Skippy Dies

By: Paul Murray

Narrated by: Nicola Barber, Fred Berman, Clodagh Bowyer, Terry Donnelly, Sean Gormley, Khristine Hvam, John Keating, Lawrence Lowry, Graeme Malcolm, Paul Nugent

Length: 23 hrs and 36 mins

Publisher's summary

This touching and uproarious novel by author Paul Murray made everyone’s best fiction of 2010 lists, including The Washington Post, Financial Times, Village Voice, and others. Why Skippy dies and what happens next is the mystery that links the boys of Dublin’s Seabrook College (Ruprecht Van Doren, the overweight genius obsessed with string theory; Carl, the teenager drug dealer and borderline psychotic; Philip Kilfether, the basketball-playing midget) to their parents and teachers in ways that no one could have imagined.

This unique production of Murray’s heartfelt exploration of the pain, joy, and beauty of adolescence features an all-star narrating cast of 16 Audible favorites: John Keating, Graeme Malcom, Khristine Hvam, Nicola Barber, Fred Berman, Clodagh Bowyer, Terry Donnelly, Sean Gormley, Lawrence Lowry, Paul Nugent, Tim Smallwood, Fiona Walsh, Fiana Toibin, Declan Sammon, Heather O'Neill, and Ed Malone.

©2010 Paul Murray (P)2010 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Hilarious, haunting, and heartbreaking, it is inarguably among the most memorable novels of the year to date." ( Booklist)

"Dazzling... If killing your protagonist with more than 600 pages to go sounds audacious, it's nothing compared with the literary feats Murray pulls off in this hilarious, moving and wise book." ( Washington Post Book World)

"Extravagantly entertaining." ( The New York Times Book Review)

Can't get through the first part

What disappointed you about Skippy Dies?

The narrator does not hold my attention, very dry. I story is hard to follow. Since I used a credit to download it, I'm going to try to get through, but it's going to take FOREVER!!! DO NO WASTE YOU CREDIT!!! The reason it got so many stars by others is lost to me.

Would you ever listen to anything by Paul Murray again?

NO!!

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment & boredom

Not My Kind of Story

What disappointed you about Skippy Dies?

When I first read the premise of the book, it seemed to be something that would capture my attention. The beginning of the audiobook also was engaging - and then it got into the backstory of what led up to Skippy's death. I enjoyed the the various voices and characters that were created by after awhile I couldn't listen anymore. The language of the story was just too vile and much of it seemed extraneous to the actual point of the story. This story is in three parts and I couldn't even make it through the first part. I found myself really caring about Skippy and whatever his problem was but, unlike a hardcopy book, I couldn't skip ahead, skipping over the parts that were totally offensive, to find the heart of the story. I did like some of the other characters, some of the teachers, but in general I found the content of the story to be nauseating. Perhaps I'm out of touch with the raw language of teenagers.

What do you think your next listen will be?

Currently listening to a series of books by Victoria Laurie.

Have you listened to any of the narrators’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Have not listened.

What character would you cut from Skippy Dies?

There's a boy from Russia or Italy (see how much I paid attention) who was nothing but offensive.

Any additional comments?

This is definitely a book I would return if that option was available.

Wish the book had died in production!

What disappointed you about Skippy Dies?

Couldn't follow it at all and I am a very experienced listener. Also did not care at all about the characters.

Would you be willing to try another one of the narrators???s performances?

Yes

You didn???t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

No

What the #$@%!

I find it incomprehensible this book was a hit. Call me a simple minded cretin, but this book is Skippy poo. Did the reviewers actually read or listen to this tome. What a waste of time.

This from a reader who is the quintessential happy pappy, yuppie puppy, oop dee doodle kinda guy.
Yuck!

Not what I expected, regretfully.

I am pretty consistent with checking reviews and narration ahead of purchase and this purchase was not different. I just finished the recording, even though I purchased it some time ago, mostly because I don't like to leave a book unfinished, even the ones I don't like. This was an interesting story, great cast of narrators especially, but I couldn't stay with it. A group of boys in an Irish boarding school, supposedly friends, intertwined with their teachers and Catholic priests. After finally finishing the book, I still don't really know the main point of the story. It jumped around quite often, the author used inappropriate language in many places, not that often a story is enhanced by language, this just didn't seem to fit. Many sexual references, innuendo; I know that is often the mind of teenage boys, however, it just didn't seem to fit into the story. I use the term inappropriate, because the swear words or sexual terms didn't seem to fit, not inappropriate in the sense that I oppose the use of such language. Even the drug use, which was a major theme, didn't seem to fit well into the story and was a bit confusing.

There are 3 parts to this story, the last one seemed to be the easiest listen, but still not that interesting. I didn't feel like some of the main characters dilemmas were resolved, even at the end of the book. The only reason that I did finish the story was because I can't leave a book only partially read, so I muddled through. It did have some interesting parts, but regretfully, not enough to make me like the book.

Rambling story that required much edit to be improved

Rambling and too long for the story that was being told. Overly detailed and tangential storylines that did not progress plot.

Who cares?

Personally, the age of 14 was, for me, awful. I give Murray points for good writing and disturbing accuracy, but the last thing I want to do is relive those days. Skippy heaving in class was as stomach churning as the tone, tenor and theme. I gave up. I couldn't take it any more. Normally, I give only one star if I put it aside. This time, I feel bad about not giving it 4 or 5 for evoking those terrible memories so handily.

A better read than a listen

I am almost through part 1. I doubt I will be able to finish this but I keep trying because I spent a whole credit getting it and I am stubborn. It is very difficult to follow or stay focused on. I agree with other reviewers that it is hard to determine who is talking. Also I do not care for the narrator, he speaks just a little too fast, making it even harder to follow what is going on. It probably would be an easier book to read than to listen to as then backtracking is possible, it would be easy to determine who is speaking and the most inane parts could be skipped over. I am sorry I bought this book. I usually "trust" Audible that when a book is featured it is not a waste of time but in the future I will wait for the reviews to come in before relying on that reasoning.

Seems pretty cynical to me

I listened to every word of this book Found some of the historical information interesting, but frankly I didn't laugh at anything. Guess I grew up in a kinder/gentler world. I would hate to think all teenagers and all private school administrators and teachers are as bad as all these characters portray them. I must see the changes in readers voices made the listening bareable.

I'd return it if I could

I listened and listened and waited to get hooked in until I finally realized that it was only 2 hours in. Then I listened some more and then I wanted to dig my eardrums out and throw them at the ipod. I finally gave up. 1 star is too many.