Member Reviews
3.5 stars rounded up. Very interesting premise and great narration. Loved seeing the POV of each sister and how at times they were there for each other even when pinned against each other.
Requested this book because I loved the authors previous work. I love small town stories that portray the politics and family life accurately. This was beautiful! Can’t wait for her next book already!
Laurie Frankel's new novel One Two Three is a perfect pick for book clubs! Many discussions will be had on this topical tale about a small town fighting for justice when a chemical plant poisons the water affecting generations of people in life-altering ways. The story is told from the perspectives of a set of triplet sisters. The writing will make readers feel. You will cry and you will laugh and you will get angry for this town. Truly cannot recommend One Two Three enough!
Sooooooo, three very interesting children, a handful of other quirky characters, a sad situation, and a dastardly villain, This story has it all. Although everything is kind of taken to extremes, this could be a story that is played out in some communities (in different forms) all over the country., but it puts a face to the tragedies in a very real way. All three girls share equal billing so that the reader gets a fair vision of what is happening and how it affects all the girls (and the town). Although the plot keeps the reader's attention it is the characters that make this book so special.
initial thoughts: ugh. I really wanted to like this one. the premise of this book sounded so intriguing, and I wanted to be sucked in right from page one, and I just, wasn’t.
the triplets: Mad, Monday & Mirabel, held so much potential and their characters started off extremely strong and distinguished. then, about halfway through I had a hard time knowing whose POV I was reading.
this is the first book in a long time that I struggled to finish, and I actually skimmed the majority of the last 20%, just to get to the end to see if there would be any redemption.
overall, a strong premise fell extremely flat (for me) and read extremely YA.
Laurie Frankel is doing something with fiction that should be applauded. Taking deeply sensitive topics and making them into beautiful works of literature!
Another AMAZING book by Laurie Frankel. Absolutely loved the perspective shown from each of the triplets. Most of all, I love that the hard emotions were addressed and not glossed over. Being able to read the thoughts of Mirabel, know how unfair life has been to her, was so painful that it was beautiful.
I will read every book by this author!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.
Sixteen years ago when a big chemical company decided to set up a plant in the small, growing town of Bourne, citizens were buzzing with excitement for the opportunities the new plant would provide. Now, the town is a fraction of what it was before, decimated by the runoff the company's product bled through the town. Some Bourne residents lost loved ones to cancer and other diseases, and other families, like the Mitchells, saw what these chemicals did to the new generation. The Mitchell triplets are each incredibly unique. Mab is on a mission to get out of town by getting a full scholarship to college, quirky Monday is focused on re-establishing the library the town deserves, and Mirabelle is grappling with her ability to be a normal 16-year-old, which is at-times challenging as she's confined to a wheelchair and can only speak through a device she types on.
The town is forced to confront the impact the chemicals company left on Bourne yet again when a new family moves into town.
I absolutely adored this book and its characters — I will never forget this family and the town of Bourne. Gosh, loved those girls so much!
Seventeen years ago, Belsum Chemical set up shop in Bourne and turned its water green. Since then, most of Bourne’s residents have come down with or been born with health problems, including the Mitchell triplets, who refer to themselves in birth order number, which also corresponds to the number of syllables in their names. Mab, or One, is a “normal” sixteen-year-old girl. She’s on the track for high-achieving kids at school. Monday, or Two, is on the autism spectrum. When the town library closed, she took custody of the books, which are now crammed in every nook and cranny of their house. She knows the exact location of every single one though. Mirabel, or Three, has what appears to be cerebral palsy, although I don’t think it’s ever specifically stated. She is in a wheelchair and has the use of just one arm and hand. She uses a voice machine to communicate.
The triplets’ father, who worked in the chemical plant, died of cancer before they were born. Their mother Nora has been trying to get a class-action lawsuit going against Belsum ever since. Then one day, Nathan Templeton, the son of Belsum’s founder, comes to town promising a new beginning. But can he and Belsum be trusted?
One Two Three alternates between the first-person perspectives of the three girls. Each has a distinctive voice and their own fully developed personality. It’s a heavy story but there is some humor as well. Especially from Monday, who is endearing, yet frustrating in the way that overly literal people often are. Mirabel, because she has been an observer of people for her whole life, is wise beyond her years. My favorite line from her is:
“There are two kinds of people in this world: the ones who split the world into two kinds of people, and the ones who know that’s reductive and conversationally lazy.”
I enjoyed One Two Three quite a bit. I like books that are about the people in small towns or communities pulling together to help each other out, as long as they don’t get too cheesy. One Two Three certainly doesn’t. If anything, it’s a little on the darker side, but not in a bad way. This is the third book of Laurie Frankel’s that I’ve read and loved – she’s officially going on my list of favorite authors!
This story of three sisters in a downtrodden, seemingly hopeless city is surprisingly uplifting and enjoyable. In One Two Three, Frankel explores what happens to the lives and the spirits of individuals when their city and their health are ruined by big industry. Despite the serious subject matter, Frankel injects love, humor, and hope into her story.
Mab, Monday, and Mirabel are triplets. They call themselves One, Two, and Three. Mae is an average teenager, while Monday and Mirabel both live with disabilities that are a result of a poisoned water supply. Belsum Chemicals released a toxic chemical into the river of the city Bourne back before the girls were born, which resulted in many illnesses, death, lost limbs, and disabilities for the citizens of Bourne. The company left Bourne and never compensated the citizens for the damage it caused. Now, Belsum wants to reopen the plant, and the young people of Bourne are not having it. The sisters seek to stop the company from reopening and further damaging their city.
The story is told from the perspectives of Mab, Monday, and Mirabel. The chapters alternate from one sister to the next and are titled One, Two, or Three depending on which sister is narrating. I have to admit, this structure was confusing at first, making it hard to tell how far along in the book you are. However, after you adjust to it, it flows well. Each sister has a distinct voice and view on matters. I particularly enjoy the perspective of Monday, who appears to suffer from some form of autism or Asperger's. Her blunt honesty is refreshing. Her observations of others brings some humor into the story at times.
The theme of big industry versus common citizens is developed throughout much of the novel. Belsum is the enemy of the people, but the people also need Belsum to bring jobs back to the city. It becomes a struggle between getting justice and just surviving. The young people of the town take up the fight for justice because the adults have to think about jobs and money. This "David and Goliath" theme is not unique, but it is presenting in a new way here.
Overall, I really liked this story. The characters are well-developed and interesting. They are likable, making the reader root for them. While the pacing is a bit slow at times, the plot line keeps the reader engaged and develops good themes.
Thank you to NetGalley, Henry Holt & Co and Laurie Frankel for the advanced copy of One Two Three. I always enjoy Laurie Frankel’s writing. The premise and structure of the book was interesting and original, but the plot and ending required a little too much suspension of disbelief for it to land with me. The characters were all worth rooting for and I love the realistic portrayal of messy relationships and good people who make mistakes. #NetGalley #OneTwoThree
DNF at 33%. I really wanted to love this. I love the author’s writing style. I love the characters and their unique points of view. But for whatever reason I just can’t get into this and was forcing myself to keep going which never works for me. Maybe I’ll need to try this one at a different time. Thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and Libro.fm for the advance reading and listening copies.
A small town is fighting for the lives of its community members after a chemical pant poisons the water and kills so many or leaves so many with life altering disabilities. When the chemical plant shuts down, the members of the small town hope that is the end of things, but when I new family moves to town in hopes of reopening the plant, everything changes.
This was definitely one of my most anticipated books of 2021 because I loved Frankel's last book This is the Way it Always is. One Two Three was hard to get through. Frankel's writing has a distinct rhythm and in her last novel the flow of her writing complimented the story and showcased Frankel's skilled storytelling abilities. In One Two Three, I never managed to slip into the flow of the writing and instead of showcasing Frankel's ability, I feel it muddled everything and made the story feel rather wooden.
I think the lengths Frankel went to bring her characters to life really sang, but it was the only story element that really popped for me. I struggled to get to the end of this novel I set it down so many times and almost didn't pick it up. Wil I still read whatever Frankel puts out? Absolutely, this latest installment was just not for me.
I adored This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel, so I was delighted to have the chance to read One Two Three.
This is a different story for sure, but Frankel's incisive writing prevails in this novel of three identical twins, Mab, Monday, and Mirabel, as well.
Readers are able to move into the minds of the three girls, with their diverse perspectives, as normal teenage drama meets environmental justice issues. It's a book that doesn't shy away from grappling with topics of environmental pollution, disability, and neurodiversity. It's certainly a book that is going to stay with me for some time.
Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.
Bourne is a small town that has been through a lot. Because of the pollution caused by a chemical plant, multiple generations of people have been affected in dire ways. Bourne is a town where no one ever visits or moves to. When a new family moves into town, the family who actually owns the chemical plant, the residents of Bourne are shocked.
Laurie Frankel obviously has a gift for writing young characters who are distinct and insightful, leaving behind banal tropes and stereotypes often foisted upon adolescents. The story is told by three sisters, triplets, who are high school students. They each offer a different perspective to the story, making the narrative well-rounded and propulsive.
I really enjoyed the author's previous book (This is How it Always Is) and this second book just confirmed her as one of my favorites contemporary writers. I admire the way she crafts her characters. The triplets in this book Mab, Monday, and Mirabel are truly adorable but Nora, their mother , is one of the most lovable characters I've ever read. She reminded me of Marmee March. And the wonderful setting of Bourne, a character itself.
Theres is one thing that i have to say though: the book is too long. I really appreciate authors that have the ability to be concise; I think that is a not that appreciated talent, and it should be.
I’m always a fan of books with multiple points of view, and when an audiobook goes one step further and uses a different narrator for each, I’m in heaven. That was certainly the case with 𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐓𝗪𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄, Laurie Frankel's new novel about teenage triplets whose lives have been severely impacted by environmental devastation in their small town. Bourne is a town where oddities are the norm and almost no one has been left untouched, including the Mitchell sisters. Mab born first is the “normal” one, a role that carries a lot of burden with it. Monday, lover of all things yellow, is highly intelligent, and also on the spectrum. Mirabel, confined to a wheelchair and without the ability to speak, is off-the-charts brilliant. The three are always a team.
Their single mother has spent their entire lives fighting for justice, and much of her fiery spirit has rubbed off on Mab, Monday and Mirabel. When the company that fled Bourne seventeen years ago, taking no responsibility for poisoning the waters there, suddenly returns, the girls are put on high alert. Suspicion runs deep, complicated by the very kind, very cute teenage grandson of the company's founder.
I loved the interplay of these feisty siblings and how each saw the world a little differently, playing into each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Some of the plot points around the environmental issues came off as a little heavy handed, or maybe just a tad over-played, and the ending was pretty out there, but that didn’t stop me from rooting for the Mitchell sisters and their town from start to finish.
I loved the characters that Laurie Frankel created in this novel. Set in a small town that has been badly affected by an event of pollution/environmental disaster years ago, One Two Three is told by triplets who each have a distinct voice and personality. Many of the children in the town have disabilities as a result of what happened years ago, including two of the siblings. When a new family moves to town who are connected with the company involved in what happened years ago, they need to find out what is going on. I'm not sure I loved this one quite as much as Frankel's previous book, but I really liked this one as well.
I loved the myriad of emotions that I experienced while reading this book and when completed, it was as if a fresh rain had passed through. The story was unique and the characters were fantastic.
Many thanks to Henry Holt & Company and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.
I keep putting off this review as I'm having a hard time describing this book. I adored This Is How It Always Is and really enjoyed this one as well but they are completly different to each other. One Two Three is told from the viewpoints of three triplets born into a town that has been majorly affected by a corporation that made national news when their water turned green. While the story itself is beyond sad and depressing, Laurie Frankel does an excellent job of weaving hopeful undertones to the writing. Unforgettable characters, an original complex story, beautiful writing, and emotionaly evoking. This would make a wonderful bookclub pick so much to unpack.