Book Review: Pledged

Though I went to a college that had an active Greek Life, I am not a sorority sister nor do I have a single friend who was in a sorority. However, there is nothing in this book that I didn't already know. I believe that most people (especially those who attend college where there is Greek Life), know by now the pros and cons of sororities and fraternities. We have all heard the news reports of hazing gone wrong and sorority parties where excessive drinking takes place. While this is not the case on all campuses, I think most people have heard of at least one college or university where this is true. That is why, when I picked up this book, I was hoping for the "secret life of sororities" as the title states. I was hoping to see another side, either scandalous or not, that your typical American had no been privy to. Letdown. Perhaps the reason this book fell flat for me, is because it was written over seven years ago. Maybe at that time, this information was not as well known. If that was the case, then I think the author did a good job of uncovering some interesting stories within certain sororities. Unfortunately, it has not stood the test of time as most college students know these stories already before even setting foot on campus.

This is a work of nonfiction that follows four girls who are in sororities at an anonymous university in Texas. They don't exactly fit into their sororities for various reasons including being homesick, in a relationship with someone who is not in Greek Life, or lack of finances. Due to their identities as outsiders within their own sororities, these girls seem to have a love-hate relationship with their houses. Robbins follows them as they drink to excess, sleep around, wear revealing clothes, ditch class, and do drugs. Their status on campus is forever tied to their sorority house and within the house, to their specific cliques. For those who try to rebel against the system, their experience will probably not be pleasant.
At first, I was absorbed into the story but it soon became clear that there was nothing new in this book. Additionally, the way the women acted isn't specific to sororities but to humankind in general. The antics that they pulled are often done in certain dorms and organizations that are not affiliated with Greek Life. Robbins seem to be extremely troubled by the amount of dating around the girls did as well as the strict hierarchy that was within each sorority. Again, this isn't anything that can't be witnessed at a high school lunch room. For those of you who have lived under a rock, this might be a good book to read. But for those who attended high school and remember what peer pressure and cliques are like...this is a snoozer.