Skippy Dies; Hopeland by Paul Murray

First line of the book: Skippy and Ruprecht are having a doughnut-eating race one evening when Skippy turns purple and falls off his chair.  That opening line was enough to make me want to read this book.  I borrowed it from my library and started.  For the next hundred pages I was left wondering what happened from that brilliant start.  It just sort of lagged; I couldn't relate to what was happening. 

This is a YA novel and I am far beyond that.  It deals with concepts of teenage love/infatuation, drug use/mis-use, broken families, and church boarding schools. High school was a trial when I was there and I would never wish to go back there.  eeks.  Enough to make me shiver.

That being said, I do think this would have appeal to those still in high school and having to deal with the same issues. 

By the end of the book I did know more about Skippy, but I have no idea why he died.  I have been given some clues, but don't know whether they are red herrings or not.  I have the next two books; Heartland and Ghostland and Afterland.  They are due back at the library in two weeks.  Don't know if I will read them...