A review by mascha_blue
Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth

4.0

This is my second attempt at reading Roth and I can see why this book set him up for fame. Roth left nothing to imagination as he relayed the life and times of Alex Portnoy. It's a book about sex in its various formats - lust, infidelity, threesomes, attempted rape, and lots of masturbation - as told by Alex to his psychologist. Along the way, we learn how he was shaped by his Jewish family and upbringing. While he loved being a Jewish male growing up in Newark, he had not much love for any female, especially his mother, whom Alex blames for many of his troubles.

So no, Alex is not likeable and the first part of the book became tedious with all the repetition, but I was glad I continued because the last part of the book flowed as Alex examined his life choices and behaviors with a mix of hilarious humor and unrelenting criticism.