Skippy is a 14 year old boy at a boarding school in Dublin. On page three of this book he dies.

The author then spends 620 more pages reviewing his life at school, and those of his teachers and fellow students.

This is a very very long read. Some versions of "Skippy Dies"is published as three seperate books.

The first section didn't really do anything interesting as nothing really happens and masses of characters are introduced for no real reason. The second section started with some amusing situational comedy, if you find slapstick humour written down funny. But I couldn't bring myself to attempt the third section, although some people say the third book makes it worthwhile.

There are no donut shops in Dublin like that described in the book, in fact I don't think there are any donut shops in Dublin full stop

If you aren't familiar with Bookcrossing, take a few minutes to check out this very cool site. Bookcrossers LOVE books, and more than anything, they love to read books and then set them free for other people to find and enjoy. I would love it if you would leave a journal entry -- you can say where you found the book or how you liked it when you read it.

Ooh, it's hard not to look at the other journal entries when I know I shouldn't.....must close window...

I adored this from start to finish. Elaborate and very involved, it's much more than the tale of a bunch of schoolboys and teachers; Paul Murray isn't afraid to go into long discussions of Robert Graves or GUT physics, when it informs us and explains the characters and moves on the plot. Also, there are few clichés here - the girl-on-whom-everyone-has-a-crush is normal in a way that they rarely are - usually in fiction they're either angels or demons, whereas here she's a not-too-bright teenage girl struggling along like everyone else, and making just as much of a mess of it. The characters are all drawn this thoughtfully and with great lumps of truth - the schoolyard teasing ("Are you a bummer tied to a tree?" "No." "Bummer on the loose!"), the bullying, the sense of futility in the alumnus-turned-schoolmaster. And despite the intensity of the story and its themes, including how the hell to live life once the doors of youthful dreams have slammed shut and one's own cowardly fallibility has been made apparent, there's a load of fun too; genuine wit, and suggested sympathy for all characters.
I'm passing this onto Keir, though he struggles with big book that don't have pictures.

Either to a fellow bookcrosser at the meeting (10.30 in the pub. Join us!) or in the peace garden by the pigeons afterwards.

I did enjoy this. It was a while ago that i read it now so my brain has gone all fuzzy.

I believe someone is waiting for this at the meeting at the water house pub