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.
- Used Book in Good Condition
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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful.
This story really left a mark on me.
By Audra B
Leonard Peacock just turned 18 and he wants to celebrate by killing his ex-best friend and himself. Before he does this, he plans on delivering some gifts to four people in his life that really that matter to him. Each person represents something special to him, and their reactions to the gifts were pretty mixed, and this was the first thing I found pretty heartbroken about this book. It's his birthday and no one remembers. No one knows. And instead of receiving well wishes and gifts, he's planning his would be last hours on other people.I usually have a hard time getting through books dealing with heavy topics such as teen suicide and abuse. I'm not sure if it's Matthew Quick's insanely talented way of crafting a story, or if I could just deal with it in this particular book, but Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock was such a wonderfully sad read. Quick was was able to delicately balance some intensely heavy material with some lightheartedness which kept me from going over the edge emotionally.Leonard's has been through a series of pretty crappy incidents which is what leads him to this life altering decision. We have a boy who's been neglected by his mother, who's lost a once great friend thanks to a very horrible incident, and doesn't really fit in anywhere in life. Quick's ability to interweave Leonard's present and past events was remarkable. I felt like I was right there with Leonard throughout the story, which is something that I'm not always able to do while reading a book.Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is a story that left a mark on me, and won't be soon forgotten.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful.Totally engrossing and utterly gut wrenching, best for readers 14+ through adults
By Gaele
Matthew Quick has presented us with Leonard Peacock, in a story that is emotionally gripping to the last ambiguous page. Leonard lives alone in his suburban New Jersey home: drug addled ex-rock and roller father and model mother selfishly pursuing her own life and dreams that do not include Leonard. Intelligent, Leonard is a philosophical thinker desperate to find hope and happiness in adulthood as his childhood hasn't been full of laughs. His former best friend, Asher, is portrayed with a sociopathic bent: while we are never fully told the reason for their antipathy, the result is all too clearly apparent in Leonard's anger, and vengeful fantasies.What is special about today is that it is Leonard's birthday, and not one person has made an attempt to acknowledge the day. But, his plans for making his 18th birthday special have been building for a while now. Told in short chapters much like journal entries, much of the story is told in first person point of view: we actually see and feel Leonard's disenchantment with the state of the world, after the journey to find a positive reason to becoming an adult. We hope, as he takes us along his journey that he is able to find a reason to continue, and find some hope to soothe his troubled thoughts. That he is highly intelligent and thoughtful, and perhaps even a bit elitist in his beliefs about the mental capacity and functioning of others is clearly evident. In fact, despite his wish for a painful end for his best friend, and his apparent willingness to embrace his own death: this is not a kid who is mean or vengeful.His self-proclaimed new best friend is his neighbor, Walt, an elderly and infirm man that shared his fondness for classic films, especially Bogart, with Leonard. Much of their conversation is peppered with, if not wholly consisting of quotes from films, although deeper conversation between the two nearly brings Leonard to tears before he flees.His further attempts to say goodbye, and make those moments important, and to reassure others of their capabilities and goodness as human beings is touching and thoughtful: he carefully evaluates each person he encounters with an adult sensibility that far belies his years. The most touching goodbye is with his Holocaust teacher Herr Silverman, who makes a concerted effort to get Leonard to open up, to be hopeful for a future: in fact he even set him an assignment to write letters to himself from people in his future, as a reminder that things can and will be different and better. We are treated to these letters in the story, there is that hopefulness contrasted against the post-apocalyptic world in which they are set, all written in Leonard's hand, there is a beauty in that assignment and the hopefulness that sets them apart from his other journal entries.Totally engrossing and utterly gut wrenching, despite the darker overtones, there is no ghastly conclusion with his suicide, it is left to the reader to find a meaning in the complete work: and therein lies the beauty. Leonard's entire day is snippets of thinking over the past weeks, months, and years as he searches for a reason to continue on. Far from being a conclusive `why they do it' sort of story, this is one of the many different postulations on possible reasons, issues and places where individuals can and do make a difference in a troubled life. With ample literary, philosophical and classic movie references, readers are treated to new perspectives and viewpoints, and are invited to expand their own horizons and reevaluate their own opinions.While this is set in the genre of teen reader, I also would encourage adults to pick this book up and read it: far from simply laying out a direct correlation from cause to event, this book takes many short chapters to wander and absorb positive and negative experiences, imagery and input and leave the ending undefined and nebulous, much like life.I received an eBook copy from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
10 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock
By K. Branfield
Matthew Quick's Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is a heartbreaking and compelling character study of a teenager who is on the verge of committing two unthinkable acts: killing a classmate then himself. This insightful novel is a must read for both teenagers and their parents.Leonard Peacock is a very intelligent young man but he does not fit in with his fellow students. His mother has checked out of his life literally and figuratively so Leonard pretty much does as he pleases. His closest (and sadly, only) friend is his octogenarian next door neighbor Walt. They pass their time together watching old Bogart films and exchanging movie quotes. The only other positive role model in Leonard's life is his favorite teacher, Herr Silverman.All of Leonard's unhappiness and confusion culminate on his eighteenth birthday. With his birthday forgotten by his incredibly self-absorbed and absentee mother, Leonard methodically goes about saying a final goodbye to the important people in his life. Walt and Herr Silverman are alarmed by his behavior and while they ask probing and pointed questions about his state of mind, Leonard insists he is fine.Mr. Quick's characterization of Leonard is amazingly accurate. I have an eighteen year old son and I went straight to the source after reading some of Leonard's astute observations. Much to my amazement, he agreed completely with Leonard's viewpoint. I must confess I am a little saddened by both my son's and Leonard's cynical outlook about society and adulthood.Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is written in first person from Leonard's point of view. The story is well-written and unique but a couple of things take some getting used to. The use of footnotes during the narrative was a little annoying in the beginning but I soon appreciated the insight I gleaned from them. The letters from the future came out of left field and while there is a reason for them, it would have been useful to have the explanation earlier in their story.Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is a compelling and meaningful novel that I highly recommend. Matthew Quick handles some very difficult topics with sensitivity and he ultimately delivers a powerful message that will resonate with readers of all ages.I received a complimentary copy for review.
