Think of this as a mosaic of the women who shared space with Margot, who overdosed during the pledge process for their sorority. This is not a linear story but rather a series of vignettes set both during and after college. Some of these may be surprising, others unsettling but they are realistic. It isn't the sorority that is at fault for the problems in any of these women's lives, although it may compound them. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is not what I was expecting from the blurb but it is a worthy read.

Sorority is more a collection of short stories than a full-length novel. The story starts with an introduction of sorts to each girl, or sister, in the the sorority, and from there we get a story from each of them. From the blurb, I expected a bit of suspense surrounding Margot's death and I suppose there is some question about whether or not it's suicide, but primarily, the book covers some part of each young lady's life, either right before, during, or after college. Having never been in a sorority, I would hope that this representation would be the extreme as every one of the sisters has some issue - some worse than others and some evoking more sympathy than others. I do have to say that I didn't find any of the characters particularly likable, which played a large part in the book being a middle of the road read for me. I did keep reading, thinking that maybe there would be some big revelation in the end, but this really isn't one of those books that gives the reader that type of closure. The author is talented and I would check out more of her work, but this one left me straddling the fence, so to speak.

The story of sorority girls pledging was just a little ovef bearing for me. Maybe if they led into the characters a little more slowly??

This was not a book I enjoyed. I did not like any of the characters and had a hard time keeping them straight.

Very stereotypical account of sorority life. I was left disappointed while reading this novel.

Way too many things to keep track of. I had no ability to keep anything straight. It's a shame because I liked the writing.

I did not go to a college that had sororities (nor would I have tried to join one if there were), but I really enjoyed the show Greek, so that’s kind of what I was expecting from this book. However, Sorority was not at all like I anticipated. It did not really follow a typical plot structure, but was more shorter vignettes of different girls from the House. I was a little taken aback at first because that’s not generally something I like, but I found the writing so addictive that it didn’t end up bothering me that much.

The story was very character-driven. All the girls were a little hard to keep straight and I can’t say that any of them were that likable or redeemable, but I found a few of their stories kind of fascinating. Even for the ones I didn’t like as much, I found the writing compulsive enough to want to find out what happened. The downside of that, though, is that there is not really any conclusion to the story. Several of the characters we saw a few years after college, but even then their stories did not feel complete. Part of me really dislikes open-endings so this was hard for me. I also did not really understand what was happening at the end of the book.

Overall, once I got over my preconceived expectations I did like this book. I thought the writing was really addictive. I don’t think it will be for everyone, though. I think readers who really enjoy some in depth character study and don’t mind open-endings will really enjoy it.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 3 Stars

The characters in sorority are very well developed. I can see the sarcastic, sad, troubled college girls trying to find their way in the world. They are trying to discover who they are while trying to remain unjaded. I feel that the characters in this book were in survival mode of the sorority. This novel kind of reminded me of Requiem for Dream. Although there was little to no plot in this book, the characters drove each chapter around the death of one of their sisters. This interconnected set of stories, centered around the comings and goings of a sorority, is a sort of cautionary tale to the young people traveling to college about what the joys of adulthood brings.

I wanted to read this because I was in a s sorority. Thankfully, my experience wasn't as dreadful as these characters' experiences are. The writing takes an interesting style as each chapter is told in a different sister's perspective in her house room or after sorority life. The problems these sisters are experiencing are vivid and shocking. The house works as a traditional sorority house and focuses on a lot of negatives in sororities without focusing on the positives. There are some extreme cases of sorority life in this book. I'm not sure if someone who has never been in a sorority would understand that. Someone without sorority expereince may feel like this is how sororities really work and I'm sure some really do but it's probably in the minority now. Experiences are not so much like this. At least in my experience and the sisters who were initiated after me. Some of the happenings are realistic however which kept me interested and reminicing. Reading about picking little's, big/little night, initiation, etc. gave a sense of familiarity even if a lot of it was really extreme. I'm not sure where the author got her sources from but it seems like she's been part of a sorority somewhere. The book however is very interesting. I found myself page turning the entire time and was never bored with the characters, even if most of them were highly unlikable. Some characters even unlikable where so sorry that you felt empathatic towards them.

I think I was most shocked on how unsisterly the sisters really act towards one another. A sisterhood like this would not be a sisterhood that anyone should want to join. They're catty, judgmental, and only there for you when it doesn't make them look bad. Sisterhood was never explained to me like this. The pledge mom made me sick. It was entertaining nonetheless.

If you're looking for a book with a solid plot and something to solve, you won't get it. But you will get interest tidbits of people's traumatic lives and how happenings end up affecting their futures.

This was an interesting look at contemporary sororities--with all the drama, friendship, betrayals, and secrets one would imagine. Fortunately it was nothing at all like the sorority I belonged to in college as apparently now drug use, rampant sex upstairs, vicious hazing, and raging parties are not much monitored so it is like one big "sister" party most of the time. (Sure, we snuck in a bottle of wine every now and then but we had a house mother who was rabid about our behavior; now I'm glad we did)!
So in this house, we see the rivalries and friendships, as past and present come together with the girls' stories. There is both pathos and poignancy to the novel which is well-written and honest; we see family struggles and bullying, socialites and loners. In short, it's a good look at what transpires in college sororities as friendships are tested and tragedy often strikes as sisters either hang together or reject the friendships offered. Either way it is a novel that deserves to be read.

This story is told in a nonlinear narrative by multiple characters. This made it a little hard to follow, but also made me wasn't to re-read it when I finished the last page.

I never wanted to be in a sorority and that's because I imagined they were all like the one in this book. Catty girls who are caught up in appearances. Frenemies, more than friends, all looking for others who can help them achieve whatever they think of as success. So, maybe I'm wrong, but this book painted that picture and more, with just a few glimpses into something deeper in some of the women.

I liked the disjointed feeling of the book. I wanted to know more about the characters, because I cared about them. I'm going to re-read it now, because I liked it that much.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A richly rewarding novel of women, ambition, class.

I think the writing is good, but I did not know this was going to be more of a short story collection than a flowing plot. This just was not my style or something I would have chosen, however, I do think the writer is very talented with characterization and detail. I wanted to know more about Margot and instead of that focus, this was a cluster of each girls’ experience in this house over about a decade.
I definitely felt empathy for the characters- even the nasty ones were covered in insecurity and low self worth. The description of the rooms and atmosphere was very realistic and disturbing. I liked the use of Greek Mythology throughout and the connections. I prefer a story that concludes and gives me closure, but I also respect the craft here.

The author has created an incredibly deep and detailed set of characters, so much so that it's hard to separate them. Parts of this book I found myself totally lost, like the long flashback scene? But for much of it I was engrossed in the character study of it.

Does this sound like a book that is going make sorority girls look good? I started reading it, and gave up after a few chapters. I just couldn't find any of those girls to like.

I wasn't a sorority member, and my college didn't have national sororities, only local social clubs. I wasn't a member and saw only the public parts of pledging. I thought it was a lot of foolishness and couldn't understand why some girls were in tears over pledging activities and yet wanted to continue--if someone deliberately did things that got me upset I'll tell her to take a long walk on a short pier and go find something else to do. Still, all in all, most of the girls I knew who were in clubs were intelligent, competent, basically good people, whereas the characters in this book are all the stereotypical college girls with issues, and none of them really seem like they'd be fun to be around. Maybe that's why they are all miserable.

Thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy. DNF.

An interesting read that gave an inside look at sorority houses- which is a bit frightening if this is what they really are like! I was never in a sorority but I could relate to some of these girls and how they felt- the self doubts and self loathing. I thought it was going to be more of a novel but didn't mind that it was more like short stories. thank you for the ARC copy!

If you're looking for a novel that has a true beginning, middle and end, this is not the book for you. Sorority by Genevieve Sly Crane tells the story of various sorority sisters in bite sized short stories. The story unwraps to reveal the story of Margot.

I went into this book expecting a full story and not various short stories. That in itself took me a bit to get used to. Though it wasn't a format I was expecting, I still enjoyed it. The characters were interesting and I liked that each person had their story to tell. I liked that I could relate to multiple characters and see their lives. I have to say, I'm glad I never had the urge to join a sorority. Though I did like the book I have one issue. My one main issue is that the book feels a little incomplete simply because there was no true end. I like having an ending so this book just doesn't sit right. It did work with the story though.

All in all, I enjoyed it.

Too many characters, didn’t hold my infest. When I started to skimming the pages I stopped reading and didn’t finish.

"The Sorority" takes stereotypical Greek Life to the next level as it examines the overdose death of one of the sisters from multiple perspectives. The story is told from characters who lived in the house before and after the girl's death, and from those who knew her or just knew the story, so the storylines and perspectives can get easily confused. What is loud and clear is that each one of the beautiful, privileged, popular girls only has a pretty, shiny outer layer, and the inside of each is dark and damaged, and in some cases very twisted. Sorority girls will deny any events in the story happen in real Greek houses today, while moms reading this book will ultimately be praying their daughters choose not to pledge when they leave for college. This is a good read for those who like a good dose of psychological creepiness.