We Are Okay by Nina LaCour Published by Penguin on February 14, 2017
Pages: 240
Amazon-Indiebound
Goodreads
Winner of the 2018 Michael L. Printz Award -- An achingly beautiful novel about grief and the enduring power of friendship.
"Short, poetic and gorgeously written." --The New York Times Book Review "A beautiful, devastating piece of art." --Bookpage
You go through life thinking there's so much you need. . . . Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother. Marin hasn't spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she's tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit and Marin will be forced to face everything that's been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.
An intimate whisper that packs an indelible punch, We Are Okay is Nina LaCour at her finest. This gorgeously crafted and achingly honest portrayal of grief will leave you urgent to reach across any distance to reconnect with the people you love.
My Thoughts:
Okay. I know I am late to the game on this one. People I trust have been telling me how great it is for months. It wasn’t until We Are Okay won the Printz award that I finally picked it up. Of course, my friends were right.
There’s just something about this book. The summary calls it, “An intimate whisper that packs an indelible punch” and that is so true. Intimate is the perfect word. LaCour’s writing invites the reader into the story. You really feel like you come alongside the main character and experience the story with her. It alternates between the present and the events that got Marin to that point. It’s woven together so beautifully and is just so poignant.
I felt so invested in this story and didn’t want to leave it for a second. I desperately wanted to know what had happened before Marin left for school and how she could heal going forward. Expertly crafted and beautifully told, We Are Okay by Nina LaCour is a gem of a book.
Leave a Reply