Review: We Are Okay by Nina LaCour

We Are Okay
by Nina LaCour

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.

 
     I can't deny that I bought this book because of the gorgeous cover. I also can't say that I read it immediately after purchasing it. Looking at reviews can be a great thing. It can help people like myself that are quick to judge a book by its cover. Reviews can also hinder someone from reading a book they were previously excited about because they can be negative.

     We Are Okay had a lot of mixed reviews and I chose to believe the negative ones, that is until recently.  Here is why I decided to pick it up. My boyfriend just graduated law school and our lease was up on our apartment. Since we're both currently unemployed and kinda sorta homeless we're staying with his dad until he finds a job. I've been in this really funky mood because of this sudden but expected change. I needed to read something simple and poetic. Something that would allow me to wallow in my sadness.

"I have only just learned how to be here. Life is paper-thin and fragile. Any sudden change could rip it wide-open."

     When I saw reviews for We Are Okay a lot of them said that it isn't a plot driven book. That it's very much about character development. I think that's a true statement but that doesn't mean this book doesn't have a point. In my opinion, you need to be in a certain mindset to read it and luckily/unluckily I was.

     Our main character Marin is from San Fransisco but is in New York for college. The tone of the book and Marin's inner dialogue show that she left home earlier than expected without telling loved ones why. The timeline switches between past and present day. As of present day, Marian finally allows Mabel, her friend from home, to visit her in New York.

     The tone of this book was perfect. I could be projecting but I could feel how isolated and scared Marin is. The writing brought those quiet feelings to life.  It was really beautiful. I loved Mabel and Marin's friendship and how we get to see it transform through flashbacks. This makes the present day even more uncomfortable and heartbreaking.

"But it turns out that even the fiercest denial can't stop time."

     I can't say that I enjoyed this book but I can say that I loved it and that it's exactly what I needed during this weird time of my life. The writing is fantastic. I've tabbed and highlighted the hell out of the pages. It also gave me a chance to escape my sadness and explore someone else's.

Reading Playlist:
Not To Disappear by Daughter