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Berengaria's Reviews > Portnoy’s Complaint
Portnoy’s Complaint
by
by
4 stars
short review for busy readers: very funny, very explicit sex comedy narrated by a neurotic Jewish civil rights activist with mother issues. Just for the characteristic Yiddish speech and humour it's worth reading. About 50 pages too long (repetitive). A slower read to get all the jokes. By rights a classic. Not for the easily offended!
in detail:
Alexander Portnoy has three problems. One: his mother. Two: his sex drive. Three: Being a Jew in a Gentile world.
This triumvirate of evil plagues Portnoy so much that he feels the need to get it all off his chest through a long-winded rant in his therapist’s office. This rant is at once utterly random, and yet always pointing to Portnoy’s real underlying problem: he’s a perpetual outsider constantly banging on the door to be let inside. (And I do mean ‘banging�! 🤭)
The star of this novel is not Portnoy’s penis, as much as he thinks it is. Nor even the idea that some Jews feel they don’t really belong to American society and ghettoize themselves willfully.
No, the real star is the language.
Roth conveys whole arguments in a single paragraph without using any quotation marks, and you still know exactly who is speaking. The rhythm of the sentences, the thought trains, the asides, are so typical of Yiddish influenced English, that you automatically hear a stereotypical NY Jewish voice in your head.
The name calling, the descriptions, the sex stories are related with linguistic nods to songs, advertising jingles that were popular in the late 60s and ‘sympathetic sounds� such as when Portnoy calls himself “Portnoy, oy, oy, oy� echoing the Yiddish exclamation for dismay: “oy�.
It’s a dazzling piece of artistic craftsmanship and truly funny. But despite that, it runs on in the same vein for somewhat too long. About 50 pages could be trimmed without any damage to the novel. That's my only real critique. After about page 200, nothing new is added, but Portnoy blusters on.
If you are in the mood for a good laugh and candid (hetero) sexual comments, scenes, etc don’t bother you, this is one to add to your TBR list!
short review for busy readers: very funny, very explicit sex comedy narrated by a neurotic Jewish civil rights activist with mother issues. Just for the characteristic Yiddish speech and humour it's worth reading. About 50 pages too long (repetitive). A slower read to get all the jokes. By rights a classic. Not for the easily offended!
in detail:
Alexander Portnoy has three problems. One: his mother. Two: his sex drive. Three: Being a Jew in a Gentile world.
This triumvirate of evil plagues Portnoy so much that he feels the need to get it all off his chest through a long-winded rant in his therapist’s office. This rant is at once utterly random, and yet always pointing to Portnoy’s real underlying problem: he’s a perpetual outsider constantly banging on the door to be let inside. (And I do mean ‘banging�! 🤭)
The star of this novel is not Portnoy’s penis, as much as he thinks it is. Nor even the idea that some Jews feel they don’t really belong to American society and ghettoize themselves willfully.
No, the real star is the language.
Roth conveys whole arguments in a single paragraph without using any quotation marks, and you still know exactly who is speaking. The rhythm of the sentences, the thought trains, the asides, are so typical of Yiddish influenced English, that you automatically hear a stereotypical NY Jewish voice in your head.
The name calling, the descriptions, the sex stories are related with linguistic nods to songs, advertising jingles that were popular in the late 60s and ‘sympathetic sounds� such as when Portnoy calls himself “Portnoy, oy, oy, oy� echoing the Yiddish exclamation for dismay: “oy�.
It’s a dazzling piece of artistic craftsmanship and truly funny. But despite that, it runs on in the same vein for somewhat too long. About 50 pages could be trimmed without any damage to the novel. That's my only real critique. After about page 200, nothing new is added, but Portnoy blusters on.
If you are in the mood for a good laugh and candid (hetero) sexual comments, scenes, etc don’t bother you, this is one to add to your TBR list!
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Portnoy’s Complaint.
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Reading Progress
April 21, 2024
– Shelved
May 1, 2024
–
Started Reading
May 12, 2024
–
26.28%
"Hilariously funny (and lewd at times) long monologue from a Jewish man recounting his childhood and teen years to his shrink.
"Dr Spielvogel, this is my life, my only life, and I'm living it in the middle of a Jewish joke! I am the son in the Jewish joke - and it ain't no joke!""
page
72
"Dr Spielvogel, this is my life, my only life, and I'm living it in the middle of a Jewish joke! I am the son in the Jewish joke - and it ain't no joke!""
May 13, 2024
–
46.35%
"This is hilarious. If you like rabid Jewish stand up comedian rants. (I do!🙋♀�)"
page
127
May 17, 2024
–
Finished Reading
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by
Berengaria
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rated it 4 stars
May 18, 2024 03:09AM
Apparently, this novel was banned in a few places when it came out.
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It seems like this one was written wonderfully, despite the repetitive parts. Also it's intriguing that it was banned in some places. I've never heard of it, going to have to add this to my list. Wonderful review, Berengaria!
Sounds like you thoroughly enjoyed this read for all it's worth! 😁 Great analysis of a great book. Which, btw, had a two-year banishment in Australia and periodic brief exiles throughout the USA. Not sure about the rest of the world, likely somewhat dependent on if and what languages it may have been translated into.
A wrote: "It seems like this one was written wonderfully, despite the repetitive parts. Also it's intriguing that it was banned in some places. I've never heard of it, going to have to add this to my list. W..."Thanks A Mac! This one is listed as Roth's most famous work, although I think it's his only comedy. He's certainly one of the more famous 20th century American writers - wrote a ton of novels...of which I've only read 2 (bad Berengaria!).
Just have to keep and open mind to appreciate this one, and remember it was written in 1968! 😃
Valerie wrote: "Sounds like you thoroughly enjoyed this read for all it's worth! 😁 Great analysis of a great book. Which, btw, had a two-year banishment in Australia and periodic brief exiles throughout the USA...."
A lot of other countries aren't as tight-laced as English speaking ones. I'd have a hard time seeing it banned in France or Germany or Japan for example.
Roth really was brave to be able to publish this...but what I really can't believe is that your high school had you read it! That's incredible to me, seeing as how so much of the subtext and references would actually be beyond the understanding of a late teen.
I have I Married a Communist by him on my self. Perhaps I'll circle back and read it later this year!
