All the Ever Afters audiobook

👑 Oh, dear! This is the mind-blowing tale, fairy or not, that I've always wanted to get my hands on. I've never been one for the Cinderella story. It just never felt absolutely right. So, she becomes the future queen, what's she gonna do next?This is rehashing the original, in a very expectedly unexpected way. Here goes the purr-fect illustration of the principle: no matter how you raise your kids (step- or otherwise), they will always have what to discuss with their psychoanalyst (or their courtiers!).PS. Dear cover art, I'm in love with you! I rarely, if ever, judge books by their covers but this one is absolutely gorgeous. I just want to eat it or something!Q:I sat alone at supper and listened to my heart thunder as I lay awake each night. (c)Q:… I no longer believe that people are born without virtue. It gets beaten out. Misfortune threshes our souls as a flail threshes wheat, and the lightest parts of ourselves are scattered to the wind. (c)Q:God had opened a window for me, and I flew forth like an arrow, growing dizzy with my rise. (c)Q:“You might consider embellishing your story just a trifle for the sake of the listener.”“I don’t like embellishment. (c)Q:I imagined that we were a pair of wolves slinking over the dappled grass. (c)Q:I was a mouse trapped in a corner, looking for a crack to flee through but despairing of finding one. (c)Q:It bothers me to this day that I did not have the means to repay him for his kindness. (c)Q:Children’s thoughts incline toward magic and superstition, and mine were no exception. (c)Q:I was tempted to walk out the door, through the orchards, meadow, and woods, and keep walking all the way home. I was old enough to know, however, that my family could not keep me, and I had nowhere else to go. (c)Q:Apart from her collections of baubles and kennel of favorite dogs, she appears to have no passions or vices, and when she attends royal functions, her gaze drifts to invisible spectacles that only she can apprehend. Her elusive character is a blank parchment upon which any story may be written, and every girl who dreams of becoming a princess can imagine herself in Princess Elfilda’s famously tiny shoes. (c)

Click here to watch a video review of this book on my channel, From Beginning to Bookend. Beautiful inside and out; All the Ever Afters is a sorrowful tale woven from lyrical prose, words as lovely and lush as the book's alluring cover. Cinderella's "evil" stepmother, Agnes, tells her side of the story, in which she's born a peasant and must claw her way to a better life. The little cinder girl arrives late in the story, a mere trifle compared to the hardship and heartbreak Agnes endures. The languid pacing will not appeal to everyone, but Teller compensates with a stunning linguistic style. Spring breezes caused the snowdrifts to round and slump, wearing them thinner until yellow grass and mud showed through. The longer days tempted me back to the rose garden, where buds were beginning to form. Bright green haloes softened the skeletal angles of branches, and then one day, the trees burst into full leaf. Swallows darted and swooped in the fresh-scrubbed spring air.

All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella’s Stepmother by Danielle Teller is a fantasy retelling. Taking on the idea that every story has different sides readers get to know Cinderella's stepmother from her point of view from childhood until after Cinderella's wedding. I would warn of the sexual content within this one making it for mature readers.Agnes was born a peasant and while her family found a husband for her sister Agnes was turned over to work as a servant at the age of ten. She spent the next several years working until she met a young man in which she thought she'd fallen in love. With him being above her station though Agnes had little hope of marriage until she fell pregnant with his child.Over the years Agnes had her children and made a life for herself but it all fell apart for her once again sending her back to working as a servant yet again. It was then Agnes came into Ella's life and eventually married her father becoming her stepmother but things weren't the way for the family that we've all thought.I'm always a sucker for a great retelling that breaths new life into the classics that we all know and love. All the Ever Afters was not a disappointment at all when it came to twisting the story into something new. As it's said with there being different sides in this one we've known Cinderella's and now we learn Agnes'.As Agnes goes back in time telling her own story the book reads a lot like historical fiction taking the reader back to a time of Kings, peasants, arranged marriages and all that of the era. There are breaks every few chapters with journal entries updating the current situation as the story spans through the decades of Agnes' life. Looking at things from this angle it would make one wonder what was the truth to the story and did we have it wrong all this time?I received an advance copy from the publisher via Edelweiss.For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/

NOT YOUR ORDINARY VILLAIN REDEMPTION STORY Usually with fairy tale retellings told from the villains POV, the premise is to explain how the villain came to be. That was not the case for this one. This is a more realistic take on the myth of Cinderella, and in stead of explaining the Stepmother's wickedness, it seeks to show that she wasn't even all that wicked after all. Very intriguing and very captivating. "Compelling fiction often obscures the humble truth." 👍 WHAT I LIKED 👍Realistic: Very often fairy tale retellings retain some sort of magic, but this book did not which I found very refreshing. It was a realistic depiction of the story of Cinderella, no fairy godmothers or enchantments that last until midnight.Historical: Again, this was out of the ordinary for fairy tale retellings. It was actually a realistic, well-crafted historical novel set in 14th century England. Though I was surprised it wasn't set in France, I really liked to hear references to actual historical figures such as Edward of Woodstock aka The Black Prince.No redemption: Agnes, the 'wicked stepmother' of this story is not wicked in this book. She is a human being who has been dealt a bad hand but still manages to make the best of it. I really liked that this book did not try to explain why Agnes was 'wicked' as many other redemption stories so. In stead, it sought to show that she wasn't even wicked at all. Agnes: Anyone who knows me know that I am a sucker for strong-willed, intelligent female characters and Agnes was just such a character. She was not sweet or meek but she was strong, independent and stubborn and I really responded well to that. "Society has strong opinions about what is beautiful and what is not." Follow me for more book loving content!Blog ✨ Facebook ✨ Instagram ✨ Twitter Blog: 7 Memorable First Lines

I received this ARC from William Morrow on LibraryThing in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of this book in any way."Being strong does not disqualify you from being beautiful."Wow this book is amazing! The Writing For a debut, this is absolutely astounding! This is one of the most well written books I have ever read! As an example, here's a bunch of quotes I particularly loved:"Compelling fiction often obscures the humble truth."I wonder sometimes if the thoughts that flock my nightmares are abandoned memories coming home to roost.I no longer believe that people are born without virtue. It gets beaten out. Misfortune threshes our souls as a flail threshes wheat, and the lightest parts of ourselves are scattered to the wind.I was a mouse trapped in a corner, looking for a crack to flee through but dispairing of finding one."Imagine what ideas are locked up in the hearts and minds of women who simply lack the tools to express them."I was a candle that had never known a flame, and now that the flame was lit, I softened and glowed in a way I had not known was possible.Our fascination with feminine beauty is elemental. It is said that men wish to possess the princess and women wish to be the princess, but I believe that is only part of the truth. We are drawn to extraordinary beauty mindlessly and purposelessly; we flutter on dusty moth wings toward the effulgence with no understanding of why we do it. Perhaps when we see a woman with the aspect of an angel, our souls are tricked into following her, mistaking her for a guide to paradise.The opposite, of course, is also true.The stories we tell ourselves have great power.Because misfortune does not wait idly by until we are prepared for it."Rich only matters if he marries you," I said grimly. "Handsome matters not at all.""You speak of love? Love is a sickness that causes men and women to do stupid things, the sorts of things that leave them sad and broken when the fever passes."Whew, that's a long list. Well, that's because THIS BOOK IS AMAZING and everyone needs to read it. All the characters were so real and multi-dimensional. The world (though a bit difficult to place the time period at first) was really great, and I loved how religion was mixed in without being preachy.My only gripe was the fact that it's a Cinderella retelling, and only because I feel like that dragged down the potential of the story. It became predictable (because who doesn't know Cinderella's story?) and I found myself tiring of those parts of the story. The prologue, for instance, was not really necessary and only served to give reason for the journal entries scattered about. Which opening line would you rather have? This:Suppers at the royal court have become entirely too oppressive.Or this:I hardly remember my own mother.I think you'll all agree with me that the latter is far superior and engaging.I absolutely loved the theme of motherhood in this. It was so well done and, though I am not a mother, I'm an aunt and my love and adoration for my nephew pales in comparison to Agnes' love for her daughters. And the themes of beauty and love were equally well done. The Characters Agnes: She was such an interesting and relatable protagonist. She's so complex and flawed, and she grows so much while staying fundamentally the same.Fernan: I really found him to be a complex person, especially as Agnes realizes and learns more about him. I was so conflicted as to whether I loved him or hated him, but I never felt indifferent towards him.Charlotte and Matilda: As someone who has a ton of sisters, they totally got the sister-dynamic down. They also really reminded me (even in appearance, strangely enough--Danielle Teller, have you been watching me??) of my oldest sisters, so reading about them was a huge, super sweet, cavity enducing treat.Ella: She was really interesting too, and really humanized.Emont: Man, I feel somewhat similar him as I do Fernan, but honestly, I pity him more anything. He's a pretty pitiful person.Lady Alba: She gave me some serious Jane Eyre vibes. This whole book gave me Jane Eyre vibes, man. Conclusion I love this book so much. It might have even topped 1984 for my favorite book this month and possibly all time. It is amazingly well written, and I went through the whole gamut of emotions reading this. I shed some tears, I laughed and chuckled and giggled like a fool. I love this book and everyone really needs to read it.Danielle Teller, I applaud you on your fabulous debut. You done good.

When I reached the end and closed this book, I felt fulfilled, and at so many levels. The language captured me first. What a complete command of expressions! A pleasure to watch its secure stroke, its expert unfolding; a painting that becomes sculpture and walks you all around an image, a scene, a character, a plot. An exquisite mastery of the written word that reminds of Umberto Eco. I even found a few words I had to look up, yet so expertly placed in the context that, from the way they fitted, I could surmise their meaning.In essence, a perfectly honed tool to tell a very good story.The tale is an old and cherished one, that of Cinderella. But wait, it’s not at all what you would expect. It is the other side of the story, a visit to the dark side of the moon. This doesn’t mean the content is dark, because it is full of hope and love. But it is also steeped in very real human experiences and events. It clearly comes from a writer who has lived a meaningful life and has developed a deep understanding. I will not spoil your pleasure by saying more about the plot. Let me add that the ambient details are carefully researched and deftly described so that you find yourself immersed in a time and place different from your own, yet familiar, because the description makes it so.Finally, a warning. You won’t be able to put the book down. I started reading it and could not stop even though I wasn’t supposed to strain my eyes after a minor surgery. I read through, fatigued eyes notwithstanding, until I reached the very last word.

4.5 stars! RTCA really impressive historically-grounded novel that really surprised me with how much I enjoyed it; I loved the presentation of gender and social roles. I also love Agnes, my clever Slytherin child.

THIS BOOK IS NOT (strictly speaking) FANTASY. All the Ever Afters is a thoughtful reimagining of the characters from Cinderella as real people in a real medieval setting. The plot has a nested structure, with the familiar details of the fairy tale embedded in the longer rags-to-riches arc of the stepmother's narrative. The book can be enjoyed on many levels; even the insightful stepmother is not always fully aware of the layers of psychological complexity that underlie her words.That's my public service message. I won't go on to rave about the book's many wonderful qualities, because I am the husband of the author, and my opinion will be discounted. I'll just say that as an avid consumer of fantasy novels, I wouldn't let the absence of magic wands discourage you from checking out this unique and thought-provoking read.

A soulful, gut-wrenching, dark and disturbing retelling of Cinderella. It reminded me of Fairest by Marissa Meyer, another step-mother origin story. Like Fairest it was morbid and oft times sickening but I was entranced and couldn’t stop. Unlike Fairest, it was more real, mature and grounded and thus hit much harder due to the absence of fantasy or sci-fi elements.The book proceeds with agonizing slowness, painstakingly describing each and every detail of the stepmother, Agnes’s life. The Cinderella part doesn’t begin until the last quarter of the book. I understand that this was about Agnes and what kind of a life she lived before she came to be Ella’s step mother so each and every aspect of her life was dissected and described in fullest, but, I will say that there is much in the first half that could have been shortened. It’s the type of book that if you don’t get invested in real quick, is a chore to finish.The book is bursting with sadness and struggle and lead by a strong, admirable woman, the step-mother, who is lovable to her core. Cinderella on the other hand possesses more vices than virtues and is tolerable at best and detestable at worst.The prose is absolutely beautiful and apart from the incredible characterization is the thing that makes this book so worth your time and investment. It’s definitely one of the most meticulous and exquisitely crafted books I have had the pleasure to read.

All the Ever Afters is realistically refreshing! It is captivating and emotional. With a unique twist on a classic faerie tale villain, this one is sure to impress!When I saw the synopsis for this one, I was immediately drawn in. Heartless by Marissa Meyer went to my mind, and I was expecting a whimsical tale about why Cinderella's stepmother was evil. What I got was a more realistic story about Agnes and her upbringing, and a twist on Cinderella's character.This one read like a historical fiction novel. There was no magic, no faerie god mother. It had logical explanations for the unexplainable aspects of past Cinderella tales.It was an emotionally trying road for Agnes. I enjoyed learning about her background and her struggles. The story had more of a slow pace to it, but it was well developed in terms of showing us the difficult journey Agnes faced on her way to becoming Cinderella's stepmother. I enjoyed the twist of character personalities. The stepsisters were the ones who were teased and ridiculed, due to prejudice, and Agnes was the one forced in to hard manual labor for most of her life. Cinderella was actually more on the spoiled brat side and never really had to work for anything.The story had a bit more sexual content than I had expected. It wasn't very graphic in nature, but certainly was not anticipated. The story also highlighted issues of rape and abuse from the time period that the tale would have originally taken place in, so it was interesting to have the realism thrown in to the story. It gave dimension to the struggle of women, in general, instead of making everything seem fanciful and alluring.The story had a Grimm's feel to it. It seemed to teach some moral lessons while highlighting the ugliness of the period, and of human nature. It was a refreshing take on an "untold story" that had several unpredictable twists. So, it wasn't really a "faerie tale," but it was a unique twist on a classic faerie tale that provoked some deep thoughts about true villains and the ugliness of humanity through history. I'd rate this one 3.5 stars.Thank you to the Edelweiss and William Morrow (Harper Collins) for providing me with this free e-copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I don’t usually seek out fairytale retellings, but All the Ever Afters attracted me for two reasons:The cover. I admit I judge by a cover far too frequently, but this one is particularly gorgeous.It was told from the evil stepmother’s point of view. Although we have books that retell a tale from a different point of view, I was intrigued by it being told by the heavily maligned evil stepmother.Now that I have finished All the Ever Afters I am pleased that I picked it up. It told the Cinderella story in the style of historical fiction set in a medieval time period. Grounding this magical tale in a semblance of reality gave a completely different perspective on all the familiar characters, from the “evil” stepmother, “ugly” stepsisters to Cinderella herself.Agnes’ character completely captivated me in this book. We watch as Agnes grows into a pragmatic and ambitious woman, with times of heartbreak (I shed more than a few tears) and times of joy. Teller paints a very clear picture of a woman, who although isn’t perfect has done the best with her limited circumstances. I especially enjoyed Agnes short journal entries that regularly intersperse the book.I can’t state enough how much I loved this book, it was written very eloquently and had a very compelling story. I couldn’t put it down. Teller framing this retelling as if it was historical fiction was a brilliant decision. It brought the whole story to life in a way that telling it as a magical fantasy with pumpkins turning into carriages wouldn’t have.I highly recommend give All the Ever Afters a try. It’s a beautifully written book which will have you completely rethinking the Cinderella story.*ARC provided by publisherReviewed by Suzanne❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤

I don’t usually seek out fairytale retellings, but All the Ever Afters attracted me for two reasons:1. The cover. I admit I judge by a cover far too frequently, but this one is particularly gorgeous.It was told from the evil stepmother’s point of view. Although we have books that retell a tale from a different point of view, I was intrigued by it being told by the heavily maligned evil stepmother.Now that I have finished All the Ever Afters I am pleased that I picked it up. It told the Cinderella story in the style of historical fiction set in a medieval time period. Grounding this magical tale in a semblance of reality gave a completely different perspective on all the familiar characters, from the “evil” stepmother, “ugly” stepsisters to Cinderella herself.2. Agnes’ character completely captivated me in this book. We watch as Agnes grows into a pragmatic and ambitious woman, with times of heartbreak (I shed more than a few tears) and times of joy. Teller paints a very clear picture of a woman, who although isn’t perfect has done the best with her limited circumstances. I especially enjoyed Agnes short journal entries that regularly intersperse the book.I can’t state enough how much I loved this book, it was written very eloquently and had a very compelling story. I couldn’t put it down. Teller framing this retelling as if it was historical fiction was a brilliant decision. It brought the whole story to life in a way that telling it as a magical fantasy with pumpkins turning into carriages wouldn’t have.I highly recommend give All the Ever Afters a try. It’s a beautifully written book which will have you completely rethinking the Cinderella story.

What’s a good novel for if not to whisk us away from every day life and transport us to another place and time, a chance to escape and be entertained by way of a captivating tale. “All the Ever Afters” delivers in spades! Danielle Teller’s well crafted, fresh new take on an old Fairy Tale, captured my imagination with her depiction of Cinderella’s family and their before unknown struggles. I was completely drawn in by their constant tussle between good and evil, love and beauty and the ever twisting river of good and bad fortune.I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone who craves a well written story that left me happily satisfied and wanting more from Danielle Teller.

A beautiful retelling of Cinderella , from the step mother’s perspective.Cinderella was always one of my favourite fairy tales , so i was excited to read it from the Step mother’s POV. As i started the story i realised that i didn’t even know her name it was always “the wicked stepmother”, who made Cinderella , do all the work and pampered her own daughters. So let me tell you , her name was Agnes, by the time i finished the book i actually felt sad for her ( I can’t believe it myself that i would feel bad for her).Agnes was sent to work at a manor house, as her family was too poor to support her. She worked as a laundry girl when she was just 10 years old ,under the cruel reign of the head laundress , Laura. When an opportunity arose , she managed to escape her role, and became a chambermaid to another lady. Later circumstances bring her back to the manor house, and she becomes the nurse of Ella , whom we later know as Cinderella.The cover reminded of all the fairytales I have read and that is what that attracted me in the first place. The story removes all the magic which was involved in the fairytale, but i loved how everything is connected to the original fairy tale. The writing style is good, and i didn’t have to skip over the descriptions. The story is neither fast paced nor dragging. Most of the characters were realistic, they were shades of grey. The women in that era, were nothing without a man, that part stung .Recommended for fantasy readersThanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the review copy

Many many thanks to William Morrow and TLC Book Tours for my free copy of ALL THE EVER AFTERS by Danielle Teller - all opinions are my own.I just love a good fairytale retelling and this book is just that! This is a unique take on the story of Cinderella and her “evil” stepmother. And I’ll tell you why: this is not a fantasy retelling, but reads more like historical fiction and is written from the perspective of the stepmother, Agnes. This is such a complex, creative, and brilliant book!We follow Agnes, who was born into poverty and had to work as a servant at the local manor house starting at the young age of ten. She escapes from her tyrannical matron and ends up in the arms of an older man, finding herself pregnant. Then years later, Agnes has two daughters, is penniless, and ends up back in the manor working as a nursemaid for the Lord’s infant daughter, Ella, where she eventually marries and becomes her stepmother.Agnes tells her story from childhood up until Cinderella gets married. The prose is beautiful, the characters are written with so much depth and care, and I adored the journal entries interspersed throughout. I was so consumed by Agnes’ story that I could not put this book down. It was interesting to be transported back to medieval times, learn Agnes’ truth, and see how Teller was able to seamlessly spin the story we all know so well. So much so, that you feel sympathy for and learn to love Cinderella’s stepmother and actually feel compassion for the two stepsisters. ALL THE EVER AFTERS is an original, insightful, evocative debut that I wholeheartedly recommend!

4,5 sterren! Het duurde even, maar dit is ook wel echt een boek waar je de tijd voor moet nemen. Het is wat langdradig en vooral traag, maar dat neemt niet weg dat het echt heel goed in elkaar zit: ik hóu van het “ware, niet zo sprookjesachtige verhaal achter het sprookje”-idee en dat is op zoveel toffe manieren zo voortreffelijk uitgewerkt dat ik er geen genoeg van kon krijgen: ik hoop met heel mijn hart dat de schrijfster ook zoiets besluit te doen met het verhaal van de stiefmoeder van Sneeuwwitje en de heks van Rapunzel, want dit smaakt naar meer. Heerlijk boek, uitgebreide recensie volgt snel!