Therese Fowler

Alva Smith, her southern family destitute after the Civil War, married into one of America's great Gilded Age dynasties: the newly wealthy but socially shunned Vanderbilts. Ignored by New York's old-money circles and determined to win respect, she designed and built 9 mansions, hosted grand balls, and arranged for her daughter to marry a duke. But Alva also defied convention for women of her time, asserting power within her marriage and becoming a leader in the women's suffrage movement.

a novel of the Vanderbilts

A well-behaved woman

Allison Garrett

A Well Behaved Woman follows Alva Vanderbilt, follows the rise of the Vanderbilt family in society and life as a woman in the late 1800/early 1900s. Alva is a strong and independent woman who doesn’t conform to high society’s ways, but for her husband and family she works to raise their status. 
	Pros: 
Writing- I really felt like I was inside of Alva Vanderbilt’s diary reading her thoughts. I think Therese Ann Fowler is a tremendous writer and I can only imagine how much work went into this book. 
Alva- Her personality is so inspiring, especially for the time period. The afterward went into the idea that the public opinion of Alva was horrible because the media only focused on major events that happened in her life, often painting her as the bad guy. But she was so much more than that, even in a fictional retelling. 
	Cons: 
Pacing- At times this was a bit slow, but in order to tell the whole story I think it had to go at that pace. It just took me forever to get through. 

	I’m giving this 3.75/5 stars. I would highly recommend it for a historical fiction and I’m definitely going to pick up Fowler’s other works.

A well-behaved woman a novel of the Vanderbilts

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