All the Ever Afters

The Untold Story of Cinderella’s Stepmother

By: Danielle Teller

Narrated by: Jane Copland

Length: 10 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

In the vein of Wicked, The Woodcutter, and Boy, Snow, Bird, a luminous re-imagining of a classic tale, told from the perspective of Agnes, Cinderella’s "evil" stepmother.

We all know the story of Cinderella. Or do we?

As rumors about the cruel upbringing of beautiful newlywed Princess Cinderella roil the kingdom, her stepmother, Agnes, who knows all too well about hardship, privately records the true story....

A peasant born into serfdom, Agnes is separated from her family and forced into servitude as a laundress' apprentice when she is only 10 years old. Using her wits and ingenuity, she escapes her tyrannical matron and makes her way toward a hopeful future. When teenage Agnes is seduced by an older man and becomes pregnant, she is transformed by love for her child.

Once again left penniless, Agnes has no choice but to return to servitude at the manor she thought she had left behind. Her new position is nursemaid to Ella, an otherworldly infant. She struggles to love the child who in time becomes her stepdaughter and, eventually, the celebrated princess who embodies everyone’s unattainable fantasies. The story of their relationship reveals that nothing is what it seems, that beauty is not always desirable, and that love can take on many guises.

Lyrically told, emotionally evocative, and brilliantly perceptive, All the Ever Afters explores the hidden complexities that lie beneath classic tales of good and evil, all the while showing us that how we confront adversity reveals a more profound, and ultimately more important, truth than the ideal of "happily ever after".

©2018 Danielle Teller (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers

A woman far before her time

This book transported me to a different time and I enjoyed every minute of it. a clever woman indeed on a mission to give her daughters the best life they could. I loved the language, the imagery, and the narrator.

One of my favorite fairy tale retellings!!!

I've read a lot of fairy tale retellings, but I think this is one of my favorites. It's a beautifully told story of Cinderella's "evil" step-mother. However, this could almost stand entirely alone without the hook of being about Cinderella's stepmother. It's a wonderful and interesting story all on its own and really only ventures into the realm of the Cinderella fairy tale in the last third.

Also, I think I'm really glad that I listened to this one instead of reading it. I feel like I would have skimmed over the beautiful language if I was reading it on my own. But by listening to it, I was forced into absorbing every word and I was transported into the world. Jane Copland is a wonderful narrator.

This book is really wonderful and I would definitely suggest this as a must-read.

Excellent in every way

I love the realism of the story vs the fairytale most know. It is beautifully written and I would highly recommend. I loved it very much.

Very enjoyable book.

I really enjoyed this book. It was well written and the story was certainly interesting. There is always two sides to every story....

Captivating

Oh my goodness…. The story! It’s captivating and intriguing and it just takes your breath away!

An alternate view of the Cinderella story

I've always loved fairy tales, and this beautiful re-telling of the Cinderella story was very appealing. It did drag a bit in the middle, and the ending felt a bit rushed and too tidy, but it's still a lovely story if you love fairy tales. The narration is perfect.

What a great book that tells a different but heartwarming tale.

I loved it. Sometimes it was hard to decipher the language used as it was set so long ago but it was a beautiful book. Told so well. Would recommend it! Leaves you with a warm heart about the fairy tale

Drawn out

This story dragged and was boring. And although a fairy tale, parts did not make sense that came from the Step Mother’s point of view. Just rambling excuses to try to justify bad behavior. Will not be recommending to my book clubs.

Different spin, same beloved story

Fantastically written and performed! I loved every minute listening. I'm glad Teller didn't change the story or try to impress upon the reader to change their mind about Cinderella's stepmother. She wove a fabulous tale that brings all of the characters into a depth I have not previously seen or read about in any of the Cinderella stories out there. Agnes's growth throughout the book and her relationship with Ella was so naturally written, I could easily empathize with Agnes from the beginning. Well done, I will be visiting this book often!

Behind the fairest there is a story

In the vein of confessions of an ugly step sister, wicked, maleficent, and cruela, This telling give lbs both depth and insight into the complexity and make up of one of the most infamous yet unknown of childhood characters, the stepmother.
Far from a simple one dimensional wicked and prudish woman, the portrayal here allows for a glance into what forms a woman, the way in which a story soon far outpaces a history, and allows for a different type of ever after ending.