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wiktoria_bojda's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Rape, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Sexism, Racial slurs, and Antisemitism
grammapollyreads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
From the back cover:
Portnoy’s Complaint n. [after Alexander Portnoy (1933- )] A disorder in which strongly-felt ethical and altruistic impulses are perpetually warring with extreme sexual longings, often of a perverse nature. Spielvogel says: ‘Acts of exhibitionism, voyeurism, fetishism, auto-eroticism and oral coitus are plentiful; as a consequence of the patient’s “morality,” however, neither fantasy nor act issues in genuine sexual gratification, but rather in overriding feelings of shame and the dread of retribution, particularly in the form of castration.’ (Spielvogel, O. “The Puzzled Penis,“Internationale Zeitschrift für Psychoanalyse, Vol. XXIV, p. 909.) It is believed by Spielvogel that many of the symptoms can be traced to the bonds obtaining in the mother-child relationship.
Really, this definition does describe the entirety of the book pretty clearly. The amount of sex, racism, and misogynism in this book is not to be undersold. However, one can easily see how at the time it was written that this book would have caught the attention of so many readers. Alexander Portnoy is absolutely obsessed with sex and seems to always be trying to find ways to find gratification. He seems pretty self-aware that his thoughts and actions are inappropriate but he either lacks true conscience or empathy. Throughout the book Alexander addresses comments to Spielvogel who is very clearly his psychoanalyst. I was equally offended by, angry at, and sympathetic to Portnoy. But when I reached the end of the book and realized that the entire story was a preparatory inner monologue prior to an appointment with Spielvogel, I actually laughed out loud. After all, some people do tend to have these internal conversations in the same way some people clean their houses before the cleaning crew arrives.
Portnoy’s Complaint n. [after Alexander Portnoy (1933- )] A disorder in which strongly-felt ethical and altruistic impulses are perpetually warring with extreme sexual longings, often of a perverse nature. Spielvogel says: ‘Acts of exhibitionism, voyeurism, fetishism, auto-eroticism and oral coitus are plentiful; as a consequence of the patient’s “morality,” however, neither fantasy nor act issues in genuine sexual gratification, but rather in overriding feelings of shame and the dread of retribution, particularly in the form of castration.’ (Spielvogel, O. “The Puzzled Penis,“Internationale Zeitschrift für Psychoanalyse, Vol. XXIV, p. 909.) It is believed by Spielvogel that many of the symptoms can be traced to the bonds obtaining in the mother-child relationship.
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexism, and Sexual assault
This book is quite graphic in terms of sex including sexual assault and masturbation.cnohero's review against another edition
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
I did not donate this book it went into the trash.
Graphic: Sexual content, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Cursing, Toxic friendship, Sexism, Misogyny, and Excrement
annniina98's review against another edition
slow-paced
1.5
Graphic: Sexism, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
metweedle's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
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