My Brilliant Life Summary
Ae-ran Kim

My Brilliant Life Overview

In Ae-ran Kim's novel My Brilliant Life, first person narrator and main character Areum is living with a rare disease called progeria. Though he is only 16 years old, Areum's body is aging at a rapid pace. Trapped between the experiences of the young and the old, the healthy and the sick, Areum often feels alone. Then, when he starts an email correspondence with Lee Seoha, another 16-year-old living with a terminal illness, Areum's outlook begins to shift. Though he fears that falling in love will make dying more difficult, he knows that his connection with Seoha has transformative powers. The novel explores themes including truth, love, and loneliness.