One Two Three

Bookseller recommendation

“One Two Three is the story of a town destroyed by the pollution of the town’s river by a chemical plant. A plant that still has not admitted or taken responsibility for the deaths, cancers and birth defects that are higher in Bourne than anywhere else in the country. One would think this would be a very depressing read but Laurie Frankel has written a story that is funny, quirky, totally original and extremely compelling. The main characters are Nora, whose husband worked at the plant and died of cancer, and her now 16-year-old triplets Mab, Monday and Mirabel. Frankel’s portrayal of these characters is what made this book one of the best books I have read. I was amazed at how she was able to turn what should be a total downer into a sweet, funny and charming story about sisters and family and determination. The voices of the triplets will stay with me for a long, long time.”

— Nancy • Fiction Addiction

Bookseller recommendation

“With notes of Erin Brockovich and Flint Michigan, this rich evocative tale of triplets strikes the perfect balance between family, purpose, cause, passion, and justice. A small, poor, urban town is exploited by a rich and powerful chemical company that leaves cancer, disorder, and death in its wake. Some want justice, some want to be left alone. Most just want a FUTURE. This is a superb book. SUBLIME writing! I adored the three distinct narrative voices of "One", "Two", and "Three." I whole-heartedly recommend.”

— Kathy • The Well-Read Moose

Bookseller recommendation

“One Two Three by Laurie Frankel is the kind of novel that immediately grabs your attention and never lets go. In a marvelously constructed narrative, told in the three distinctly different voices of the Mitchell triplets, the reader learns how the town of Bourne had its water poisoned 16 years ago by a chemical company, resulting in many deaths and even more birth defects. Using three instantly-recognizable voices, Frankel draws us into the world of Bourne, and we become so enamored with the characters and the fate of the town that it's nearly impossible to stop reading once you begin! Suspenseful, funny, heart-wrenching and ultimately hopeful . . . this is a novel book clubs will adore. For lovers of Barbara Kingsolver, Jodi Picoult, and Richard Russo, but this will be a book I try to handsell to everyone. It's that good!”

— William • An Unlikely Story

Bookseller recommendation

“I absolutely loved this heartwarming story of three courageous sisters fighting for justice in their town. It’s a modern David and Goliath tale of small-town America told with wit and heart. Frankel is a superb storyteller, and I did not want my time with this wise and endearing family to end.”

— Shannon Burgess • The Bookstore of Glen Ellyn

Bookseller recommendation

“Laurie Frankel: If she sounds familiar it’s because she’s the author of the bestselling book This Is How It Always Is. Book groups and other lovers of great novels love her. If you’ve read that book, you already know why. If not, here’s your chance to find out. One Two Three tells the story of a small family, in a small town, struck by disaster and struggling to keep going. Poisoned water can have a devastating impact of health–there are lots of children in Bourne whose lives bear witness to that truth. And there’s the Mitchell family–mother and a set of triplets–whose voices alternate throughout the book to tell their story. The author’s ability to speak in the language of these three girls is remarkable. I fell in love with Mab, and Monday, and Mirabel from the start. I think you will, too!”

— Linda • Auntie's Bookstore

Bookseller recommendation

“One, Two, and Three—the names triplets Mab, Monday, and Mirabel—have for each other—are atypical 16-year-old high school girls. Born to a newly-widowed mother in a New England town polluted by a local chemical plant, their mission in life is to support their mother's fight, to prove Belsen Chemical's guilt. When heirs to the plant arrive in town the girls determine to find the evidence their mom needs to win the case. Laurie Frankel tempers her novel of social justice with generous humor and a deep compassion for the three, and the readers infuse the sisters with their unique voices. It's easy to follow who's speaking in this dialogue-rich recording, and listeners will soon know and cheer these brave and savvy young women.”

— Cheryl • Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza

Bookseller recommendation

“One Two Three is the story of a town destroyed by the pollution of the town’s river by a chemical plant. A plant that still has not admitted or taken responsibility for the deaths, cancers and birth defects that are higher in Bourne than anywhere else in the country. One would think this would be a very depressing read but Laurie Frankel has written a story that is funny, quirky, totally original and extremely compelling. The main characters are Nora, whose husband worked at the plant and died of cancer, and her now 16-year-old triplets Mab, Monday and Mirabel. Frankel’s portrayal of these characters is what made this book one of the best books I have read. I was amazed at how she was able to turn what should be a total downer into a sweet, funny and charming story about sisters and family and determination. The voices of the triplets, which were absolutely perfect, and their story will stay with me for a long, long time.”

— Nancy • Fiction Addiction