Prologue

        They told me there are never any good stepmothers. All of my friends said, “Haven’t you heard the stories? You’ll end up hating her eventually. That’s how it always goes.”

        I dislike stories. Stories tell you how to be, and then it never occurs to anyone that you could ever behave any differently. People can only ever imagine one future.

        For example, in stories, girls either clean or sew. In finishing school, which classes do you sup. . .