We Are Okay

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • An achingly beautiful novel about grief, the enduring power of friendship, and the healing effects of kindness, from the award-winning author of Hold Still

WINNER OF THE MICHAEL L. PRINTZ AWARD • ONE OF TIME’S BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOKS OF ALL TIME • KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK OF THE CENTURY


Short, poetic and gorgeously written . . . The world LaCour creates is fragile but profoundly humane.” —The New York Times Book Review

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 honest portrayal of grief will leave readers urgent to reach across any distance to reconnect with the people they love.


Praise for We Are Okay

Nina LaCour treats her emotions so beautifully and with such empathy.” —Bustle

“Exquisite.Kirkus

★ “LaCour paints a captivating depiction of loss, bewilderment, and emotional paralysis . . . raw and beautiful.” —Booklist

★ “Beautifully crafted . . . . A quietly moving, potent novel.” —SLJ

★ “A moving portrait of a girl struggling to rebound after everything she’s known has been thrown into disarray.” —Publishers Weekly

★"Bittersweet and hopeful . . . poetic and skillfully crafted." —Shelf Awareness

“So lonely and beautiful that I could hardly breathe. This is a perfect book.” —Stephanie Perkins, bestselling author of Anna and the French Kiss

As beautiful as the best memories, as sad as the best songs, as hopeful as your best dreams.”
—Siobhan Vivian, bestselling author of The Last Boy and Girl in the World

“You can feel every peak and valley of Marin’s emotional journey on your skin, in your gut. Beautifully written, heartfelt, and deeply real.” —Adi Alsaid, author of Never Always Sometimes and Let’s Get Lost

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Published Feb 26, 2019

256 pages

Average rating: 7.91

55 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Lauren Greely
Jul 01, 2025
6/10 stars
2.75 ⭐️ .5 spice
na_na_cakes
May 27, 2025
9/10 stars
Very good, slow in the beginning but a wonderful read
Shahna
Jul 18, 2024
8/10 stars
This hit a bit close to home.
My eyes were watering near the end.
Lighthouse
Feb 06, 2023
7/10 stars
Very interesting book on grief and everything that comes with it
Myrthe 🐞
Dec 06, 2022
10/10 stars
It is an incredible story about a girl who's coming to terms with the death of her grandfather and her losses in life, which she's experienced so much of at such a young age. The writing is simplistic but manages to craft a very purposeful mood that portrays the loneliness of Marin so realistically. Also it did not have an amazing plot but I think that a plot was not necessary since the book was already really impactful and beautiful without it.

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