first 80 pages atleast
Until the chapter where Ramanujam is introduced into the picture which brings in suspence, intrigue and heightened sense of strategy come into picture.
The author dedicates 2-3 pages each to project characters such s Himanshu, Visakha, Dev & yash, but Ramanujam’s character is thrown into the picture and I kept searching for his portions till the end of the novel. The intent behind why Walia adopts Ramanujam is also not clarified.
His character reminded me of “Joker” in Batman Dark Knight Series, with many similarities including being a orphan with a troubled childhood,maniacal insanity and his ability to intimidate fellow students into his henchmen and creating controlled chaos in the school and unsettling lives of students he hates.
He is the true definition of Anti-Hero whom some might root for to win because he brings in the much needed drama and action into the school of Woodville with his complete disregard for rules and principles.
For a debut novel, writer can be appreciated for designing his characters in a subtle and charismatic manner. The characters are mature and realistic for their age and surroundings
The Second half of the story is pretty tightly woven with good prose, and becomes a page turner with suspense and mystery and how each character is intertwined with others had me swooning. The real genius of the book lies in the climax which ends with a violent twist and brings together main characters to restore peace in the lives of students and school.
Truthfully, this is first fiction I have read after a long gap.The best thing about young teen novels is they grow with you.
In Toppers, I couldn’t have cared less about who becomes head scholar of Woodsville or whether Himanshu and Visakha end up together probably because its been more than 15 years since I finished my school. But the strategies and one upmanship between Dev, rikkhe and Ramanujam is what adult readers would like in this novel.
The story being set in a upmarket Delhi school, where wealthy kids vie for either top marks or being the head scholar or house captain. The premise is pretty serious with comic situations placed few and far between.
The writer takes his time to etch out each of the characters, but none holds on to readers’ psyche like the way the Ramanujam’s character does.
The Reader has to sustain interest in continuing to read the book for first 80 pages atleast
Until the chapter where Ramanujam is introduced into the picture which brings in suspence, intrigue and heightened sense of strategy come into picture.
The author dedicates 2-3 pages each to project characters such s Himanshu, Visakha, Dev & yash, but Ramanujam’s character is thrown into the picture and I kept searching for his portions till the end of the novel. The intent behind why Walia adopts Ramanujam is also not clarified.
His character reminded me of “Joker” in Batman Dark Knight Series, with many similarities including being a orphan with a troubled childhood,maniacal insanity and his ability to intimidate fellow students into his henchmen and creating controlled chaos in the school and unsettling lives of students he hates.
He is the true definition of Anti-Hero whom some might root for to win because he brings in the much needed drama and action into the school of Woodville with his complete disregard for rules and principles.
For a debut novel, writer can be appreciated for designing his characters in a subtle and charismatic manner. The characters are mature and realistic for their age and surroundings
The Second half of the story is pretty tightly woven with good prose, and becomes a page turner with suspense and mystery and how each character is intertwined with others had me swooning. The real genius of the book lies in the climax which ends with a violent twist and brings together main characters to restore peace in the lives of students and school.
February 1, 2017
With an all-familiar premise, debut author Aayush brings out a wondrous spin to the school days tale, as he does more than bring the characters to life. A dramatic page-turner, he exercises the right amount of restraint in his prose, as the reader is left wanting to see justice exacted by the end by the characters he has grown to love.
A brilliant piece of work. I would definitely be looking forward to his next book.
A brilliant piece of work. I would definitely be looking forward to his next book.
April 7, 2017
When I first heard about the book, it felt more like a work of fiction that would revolve around academics. But we've been told not to judge a book by its cover. SO, on receiving the copy, I wasn't really sure about what this young adult book had in store.
Starting with the story, moving past a quote from Fight Club and a short prologue, you're already confused about the setting of the story. Right then, the first chapter paints a rather elaborated image with some outlines about a bunch of characters, each of whom will try to win you over. This, followed by meticulous descriptions about the main characters from the book. By the time you're done meeting all of them, you're already rooting for someone. But just then you're privy to an incident that'll make you think twice about your choice.
The entire story folds out in this particular manner. With a twist and turn after a few pages and a entirely different lead role in each chapter, the writer puts together a remarkable story about students from a prestigious boarding school. The novel builds on the idea of academics, but runs far from it. As you drive past the initial chapters, you come closer to the essence of the 300 page long book. It may not be a life changing story for all the crime and thriller readers out there, but definitely brings in something fresh and well-written to your bookshelves.
A slow-moving yet gripping tale about the exchange of power and everything that comes with it, Toppers by Aayush Gupta makes up for a great read to break the monotony in the world of Young Adult novels from India.
Starting with the story, moving past a quote from Fight Club and a short prologue, you're already confused about the setting of the story. Right then, the first chapter paints a rather elaborated image with some outlines about a bunch of characters, each of whom will try to win you over. This, followed by meticulous descriptions about the main characters from the book. By the time you're done meeting all of them, you're already rooting for someone. But just then you're privy to an incident that'll make you think twice about your choice.
The entire story folds out in this particular manner. With a twist and turn after a few pages and a entirely different lead role in each chapter, the writer puts together a remarkable story about students from a prestigious boarding school. The novel builds on the idea of academics, but runs far from it. As you drive past the initial chapters, you come closer to the essence of the 300 page long book. It may not be a life changing story for all the crime and thriller readers out there, but definitely brings in something fresh and well-written to your bookshelves.
A slow-moving yet gripping tale about the exchange of power and everything that comes with it, Toppers by Aayush Gupta makes up for a great read to break the monotony in the world of Young Adult novels from India.
February 6, 2017
Whoooaaa...!!! just finished wid it and feel as if i have jst gotten off a "toofaanmail" ride (a superfast trainlike ride in adventure parks). didnt expect it (as being from a first time author) to be this good. i totally agree wid previous review. Although the book has a slow start, probably because u r being introduced to all the characters and the setting.. the first chapter itself makes you partial to the characters u form a bonding with. But then as the plot unfolds and twists after twists are revealed... gupta grows on u!! i wont say anymore for u need to experience the journey uerself. i strongly recommend this novel.
April 19, 2022
An incredibly satisfying read and probably the best dark academia book I’ve ever read. The characters’ descent into darkness was so delicious and so perfectly founded in unhealthy academic competition. There were twists I didn’t see coming and twists I was happy to be right about. I loved the pacing as the stakes increased. I also found the antagonists to be incredibly fun to hate. I also found the dynamics between the cast of characters to be very entertaining even when they weren’t all positive. It definitely felt like a fun exploration of morality and how in the teenage years the kind of person you become can be so heavily influenced by the people you’re surrounded with.
January 5, 2017
This book is the epitome of Indian writers ability to produce an topnotch thriller novel...!
May 31, 2025
Wow.
I guess I could elaborate on that, but I don’t even know where to begin reviewing this book.
In a world where young adult books by Indian authors are grossly absent from bookshelves, Aayush Gupta’s ‘Toppers’ is an amazing read.
If I were to convince you to read this book in just one line, it would be this:
There. Are. Multiple. POVs.
For a debut, this book really impressed me. It starts off in a fancy boarding school and you think it’s going to be all academic drama—but nope, it quickly turns into a full-on political thriller. The ending is easily the best part—totally unexpected, a mix of joy and sadness, and just everything a good ending should be.
Okay but can we all agree that Rikkhe Rajput totally deserves a standing ovation for the perfect man he is? And Ramanujan was such an interesting character—so clever and sharp, especially for his age. Loved reading both of them!
I guess I could elaborate on that, but I don’t even know where to begin reviewing this book.
In a world where young adult books by Indian authors are grossly absent from bookshelves, Aayush Gupta’s ‘Toppers’ is an amazing read.
If I were to convince you to read this book in just one line, it would be this:
There. Are. Multiple. POVs.
For a debut, this book really impressed me. It starts off in a fancy boarding school and you think it’s going to be all academic drama—but nope, it quickly turns into a full-on political thriller. The ending is easily the best part—totally unexpected, a mix of joy and sadness, and just everything a good ending should be.
Okay but can we all agree that Rikkhe Rajput totally deserves a standing ovation for the perfect man he is? And Ramanujan was such an interesting character—so clever and sharp, especially for his age. Loved reading both of them!
October 6, 2019
UNPUTDOWNABLE
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews