The novel tells the story of the social cold war between society’s reigning queen Caroline Astor and up-and-comer Alva Vanderbilt. While both women are fantastically wealthy, society looks down upon the newly rich and favors those who have inherited money instead of working for it. In a period where a woman’s only activity was to socialize and obey her spouse, Alva desperately wants to gain Caroline’s approval, but finds herself constantly rebuffed by the older woman, despite her friendship with Caroline’s eldest daughter.