... winning and amiable ... The end of the story does seem a bit rushed, and one might wish that the townspeople weren’t so relentlessly good and that the villains weren’t so cartoonishly villainous, but then one might feel waspish and small-hearted. The full and simple pleasures of Frankel’s luscious prose lull the reader into rooting for the good people of Bourne and these plucky heroines. After all, doesn’t rooting for uncomplicated integrity feel good these days?
... heartbreaking yet heartwarming ... The story unfolds in alternating chapters, told by One, Two and Three, emphasizing the whip-smart girls' distinctive voices, sharp humor and mutual (yet never sappy) affection. Frankel adds a quirky but credible supporting cast of Bourne citizens. All the way to a fast-paced and heroic climax, readers will be rooting for them.
This would be a compelling plot told in a straightforward manner. Told through the voices of Mab, Monday and Mirabel it becomes richer, funnier and more poignant. Their adolescent ideas about their fellow residents (who include a wonderful elderly neighbor nicknamed Pooh), their hopes and dreams for their futures (Mirabel has no illusions about her own) and their determination to fight for justice make this one of the summer’s freshest novels. One Two Three tells a more complicated story than its title implies, all the while reminding us that big changes can be made through small steps.
It’s rare when a book is decidedly grim—dire, even—yet still manages to be as full of comfort, humor and hope as One Two Three, a thought-provoking allegory about corporate greed, environmental activism, parent-child relationships and the bonds and betrayals of sisterly love ... Frankel reveals their stories in artful prose laced with humor, much of it dark ... The town is filled with wonderful characters ... The result is a warm, funny tour de force that has much to say about big business, the ways that tragedies unfold, the power of citizens to effect change and the passing of civic responsibility from one generation to the next ... a very different story indeed—one that is delightfully memorable and wildly empowering.
The book reads as a full-hearted, ecological fable—with insights into the contradictions in how our culture views and talks about people with disabilities. Once its plot kicks in, after about 100 pages, One Two Three makes for a propulsive read. How much you enjoy that read depends partly on how charmed you are by Frankel’s low-key wit and by the quirks and gimmicks.
... the book’s vitality and high energy will keep you reading, maybe in just one sitting, to find out what’s going to happen next. The ideas [Frankel] puts forth about our responsibility to the environment are couched in a cat-and-mouse mystery with unique and intelligent characters ... Summer reads aren’t supposed to be about much of anything. They are typically the kind of books that can get sandy, and be exchanged among friends or left for renters. One Two Three is a summer read that is breezy and racks up surprising velocity, but it also leaves you with a sense of having discovered a way of looking at the natural world that you haven’t seen before. It’s fun, entertaining and educational…and it moves. What more can you ask for during this summer of insanity? Enjoy!
At times the story’s pacing seems secondary to explorations of the main themes. Writing from each of the sisters’ perspectives, Frankel creates unique personalities for One, Two, and Three and builds a memorable world in Bourne.
The residents of Bourne are scrappy, resilient, and unforgettable. Frankel’s novel is part Erin Brockovich, part coming-of-age novel, and sure to spark lively discussions at book club meetings.
... tender-hearted ... Frankel’s sharp plotting—with several surprising reversals—and memorable characters reflect a deep imagination that adds texture and complexity to what would otherwise be a fairly familiar setup. Readers will be captivated by this story of adversity and resilience.
Frankel has given us another socially conscious 21st-century fable in a voice that is part pastor, part political speechwriter, and part Fannie Flagg ... Clever, charming, and always on message.
