We Are Okay

We Are Okay is the story of an 18-year-old girl, Marin’s, experience with grief, loss, and sadness. Marin’s mother dies in a surfing accident when she’s almost 3; she is raised near that same beach in San Francisco by her grandfather, Gramps. The narrative is divided between Marin’s present in New York and her past in California. The present-day events occur in December during the winter break of Marin’s first year in college; the past events cover the summer before Marin’s grandfather disappears and is presumed to have drowned. After Marin’s grandfather dies, she flees to New York without talking to anyone or retrieving any of her possessions from their house. For months, she refuses to respond to or contact any of the people from her life in California. The book’s present narrative covers 3-5 days during winter break, when Marin’s best friend and former girlfriend, Mabel, is coming to visit; the visit marks their first communication in four months.

Over the course of Mabel’s visit, the flashbacks reveal the state of Marin’s former life and the shocking truths that emerged after her grandfather’s disappearance, all of which helps to explain the depths of Marin’s grief.