mctmama's review
dark
informative
tense
fast-paced
4.25
A very quick read and more than a little unsettling. Rich, white fraternity boys capitalized on the need for Xanax and cocaine on their College of Charleston campus. Mind numbing that 80 percent of of legislators and 85 percent of Supreme Court justices come from this talent pool. Even more disturbing is the lack of empathy for those who die due to addiction - it is almost like an inconvenience to the party schedule. Although I certainly don’t celebrate anyone’s death the story of Patrick Moffley and his family’s behavior- having another huge drug and alcohol fueled raged on their farm as a “life celebration" when he was gunned down in a drug related robbery did not make me sympathetic to their plight. Apparently as long as the black trigger man was apprehended and punished it did not seem to matter to them or the police that the hit could have been an order from another white “bro”. So many of the defendants in this drug ring are out leading their lives without any implications. Thank you to NetGalley for an advance reader copy. This would make a great Netflix expose. Suburb cover design too - kudos to whoever made that choice!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction
katehow11's review
adventurous
dark
informative
slow-paced
3.5
Marshall does an impressive job of condensing the convoluted parts and vastness of this case into a story that’s honest and fascinating. The majority is a gripping narrative that resembles an action movie, but the actual drug bust is a little hard to follow. The scenes aren’t all linear. There are too many frat boys involved who need mentioning yet, if included in the book further, would muddy the very digestible story that the author’s formed.
The author is also a frat boy (man?), which adds an odd flavor to the journalism. He adds his personal experience, but the only takeaways on Greek life he offers are comments made by his friends/fellow bros.
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