All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella’s Stepmother by Danielle Teller
Publication Date: May 22, 2018
Publisher: William Morrow
A luminous reimagining of the classic fairy tale Cinderella, told from the perspective of Agnes, the beautiful girl’s “evil” stepmother
Compelling fiction often obscures the humble truth…
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’s apprentice when she is only ten years old. Using her wits and ingenuity, she escapes her tyrannical matron and makes her way toward a hopeful future. When teenaged 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.”
What are your thoughts? Have you read this book? Would you recommend it to others?
This cover is so pretty
I want to read this too. Hopefully, someday:)
that's definitely a different take than i have ever heard of. lol
sherry @ fundinmental
I am still admiring that cover. It's wonderful! The character of focus is an interesting one. She was a villain, but I felt like there was more to her story. Sounds interesting.
Yeah, that does sound good. I can see why it niggles at you to get it read.
I'm interested to hear her side of things. Sounds like kind of a sad story. The cover is gorgeous!
I'd have it on my TBR for the cover alone!
ooo, I like the sound of this. I may have to add it to my wish list.
Oh that cover is gorgeous! I think I'd want to read it just for that. I do like the sound of the retelling but I'll wait for your thoughts!
Hm well I wouldn't pick it usually. I like the cover and it is a different concept, so I might like it.
Anne – Books of My Heart
I love this cover, I hope that you will enjoy this book!
This is an interesting take. Disney actually has a YA Villains series by Serena Valentino where everything is told from the POV of, you guessed it, the villains. There is a constant thread through the stories, and past books are constantly referenced. I have read most of them to Eleanor and once the libraries are open again we will be on the the next book, which is about Maleficent. It started with the Wicked Queen, then Beast, Ursula, Malificent, Mother Gothel, The Odd Sisters (not Disney Villains, but one of the unifying aspects of the entire series), then Cruella de Vil. The series is quite dark at times and I definitely have to edit as I am reading sometimes, but Eleanor and I both really like it.
Meh, only 2 years old 😉
I love that style of cover and the use of design and colour. Very pretty.
It sounds really good and love the cover too.
I love the sounds of this one and that cover is awesome. I love dark stories and this sounds like it would fit the bill.
I haven't read it. This sounds like it would be an interesting read.
I have this one on my TBR pile too! Hopefully we both like it when we read it.
I have actually just seen this one in a bookshop and it made me really interested in reading it. So I have just added it to my TBR! I hope you will pick this one as well. It's such a beautiful cover <3
The cover is gorgeous. ?