One Two Three

Laurie Frankel

54 pages 1-hour read

Laurie Frankel

One Two Three

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2021

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Mab is the eldest of the sixteen-year-old Mitchell triplets. She attends Bourne Memorial High in Track A, a designation for academically advanced students. Driven and highly observant, she volunteers at the school's tutoring center and studies for college entrance exams with her friends. She possesses a strong sense of justice regarding the corporate pollution that destroyed her town.

Key Relationships

Sister of Monday Mitchell

Daughter of Nora Mitchell

Romantic Interest of River Templeton

Friend of Pooh

Friend of Petra

The middle Mitchell triplet serves as Bourne's unofficial librarian after the actual facility closes. She stores the town's massive book collection in her own home and relies on her photographic memory to locate specific texts for residents. Monday prefers yellow objects, clothing, and meals, which provides her with a sense of order and decisive clarity.

Key Relationships

Sister of Mab Mitchell

Daughter of Nora Mitchell

Mentee of Pastor Jeff

Acquaintance of Apple Templeton

The youngest Mitchell triplet possesses a genius-level intellect that easily exceeds her high school curriculum. Born with physical abnormalities and idioglossia, she uses a wheelchair and communicates through a specialized voice app on her tablet. She is highly perceptive and emotionally intelligent, quickly understanding the hidden motives of the adults around her.

Key Relationships

Sister of Mab Mitchell

Sister of Monday Mitchell

Daughter of Nora Mitchell

Admirer of River Templeton

Acquaintance of Tom Kandinsky

Nora is the mother of the triplets and works as Bourne's therapist, bartender, and baker. Widowed when her husband died from cancer caused by the town's contaminated water, she channels her protective instincts into a long-running legal battle against Belsum Chemical. She continuously searches for evidence to prove the corporation knowingly poisoned her community.

Key Relationships

Mother of Mab Mitchell

Mother of Monday Mitchell

Friend of Pastor Jeff

Political Ally of Omar

Client of Russell Russo

Adversary of Nathan Templeton

Therapist of Apple Templeton

River is a new student at Bourne Memorial High who practices amateur magic under the stage name Raging River. Having lived a sheltered life in Boston, he arrives initially ignorant of his family's dark history in the area. His presence causes immediate friction among the student body, though he soon draws the attention of the Mitchell sisters.

Key Relationships

Grandson of Duke Templeton

Romantic Interest of Mab Mitchell

Nathan is the son of Belsum's original founder and the current head of the rebranded chemical company. He moves his family into Bourne's former library building, offering jobs to the locals while loudly insisting his new product is perfectly safe. He maintains a polished, agreeable exterior that masks his ruthless business intentions.

Key Relationships

Father of River Templeton

Husband of Apple Templeton

Son of Duke Templeton

Adversary of Nora Mitchell

Negotiator with Omar

Duke is the original owner of Belsum Chemical and the patriarch of the Templeton family. Years ago, he oversaw the factory operations that poisoned Bourne's water supply and subsequently abandoned the town. His legacy of environmental destruction hangs over the current residents.

Key Relationships

Grandfather of River Templeton

Supporting Characters

Operating out of the local church, Pastor Jeff works as Bourne's clergyman and physician. He repurposes his building into a yoga studio and copy center to fill resource gaps in the economically depressed town. He actively discourages the use of stigmatizing labels, teaching his students to focus on their unique strengths.

Key Relationships

Friend of Nora Mitchell

Mentor of Monday Mitchell

Omar serves as the mayor of Bourne. He attempts to balance the severe economic depression of the area with the health concerns of his constituents. His political decisions sometimes put him at odds with Nora, though he maintains that he acts in the town's best interest.

Key Relationships

Mayor of Nora Mitchell

Negotiator with Nathan Templeton

Apple is Nathan's wife, a woman from the wealthy Groves family who moves into the repurposed library. Unhappy in her marriage, she begins attending therapy sessions with Nora. She claims to dislike her husband's actions and spends her time searching the town for old family correspondence.

Key Relationships

Mother of River Templeton

Patient of Nora Mitchell

Acquaintance of Monday Mitchell

Winnifred, commonly known as Pooh, is a high school student of Korean heritage who uses a wheelchair. She is a close companion to Mab, having formed a bond when Mab volunteered to read to her during a service project.

Key Relationships

Friend of Mab Mitchell

Petra is Mab's classmate and friend. The two girls study for their college entrance exams together and share a mutual frustration with their assigned high school duties.

Key Relationships

Friend of Mab Mitchell

Russell is an attorney who originally helped Nora build her environmental lawsuit. He stepped back from active litigation after experiencing personal family fears, but he continues to assist Nora with basic legal document filings.

Key Relationships

Legal Counsel for Nora Mitchell

Tom works as the town handyman. He gathers discarded materials and repurposes them to help various households repair their homes, providing a crucial service for the under-resourced community.

Key Relationships

Acquaintance of Mirabel Mitchell

Zacharias is a former line supervisor at the chemical plant who lost part of his leg to bone cancer. He maintains a cheerful presence in Bourne, working at the local convenience store and frequently socializing at the bar.

Key Relationships

Customer of Nora Mitchell