The envelope is likely to contain either a Christmas card or some kind note from Hannah. She has left Marin a book of essays on solitude and a sealed envelope with her name on it. Chapter 1Īs winter break begins, Marin’s college roommate leaves to go home for the holidays. The novel explores themes of grief and loss, following Marin’s journey from depression to her first healing moments. The presence of all these loving people allows Marin to reach catharsis and remember how happy she was when spending time with Mommy before the accident happened.” After three days have passed since Mabel’s visit ended, she returns with her parents who also brought Christmas presents for everyone on campus including Marin. However, although she wants this very much, Marin cannot accept because she’s too sad after losing Gramps. Her parents want to adopt Marin as their daughter they’ve prepared a room for her in their home where she can stay during school holidays and beyond.

Though talking was difficult at first, Mabel persisted and told Marin more about herself. This is a betrayal since Marin struggled to remember anything about her mother for most of her life and only found out there were pictures in existence by reading one of Gramps’ letters where she mentioned them herself.ĭuring Mabel’s visit, Marin is able to open up and reconnect with her friend, allowing her to begin the process of healing. For many years, Gramps had been corresponding with someone named Birdie via letters but never shared any information about her or even showed pictures of Marin’s mother to him until after his disappearance. His physical health also seemed to be fragile he coughed up blood often and looked weak before disappearing. He suffered from an unknown mental illness he was hospitalized once for it when Marin was a child and acted strangely toward the end of his life with outbursts and paranoia. However, it becomes clear that his wife and daughter had died when he did because Gramps changed after their deaths. Over the course of her visit, flashbacks reveal that Marin’s grandfather was a kind man who provided for her well. When Mabel comes for a visit after 4 months of silence, it’s time for them to reconnect with each other again. For months, she refuses to respond to or contact anyone from California. After he dies, Marin leaves for New York without talking to anyone or retrieving any of their possessions from their house.

The narrative alternates between the present day (December) and Marin’s past during summer before her grandfather disappears and is presumed to have drowned. Her grandfather raised her and she grew up near that same beach in San Francisco. We Are Okay is the story of a girl, Marin, who lost her mother when she was 3 in a surfing accident. 1-Page Summary of We Are Okay Overall Summary

We are okay with