4.5. A remarkable read. While reading “The Fortune Hunters,” a non-fiction account of American society matrons and heiresses of The Gilded Age, it was difficult to keep all the names straight. This novel, while fictional, takes those famous names and makes them flesh and blood. I’d always pictured Alva Vanderbilt as a mean-spirited bully, particularly in regards to her daughter. Fowler paints a more agreeable (and hopefully realistic?) portrait of Alva and what motivates her. I found this a much smoother read than “Z.” Captivating!