Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

Leonard is way too self centered and he hates everything and everyone. Of course I don’t think the point of the book was too make him likable, but rather show what it’s like for a teenager to go through difficult things (being raped, having a neglectful mother, being bullied, etc) but that doesn’t excuse his behavior for being disrespectful toward someone having a religion and kissing someone without their consent. I understand his anger but still, he crossed the line.
This book was just not for me, but I can see how some parts of the story could help someone going through the same thing.

I love Matthew Quick’s writing style. He creates the most memorable characters. Leonard Peacock is no exception. I was transfixed to Leonard’s story from the moment I started the book. He’s an old soul coming of age in a modern world with shitty parents. Thankfully he’s got some great adults to turn to during this pivotal, potentially fatal moment in his life. This book will make you wish every teacher was like Herr Silverman and that you, too, had a geriatric neighbor you could bond with over Humphrey Bogart films. Most of all this book will make you wish you knew Leonard Peacock, and that would could be the type of friend this kid desperately needed. It broke my heart that Leonard felt that people grew up to be miserable adults. He even goes so far as to dress in his “funeral” suit and follow the most miserable adult to work that day. One of the parts of the book that stuck with me was when Leonard would attempt to telepathically contact said miserable adult.

“Don’t do it. Don’t go to that job you hate. Do something you love today. Ride a roller coaster. Swim in the ocean naked. Go to the airport and get on the next flight to anywhere just for the fun of it. Maybe stop a spinning globe with your finger and then plan a trip to that very spot; even if it’s in the middle of the ocean you can go by boat. Eat some type of ethnic food you've never even heard of. Stop a stranger and ask her to explain her greatest fears and her secret hopes and aspirations in detail and then tell her you care because she is a human being. Sit down on the sidewalk and make pictures with colorful chalk. Close your eyes and try to see the world with your nose — allow smells
to be your vision. Catch up on your sleep. Call an old friend you haven’t seen in years. Roll up your pant legs and walk into the sea. See a foreign film. Feed squirrels. Do anything! Something! Because you start a revolution one decision at a time, with each breath you take. Just don’t go back to that miserable place you go every day. Show me it’s possible to be an adult and also be happy. Please. This is a free country. You don’t have to keep doing this if you don’t want to. You can do anything you want, be anyone you want. That’s what they tell us at school. But if you keep getting on that train and going to the place you hate, I’m going to start thinking that the people at school are liars, like the Nazis who told the Jews they were just being relocated to work factories. Don’t do that to us! Tell us the truth-If adulthood is working some deathcamp job you hate for the rest of your life... — if it doesn’t get any better, I need to know right now. Just tell me. Spare me from some awful fucking fate. Please.”

“I want to believe that happiness might at least be possible later on in life for people prone to sadness.”

How many high schoolers could benefit from this.... “There's a lot for you to live for. Good things are definitely in your future, Leonard. I'm sure of it. You have no idea how many interesting people you'll meet after high school's over. Your life partner, your best friend, the most wonderful person you'll ever know is sitting in some high school right now waiting to graduate and walk into your life - maybe even feeling all the same things you are, maybe even wondering about you, hoping that you're strong enough to make it to the future where you'll meet.”

I can’t even do Herr Silverman justice. The man knew Leonard was a tortured soul. He had him write letters to his future self, and this is own you knew, despite the bleak overture Leonard still sought hope and happiness in his future. (Despite his plans to end his life)


“First, they ignore you. Then, they laugh at you.
Then, they fight you. Then, you win.”

I simply can’t write a good enough review that would do this book justice. Go read “Please Forgive Me Leonard Peacock.” Then, go read “Sorta Like A Rockstar.” I loved both of these books. 5 stars! Would read again!