Book Review: The Final Experiment by Yogesh SY

Published by Srishti Publishers, one of India’s most promising and independent publishing houses known for giving some of the best-selling authors of India, this debut thriller, The Final Experiment by Yogesh SY sits comfortably in the company of novels that aim to both entertain and unsettle. Srishti has consistently put out voices that break formula—raw, unfiltered, not trying too hard to be 'literary,' but ending up that way anyway. And this book is no different.

At the centre of The Final Experiment are two characters—Yaksh and Yudhisthir—who couldn’t be further apart in terms of background. Yaksh is what we all recognise: a middle-class man trying to hold it together, surrounded by noise, debt, unrest, and a silent kind of frustration that builds over time. His world is Delhi—chaotic, dusty, full of small violences we all brush past. Then there’s Yudhisthir, living the polished expat consultant life, a product of ambition and privilege, watching the world from soundproof glass and not realising the cracks are on his side too.

What links them is Dyēus—a fictional tech firm so real in its conception it makes you squirm a bit. The kind of place you know exists somewhere behind glass doors, built on the language of innovation and powered by secrets. Yogesh SY doesn't explain everything. He leaves space. Space for suspicion, for fear, for curiosity. And that’s what makes the reading experience so personal—you’re not just being told a story, you’re piecing it together in your head, wondering what you’d do if it were you.

The character of Yaksh really stuck with me. There’s no sudden transformation. No heroic arc. Just a man waking up slowly to the truth around him, feeling the weight of things that once seemed normal. His encounters with Vijita, a protest leader with her own quiet intensity, add a layer that’s more emotional than romantic. You can tell they don’t have time for a love story. They’re in something darker, something that asks for a different kind of connection—trust under pressure.

Yudhisthir, on the other hand, is a man used to control. But in the sterile halls of Dyēus’s Tokyo offices, you feel that control slipping, even before he does. The genius of the book is that you start to feel paranoid before the characters do. That’s rare. There’s a creeping dread here, the kind that builds slowly, without the usual horror-movie theatrics. Yogesh SY doesn’t need to shock you. He just lets the implications sink in.

And the science. It's speculative, yes, but terrifyingly believable. You don’t need a PhD to follow it. That’s the brilliance of it. The details are there, but they don’t overpower the human drama. Instead, they deepen it. The question isn’t just “What is Dyēus doing?” but “Why does this feel so possible?” and “Have we already gone too far?”

There’s this one section where Yaksh starts realising that his life—his job, his location, even his conversations—might have been nudged by something or someone. It’s never explained in full, but the unease is perfectly crafted. That quiet suggestion that free will might be an illusion, especially in a world driven by data—that stays with you.

The writing is measured. Not flashy. And honestly, that’s what makes it powerful. Yogesh SY isn't trying to show off. He’s not writing to impress. He’s writing to be understood. There’s restraint, even elegance, in how he lets moments play out. And that patience makes the story feel more grounded, even as the stakes climb.

There are scenes in Delhi that feel so raw you can smell the air. And then there are scenes in Tokyo that feel like they’re happening inside a clean room—too perfect, too sanitized. That contrast isn’t just aesthetic. It’s emotional. You feel the difference between the lives people live and the systems that govern them. You feel the disconnect between what is real and what is orchestrated.

There are moments where the plot thickens maybe a bit too much—especially around the corporate espionage angle—but that’s forgivable. Because the mood, the intent, the larger questions—those remain clear. You finish the book not just with a twist, but with a weight in your gut. A sense of having seen something you shouldn’t have.

And what lingers the most are the questions. The ones that don’t get neat answers. What happens when progress outpaces morality? Who gets to define “good”? And how many of us would really choose to know the truth if it threatened our version of peace?

The Final Experiment quietly works its way into your mind, building its tension slowly but steadily. If you're someone who likes a book that gives you room to think, a story where the atmosphere feels just as important as the plot, then this one will speak to you. It’s not rushing you to the end. It takes its time—and in doing so, it pulls you into its world, slowly.

Book: The Final Experiment by Yogesh SY

Author: Yogesh SY

Publisher: Srishti Publishers

Availability: Now available online and at major bookstores. Also available in paperback on Amazon India.

(This book review and art section is curated by Shweta, a certified NLP practitioner with a passion for writing about art, books, family, relationships, and her insights from conversations, books, and movies. If you would like your work to get published, feel free to send an email to the editorial desk of Style Essentials at styleessentials.in@gmail.com. We’d love to consider your work for an insightful review.)