Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock

By: Matthew Quick

Narrated by: Noah Galvin

Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins

Publisher's summary

Audie Award Finalist, Teens, 2014

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 audiobook, acclaimed author Matthew Quick unflinchingly examines the impossible choices that must be made - and the light in us all that never goes out.

©2013 Matthew Quick (P)2013 Hachette Audio

Read. Just read.

This is a must read for everyone.
It will reach the core of your soul.
It's a book you will remember forever, and a book that you SHOULD remember forever.
It's honest, witty, soulful, heartbreaking and hopeful all at the same time.
Read it.

Powerful Story

Would you consider the audio edition of Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock to be better than the print version?

I've never read the print version but I can say with honesty, the the audio edition of Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock was meant to be listened to for human understanding, in its truest form.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock?

The most memorable moments of Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock was the attempt of Herr Silverman to take his cell phone number and give it to Leonard. Leonard thought that he did not have any reason that he would need the number but he did put it in his pants pocket so that Herr Silverman would take his hand away that held the piece of paper. Another memorable moment was when Linda, what Leonard called his mother, came home from New York and with hands on her hips, yelled, I drove two hours to come home and I had twelve meetings that I had to cancel, so you had better have a dam good reason for me being here. I'm "listening," Leonard. You see, Leonard lived in New Jersey while his mother lived in New York as a designer and rarely came home. His father had fled the country for tax evasion and had never been heard from since. There are very memorable moments throughout the novel and I would say it's a must listen for everyone. The couple of moments I wrote about, when put into the context of Leonard's life, are powerful.

Which character – as performed by Noah Galvin – was your favorite?

Noah Galvin did a great job with all of his characters, implementing all the variations of feelings. However, Leonard was my favorite.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The moment that moved me was when Leonard took the time and went back over his adolescence. He took the time to actually put all the puzzle pieces together. He finally knew, without question, that he was not responsible for what had happened to make him want to commit suicide. Acceptance that this was really the truth would take time but I think, that Leonard would eventually understand the real truth.

Any additional comments?

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is only six hours in length which I read in one sitting. It was a poignant novel that did not require more or less time, all that needed to be said was said. I know that Leonard will one day have a wife and a daughter named, S. He will hold his head high and no longer think he has to ask for forgiveness because there was not anything that he needed to be forgiven for.

Mesmerizing

The narration for the book was spectacular. The story and the voice left me thinking about Leonard Peacock long after finishing the story.

very good story

If you liked Silver Linings Playbook, it's the same author, and the story involves a young guy with a mental problem. It's well told, well narrated. I wished it was longer

Best Narrator!

Any additional comments?

I liked this book a lot! Best narrator I have had so far!! Only wish they had an epilogue. It felt like the book just ended when the story was not finished!

A YA book adults can get into.

Poor Leonard Peacock. Leonard is a depressed and troubled teen who has reached his limit. He has crappy parents, issues with his former best friend and is worried that life isn't going to get better. All the adults he sees seem to be unhappy and what is the point of becoming one if life isn't going to look up at some point. The book begins with Leonard telling the readers that it's his birthday and he is going to kill his former best friend and then shoot himself. In addition to the gun in his backpack, he has four gifts for the people he cares for. As the book progresses and Leonard gives his gifts, truths are revealed. We get to see exactly why Leonard wants to shoot his best friend and himself.

I thought that Matthew Quick created a smart and, in the end, hopeful character with Leonard. He makes Leonard a believable teenager, albeit a very intense and intelligent one. This book is dark and depressing, but I think that's ok considering the issues Leonard faces… even though it felt a bit extreme at times. As stated before, Leonard does have people he cares about and who care about him: Walt, his neighbor, and Herr Silverman, his teacher. I really liked the dialogue and relationship between Leonard and Walt. I thought it was very creative for Quick to use Humphrey Bogart movies as a way for them to relate and talk with each other. I also thought it was smart on Quick's part to show teenagers that teachers are real people that can be trusted. In the end, I think all Leonard wanted was to know that someone cared about him and that life would or could get better.

Young adult books are not my go-to genre and I don't tend to enjoy them as much as other books I read. I did find "Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock" to rise above the rest and Galvin narrated Leonard in a believable way.

Compelling performance

If you could sum up Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock in three words, what would they be?

Brilliant Troubled Youth

What was one of the most memorable moments of Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock?

Leonard's elderly friend, Walt, watches Bogart movies endlessly. Leonard enjoys watching them with Walt and they develop a secret coded language made up entirely of quotes from Bogart movies. Leonard has a similar acquaintance with Shakespeare.

Have you listened to any of Noah Galvin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, I haven't. And I worry that his voice will be forever linked to this amazing character. He is extraordinary; versatile, clear, good pacing, and - given this amazing text - full of surprises; twists and turns.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes. I had to make a long drive up the California central coast and actually pulled over at Bean Hollow Beach to lengthen the trip. It was at that moment that the gun jammed or refused to fire. Spellbinding.

Any additional comments?

I suspect that I am not the target audience for this book. I am late middle age, female, and have no children. Regardless. The character is fascinating, fresh, surprising at every turn, sympathetic, lovely actually. I think Herr Silverman's suggestions to write letters from the future is a thoughtful exercise and, in this case, life saving. Loved the book and the reader.

Great book

First off, I loved the narrator. Great job on his part.

This book was really good. I'll admit it's hard for me to focus when listening to an audio book, I zone out alot. But when listening to Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock, I didn't want to miss a moment. I finished it in two days because I couldn't stop listening to it. It deals with feelings that teens and adults alike can relate to, being lonely, feeling like no one cares. Things I've dealt with in my life, and I feel like the author really captured all of those things and put them into a character who, despite his flaws and darkness, I really enjoyed. All in all, I really liked the book. It's worth a read.

"Going out the same day I came in"

If you could sum up Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock in three words, what would they be?

dark,brutal, and genius

What was one of the most memorable moments of Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock?

My heart was pounding at the moments where leonard had his pistol going to off his self.

Have you listened to any of Noah Galvin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

He Narrated perks of being a wallflower, he has that innocence capturing teens with dark secrets.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

so emotional and given where i was i fought the tears.

Any additional comments?

I wish more books were like this.

forgive me

A challenging look inside the mind of a sad young man, the story of Leonard Peacock is a good one-but not for the faint of heart.