A Well-Behaved Woman: A Novel of the Vanderbilts by Therese Anne Fowler 

 

5 Stars 

 

Considering Fowler’s A Good Neighborhood was my favorite book of 2020 and the Biltmore in Asheville, NC is one of my favorite places to visit, it’s surprising I’m only now picking up this book. This book was an incredible delight to read. It reminded me of my great love for the novels of Edith Wharton. Fowler is so incredibly talented in the way she writes, bringing gilded age wit and humor to the page and placing the reader right alongside New York high society. Although it’s a novel, the characters are real people who enjoyed wealth beyond what most of us can imagine and yet remain relatable. It’s fun to join that world for a while, while being simultaneously disgusted by such massive wealth hoarded by so few. I knew nothing of Alva Vanderbilt, her bold choice to divorce and her support of women’s suffrage and equal rights. Despite marrying into immense wealth, she faced the same challenges as the other women of her time (and women of today) and chose to leverage that wealth and status to make some bold statements while her peers turned the other way. A fascinating and pleasurable read from an outstanding author.