Literary Fiction — The Book Roads

A Spare Life

Lidija Dimkovska

In 1984, twin sisters Zlata and Srebra are born in Skopje, Macedonia, joined at the head. Growing up physically connected in a society undergoing profound political and social change, they share a body but struggle to establish separate identities, desires, and futures. Their lives are shaped by the devotion and exhaustion of their family, the curiosity and prejudice of strangers, and the everyday difficulties of navigating a world designed for people who can move independently. Narrated by Zlata, A Spare Life follows the sisters from childhood into adulthood against the backdrop of Yugoslavia’s dissolution and the emergence of an independent Macedonia. As their circumstances change, their longing for privacy and personal freedom becomes increasingly urgent. Combining an intimate family story with a broader portrait of a society in transition, Lidija Dimkovska explores individuality, bodily autonomy, belonging, and the boundaries between dependence and independence. The novel asks what it means to live an authentic life when even the most fundamental choices must be shared.

North Macedonia 2016