One Two Three Review

One Two Three
By Laurie Frankel

Laurie Frankel’s One Two Three is about a small town ruined by a chemical company’s contamination of their water supply. It’s narrated by 16-year-old triplets Mab, Monday, and Mirabel, aka One, Two, and Three. Mab (One) is a Level A student practicing SAT words with her friend Petra so she can go to college and escape the town where she has no prospects. Monday (Two) is the Level B student who is hyper-focused on literal interpretations and only wears the color yellow – or green when it’s raining. When the town library is sold, Monday takes the remaining books and appoints herself the town librarian. Mirabel (Three) is a Level C student because she is nonverbal and uses a wheelchair. She is thoughtful, intelligent, and adored by everyone in town.

Bourne’s contaminated water led to deaths, cancer, and birth defects. When the chemical company owner’s son and family move back to Bourne, hope returns to the town. The girls finally have something substantial outside of the town’s usually drab and defeated outlook, and they relish the chance to see a possible future after living through so much negativity.

Frankel deftly uses her three narrators to set the scene and provide their unique insights. Each chapter is titled One, Two, or Three to identify the narrator, but after a few chapters the titles aren’t necessary. Frankel succeeds in carving out their unique voices to provide far greater perspective than one narrator could provide. The reader gets to know and appreciate each girl’s gifts as they try to solve the town’s mystery and interact with River, the owner’s grandson.

The triplets are the reason the book succeeds. As individual characters, each one is interesting, but together they are a powerhouse. The mystery gives the reader the opportunity to see how each approaches a problem and how they work as a trio. 

At the beginning, the book may feel slow because of the focus on characters instead of plot progression. It is worth the wait for the mystery to kick in, because by then the reader is comfortable moving forward with this wonderful teen team. 

Thank you, Shelf Awareness and Henry Holt and Co. for providing an advance copy of the book.