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Review “[A] charmed debut [....] Teller pulls off the spellbinding trick of turning an easy-to-hate character into a strong and conscientious female lead.” (Publishers Weekly)“Teller’s reimagined tale. . .stands out among the best. . . . Fairy-tale aficionados will adore Teller’s complex, touching retelling of this classic story of womanhood, perseverance, and familial love, in which she strikes an ideal balance between familiar and fresh.” (Booklist (starred review))“A fascinating reimagining of the original tale. . . .Readers will feel empathy for Agnes, consider various misunderstandings and think twice before labeling her as wicked.” (Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers)“Teller set aside an established medical career as a pulmonary doctor and researcher five years ago to write full time. Nevertheless, she plays surgeon still, extracting the (formerly) villainous stepmother as protagonist and skillfully excising the classic story’s myths, magic and misconceptions.” (San Jose Mercury News)“As in the best literary inversions (e.g., Gregory Maguire’s Wicked), Teller demonstrates the flaws and fine points of characters on both sides.” (Washington Post)“Teller’s novel is a powerfully written rendition of the Cinderella story… Tells a complex tale of a love that forms through patient nurturing and by just being present.” (Book Club Babble)“Teller woos readers into taking a better, more open-eyed look at a character that’s been maligned for centuries, one with strength and who’s worthy of stunned sympathy.” (Guam Daily Post)Sometimes you’ve only heard one part of the story. Cinderella’s famously maligned stepmother, Agnes, gets to tell her own side in this clever take on the fairy tale.” (New York Post) Read more From the Back Cover A LUMINOUS REIMAGINING OF THE CLASSIC FAIRY TALE CINDERELLA, TOLD FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF AGNES, THE BEAUTIFUL GIRL’S “EVIL” STEPMOTHERCompelling 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, a woman who knows all too well about hardship, privately records the true story. But what unfolds is not the princess’s history. The tale Agnes recounts is her own. A peasant born into serfdom, Agnes is separated from her family and forced into servitude as a laundress’s apprentice at Aviceford Manor when she is just ten years old. Alone, friendless, and burdened with a grueling workload, Agnes carves a place for herself in this cold place that is home to Sir Emont Vis-de-Loup, a melancholic and capricious drunkard.Using her wits and ingenuity, Agnes eventually escapes and makes her way toward a more hopeful future, serving as a housemaid for the powerful Abbess Elfilda. But life once again holds unexpected, sometimes heartbreaking twists that lead Agnes back to Aviceford Manor, where she becomes nursemaid to Ella, Emont’s sensitive, otherworldly daughter. Though she cares for Ella, Agnes struggles to love this child, who in time becomes her stepdaughter and, ultimately, the celebrated princess who embodies all our unattainable fantasies. Familiar yet fresh, tender as well as bittersweet, the story of Agnes and Ella’s relationship reveals that beauty is not always desirable, that love may take on many guises, and that freedom is not always something we can choose.Danielle Teller’s All the Ever Afters challenges our assumptions and forces us to reevaluate what we think we know. Exploring the hidden complexities that lie beneath classic tales of good and evil, this lyrically told, emotionally evocative, and brilliantly perceptive novel shows us that how we confront adversity reveals a more profound—and ultimately more precious—truth about our lives than the ideal of “happily ever after.” Read more See all Editorial Reviews
C**Z
A really enjoyable read! Terrific historical fiction
I LOVED this book! Extremely absorbing, a very well-told tale, the characters were well drawn and deeply felt. The historical part of this book felt effortless, and so I was able to engage fully with the plot and the characters. The settings felt very real -- they were described in such elegant prose, that I felt I was actually in the manor house, the laundry, the abbey, etc -- the visuals were so clear that sometimes it was like I was seeing it on a screen (this would make a GREAT movie, by the way!!). The main character, Agnes, is really sympathetic (while not at all pathetic -- she empowers herself), and the twists and turns her life takes are unexpected, detailed, and fascinating. You feel her love for her daughters (aka the "ugly stepsisters") and you love them too (I was shocked by this, the nasty-girl images from the fairy tale are so strong in my mind that I didn't think I could see the stepsisters any other way, no matter what excuses this author concocted in this book-- I was wrong!).It reminded me of THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett. This book focuses on the lives of *women*, though, which made it really interesting, and in many ways much more heartfelt than other very good historical fiction.No spoilers here, but I will say that this author is very clever in how she addresses some of the elements from the fairy tale -- when she points out some really obviously nonsensical parts of the fairy-tale plot, you may feel what I did -- "wow, why did I never question that before?".I do love fairy tales, and I didn't feel this book diminished or ruined the Cinderella story at all. It actually felt as if this is the way the Cinderella story *must* have happened -- this realistic, solid tale seems far more compelling than some downtrodden powerless girl clutching a slipper and weeping into the ashes. Also, this book goes BEYOND the fairy tale -- well before it, and even afterward, so you really do feel totally satisfied. I much prefer this story to the fairy tale. The ending is truly wonderful.It's a fun read -- a good plot -- but there's depth here too. The story brings up a lot of interesting questions that are really relevant today--for example, about how society values appearance so much over character at times, and how facts often get distorted for entertainment/gossip purposes -- so this is a great choice for a book club, or a book to read along with your teen. Some themes/events might be a little mature for the very young. Older teens will probably really like this book. I would say 14 or 15 years old and over.The book is so pretty too (the cover is even more gorgeous in person than online, and the inside has all kinds of little decorations on the pages to set apart scenes and chapters etc) that it will make a very nice gift. I have bought a couple more copies for that purpose!If you like historical fiction...if you like fairy tales... if you like good storytelling and real-seeming characters that you will care about and root for... I really recommend this book!
A**R
a perfectly honed tool to tell a very good story. The tale is an old and cherished ...
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.
M**J
Thoughtful and well-written portrayal of Cinderella's stepmother's backstory
I wanted to read this book both quickly and slowly, because I loved the story and wanted to find out what happened next, but I also loved the author's writing: the adjectives and descriptions she uses are great and several times I stopped to reread a sentence.I also found the story thoroughly compelling: believable historical fiction that builds upon itself to explain things like why the ugly step-sisters were considered ugly, or how Agnes would have ended up marrying a nobleman. Starting in Agnes' childhood, Teller weaves together the events of her life in a thoughtful and well-written portrayal that allows the reader to empathize with not only the "evil stepmother" (spoiler, she's not) but many of the characters in the Cinderella tale.I'm also partial to stories about strong female lead characters, which Agnes is. But, she's also not all good or all bad. Sometimes I liked her and sometimes I didn't, but I could always see where she was coming from. Fun story, beautifully written, would definitely recommend.
M**S
Outstanding
This is a delicious story that will entertain and get you thinking. The way the author uses words to not only paint the time but also invoke the feelings of period is remarkable. Highly addictive, the book will keep you entwined in the story that you think you knew all these years. Very clever and worth every bit.
D**R
Lacks creativity and uniqueness.
I selected this book for my bookclub. Where some of the club did like the book better than I did - there were those of us that felt it was "just ok".. I loved the concept of what the book was to be about - telling a back story of a secondary important character from the original story of Cinderella - her step mother. However, I and others, did not feel this story was anything special. It was not compelling. I felt like it was more of the "been there, done that, read it all before" for the most part. There were issues to note - treatment of women in this time period, the lifestyles of the people in the Medieval time period, etc. But I felt it was overall lacking in creativity .. was disappointed and would not necessarily recommend.
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