A 3.5 for me. It's almost as well written as The Cartel and really, only lacks the masterful structure and focus of that book. But, at some point, many hundreds of pages in to this 700 pager, realizing I was past 1500 pages of Winslow's writing on this topic (and will likely read the 500 or more pages of books I haven't yet gotten to) I started to question when was enough, certain it was too much. And like the two countries and the obsessed protagonist we watch age through it all, the rise and falls of fiefdoms and their leaders is repetitive in its pain, selfishness, senselessness and brutality. You walk away exhausted and repulsed by the conflict and guilty within it. The coda and final speech of the protagonist are probably as good as they could be, but they ultimately disappoint you because what could Keller possibly say that writer Winslow hasn't already? As with The Cartel, the takeaway is the guilt of the U.S. (and I'm sure Canada) in the conflict and that nothing will change until the pain of the users is tackled in a way that diminishes the voracious need for drugs north of the border with Mexico.