One Two Three

In Frankel’s tender-hearted latest (after This Is How It Always Is), old wounds are reopened in a small town ravaged by industrial pollution. Triplets Mab, Monday, and Mirabel Mitchell, 16, were born in the wake of a chemical spill in their hometown. Mab longs to do well on her SATs so she can get into college and move away; Monday is on the autism spectrum and also hoards books; and wheelchair-using Mirabel must speak through an app and lives a rich internal life. Their therapist mother, Nora, is still fighting as part of a class-action lawsuit against the chemical company responsible for the spill. One day, the three sisters are introduced to a new student at their high school, River Thornton, grandson of the chemical company owner. His disruptive presence, and news that the plant will soon reopen, create a schism in the town and among the three sisters, which Mab, Monday, and Mirabel resolve to rectify with a grand and desperate action. 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. (June)

This review has been updated to more accurately reflect the circumstances of the character Mirabel's life.