Skippy Dies
by Paul Murray
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Description
Why does Skippy, a student at Dublin's venerable Seabrook College, end up dead on the floor of the local doughnut shop? Could it have something to do with his friend Ruprecht Van Doren, who is determined to open a portal into a parallel universe using ten-dimensional string theory? Or Carl, the teenage drug dealer who is Skippy's rival in love?Tags
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by anonymous user
RidgewayGirl Both books deal with the death of a teenage boy and private boarding schools in Ireland.
celerydog a YA equivalent, which packs a similar, visceral punch
Member Reviews
Things I learned from Skippy Dies:
"The Road Less Traveled" by Robert Frost is actually about anal sex. (Now please don't all leave me outraged comments and personal messages asking me how I can be so disgusting and impugn Frost's memory. I didn't make it up -- it's actually in the book. Ok, I did choose to mention it, but seriously, how you can review this book without mentioning it, I don't know.)
But there's a lot more to Skippy Dies, which was long-listed for the Man Booker. Paul Murray is pretty brilliant in his ability to get into teenagers' heads -- their dialogue here is pitch perfect, including stuff like (I'm about to mention the Frost thing again, so all you sensitive people, please avert your eyes):
"I've been thinking about show more that Robert Frost poem," he says. "I don't think it's about making choices at all."
"What's it about, so?" Geoff says.
"Anal sex," Dennis says.
"Anal sex?"
"How'd you figure, Dennis?"
"Well, once you see it, it's pretty obvious. Just look at what he says. He's in a wood, right? He sees two roads in front of him. He takes the one less travelled. What else could it be about?"
"Uh, woods?"
"Going for a walk?"
"Don't you listen in class? Poetry's never about what it says it's about, that's the whole point of it. Obviously Mrs. Frost or whoever isn't going to be too happy with him going around telling the world about this time he gave it to her up the bum. So he cleverly disguises it by putting it in a poem which to the untrained eye is just about a boring walk in some gay wood."
"But, Dennis, do you think Mr. Slattery'd be teaching it to us if it was really about anal sex?"
"What does Mr. Slattery know?" Dennis scoffs. "You think he's ever taken his wife up the road less travelled?"
"Poh, when have you ever gone up the road less travelled?" Mario challenges.
Dennis strokes his chin. "Well, there was that magical night with your mother...I tried to stop her!" -- ducking out of the way as Mario swings at him. "But she was insatiable! Insatiable!"
Murray also manages to juggle a lot of characters, major themes, and plot points, and do it all well. It's been an excellent year for novels in general, so I know that your to-read pile is probably too tall already, but this one is definitely worth adding. show less
"The Road Less Traveled" by Robert Frost is actually about anal sex. (Now please don't all leave me outraged comments and personal messages asking me how I can be so disgusting and impugn Frost's memory. I didn't make it up -- it's actually in the book. Ok, I did choose to mention it, but seriously, how you can review this book without mentioning it, I don't know.)
But there's a lot more to Skippy Dies, which was long-listed for the Man Booker. Paul Murray is pretty brilliant in his ability to get into teenagers' heads -- their dialogue here is pitch perfect, including stuff like (I'm about to mention the Frost thing again, so all you sensitive people, please avert your eyes):
"I've been thinking about show more that Robert Frost poem," he says. "I don't think it's about making choices at all."
"What's it about, so?" Geoff says.
"Anal sex," Dennis says.
"Anal sex?"
"How'd you figure, Dennis?"
"Well, once you see it, it's pretty obvious. Just look at what he says. He's in a wood, right? He sees two roads in front of him. He takes the one less travelled. What else could it be about?"
"Uh, woods?"
"Going for a walk?"
"Don't you listen in class? Poetry's never about what it says it's about, that's the whole point of it. Obviously Mrs. Frost or whoever isn't going to be too happy with him going around telling the world about this time he gave it to her up the bum. So he cleverly disguises it by putting it in a poem which to the untrained eye is just about a boring walk in some gay wood."
"But, Dennis, do you think Mr. Slattery'd be teaching it to us if it was really about anal sex?"
"What does Mr. Slattery know?" Dennis scoffs. "You think he's ever taken his wife up the road less travelled?"
"Poh, when have you ever gone up the road less travelled?" Mario challenges.
Dennis strokes his chin. "Well, there was that magical night with your mother...I tried to stop her!" -- ducking out of the way as Mario swings at him. "But she was insatiable! Insatiable!"
Murray also manages to juggle a lot of characters, major themes, and plot points, and do it all well. It's been an excellent year for novels in general, so I know that your to-read pile is probably too tall already, but this one is definitely worth adding. show less
I thoroughly enjoyed Skippy Dies. Paul Murray is an absolute virtuoso as a writer. The book veers from laugh out loud hilarity to grim psychological thriller, to poignant melancholy, to heartwarming positivity, to social commentary and does so smoothly and cohesively. At the outset, as the title indicates, Skippy, a socially awkward teenaged boy at a catholic boarding school in Ireland, dies during a donut eating contest. Then the novel goes back in time and tells the events leading up to his death from the perspective of various student and teachers. The book kept me riveted the whole time and the pace neve wavered. Satisfying conclusion.
One small quibble, Murray doesn't know his rock music very well & makes a couple factual errors. show more He incorrectly refers to "Cream's 'Layla'" (the song is actually by Eric Clapton's other group, Derek and the Dominoes) and Toto's "Rain in Africa" (the song is called "Africa" and the chorus goes "I bless the rains down in Africa"). These basic errors brings Murray's credibility into question when he starts talking about advanced physics. Anyway. Good book. show less
One small quibble, Murray doesn't know his rock music very well & makes a couple factual errors. show more He incorrectly refers to "Cream's 'Layla'" (the song is actually by Eric Clapton's other group, Derek and the Dominoes) and Toto's "Rain in Africa" (the song is called "Africa" and the chorus goes "I bless the rains down in Africa"). These basic errors brings Murray's credibility into question when he starts talking about advanced physics. Anyway. Good book. show less
In the opening scene of this novel, Irish boarding school student Daniel "Skippy" Juster dies on the floor of a doughnut shop. Only after that do we actually get to know Skippy, and all the people around him, as we're shown the months leading up to his death and what happens afterward. It's a complex, slightly strange book. The choice to extract the death scene and show it to us first is oddly unsettling, and shapes the reading experience in some interesting ways. The novel deals with so many subjects that are dark, depressing, or tawdry, that at some points it almost seems a little bit much, and it captures the obnoxiousness of 14-year-old boys with a faithfulness that can be downright painful. It jumps around from viewpoint to show more viewpoint, often slightly changing styles as it does so, and it weaves a wonderfully complicated and effective web of themes. It's pervaded by a subtle sense of humor, even though there's very little in it that you could easily point to as funny. Also, there are lectures on string theory.
And yet, in the end it comes together in a way that's poignant and satisfying, despite -- or, really, because of -- its deliberate messiness. And hoo, boy, can Murray write. There are so many passages in here that brought me up short, thinking, That's it. That's exactly what life is like. show less
And yet, in the end it comes together in a way that's poignant and satisfying, despite -- or, really, because of -- its deliberate messiness. And hoo, boy, can Murray write. There are so many passages in here that brought me up short, thinking, That's it. That's exactly what life is like. show less
Daniel "Skippy" Juster is 14 years old. He's a student at the oldest, and according to some most prestigious, private school in Dublin. And suddenly he keels over and dies in the local donut shop.
Oh, this is a comedy. Sort of.
Then the story rewinds a few months, introduces us to everyone and lets it proceed to the ending we think we already know; Skippy's schoolmates and -enemies, the girls at the girl's school opposite, the teachers, the parents... it's a fantastic gallery of characters Murray introduces us to, where both kids and adults all think they're the hero of the story and act accordingly. Story, yeah. Murray wants to tackle a lot of different issues in this; through his characters, he flirts with science fiction, horror, show more social realism, religion, etc, all set to a soundtrack of old hymns and tween pop. The story comes to involve teenage pregnancy, drug use, sexual abuse (it's a catholic school, after all, and everyone reads the papers), cultural confusion, generation gaps, marriage and divorce, war and unemployment, and did I mention that the book begins with a 14-year-old boy dying?
(It's still a comedy. Kind of.)
‘What did you expect?’
Howard ponders this. ‘I suppose – this sounds stupid, but I suppose I thought there’d be more of a narrative arc.’ Seeing Farley’s blank look, he elaborates: ‘A direction. A point. A sense that it’s not just a bunch of days piling up on top of each other.
How can I put it... remember when Stephen King tried to be a Real Writer? This is the novel he never knew he dreamed of writing even if he could have. A suspenseful, hilarious, heartbreaking novel, with dozens of different ideas and storylines that actually work and complement each other. Skippy Dies bloats and sprawls over 660 pages, but whether the topic is 14-year-olds geniuses trying to build wormhole generators in their dorm room, a 30-something teacher questioning where his life is going, or ancient Celtic fairy myths, Murray has a reason for every storyline, they all intertwine and complement each other, and he writes it so beautifully - often in a drily humorous but always compassionate tone, occasionally drifting into a delirious, longing tight point of view that becomes even more touching when you close the book and look at the title. Everyone starts out so very sure they know which story they're the hero of, and then it all starts to unravel until they've all had to take a hard look at each other and discovered what story they're really in. It's all so deliciously complicated and so ridiculously simple, all at once.
That the world, in short, is teenaged. It’s quite a frightening admission to have to make. It feels like a capitulation into anarchy, frankly.
Oh, and Skippy dies. That bit's not meant to be funny. But somehow I come away from the novel with a huge smile on my face. show less
Oh, this is a comedy. Sort of.
Then the story rewinds a few months, introduces us to everyone and lets it proceed to the ending we think we already know; Skippy's schoolmates and -enemies, the girls at the girl's school opposite, the teachers, the parents... it's a fantastic gallery of characters Murray introduces us to, where both kids and adults all think they're the hero of the story and act accordingly. Story, yeah. Murray wants to tackle a lot of different issues in this; through his characters, he flirts with science fiction, horror, show more social realism, religion, etc, all set to a soundtrack of old hymns and tween pop. The story comes to involve teenage pregnancy, drug use, sexual abuse (it's a catholic school, after all, and everyone reads the papers), cultural confusion, generation gaps, marriage and divorce, war and unemployment, and did I mention that the book begins with a 14-year-old boy dying?
(It's still a comedy. Kind of.)
‘What did you expect?’
Howard ponders this. ‘I suppose – this sounds stupid, but I suppose I thought there’d be more of a narrative arc.’ Seeing Farley’s blank look, he elaborates: ‘A direction. A point. A sense that it’s not just a bunch of days piling up on top of each other.
How can I put it... remember when Stephen King tried to be a Real Writer? This is the novel he never knew he dreamed of writing even if he could have. A suspenseful, hilarious, heartbreaking novel, with dozens of different ideas and storylines that actually work and complement each other. Skippy Dies bloats and sprawls over 660 pages, but whether the topic is 14-year-olds geniuses trying to build wormhole generators in their dorm room, a 30-something teacher questioning where his life is going, or ancient Celtic fairy myths, Murray has a reason for every storyline, they all intertwine and complement each other, and he writes it so beautifully - often in a drily humorous but always compassionate tone, occasionally drifting into a delirious, longing tight point of view that becomes even more touching when you close the book and look at the title. Everyone starts out so very sure they know which story they're the hero of, and then it all starts to unravel until they've all had to take a hard look at each other and discovered what story they're really in. It's all so deliciously complicated and so ridiculously simple, all at once.
That the world, in short, is teenaged. It’s quite a frightening admission to have to make. It feels like a capitulation into anarchy, frankly.
Oh, and Skippy dies. That bit's not meant to be funny. But somehow I come away from the novel with a huge smile on my face. show less
Am amazing and at the same time, terrible, book.
Almost everyone in the book is capable of terrible things. If you think the adolescents are confused about love because they are young and going through puberty, wait until you see what the teachers and priests do.
There are some very funny parts in this book, and other parts that may make you want to throw up…. Sometimes they are the same parts.
The author made me feel sympathy for the devil . I think, in our current inflexible and judgmental society, someone who is good at reminding us that people are human and capable of both the depths of depravity and of acts of shining goodness is a valuable thing.
Almost everyone in the book is capable of terrible things. If you think the adolescents are confused about love because they are young and going through puberty, wait until you see what the teachers and priests do.
There are some very funny parts in this book, and other parts that may make you want to throw up…. Sometimes they are the same parts.
The author made me feel sympathy for the devil . I think, in our current inflexible and judgmental society, someone who is good at reminding us that people are human and capable of both the depths of depravity and of acts of shining goodness is a valuable thing.
This book didn't exactly turn out as I expected.... it was much more tortuous than I imagined. Written in a non linear reverse chronological style, we begin with the tragic death of poor Skippy... a troubled teen... then read the convoluted events that unfolded to claim his life. Murray does a fabulous job of allowing you to know Skippy well enough to care, without getting so attached you deeply mourn his death. With a large cast of characters and many personal battles being fought, this story almost acts as a composite novel... a portmanteau if you will. The lives of these characters are woven into an intricate tale that demonstrates the butterfly effect.
I love the setting...the writing style...the dark humor and tragic show more realities...the drudgery and cynicism of adulthood, mixed with the excitement and optimism of youth.
A few personal gripes..... a bit too trope heavy in some aspects..... I'm not a fan of the blatant attack on religion and religious institutions, specifically Catholicism, which seems to be an easy target these days. There are spots that drag on a bit and could be easily culled without losing important content.
Overall.... a well written and profound story. show less
I love the setting...the writing style...the dark humor and tragic show more realities...the drudgery and cynicism of adulthood, mixed with the excitement and optimism of youth.
A few personal gripes..... a bit too trope heavy in some aspects..... I'm not a fan of the blatant attack on religion and religious institutions, specifically Catholicism, which seems to be an easy target these days. There are spots that drag on a bit and could be easily culled without losing important content.
Overall.... a well written and profound story. show less
A true tragicomedy, Skippy Dies by Paul Murray is an enjoyable and moving story that circulates in and around the Irish Private School of Seabrook College. The book opens with the death of Skippy, a fourteen year old pupil, but then spirals backward to encompass various characters. The story unfolds through the eyes of these very different personalities, each one having his own distinct point of view, but are we really learning Skippy’s truth? Be it fellow students or teachers, each has his own story and there are plenty of heartaches, pain and laughter in the days leading up to Skippy’s death.
I have heard that thoughts of sex run through an average male adolescent’s brain every 15 seconds, and this book attests to that fact. show more These kids turn just about everything into a sexual reference, even Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Less Travelled” becomes, in their minds, an ode to anal sex. This author has a way of reaching into the minds of teenage boys and really delivering a true to life picture. Although very humorous, Skippy Dies has a dark side as well as the characters’ failures and flaws are slowly exposed.
At 661 pages, Skippy Dies is a big, expansive, and brilliant read that gives us a vivid reminder of being fourteen, experiencing first love, and finding out the lie of Santa Claus is just the tip of the iceberg in a long list of life’s disappointments. And although Skippy dies, this poignant story is much more about life than death. Highly recommended. show less
I have heard that thoughts of sex run through an average male adolescent’s brain every 15 seconds, and this book attests to that fact. show more These kids turn just about everything into a sexual reference, even Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Less Travelled” becomes, in their minds, an ode to anal sex. This author has a way of reaching into the minds of teenage boys and really delivering a true to life picture. Although very humorous, Skippy Dies has a dark side as well as the characters’ failures and flaws are slowly exposed.
At 661 pages, Skippy Dies is a big, expansive, and brilliant read that gives us a vivid reminder of being fourteen, experiencing first love, and finding out the lie of Santa Claus is just the tip of the iceberg in a long list of life’s disappointments. And although Skippy dies, this poignant story is much more about life than death. Highly recommended. show less
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ThingScore 100
Six hundred sixty-one pages may seem like a lot to devote to a bunch of flatulence-obsessed kids, but that daunting length is part and parcel of the cause to which “Skippy Dies,” in the end, is most devoted. Teenagers, though they may not always act like it, are human beings, and their sadness and loneliness (and their triumphs, no matter how temporary) are as momentous as any adult’s. show more And novels about them — if they’re as smart and funny and touching as “Skippy Dies” — can be just as long as they like. show less
added by Shortride
[T]his is an extremely ambitious and complex novel, filled with parallels, with sometimes recondite references to Irish folklore, with quantum physics, and with much more.
added by bell7
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Author Information
5+ Works 5,238 Members
Some Editions
Awards and Honors
Awards
Distinctions
Work Relationships
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- Skippy Dies
- Original title
- Skippy Dies
- Original publication date
- 2010
- People/Characters
- Daniel "Skippy" Juster; Ruprecht Van Doren; Mario; Dennis; Lori Wakeham; Carl (show all 13); Howard Fallon; Miss McIntyre; Greg Costigan; Geoff Sproke; Halley; Father Jerome Green; Tom Roche
- Important places
- Seabrook College; Dublin, Ireland
- Epigraph*
- (I) Hopeland: These daydreams persisted like an alternate life ... [Robert Graves]
(II) Heartland: People like us, who believe in physics, know that the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion. [Albert Einstein]
(III) Ghostland: For where there are Irish there's memory undying, And when we forget, it is Ireland no more! [Rudyard Kipling] - Dedication
- For Seán
- First words
- Skippy and Ruprecht are having a doughnut-eating race one evening when Skippy turns purple and falls off his chair.
- Quotations*
- Life makes fools of us all sooner or later. But keep your sense of humour and you'll at least be able to take your humiliations with some measure of grace. In the end, you know, it's our own expectations that crush us. (S. 62... (show all)8)
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)A very merry Christmas to you all, Gregory L. Costigan Principal
- Blurbers
- Nicholls, David
- Original language*
- Engels
- Disambiguation notice
- Skippy Dies, without any reference to subtitles or parts, refers to the complete work, which includes the three parts "Hopeland", "Heartland", and "Ghostland". Please do not combine the complete work with any single-part ed... (show all)ition. For example, do not combine "Skippy Dies" or "Skippy Dies - Hopeland-Heartland-Ghostland" with "Skippy Dies - Hopeland" or with "Skippy Dies, Part 1".
*Some information comes from Common Knowledge in other languages. Click "Edit" for more information.
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