FORGIVE ME, LEONARD PEACOCK by Matthew Quick Book Review
Publication Date: August 13th 2013 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Rating: 
– Exceeds Expectations | 
Book Summary: In addition to the P-38, there are four gifts, one for each of my friends. I want to say good-bye to them properly. I want to give them each something to remember me by. To let them know I really cared about them and I’m sorry I couldn’t be more than I was—that I couldn’t stick around—and that what’s going to happen today isn’t their fault.
Today is Leonard Peacock’s birthday. It is also the day he hides a gun in his backpack. Because today is the day he will kill his former best friend, and then himself, with his grandfather’s P-38 pistol.
But first he must say good-bye to the four people who matter most to him: his Humphrey Bogart-obsessed next-door neighbor, Walt; his classmate Baback, a violin virtuoso; Lauren, the Christian homeschooler he has a crush on; and Herr Silverman, who teaches the high school’s class on the Holocaust. Speaking to each in turn, Leonard slowly reveals his secrets as the hours tick by and the moment of truth approaches.
In this riveting book, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock Book Review Overview:
- Unforgettable protagonist; abrasive but he worms his way into your heart
- Found myself glued to the pages; I couldn’t stop reading
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.
About the Author
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Find the Author
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Matthew Quick (aka Q) is the New York Times bestselling author of several novels, including THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, which was made into an Oscar-winning film. His work has been translated into twenty-eight languages and has received a PEN/Hemingway Award Honorable Mention, among other accolades. Q lives with his wife, novelist/pianist Alicia Bessette.
