Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

by Mathew Quick

(4.5/5 stars)

Not letting the world destroy you. That’s a daily battle.

Leonard Peacock decides to die. And kill the guy who was once his best friend. But there are four people he truly cares for. First he needs to say goodbye to them and give each of them something to remember him by after he’s gone. Forgive me, Leonard Peacock is the story of his eighteenth birthday, the day he will pull off his plans.

I’ve been reading a lot of books about mental health lately and Forgive me, Leonard Peacock was one of the few that stood out to me. It was unflinching, raw and painfully honest. It felt personal. It discussed depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts /attempts, sexual assault/rape, bullying, drugs, homophobia, and yet it wasn’t blunt. Nothing was just thrown at your face. This book was nothing, if not brilliant.

Lets talk about some of the things I liked best. Leonard as a character. He was a messed up kid, yes. He was too much over his head and wasn’t always likeable. But he felt human, a real teenage kid. Not a character on paper. Also his sharp wit and humor helped lighten the tone of the book a little bit. Then there were this footnotes all over the book. About literally everything. I loved the idea of those. Possibly the most unique thing were the letters from the future. Precious little gems.

There was one thing that really bothered me though, the ending. I don’t think it should have ended the way it did. I think I understand the reason and why the author chose to end the book there. But that doesn’t mean I agree with it. The reader deserves an epilogue of sorts, a closure. The ending was just too abrupt for my taste (hence the minus ½ star).

In this riveting look at a day in the life of a disturbed teenage boy, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made—and the light in us all that never goes out.

-Goodreads.

I feel like I’m broken—like I don’t fit together anymore. Like there’s no more room for me in the world or something. Like I’ve overstayed my welcome here on Earth, and everyone’s trying to give me hints about that constantly. Like I should just check out.

Have you read this gem. What were your thoughts? Did you like it as much as I did? Tell me in the comments.

Until next time! Happy Reading 🙂