We Are Okay

One of the reasons I love to read is because reading fosters empathy - the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. Living, what some would consider, a fairly middle-class life, I read to understand the lives of others. Reading opens up my world to others who are not like me and helps me to be a more empathetic person, which is sorely needed in today's world. A few days ago, I finished We Are Okay by Nina LaCour; I cannot quit thinking about that book.  First off, the language is captivating and beautiful. Secondly, I felt a connection to Marin, the main character. Even though I have never experienced what happened to her in terms of the main conflict, I could relate to her experience of living a contented life and being happy. It got me to thinking about how life can change in an instant. Finally, the ending made me cry - won't tell you what happens. I do cry sometimes while reading books, but this one made me sob at the end.

We Are Okay by Nina LaCour       

Goodreads Blurb:

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.