Shuttling back and forth between the two settings gives you a complete picture of what’s going on and you see why Marin’s grief runs deep. Mabel’s family treats Marin as one of them and there’s a lot of love. There is a familiarity in the regular rhythms of Marin’s life with her ‘Gramps’. There is a lot of warmth, comfort, and a sense of safety here. Then we flashback to California during summer. There’s a storm raging outside and the gloomy environment reflects Marin’s sense of displacement and loneliness. In the present, it’s December in New York. The different settings make the story interesting. LaCour is a noted LGBTQIA+ novelist and she explores the relationship between Marin and Mabel in that context as well.Īlso read: My Dark Vanessa book review: Lolita in the age of #MeToo Slowly you get the idea of what happened in Marin’s life for her to cut ties with everyone. The narrative alternates between present day and flashbacks to Marin’s life with her grandfather. After repeated failed attempts to connect with her via texts and emails, she visits Marin at her college in New York during winter break when the latter is alone in her dorm. But her best friend, Mabel, isn’t giving up on her. We Are Okay is the story of a college freshman named Marin who leaves behind everything and everyone after the sudden death of her grandfather. For such a slim book, it packs quite a punch.

LaCour’s tale of grief and coming to terms with it is a lesson on how you don’t have to navigate your life alone and that being open and accepting the help and love you get can heal you. Every time I see the spine of the book on the shelf, I’m reminded of how the simple story made me feel and I get goosebumps. But the emotions it stirred have stayed with me since. It’s a short read and I finished it in a day. Recently I read ‘We Are Okay’ by Nina LaCour after weeks of staring at its gorgeous cover. I love books that make me well up or cry.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour