Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

by Matthew Quick

A powerful and important book for fans of Mark Haddon, THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK and Jay Asher.

How would you spend your birthday if you knew it would be your last?

Eighteen-year-old Leonard Peacock knows exactly what he'll do. He'll say goodbye.

Not to his mum - who he calls Linda because it annoys her - who's moved out and left him to fend for himself. Nor to his former best friend, whose torments have driven him to consider committing the unthinkable. But to his four friends: a Humphrey-Bogart-obsessed neighbour, a teenage violin virtuoso, a pastor's daughter and a teacher.

Most of the time, Leonard believes he's weird and sad but these friends have made him think that maybe he's not. He wants to thank them, and say goodbye.

In this riveting and heart-breaking book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick introduces Leonard Peacock, a hero as warm and endearing as he is troubled. And he shows how just a glimmer of hope can make the world of difference.

• ISBN10: 0316221333
• ISBN13: 9780316221337
• Publish Date: 13 August 2013 (first published 1 January 2013)
• Publish Status: Out of Stock
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 288
• Language: English

Reviews

[Bianca]

I imagined all of my blood flowing out into the snow and watching it turn a beautiful crimson color as Philadelphians walked by in a great big hurry, not even pausing to admire the beauty of red snow, let alone register the fact that a high school kid was dying right in front of their eyes.

— Everyone deserves to be heard and to be saved. I'm so sad I just wanna go and give Leonard a big hug and make him feel loved. Great book!!!

[nightingalereads]

I love that Leonard shares the same cynical view of people and the world that I have...it was weirdly comforting. He was a very real character.

[leahrosereads]

3.5 Stars

FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK was and wasn’t what I expected the novel to be. It ended more positively than I thought it would, that’s for sure. I picked this up from my library as one of a couple of books that I’m going to read for Anti-Bullying Week. I started a few days late, but I’m relatively happy that this was the first book I read for this week.

This novel is about Leonard Peacock, his 18th birthday, and his desire to kill his ex-best friend (Asher Beal) and himself with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.


Overall, I really liked the voice/narrative that the story was told in, but I felt like there was so much of Leonard’s life that was glossed over, by him, that it was hard to completely connect with the character. We find out the reason that Leonard wants to kill his ex-best friend and then himself, and when I read the why, I just felt horrible for both characters, and while what happened to both boys was awful, I can’t help but wonder why now? I don’t feel like that question was answered.

Leonard wasn’t a complex character, but at 17, how many of us were (are)? I know I wasn’t. I was still growing and learning and becoming myself, and myself changed constantly at that age. I did feel at times, Leonard’s personality didn’t match how I remember being at his age, but male vs. female, intelligence (Leonard definitely has brains that I’m envious of), and countless other reasons most likely play a part in that. That and, well, he’s not real, and no matter how hard an author tries, if you’re not a teenager, it’s hard to make those years seem/read believable.


Most of the secondary characters were quickly introduced, and while they were important in Leonard’s life, they didn’t seem important to the story. You could input another fictional character with other fictional issues and it would have worked for this story. Other than Walt and Herr Silverman, I didn’t really care for any of the others, but I think it’s because I had a Herr Silverman in high school. (He was an English teacher instead of History, but his enthusiasm and love for teaching made each day feel special, and he always made students (at least for me) feel like what we were discussing in classes mattered.)

Walt was Leonard’s next door neighbor, and just this old man that Leonard watched Bogart movies with, and who understood Leonard’s weirdness, but didn’t fault him for being different. I really wish we saw more Walt/Leonard conversations, because they were great together.


The writing was really good, and FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK was a quick, fast paced read that I definitely enjoyed it while I was reading it. Quick did a good job at keeping the reader interested, even if I wish there was more to the story than there was, and that the characters were a little more developed.


Overall, I would recommend this if you don’t have anything else to read and want to try out a book next year for Anti-Bullying Week.

[anastasia]

Full Review on NG

[Terri M. LeBlanc]

I can honestly say Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick took me by surprise. I downloaded this via the SYNC Free Downloads event and had no idea what the book was about. Interestingly enough, I had also read The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb, which deals with some of the same issues. I also listened to this novel right after Code Name Verity so you can imagine my shock when the novel starts off with a kid handling a P-38 WWII Nazi handgun.

This novel is a tough, honest look at bullying. Right from the start the reader knows what Leonard's plan is, but the reasons are not totally clear beyond perhaps the usual teenage angst and lack of belonging. When it is finally revealed why Leonard is considering the extreme measure of murder/suicide, I was shocked and immediately heartbroken. I wanted to take Leonard in my arms and give him solace.

The issues this book deals with are quite hard-hitting and may not sit well with all readers. It certainly takes a unique view and gives voice to the person being bullied. There's also a brief glimpse of why the bullying was happening in the first place. For me, the saddest part was not Leonard and his decision, but the lack of involvement from the parents. For me, it says a lot about our society when parents are not connected to their kids and ignore the changes the Leonard saw in himself and Asher.

Overall, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick receives a thumbs up. It's a solid book that deals with some hard-hitting issues that some readers may find troubling, but those issues definitely receive an honest examination.

[Jo]

Originally posted on Once Upon a Bookcase.

This review needs very little introduction. Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick is one of the most incredible books I have ever read, and became an instant favourite from about a quarter of the way in.

It's Leonard's 18th birthday, and he's decided to end his life. Ignored and invisible, but also caring around so much pain, he decides it's time to go. But before he does, he wants to say goodbye and thank you to the four people who have made a difference to his life. Then he will take his own, after killing his former best friend. Will anyone pick up on what he's planning?

This is such an unbelievably wonderful novel. Although you know from the very beginning that Leonard is going to kill himself and Asher Beal, Leonard has this almost comic voice that, although you know he means it, it doesn't seem quite serious. His attitude is almost blasé when it comes to what he's going to do, but there is more feeling to him when it comes to the various people who he needs to thank, and to how other people react - or don't - to him as the day goes on. So for the first quarter of the book, I'm smiling at the quips Leonard makes, completely engrossed in what Leonard has to say, but not really affected by the fact that he's going to do something so awful by the time the day is out.

Then we meet Herr Silverman, Leonard's Holocaust teacher. Herr Silverman has got to be one of the most amazing secondary characters I have ever read. I even wan him as a teacher, his class sounds so fascinating, as it sounds more like it uses the topic of the Holocaust to discuss human humanity, and it's all just so interesting! And he's a man who cares. He is the one who really made me stop and think. Who made what Leonard will be doing at some point later in the book really hit home. Leonard is going to kill himself.

From that point on, the story changes for me. Leonard continues to go about his day, he's still making his funny quips, but now it seems more like a mask, hiding what's really underneath. From this point on, I could not put the book down. As the book goes on, more cracks start to show. Although he's still funny, I'm really, really worried about Leonard now, because oh my god, someone has to help him! Someone has to see, surely! But the day, the story, marches on, leading up to that pivotal moment, and I was sitting on the edge of my seat, wanting to dive into the book and just hug Leonard and tell him I see him. We come to discover the reason for his pain. He's been through so much. And oh my god, I'm crying as I write this review. I can't articulate just what this book made me feel, how it's affected me. I ended up hurting right along with Leonard. It's so terribly sad.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is unbelievable. One of those books that will stick with me for a long time afterwards. I implore you to read this novel, let Leonard tell you his story. It's one you need to hear.

Thank you to Headline and Bookbridgr for the review copy.

[Rinn]

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher, in exchange for a honest review. Also posted on my book blog, Rinn Reads.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock was initially a difficult book to read. Not because it’s badly written in any way – I requested it as I really enjoyed Matthew Quick’s previous novel, The Silver Linings Playbook. It’s just so full of raw emotion, with a protagonist that you simultaneously feel sorry for and dislike – at least for half of the book.

From the very beginning it is a tragic and detailed story. We’re introduced to Leonard (or rather, he introduces himself) on the morning of his eighteenth birthday. This is when he reveals his plan: to kill a fellow classmate, and then himself, using a World War II handgun. It is unusual in that it has footnotes, and lots of them, in which Leonard explains background information and rambles on about previous events and his innermost thoughts. I really liked the footnotes, as they were a very intimate look into Leonard’s life and mind. Another incredibly clever and particularly sad part of the book are Leonard’s letters from his future self. His favourite teacher, Herr Silverman, encourages Leonard to write them – and he does, even though he has no intention of reaching this future. It’s just so sad, how he has created this perfect life for himself in the future with a beautiful wife and loving daughter, in a post-apocalyptic yet peaceful world, but he’s just so sure he will never even reach that age, let alone have anything like that in his life.

Leonard decides that before he kills himself, he will leave gifts for important people in his life. Four different people, and how very different they are. His elderly neighbour, with whom Leonard shares a love for Humphrey Bogart movies, helps the reader to see a softer, more caring side. A fellow student and violin virtuoso, who really demonstrates that Leonard (ironically) appreciates the little things in life. A pastor’s daughter, who reduces Leonard to just a regular teenage boy. And finally Herr Silverman, his favourite teacher, for whom Leonard shows great respect.

I mentioned that it was difficult reading for the first half. Before you find out exactly just why Leonard is on this path, he seems incredibly judgemental and condescending, constantly looking down on his peers, and just not a likeable character in the slightest. Then the pieces come together and you find out why he is struggling so much – abandoned by his drunkard of a father and unsure if he’s even still alive, neglected by his fashion designer mother who spends most of her time in another state, and one massive reason that suddenly hits you like a ton of bricks when you read it, leaves you reeling and completely changes your perception of Leonard.

The irony is that, for someone who is so intent on killing themselves, Leonard sure thinks about life a lot. He has quite a philosophical view, more so than his classmates, and he is incredibly intelligent. His narrative voice definitely reminded me of Pat in The Silver Linings Playbook – it’s funny how these characters who are seen as ‘unstable’ often have a better grip on life than those who are ‘normal’. In conclusion, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is a haunting and tragic story, that completely flips your view of the protagonist halfway through – leaving the reader feeling incredibly judgemental themselves.

[Kelly]

http://www.divabooknerd.com/2013/09/forgive-me-leonard-peacock-by-mathew.html
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is disturbing, real and raw. It's the story of a young man who feels he has nothing to live for, and plans on taking out a fellow student in the process. He has acquaintances in his life, but sadly no one realises how troubled Leonard is, apart from teacher Herr Silverman. At first glance, it feels as though it could be seen as a book to bring to light the lack of gun control and access of weapons to our children, but it isn't. It's a psychological viewpoint from a suicidal young man and how he's been let down by the people in his life. Leonard may be a lot of things, but crazy isn't one of them, and the further the reader reaches, the more his sanity will come to light.

This isn't for the faint of heart, it'll take hold and throw you into Leonard's world of sadness, frustration and depression. Your comfort zone will be blown to pieces. Make no doubt, Forgive Me Leonard Peacock is confronting and will leave you with a heavy heart. Only for more mature adult readers, in no way would I allow a young teen to read this. The social message is important, but how it comes together is far too confronting and mature for most teens.

[rakesandrogues]

Matthew Quick, author of the New York Times Bestseller Silver Linings Playbook, introduces readers to an unforgettable protagonist in Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock.

Today is Leonard’s birthday. Today also happens to be the day that Leonard will kill himself with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol. But first, Leonard needs to give presents to the four people who matter most to him. Then, he’ll shoot his former best friend before he kills himself. As the day progresses, Leonard slowly reveals how he has reached rock bottom in Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick.

My initial reaction when I started reading Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock was: Oh my God, this main character is such a jerk. I don’t think I’ve ever come across such a depressing, pessimistic teenager. Clearly, Leonard suffers from a myriad of psychological issues from depression to abandonment issues. He’s at the end of his rope, and he doesn’t think there’s anything worth living for in the future.

But Matthew Quick is such a talented writer. I didn’t even realize just how much I got attached to Leonard until I was halfway through the book and I found myself yelling at Leonard not to shoot himself. I was glued to the pages, eager to find out what would happen.

As it turns out, Leonard had a pretty messed up childhood. He’s not just some teenager acting up for attention, and his actions are truly a cry for help. Towards the end of the book, there’s nothing more that I wanted to do than hug Leonard.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is a relatively short read, but it packs a lot of punch. Leonard is an unforgettable main character. He has an abrasive personality, but before you know it, Leonard Peacock will worm his way into your heart.