DNF at 20%. Sadly, I couldn’t get into this one. I pushed through, hoping it would grab me, but I was never invested in the story. The writing style and the different POV’s made for a confusing read. I was reading this in a buddy read and neither of us could get into the story. My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

This is one of my favorite books this year. Laurie Frankel does a superb job of creating sympathetic characters in a difficult situation. Her exploration of sisterhood along with looking at how each of the three sisters is differently abled made this an unforgettable read. I will be nominating it as a 2024 Evergreen Teen Book Award nominee.

Laurie Frankel is such a unique writer. I've loved this book, and the unique concept. Obviously, a bit far-fetched, but one could easily suspend their disbelief and fall into such a sweet story of sisterhood. I think Laurie has another winner on her hands - and hopefully it will get just as many accolades as THIS IS HOW IT ALWAYS IS.

Book Review for One Two Three
Full review for this title will be posted at: @cattleboobooks on Instagram!

I fell in love with Laurie Frankel’s writing after reading This is How it Always Is. Frankel is back with another work of inclusionary fiction, One Two Three.

I loved this book from the start. It is unique, contains relevant contemporary themes, and holds up primary characters regardless of ability or neurotypicality. One Two Three is a story with unexpected twists and turns, and a town full of characters you will fall in love with. This books has heart.

Thank you to NetGalley, Laurie Frankel, and the publisher for the privilege of reading this review copy. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.

Another wonderful story from Laurie Frankel. I ended up listening to this one and really loved hearing the voices of the three sisters - Mab, Monday; and Mirabel.

The story follows these three sisters as they work to fight for justice against the chemical plant that poisoned the water in their town. Each sister has such a unique voice and I really enjoyed being told the story from each perspective.

I loved how the sisters interacted with each other and the others in their town. I loved how they worked to uncover the truth about what happened in their town.

I would definitely recommend this one.

Another wonderful novel by Laurie Frankel. Well written emotional a book about two sisters that drew me in from the first pages complex interesting characters will be recommending.#netgalley #henryholt

No doubt that Laurie Frankel is a compelling storyteller. ONE, TWO, THREE is a wholly original and complex story told by three unforgettable and distinct narrators: One (Mab),  Two (Monday) and Three (Mirabel). Their lives and their community were dastardly impacted by an event that took place 17 years ago, right before they were born.
  
The writing is purposeful and intentional.  The details that may seem small all have a significant purpose in the bigger picture. The story was complex, lovely, maddening, tender and inspiring. But what will really stick with me is the characters, in particular One, Two & Three. Strong, gutsy, resilient and inexplicably bonded sisters. Girls who are empowered to be the heroes in writing their own story.

I started this book in print but I wasn't connecting with it like I'd hoped. Once I switched to audio I was invested. 
AUDIO: I usually struggle with the narration of juvenile characters. They often come across too cutesy or unrealistic. However, the three narrators in this production were flawless. The talent truly elevated this book and my reading experience.

Laurie Frankel’s One Two Three is the story of a little town whose people were blindsided by the chemical company that came to town one day offering the moon (mostly in the form of high-paying jobs and civic infrastructure improvements) but ended up ruining everything it touched — including the town’s water supply and the health of almost everyone who lived there. Now, seventeen years later, Bourne is a community filled with disabled young people and memories of people who died way too soon.

“…one of the sad things that happens when almost everyone dies is there aren’t enough people left who remember why.”

One, Two, and Three are triplet sisters whose mother, Nora, was carrying them when the water turned green. The girls have given themselves the numeric designations based on their birth order, and it’s what they call each other. And on a whim, their mother chose their names based on that same order: One got the one-syllable name Mab; Two got the two-syllable name Monday; and Three earned the three-syllable name Mirabel. It is through their eyes that we begin to understand the struggle that life in Bourne still is.

Everyone knows everyone in Bourne - mainly because practically no one new ever moves into town — but the Mitchell triplets would be special in any town. Of the three girls, Mab is the one most likely to find a life outside of Bourne and she and her best friend spend every spare moment preparing to leave town for college. Monday, who has emotional problems, by snagging all the books discarded by the town library when it shut down, has become the town’s unofficial librarian, and an expert on finding just the right book for her patrons. Mirabel is wheelchair-bound and can speak only through a mechanical voice, but she may just be the smartest person in Bourne and everyone knows it.

The girls have never known a day when their mother has not almost singlehandedly kept a class action lawsuit against the chemical company active. It’s the only life they know, and it’s a life that they can’t imagine will ever much change. But after the unthinkable happens, they decide it’s time for them lift some of that burden from Nora. The Mitchell triplets are on the case now, and they are about to shake things up to the point that life in Bourne is going to change — one way or the other.

Bottom Line: One Two Three is sometimes tragic and sometimes hilarious, but it is always entertaining. The Mitchell girls and their mother are the best thing about the novel, and the unique relationships between Mab, Monday, and Mirabel are unforgettable. This is so much a character-driven novel (even the “villains” are quirky) that the plot of the novel is almost secondary, and even though everything is fully resolved by the end of the story, it’s the characters that readers are likely to remember. If you enjoy novels by writers like John Irving, Allan Gurganus, or Pete Dexter, this one is for you.

Thank you Net Galley for this early copy of One Two Three by Laurie Frankel. What an imaginative way to write this book, on this topic. From what I understand this is a story of not one particular place but more a compilation of similar wrong doings around the world by companies out for profit and hazards be damned.
I really loved the voices of the three narrators in this book. I thought they were endearing and heartbreaking and whole and broken but not beaten people. I like the tempo of the story and how Frankel writes and spins out the tale in the 3's unique voices and perspectives. I liked Frankel's descriptive prose of the three main characters and their parts in the stories unfolding. I liked how each chapter is told by one of the three, where the story continues and their growth follows in kind.
Not a fast read, more a read and savor story. Not a probable ending to their problem but one I could get behind and root for. I applaud the growth of all the people in this book and how they all came to life, no matter how small their role in the book was. I really like how the author writes and will look for some of her earlier novels.
Highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to Netgalley for giving me a free ebook in return for an honest review.

It's taken me months to collect my thoughts about "One Two Three" by Laurie Frankel. It's a book that's ineffably lovely and ineffably sad. This book tells the story of what happens after industry and progress have their way with the world. It's not science fiction; it's a story that could be all too real given the cavalier attitude capitalism has toward the state of the planet and the creatures on it.

This book takes readers into the aftermath of a chemical disaster. What happens to the people who live in a town after a company harms them irreparably? How does life go on? Does life go on at all?

Mab, Monday, and Mirabel are unforgettable young women and their story of finding truth and claiming power is as inspirational as it is cautionary.

I really enjoyed this one.. the bond between the sisters was really interesting. There was a lot going on in the town and it kept the story interesting.

Thank you to Henry Holt & Company and NetGalley for this book. I deeply appreciate it.
#NetGalley #OneTwoThree #LaurieFrankel #HenryHolyandCompany

“One, Two, Three” had quite an act to follow after Laurie Frankel’s last book, “This is How It Always Is”, which was one of the best and most touching books I have ever read. While this latest offering is nowhere near the same as her previous work, it has some amazing points.
Mab, Monday, and Mirabel are triplets and Nora is their single mother. Each triplet has a set of unique challenges. Monday is on the autism spectrum, Mirabel is wheelchair bound and cannot speak without her “Voice” and Mab has the enormous burden of being perceived as “the normal one”. This book tells the story of the citizens of Bourne and their struggle against the faceless, evil corporation that has poisoned the residents of Bourne through the water supply. Mostly, this book tells the story of the sisters’ bond and their relationship is what truly carries the book.
The characters of this book are vivid and endearing. Each triplet has her own distinct voice and her own perspective to share. Their relationship is intensely close and their bond is truly beautiful. They fight like any siblings do but, again, much more intensely. I dearly loved these characters. I did have some trouble with the pacing. The narrative is not immediately engaging. It takes quite a while to get to the meat of the story. I was rewarded for my efforts, however, as the story picks up nicely and the characters are endearing enough to carry me through. I will say that this isn’t an easy read.
Laurie Frankel is absolutely a gifted author. She has a knack for characters as well as tackling subject matter that most are uncomfortable with. Her use of language and imagery makes her stories and characters more vivid. I’ll always be anxious to read her books and I’m grateful for each one.

ONE TWO THREE takes place in the small town of Bourne, and is narrated by the Mitchell triplets. One, Mab, who is the eldest and expected to leave the town and go away to college. Two, Monday, who is the town librarian (run out of her family's home after the library closes), and appears to be on the autistic spectrum. Three, Mirabel, the youngest is a keen observer of others but cannot speak (without her computer). The triplets are loved by all in the town. Their mother Nora is the town therapist and has been a crusade for many years to find justice for Bourne. You see, Bourne housed a chemical plant which left the town's water source polluted and caused many birth defects and cancer among the town residents. As with so many environmental disasters, the company does not have to take responsibility.

Things are changing in Bourne. The sleepy town is now seeing signs of new life- a moving truck, construction equipment, and contractors. What these changes bring about is a mystery for the triplets to solve in order to save their town. Seen through the eyes of teenage girls, ONE TWO THREE is at times funny, insightful, and relatable. It is easy to care deeply for Mab, Monday, and Mirabel. This book barrels forward in the last fourth or so as the mystery plot unfolds quickly. While many of the twists and turns were not very surprising, and the book dragged a bit in the middle, I enjoyed this and can imagine many others as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Henry Holt and Co. for an advance reader copy in exchange for review.

Laurie Frankel is a beautiful writer and storyteller. ONE TWO THREE is tender and heartbreaking, inspiring and maddening. These three sisters are fantastically drawn and are the type of characters that will remain with me--they're caring, bonded, smart and strong, each in her own way. It's true heroism and real girl power in action. Besides all the goodness on the pages, isn't this cover so pretty?

Poorly formed characters and a storyline that is lacking made this book a struggle for me to finish. I do not recommend it.

In One Two Three, Laurie Frankel does what she does so well in This Is How It Always Is - the interactions of family members that are going through major events that continue to affect their lives. One Two Three refers to a set of triplets, sisters who use the shorthand among themselves. The major event that is referred to occurred before they were born, but affected their health and happiness, as well as that of most of their town. The story is told from the viewpoint of each sister, so at times the story slows down with aspects mostly important to the 16 year olds. Frankel handles important subject matter like a pro, while always having the parent converse with her children the way every parent aspires to. With this novel, Laurie Frankel remains an "autobuy" author for me. Thanks to #NetGalley #OneTwoThree #HenryHolt for the opportunity to read this book.

What a remarkable and special story! The three young sisters were such wonderful and sympathetic characters, and one can’t help but feel for them and their other friends and neighbors.

This was a slog. I like the idea of triplet main characters but do I really need all three women's thoughts all the time? It made it repetitive and while I liked the eco aspect I felt like it was a punishment to read. It just dragged on and on. Maybe next time try twins.

I have tried reading this book four different times thinking I was the problem. I LOVED Frankel's previous book This Is How It Always Is and found it so empathetic and moving that I've pressed it into the hands of MANY people.
This book's main problem is it's form and the writing style. After 150 pages I think I finally grasped what it was about but it was HARD. Reading a book, no matter how much I want to, should not be like this. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend this disaster of a book.