Memoirs of a Polar Bear

“Writing is like walking on thin ice—you never know when you’ll fall through.”

Part One: The Grandmother’s Memoirs

The novel opens with the autobiographical writings of a polar bear who was once a circus performer in the Soviet Union. She reflects on her life under state control, her training as a dancer, and her eventual escape to Canada. Her story blends surrealism with political allegory, as she navigates exploitation, fame, and the struggle for artistic freedom.

Part Two: The Mother’s Circus Career

The second section shifts to the perspective of the grandmother’s daughter, Tosca, a polar bear raised in captivity in East Germany. Trained as a performer, she becomes a star in the circus but grapples with the contradictions of her existence—her intelligence, her animal instincts, and the human world’s expectations. Her story explores themes of motherhood, performance, and captivity.

Part Three: The Son’s Life in the Zoo

The final section follows Knut, Tosca’s son, born in a Berlin zoo. Rejected by his mother and raised by human keepers, he becomes an international celebrity. His narrative examines media sensationalism, environmental crises, and the blurred boundaries between human and animal consciousness. His tragic yet poetic fate closes the novel.

Key Ideas

• Exploration of identity through animal perspectives.
• Critique of political systems and captivity.
• Blending of magical realism with social commentary.
• Themes of migration, displacement, and belonging.
• Intersection of performance, art, and exploitation.