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Skippy Dies

Paul Murray

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Skippy Dies

July Book--Skippy Dies
By Ashley · 22 posts · 11 views

last updated Oct 21, 2011 07:21AM

Music in Space
By Alisha · 2 posts · 5 views

last updated Sep 20, 2011 06:37PM

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Jul 20, 2011 Lauren rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Not an easy read, this novel meanders at times and is more of a tragedy with comedic elements than a dark comedy. All the same, 661 pages later, I am glad I read it. Centered around the death of Daniel “Skippy” Juster, a fourteen-year-old student at Seabrook School for Boys in Dublin, this book uses Skippy’s passing as the hook.

The book falls square into the overly-worn tale of boarding school drama and growing up, something that hinders it at times, mostly because, well, I’m sick of reading abo Not an easy read, this novel meanders at times and is more of a tragedy with comedic elements than a dark comedy. All the same, 661 pages later, I am glad I read it. Centered around the death of Daniel “Skippy” Juster, a fourteen-year-old student at Seabrook School for Boys in Dublin, this book uses Skippy’s passing as the hook.

The book falls square into the overly-worn tale of boarding school drama and growing up, something that hinders it at times, mostly because, well, I’m sick of reading about dead teenagers used as plot devices in an effort to impart important life lessons. After finishing the book, though, I’d argue that Murray uses the boarding school as a convenient stand-in for larger society, a closed community in which he can unravel this complicated, dense story. I’ve read a handful of books that have tackled similar themes and plot elements in the past year, and, to me, this is the first to succeed in doing something new and unique (even if it does take about 400 pages for that to become clear). Events that would be center stage in other books are relegated to small, easy-to-overlook subplots, and, for me, it wasn’t until the last page that the entire story clicked into place and became one unified narrative rather than a messy story with lots of unconnected parts (and let me recommend taking the time to flip back through the book and reread sections to better appreciate the novel as a whole after finishing).

Murray’s fictional world is not a happy place – something that becomes more and more apparent as the book progresses. The world in and around Seabrook is a place where dreams die and optimism is a weakness. Murray’s tone – wry, humorous, and sparse – gives the book a lightness that obscures how bleak this book and its message are. In hindsight, I’d even say it’s deeply disturbing because it masquerades as a dark comedy accessorized with adolescent humor while rivaling some of the great tragedies for its dark, unrelenting picture of a modern world led astray. This one’s going to stick with me for a long time and not in a good way. All the same, I have to tip my hat to Paul Murray for successfully writing a very complicated, thought-provoking novel. Even if it did leave me with a sudden desire to curl up with my childhood teddy bear and watch a Disney movie. Recommended. ...more

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Jun 07, 2011 Carol Jones-Campbell rated it it was ok

Shelves: book-club-pick

This book is by far one of the most difficult books I've read in a VERY long time. Not only is it a VERY LONG book, but I had a lot of difficulties with the characters, their drug use, sex, dysfunctionality, etc. I'm not a prude, but this book hit me on levels I've not read or been a part of for a very long time. It's not a book I would read again, nor refer to anyone. The characters go thru experiences that you might find in a boy's school. It is written in Ireland where there is Religion, conc ...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Cheryl rated it it was ok

I'M FINISHED WITH SKIPPY. I JUST CAN'T REALLY FINISH IT. THIS RARELY HAPPENS TO ME. SORRY. ...more

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Jun 29, 2011 Ashley rated it really liked it

Jun 10, 2011 Alisha Rivera rated it really liked it

Jun 24, 2011 Julie added it

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