Review: Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick

You probably know Matthew Quick as the guy who wrote the novel Silver Linings Playbook (which happens to be a fantastic movie!).  His newest novel, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, is set to be published August 13th and I was fortunate enough to get my hands on an ARC of the book. I definitely had high hopes.

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 could have easily gone melodramatic or whiny but it was narrated it a way that did not distance me as a reader. Leonard Peacock, the protagonist, is a disturbing character and there is really something off-putting about the way he casually talks about death, murder and suicide. In a way, it was funny to hear him talk about these morbid things and hate on everyone/everything around him. His quirkiness and oddness makes him sympathetic but even then, there were times while I was reading when I was like "whoa man, that's weird". His honesty is refreshing.

"But really -- why do some people post the correct ways to commit suicide on the Internet?  Do they want weird, sad people like me to go away permanently... is there an answer for that too?  I Googled but nothing concrete came up.  Just ways to complete the mission.  Not justification." 

The story is told with flashbacks scattered through the story, giving bits and pieces of Leonard's background, slowly building up until the reader finally gets not only why Leonard wants to kill his ex best friend and off himself but also the elements of his life which brought him to this point.  I thought it was cool how there were footnotes at the bottom which gave detailed history on the other characters, as well as Leonard's own snarky commentary.  I usually think of footnotes as optional (I can see my English teacher's disapproval already) but in this case, you are missing out if you don't read them.  This is where a lot of the history and humor lies.

This book was funny, and it was dark, raw and edgy.  It features characters that you feel ambivalent about.  This is not your typical "depressed teenager" story and you will definitely be surprised when you get to the end.  I do wish there was a teensy bit more resolution, especially since Leonard's relationships with some major characters are left open for interpretation.  But I suppose that's life.  Not everything ends up the way one expects it to, or even at all.