I love you, you’re so sweet
"Death has never been the driving force here! It has always been life!"
This sentence is so beautiful and on point, thank you so much! This is exactly what the author has been wanting to show, isn't it? That's exactly why Isabelle has been living everyday happily and without regret because she is happy to be able to live again in a healthy body. That's the most important thing to her.
That's true. She, who has lived a difficult life in her past, was given a gift. Just like she always said, she's thankful and always living in the present. Because she knew the hard life, now she's just grateful to be given 21 years of being healthy.
Guys I don't think this is supposed to be about whether or not she dies in the end. She has been treating her life as a gift, and will continue to do so in the future– regardless of how many years she has left. Even with a 21 years time limit, there are countless things that could happen to cut that time short... just like how any ordinary life is. So even if she lives only to 21, or if she gets to get rid of the mark, she will live as fervently as before. And *that's* the whole point.
I can see the narrative will find a way to save her (probably something to do with Arun, given the og novel), so I guess saying "either way it still has meaning" can sound a bit conceited-- but genuinely I find it very sad that so many people could only find meaning in an ending where she does die. Death has never been the driving force here!! It has always been life!!! Whether she lives to 21 or pushes it only to 22 makes no difference, since she has already found the reaolve to give her all everyday!!! Everyday is meaningful!!!