By Matthew Quick - Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock Paperback – 1 Jan 2014

loved the book.the book was incredibly moving enlighenting and fast paced.We start with Leonard Peacock on his 18th birthday and him clearly stating that he is going to kill his former best friend and himself. This book takes place in one day but it is interspersed with flashbacks to previous times that Leonard recounts.I particularly loved the idea that when a person is suicidal that really truly even the smallest of things can help such a person.Leonard's teacher Herr was really inspiring in terms of what a teacher was and is and how there really are teachers out there that go above and beyond in the cause of their pupils and the story between teacher and student was incredible.We look at why Leonard is going to commit this act and the reason behind this is incredibly heartrending and you see that Leonard is going to give presents to the four people that meant the most to him and one of whom is Herr.The lack of a parent or at least any caring responsible parent is really another devastating aspect to this story and i really hope that this story helps those who suffer from the issues that were discussed in this story.

'You ever feel like you're sending out a light but no-one sees it?'This book had me absolutely sobbing, from the first chapter to the last. It not only touched on, but fulling fleshed out problems that I can totally relate to and didn't even know other people felt. I'm talking about Leonard's view of adulthood, which is almost identical to my own. Because of this, I was able to completely connect with Leonard, making this book all the harder (yet somehow easier to read).I am honestly floored with how different and clever this book is. I actually heard my heart shattering when I read the letters from the future. I envy Quick so much for coming up with such a unique and poignant idea and it worked so well.Now onto characters: I adore Leonard's relationships with Herr Silverman and Walt. They were so different and emotional somehow without Quick even writing long sentimental paragraphs about them. Herr Silverman really does deserve a medal for what he did. And his sleeves...The only character I didn't like was Lauren. Not because of her religious views, just the way she was portrayed, but that was obviously how Leonard saw her.Another aspect of this book I love is how quotable it is without it seeming intentional.I just adored this book. Absolutely loved it.I'll leave you with this gem,'First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win'

I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this book, all I can say was I knew it would definitely be emotional and tackle a incredibly difficult subject. So I can tell you how surprised I was when I discovered how quick yet really weighty read Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock actually is. I felt like I was carrying Leonard's emotional tale on my shoulders and it didn't let me go until the very last page. It was not what I expected at all, yes I knew it would cover dark and upsetting issues like suicide I just was not prepared for how much this book really delves into somber and desolate issues. Which is why it turned out to be a very compelling read.The book takes place within a short amount of time, around two days, and uses many flashbacks to explain Leonard's decision. This writing technique is one that I absolutely adored. It shows how fast paced the book is as it squeezes in every little detail you need to get a better sense of Leonard, within such a short time, yet I still felt as if I knew Leonard and understood him. There was also so many hints of why Leonard wanted such drastic revenge on his former best friend but it always kept me waiting until the very end as to his true motive. A motive which in turn turned out to be truly dreadful that I couldn't quite conceive it. It made me feel so sorry for Leonard but also surprisingly Asher as well, showing that there are so many layers to this story that I didn't quite know how to react.Basically if your looking for a book that is doused in sadness and filled with loneliness but has such a compelling storyline and heartbreaking characters, that can't help but feel moved by it then you should definitely give Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock a go. Don't be put off by the dark issues it revolves around because even though it carries a sad atmosphere throughout it, it does show the strength people need to overcome it. All in all, Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock is a such a significant novel that stays with you for days after and I would recommend it to anyone to give it a go.Review originally posted on: http://polkadotbookblog.blogspot.com/2015/02/forgive-me-leonard-peacock.html

I was excited to receive and read this book due to the nature of the book and its main character, but it was shorter than I expected, being only around 270 pages. The book starts off well and is quite interesting, it also captured my attention until the end but the end was very unexpected and left me unenthused. Perhaps the ending is like this to leave the reader wondering, but I feel that there was just too little to go from. The book was alright, and offered some interesting intricacies of life and ways to deal with problems but if a friend asked me to recommend a book, it wouldn't be this one.

This book should be on the reading list for all angst ridden teenagers, I literally could not put this book down and because of this I will definitely explore others writings by Matthew Quick. I loved Leonard and could really feel what he was going through with his traumas and feeling totally displaced within his own life......how he felt surrounded by people who were basically sheep and just 'writing what they needed to to pass their SATS'. His disconnection with his classmates, his parents and the world in general really resonated with me. I really hated to finish this book......I just hope that his letters from the future came true and he became happy in his own skin and mind. Matthew Quick I will read more from you.