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’d heard so much about Nina LaCour’s books, so I added We Are Ok to my to read/to buy list, then I got a copy for Christmas and I didn’t know I’d find a new favourite author. Fast forward to the UK lockdown and I picked it up…then I couldn’t put it down.

This is not a story that is full of action, movement and adventure. It is a quieter novel, something that fully wraps itself around you and lets you see a life rather than a spectacle. A glimpse into grief, sadness and becoming an young adult for the first time.

The novel is written incredibly well and has a beautiful lyrical quality that I haven’t seen in a while. I read this in less than 24 hours, only stopping to sleep. I needed to know what was going to happen between Marin and Mara (although I will admit I did get the two names confused at times). What had happened in the past and how it impacted the current story.

There is also an LGBT element to the story which came across as very well done, particularly because it wasn’t the main focal point of the novel, it was simply there. Additionally, I felt the pain of losing a friendship and not knowing how to put it back together.

I would happily have read a book that was double the length because I wanted to know what happened after the last page, I can’t say more than that because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.

This was a 4.5 star read for me. I absolutely adored it and felt for Marin the whole way through. Beautiful writing, a thought provoking novel and one that I absolutely adore. Keep your eyes peeled for my review of Hold Still, LaCour’s first novel, coming soon.