Kindle
$9.99
Available instantly
Audible Logo Audiobook
$0.00
with membership trial
Hardcover
$28.32
Paperback
$12.19
Kindle Price: $9.99

Save $11.00 (52%)

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Audiobook Price: $22.04

Save: $9.05 (41%)

Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions

Buy for others

Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group.
Learn more

Buying and sending eBooks to others

  1. Select quantity
  2. Buy and send eBooks
  3. Recipients can read on any device

These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Amazon book clubs early access
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Amazon book clubs early access

Join or create book clubs

Choose books together

Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Explore Amazon Book Clubs

Follow the author

Danielle Teller
+ Follow
More books from this author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

All the Ever Afters: The Untold Story of Cinderella's Stepmother Kindle Edition

by Danielle Teller (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 436 ratings
See all formats and editions

In the vein of Wicked, The Woodcutter, and Boy, Snow, Bird, a luminous reimagining 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’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."

Read more Read less
Previous page
  1. Print length
    375 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    William Morrow
  5. Publication date
    May 22, 2018
  6. File size
    3800 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. See all details
Next page
Add a debit or credit card to save time when you check out
Convenient and secure with 2 clicks. Add your card

Editorial Reviews

Review

Teller pulls off the spellbinding trick of turning an easy-to-hate character into a strong and conscientious female lead.

-- "Publishers Weekly"

The author's understanding of the severe challenges posed by gender and class in this society adds depth to the story. A provocative revision of this familiar fairy tale.

-- "Kirkus Reviews"

From the Back Cover

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, 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.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B071S5VVJN
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow; Reprint edition (May 22, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 22, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3800 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 375 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 436 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Danielle Teller

Danielle Teller

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Danielle Teller (formerly Morse, née Dyck) grew up in Canada, where she and her two brothers were raised by the best parents in the world. As a child, she was a bookworm who dreamed of being a writer, but she chickened out and went to medical school instead. In 1994, she moved temporarily to America, and she has been living temporarily in America ever since.

Danielle attended Queen’s University during her undergraduate years, and she received her medical training at McGill University, Brown University and Yale University. She has held faculty positions at the University of Pittsburgh and Harvard University, where she investigated the origins of chronic lung disease and taught in the medical intensive care unit.

In 2013, Danielle quit her job to pursue her childhood dream of being a writer. She lives with her husband, Astro Teller, and their four children in Palo Alto, California. She is currently working on a novel about the life of Cinderella’s stepmother.

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
436 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Careless Whiz
5.0 out of 5 stars A really enjoyable read! Terrific historical fiction
Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
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!
22 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Rachel Duncan
4.0 out of 5 stars A clever new perspective to a well loved tale.
Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2019
Verified Purchase
I was dubious about this book at first, we have all heard the Cinderella tale many times, and I wasn’t sure if I needed to read another version. However, I was captivated by the book, it’s a clever reframing of a well loved story.
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars a perfectly honed tool to tell a very good story. The tale is an old and cherished ...
Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2018
Verified Purchase
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.
10 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Creative Fam
3.0 out of 5 stars Predictable and reads more like a therapy session writing assignment
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2020
Verified Purchase
I love retellings of fairy tale stories and was really excited about this book because I feel that often the "villains" are misunderstood and are villains only from certain people's perspectives. Also, the villains often have much more interesting stories. So this story sounded like everything that I enjoy in a book.
Unfortunately, it was a let down. I was looking for a rich story about Cinderella's stepmother and what I got was a sad story about a woman named Agnes, that could be any woman. I think the biggest issue is that I was expecting fairy tale elements and this story has none. It was written to make the stepmother appear as if she could be any struggling woman throughout time. That her story is in a way timeless and relatable. It is a generic stepmother's/working mother's memoir.
In the end, it is an okay read as long as you are not expecting really any fairy tale aspects.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great alternative narrative about step mothers and step families
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2019
Verified Purchase
As a step mother myself, I find myself really overwhelmed with the evil step mother narrative and how much it impacts society, culture, and even step families. I also find father/daughter relationships in fairy tales a bit creepy. This book unpacked a lot of issues of the middle ages in europe, but also contains themes that are very relevant to this day. I found it pretty therapeutic. I read it pretty fast, it was a really well told story. My one criticism about the book is the way that race was discussed. I am glad it was discussed directly and it was a good element overall. But it would have been a bit better if Agnes could have affirmed that dark skin is beautiful while still discussing how others did not see her daughter or first husband's skin that way. Again, the daughter with pock marks could have been affirmed as beautiful - exactly the way she was - by her mother, even if others in society did not agree. So the book is not perfect, but overall I found it to be a really refreshing change. Agnes is a great role model for step mothers that have worked their A** off to make things work, doing what they must, without real appreciation, love, support, or understanding.
4 people found this helpful
Helpful
 Report
S.R. Holman
4.0 out of 5 stars Loved it!
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
Loved it! Much better than the actual fairy tale and very well written.
Helpful
 Report

Top reviews from other countries

suhotra tripathi
5.0 out of 5 stars 😭😭😭😭
Reviewed in India on May 29, 2021
Verified Purchase
I loved loved loved it!😭
Report
Jason Moore
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!
Reviewed in Canada on June 4, 2018
Verified Purchase
I loved this book. It’s been a long time since I’ve read a fiction novel so beautifully rendered, where the characters are so fully brought to life. My wife and I read this to each other every night while travelling through Europe – we loved immersing ourselves in these characters: the firm, pragmatic Agnes, the ogre-ish laundress, the dashing Fernan. Teller effectively reimagines the two-dimensional Cinderella story in this inventive book full of surprisingly poignant moments. And she reminds us, above all, that everything we think we know is all a matter of perspective :)
One person found this helpful
 Report
Chantal
5.0 out of 5 stars A good story well told!
Reviewed in France on June 9, 2018
Verified Purchase
Wonderful to have the REAL and highly believable story of Cinderella's step mother revealed at last. And as a step-mother myself I appreciate the thoughtful exploration of this difficult and often misunderstood role that comes with no good owner's manual.
Report
Human
4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfied
Reviewed in India on October 27, 2019
Verified Purchase
The book came in a bubble wrapped parcel bag along with one bookmark.
The book was in pretty good condition and the quality of pages are also great.
Customer image
Human
4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfied
Reviewed in India on October 27, 2019
The book came in a bubble wrapped parcel bag along with one bookmark.
The book was in pretty good condition and the quality of pages are also great.
Images in this review
Customer image Customer image
Customer imageCustomer image
Report
Report an issue

Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report