Three Girls and Their Brother: A Novel | Theresa Rebeck

Three Girls and Their Brother: A Novel | Theresa Rebeck | Such a family ...

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Three Girls and Th...

	Three Girls and Their Brother: A Novel Theresa Rebeck Shaye Areheart Books, 2008 - 352 pages average customer review:based on 2 reviews view larger image
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Now that it’s all over, everybody is saying it was the picture–that stupid picture was behind every disaster. . . .

They may be the granddaughters of a famous literary critic, but what really starts it all is Daria, Polly, and Amelia Heller’s stunning red hair. Out of the blue one day, The New Yorker calls and says that they want to feature the girls in a glamorous spread shot by a world-famous photographer, and before long these three beautiful nobodies from Brooklyn have been proclaimed the new “It” girls.

But with no parental guidance–Mom’s a former beauty queen living vicariously through her daughters, and Dad is nowhere to be found–the three girls find themselves easy prey for the sharks and piranhas of show business. Posing in every hot fashion magazine, tangling with snarling fashonistas and soulless agents, skipping school and hitting A-list parties, the sisters are caught up in a whirlwind rise to fame that quickly spirals out of control.

When Amelia, the youngest of the three–who never really wanted to be a model in the first place–appears in an Off-Broadway play, the balance of power shifts, all the pent-up resentment and pressure comes to a head, and the girls’ quiet, neglected brother reaches a critical point of virtual breakdown. And against the odds, even as the struggle for fame threatens to tear the family apart, the Hellers begin to see that despite the jealousy, greed, and uncertainty that have come to define their relationships, in the celebrity world of viciousness and betrayal, all they really have is one another.

Narrated in four parts, from the perspective of each sibling, Three Girls and Their Brother is a sharp, perceptive, and brilliantly written debut novel from an acclaimed playwright.

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amusing look at fame

Claiming as a way to pay homage to the late great literary critic Leo Heller, the New Yorker magazine wants to do a piece on his three granddaughters and grandson. Their mom has the brain of a lifetime beauty queen who though has seen her prettier days still lives the glory through her daughters; she sees this as good publicity and the road to Hollywood. Their dad has not been around in ages so his opinion if he even has one does not matter.

The oldest eighteen year old Daria is rapturous as she sees this as her chance to become a supermodel. The middle daughter seventeen year old Polly is almost as elated. The youngest female fourteen year old Amelia is at best tepid as she does not mind the magazine piece as long as it does not greatly intrude on her lifestyle. The only male fifteen year old Philip does not trust the New Yorker as he believes they are being set up for an exposure worthy of the tabloids. However, mommy dearest ignores the concerns of her only son saying he is too male and too young to understand the opportunities for his sisters; she will do anything to get her daughters on Broadway or Southern California.

This is an amusing look at fame from four teens receiving fifteen minutes of it each. Especially enlightening is the insightful comparisons made by the youngest sibling as Amelia observes voluntary starvation as a norm of some vocations. Philip seems older than he is with his wisdom honed by survival skills as the lone bull; his observations re his mom and two older sisters are priceless. The other three females seem amusingly inane as all they can see is fame and fortune. Although a revenge subplot seems ridiculous as it deters from an otherwise superb family drama, fans will enjoy this powerful lampooning of the fame seekers.

Harriet Klausner

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Such a family ...

Noted playwright, Theresa Rebeck's tongue-in-cheek debut novel exposes the dark underbelly of all that fame does--and doesn't have to offer.

When three adolescent auburn-haired sisters gain notoriety for--well, not much of anything but their fiery hair and literary giant grandfather--their lives are turned upside down. There's Daria Heller, the oldest at 19, with an inflated sense of self and an aspiration to become an actress. Polly is the second child, who at 18 is precocious and wishy-washy. Then there's Amelia, the youngest and most rebellious at 14, who cares less about fame than her sisters.

The girls' father enters the picture sporadically and inconsistently. Their stage mother has a drinking problem and will stop at nothing to push her daughters into the public eye. Colette is the Heller sisters' overzealous agent and the driving force behind their mother. Then there's Phillip, the brother who helplessly stands by and gets caught up in everything as his sisters' drama unfolds.

Rebeck's book. Three Girls and Their Brother is refreshingly candid portrayal of sibling rivalry and showcases familial dysfunction at its finest. The novel takes us through the glitzy parties, champagne-soaked celebrity encounters, glamorous photo shoots and the pesky paparazzi who document everything they bump into along the way.

Three Girls and Their Brother is divided into four parts, told from the first-person perspectives of Phillip, Amelia, Polly and Daria. Rebeck has easily transitioned from playwright to novelist. It's clear, when reading the book, she's mastered the art of conversation, as conversation among the siblings will resonate with you.

The plot moves easily, and when reading, one is reminded of other poignant, existential character exhibits, such as J.D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey.

As the press, photo shoots and requests for the Heller sisters increase exponentially, the relationship dynamic among the sisters and Phillip sharply turns. Once a team, the sisters now try to outdo each other.

Will fame be the downfall of this already crumbling family? Will they be able to withstand being put under the microscope?

Armchair Interviews says: It's worth your while to find out.

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