We Are Okay

By: Nina LaCour

Narrated by: Jorjeana Marie

From the award-winning author of Hold Still comes an achingly beautiful novel about grief and the enduring power of friendship.

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.

©2017 Nina LaCour (P)2017 Listening Library

Critic reviews

"Narrator Jorjeana Marie's depiction of Marin has a haunted quality - for reasons that become evident as this story unfolds.... As the author gradually reveals Marin's heartache and the secrets that emerged after her grandfather's death, Marie skillfully portrays the deep emotions of both heroines -and, finally, the resilience of enduring love." (AudioFile)

“A meditation on surviving grief, We Are Okay is short, poetic and gorgeously written…. The power in this little book is in seeing Marin come out on the other side of loss, able to appreciate a beautiful yellow-glazed pottery bowl and other people’s kindnesses, and to understand that she might one day have a girlfriend and a future. The world LaCour creates is fragile but profoundly humane.” (The New York Times Book Review)

“A beautiful, devastating piece of art.... The title hints at a happy ending, but the journey toward it passes through some of the darkest corners of the heart. Be prepared to be gutted - and grateful. We Are Okay is an extraordinary work by an author who keeps redefining and elevating her genre." (Bookpage)

Beautiful poetic novel

As a high school English teacher, I read a lot of YA fiction, but few are as poignant and literary as We Are Okay. I smiled and I wept at this novel of heartbreak and joy. The performance was also excellent. Highly recommended!

Good book

I liked the nature of this book, it was a good listen. I was surprised by the twist it took, made it even better.

Dang-a-lang

Listened to the entire book in one day, it was that good! It's an interesting story that captures sadness deeply.

Cold, cold, cold!

This is based on the author's own experiences, but I dearly hope her experiences contained more emotion, complexity, and depth than this portrayal. Interesting story, but classic one-dimensional and cold characters. I felt absolutely nothing for any of them, and this is some heavier subject matter. I don't expect every book to reach out and touch my heart, but this was written and narrated with such... indifference? distance? The author writes like she's presenting the facts as an observer and not an experiencer. It's uncomfortable to listen to.

Touching and well-written.

Loved this book. Listened to all in one day. the depiction of the grief and depression were relatable. Definitely recommending this to everyone.

Heartbreakingly Beautiful

A difficult read because it's so sad and brings up your own grief no matter what form it takes. It's so worth it to finish though.

A Solidly Okay Book

This was a very thoughtful book, and its slow pace made it a bit hard for me to stay engaged. The main characters are very interesting, and I did find myself surprised by a few twists as more of the story was revealed, but it was still slow-paced. I definitely got more into this book as I went, and by the end, I was pretty hooked. Overall, not a bad listen.

The narrator was just fine--didn't distract and had a pleasant voice to listen to.

solitude

I loved it. It talks about all kinds of love. It surprised me. Is so sincere and deep. I felt the loneliness that Marin feels. Great one!!!!

5 stars for making me cry

Rarely does a book make me cry.

I've personally never dealt with the loss of someone close to me. But I've had to watch my mother go through it 3 times in the past year. 2 grandparents and a best friend who she hadn't spoken to in a few years because he was too unpredictable for her to feel comfortable having her child (me) around him.

The way the author intricately wove layers upon layers of grief into the main characters life in flashbacks was beautiful, and watching someone not know how to be the same person, or even want to without the person they lost, hit me really hard.

I loooove the way the lgbt representation is woven through this book. It is subtle but not ambiguous, and its not a major hinge of the story, yet the author doesn't pretend its not important to the main character... its just so perfect.

I'd give the narrator 5 stars but its kinda robotic at times.

Lovely

This is a simple complex story about first love, family love and self love. Things you thought you knew and things your didn’t - betrayal, uncertainty and unconditional love. I loved everything about this book