OPPOSITION AS THE FOUNDATION OF THE NOVEL THE WORLD I CHOSE BY KALINA MALESKA

Abstract

Award-winning novels often evoke a heightened sense of curiosity, and The World I Chose by Kalina Maleska is no exception. Recipient of the 2024 “Slavko Janevski” Novel of the Year Award, this work introduces a distinctive narrative approach that foregrounds introspection and psychological depth. At its core, the novel examines the internal world of Leona, a woman engaged in a process of self-discovery during a stage in life typically associated with self-assurance and stability. Notably, the narrative omits conventional physical descriptors such as age, hair color, or body type – elements rendered irrelevant in the context of Leona’s existential journey. Her character emerges gradually within a world she had previously perceived as external, even alien. As Leona steps out of her interiority, she embarks on the pursuit of an autonomous life, distancing herself from a manipulative former spouse and the psychological constraints that had shaped her subordination. The character is meticulously constructed through introspective narration and relational contrast with other figures, defining herself precisely through these oppositions.

Keywords: opposition; introspection; character; interiority and exteriority.