The Rhino Keeper

By: Jillian Forsberg

Narrated by: Caroline Hewitt

Before The Porcelain Menagerie, Jillian Forsberg introduced listeners to a world of wonder, obsession, and fragile beauty in The Rhino Keeper—brought vividly to life by narrator Caroline Hewitt.

Inspired by the true story of a Dutch sea captain who toured 18th-century Europe with an Indian rhinoceros named Clara, this richly layered novel moves between past and present. As Captain Douwemout van der Meer and Clara enchant Europe’s courts and crowds, admiration turns to danger, and devotion to sacrifice. Among those captivated is a young artist, Johann Joachim Kändler, whose porcelain masterpiece will echo through Forsberg’s companion novel, The Porcelain Menagerie.

With Hewitt’s evocative performance guiding the journey, The Rhino Keeper transports listeners across centuries—where art, ambition, and compassion collide. Continue the story in The Porcelain Menagerie, also from History Through Fiction.

©2024 Colin Mustful (P)2025 Colin Mustful

Critic reviews

Named a 2025 Kansas Notable Book
Winner of the Midwest Book Award for Cover Design

Delightful hidden bit of history

An interesting tale told with pathos of two people who helped an orphaned beast become the toast of 18th century Europe. Great narration brings the story further forward.

Such a great read!

A unique story, well researched and well written! I loved it and highly recommend to add to your summer reading list!

Loved it

Oh boy do I have a lot of thoughts:
- I LOVE that the book starts with a giant “screw you” to people who subscribe to the lost Confederacy myth. After wandering the halls of many writers conferences, careful of what to say and who to say it to, it’s wonderfully refreshing to see a writer put all her politics on display like that.
- I find it interesting that the people in the book who care about animals the most also have the most empathy for people. I don’t know if that’s always true. As a person who wants nothing more than for people of color, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people, etc, to have equal rights, I don’t feel that passion towards animals. That’s definetly due to being raised without pets (my mom was allergic.) But my fury does rise much more when I see people in poverty than when I see animals slaughtered.
- Dual plot line novels can be kind of hit or miss because the audiences cares for one protagonist far more than the other and if the present day characters stumbles into too many coincidental findings from the past. This book knocked it out of the park. I loved both Andrea and Douwe.
- I appreciate that the author included nuance in animal treatment. Zoos keep animals in captivity, but are they justified if it helps humans learn? I don’t know. We need meat to feed the human population. Veganism is expensive for some and impractical for those with soy or nut allergies.
- Although I don’t support the actions of either villain, I’m sympathetic of the sh*t that being in academia can drive a person to.
- A historian writing about 1700s ships theorized that sailors could not keep a gay relationship a secret in the close quarters that a ship provides and it wouldn’t be accepted in the sadly homophobic world of the 1700s. It makes me wonder about gender bending secrets on a ship.
- I’m wondering how Douwe spoke that many languages. Dutch, German, French, English, only to stumble over Italian?

the history behind the story

Very well written and interesting. Great read! Highly recommend. The characters are well developed and the format of changing from present storyline to past is well done. Love, intrigue, history. This book has it all!