I really enjoyed listening to The Rhino Keeper by Jillian Forsberg. I found the story itself to be a wonderful split between past state and current state, with the story of Clara and her keepers holding such importance, both then and now. I thought the author did a wonderful job depicting Clara and her importance in history, while adding the unique historical spin to it by having present day historians studying her and the gravesite of her keeper. I truly enjoyed this book and wasn't aware that it was based on real life events, which made it that more special, in my opinion. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

“The Rhino Keeper” by Jillian Forsberg and narrated by Caroline Hewett is a historical novel about the first rhinoceroses called Clara brought from India to Europe. It’s told in two timelines—the present with art historian Andrea Clarkson in Europe trying to undercover the mysteries of this rhino and in 1740 with ship captain Douwemout van der Meer and his charming assistant. I enjoyed the older timeline quite a bit, but I disliked the character Andrea. Her so-called “sensitivities” were more than a little anoying and ruined the story for me.
Many thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel. My opinions are my own.

Beautifully written book, I was a little nervous to give this one a try because I am an animal lover, and I didn’t want to read about animal abuse. Although Clara was taken she was really saved. she was treated well and it’s a really beautiful story that I don’t want to give away. It is a dual timeline, which I also love and the timelines weave together beautifully. They make sense there is a good balance where you really get to understand and relate to the characters in both timelines. There isn’t anything that I would want changed or added to this book and that is rare for me. I highly recommend giving this book a try.

This book was super fun! I loved the journey that Clara took and the love her handlers had for her. The different timelines really got me hooked and I was always wanting to know what happened next in each of them. The plot flowed really well and I cared a lot about the characters. The author did a great job making this book have a lot of information without it seeming textbooky. Overall a really engaging and interesting read.

A lovely and captivating historical fiction based on true events and perfect read for animal lovers. It follows the journey of a sea captain and his companion as they introduce Clara, an Indian Rhino, to Europe. The story is filled with both joy and sorrow, yet it ultimately centers on the blossoming relationship between the animal and human.

While the main narrative is engaging, the side plot involving Andrea felt somewhat unnecessary to the overall story. personally for me her character was more on the ' insufferable ' side as she often had a tendency to make everything about herself and be overdramatic.

Overall, the book offers a heartwarming glimpse into the unique bond between humans and animals, providing an enjoyable experience for readers. This ARC was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘰 #𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 #𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘙𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

I loved both timelines of this story. 💚

Douwe, Zubin, & Clara the rhino’s journey from India to Europe and subsequent travels to various locales, visits palaces, and Clara being a celebrity was fun and an enlightening peek into that time period (the 1700s).

In the current day timeline, Andrea taking control of her own life and saying no to something she didn’t feel comfortable being a part of… which then led her to this experience that was just what she had been working for career-wise was empowering.


Bonus for me was the surprise that Clara got to have a stop near Meissen, Germany – where my family name of Meissner comes from – to have her image crafted in porcelain.

I just listened to a podcast interview with the author. I'm excited to hear that she has a companion book, "The Porcelain Menagerie," about the porcelain maker (Johann Joachim Kaendler), is coming out in October 2025, and Clara makes a cameo!

🦏🦏🦏🦏🦏🦏
I’m so fascinated by Clara’s story and have been looking up the history to learn more. I came across this page on the author’s website with pictures of many of the pieces of art that were made by Clara.
https://www.jillianforsberg.com/clara-art


Highly, highly recommend this book!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


#𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 #𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘍𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 #𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘭 #𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺

This story is told in two timelines ranging from the 18th century to the 21st century, from the travels of a ship's captain in 1740 to the discovery of an unexpected mystery in 2022.

In the 18th century, a Dutch sea captain named Douwe is travelling with a rhinoceros named Clara, who is that time the only rhino in Europe. Although most are fascinated by the unfamiliar beast, someone perceives her as a threat, as a result of which both the captain and his companion face unexpected danger.

In 21st century, some part of the lost story of Douwe and Clara finds its way to a young student taking her year abroad in the Netherlands.

The result is a fascinating exploration of a story based in historical reality, told in a touching, fictionalised form. This one will be greatly enjoyed by history buffs, animal lovers, and those who like an unusual story. It gets 3.5 stars.

The Rhino Keeper was a beautiful story about the bonds between animals and those who care for them. As a zookeeper who has worked with many different species, including greater one-horned rhinos, I was so happy with how Clara was portrayed. Zubin might not be a historically accurate character, but his soul was so precious and was by far a stand out character for me. I also loved the way Douwe and Andrea's storylines intertwined to unveil Clara's story.

While reading, there were multiple instances where I got similar vibes from this book as I did with The Greatest Showman movie. Something about the wonder Clara brought with her to each stop on their journey felt so magical. There were definitely times because of this, that I questioned Douwe's true motives, but over time those questions fell away. The author does also include an informative author's note about why Clara was cared for as she was as well as modern rhino conservation.

Historical fiction is not typically my go-to genre when reading, but when I heard about Jillian writing this story, I knew I needed to read it as soon as possible. This story was gripping, heartfelt, and meant a lot to me as I'm sure it does to other keepers who have or will read The Rhino Keeper someday.

The audiobook was very soothing and such a great way to consume this story.

Thank you to Jillian Forsberg for sending me an ARC ahead of the book's release.

3.5 stars rounded up

If you enjoyed West With Giraffes (Lynda Rutledge) or Leaving Time (Jodi Piccoult) you will find joy in this story.

The Rhino Keeper is a dual time line historical fiction novel that tells the story of an 18th century rhinoceros named Clara and his keepers as they traveled throughout Europe. This story runs concurrently with that of Andrea, a modern day college student who discovers Clara's grave while studying abroad in the Netherlands.

The only thing dragging this story down for me was the dual timeline. I found the main character (Andrea) to be extremely annoying. While the plot line attached to her story was exciting and added a nice contrast to the historical story, her personality and the writing just watered down the whole novel. The two portions of the novel felt like they were written by a different author entirely.

The historical journey of Clara and her caregivers was interesting, exciting, and endearing. I'd love to see this story told in a movie, and I think it would make a great family-friendly film. I would still recommend this book to others, but would suggest just skipping or skimming the Andrea chapters if you find that character to be as annoying as I did.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When was the last time you read a novel about a Dutch sea capitán? Never I bet, let alone throw in the dual time line and the love of an animal. A beautiful book from cover art to back cover

I love a début novel and this one had a gorgeous cover as well! Great first impression. However, when listening to a book, so much is about the narration and Caroline Hewitt did a fantastic job. I enjoyed this story as I love historical fiction and even more when it's based on actual events. 'The Rhino Keeper' reminded me of 'West With Giraffes'. It's important to note that this is a dual-timeline almost 300 years apart so the treatment of animals is obviously very different than what we know today so this might be off-putting for some readers.

I literally cannot imagine traveling with a rhino knowing NOTHING about them...in the 1700s! I appreciated the Author's Note that not much was known about this journey so she did take some creative license to imagine how this played out and she did it well! When I finished this book, I looked up some rhino facts. Of note, they can poop up to 50lbs a day! Goodness. Just dealing with this alone is mind-boggling. Also, rhinos use their teeth NOT their horns for defense.
Often with dual timeline stories, I get more attached to one timeline than the other. The story of Clara, Douwe, and Zubin had my heart. However, without present day Andrea ("Anh-dray-a not Andrea") discovering an 18th century grave with a rhinoceros etching, we wouldn't have this beautiful story.

Wonderful, well-researched début from Jillian Forsberg. Thank you to Jillian, History through Fiction LLC, and NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and IBPA for the ARC of this audiobook for my honest review

It was an interesting book, I felt like I learnt a bit. I just think I got bored at times. It was nice to hear about the reality of this fictional story at the end though. To know what was fact and fiction and that were was some fact to it.

Audio format 🎧

This book covers the story of Clara, an Indian rhino that was transported from India to Europe in the 18th Century. In the current day timeline a student finds some hidden items in a secret compartment that alludes to a Rhino in Europe and she seeks to reveal why.

What I liked
🦏 Dual timeline storyline
🦏 Excellent audio narration
🦏 I found the historical (based on true story) element really fascinating

Overall I really enjoyed this audio book. From a story perspective I would have given this a 3.5 but the audio narration was excellent so I will bump this up to a 4/5.

Thank you to History Through Fiction | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks and Net Galley for a copy of this audiobook.

The Rhino Keeper is a beautifully written story by Jillian Forsberg based on a true story of a sea captain in the 18th century who travelled Europe with an Indian rhinoceros. Although, as Forsbear tells us, little of the story has survived, she has taken the bare bones of it and created a very compelling tale.

The story is divided into two timelines, 2022 when a young American student in Holland finds a very old document hidden in her dorm and 1740, when a sea captain, on a stopover in India, purchases a young rhinoceros named Clara and they, along with the young boy who has been caring for her, travel across Europe, displaying Clara to a mostly appreciative audience of both peasants and royalty. Along the way, the three bond as they experience adventures, hardships, dangers, but also joy over the next several years.

It is hard not to love a well-written animal story and The Rhino Keeper is a truly immersive and enjoyable tale that manages to touch on the reader’s emotions from laugh-out-loud humour at Clara’s antics, tension at some of the dangers they encounter, to a few moments that, at least for me, bring on a few tears. Yet, it never felt like emotional manipulation. A very enjoyable read for anyone who likes historical fiction or animal stories. I received an audiobook of this book narrated by Caroline Hewitt who does an exceptional job of bringing the story to life.

Thanks to Netgalley and History Through Fiction for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

My heart wants to give this book five stars for the end.

My head wants to give this book three stars because it draaaaaagged for the middle 50%.

So as a compromise, I’m giving it 4 stars.

Let’s start with the good: the ending. The bond between Douwa and Clara was amazing, and I’ll admit, I teared up at the end. We read books to feel, and this book made me feel… but only the last 5-10%. The frame story of Andrea was the place the author stretched the truth the most, and I loved it. The authors note at the end really tied it together, and helped sort fact from fiction.

The bad: it was too long by a third. I loved to hear about Douwa and Clara’s adventures, but it dragged. I seriously considered DNFing it several times around the 50% mark. Something kept me going, and I’m glad I did, but it could have used another round of edits. In hindsight, there is a huge difference between the totally fictive sections about Andrea, and the stories rooted in history about Douwa and Clara. It seems like the author got bogged down by the weight of history, and trying to tell a realistic story, and she prioritized realism over pacing. She does a wonderful time with her realism, and I appreciate that, but I wish I could recommend this book to more people.

Overall, I’m so glad I picked this up.

Thank you NetGalley for an audioARC of this wonderful story.

Thank you so much for letting listen to this audiobook. I enjoyed this story very much. It is very interesting ad and I liked the two different timelines.

Based off the true story of the first rhino to travel through Europe, I enjoyed the adventure and awe Clara brought to those who saw and met her. There were times I felt Clara was portrayed a bit like a domesticated pet with her actions and reactions and not so much as the wild animal she was, but I did enjoy the character she was in this story and the pure love her keepers had for her. The author’s note at the end of the audiobook was an appreciated addition.

What a great story about a man, a boy and a rhino. I just loved this book!

This was a book that I had no idea what to expect. This book has two timelines - 2022 college student in Holland and 1740 ship captain, boy and rhino. The boy and baby Indian Rhino named Clara both live in Calcutta when we meet them. The rhino is a pet and the boy takes care of her for the rich family that owns her. I had no idea that exotic animals were a novelty of the time, imported and owned by kings and the very wealthy. The ship captain buys Clara after she makes a mess at a dinner party, And the real story begins.

The story of their travels are just amazing. Traveling with a rhino becomes more and more challenging as she grows into an adult. The work and care that goes into Clara is very time consuming. Clara is introduced to the wealthy, but also the common people of the time in Europe. This story is full of twists and turns including all of the interesting people that they meet in their travels.

I really enjoyed Clara the rhino's story.

The book is written in a dual timeline format. I had an eARC and an ALC. When I was working, I only had the audiobook going and was able to following the story and easy know which timeline we were in. I liked that the past timeline was from the POV of Douwemout who would become the Rhino Keeper. It allows the reader to understand the dangers they faced and how attached he became to Clara. The present timeline is from Andrea's POV. She is a college student who founds papers in a hidden compartment of the desk in her dorm room. She will a team from the college work to discover the story of Clara.

This was a nice, enjoyable read and listen. I think Carloine Hewitt did a wonderful job on the narration. I didn't mind there being only one narrator for this story even though we had two different POVs.

The Rhino Keeper is a fictionalised account of the life of Clara, the Indian rhinoceros who toured the European continent in the 18th Century, accompanied by VOC captain Douwemout van der Meer and Clara's keeper Zuban. From his first encounter with baby Clara at an ill-fated dinner party through her journey aboard ships and carriages and barges, and her tour of palaces and paddocks, managing both death threats and royal patronage, Clara's - and Douwe and Zuban's - life was utterly extraordinary.

We also have the story of Andrea, who is studying archaeology in the Netherlands under the tutelage of respected historians. Andrea has recently broken up with her fiancee after discovering he came from a family of unapologetic trophy hunters. Throwing herself into her work, Andrea stumbles upon hidden documents purportedly from Douwe himself in an antique desk. But the discovery of these documents leads to a race to find Douwe's remains and protect Clara's legacy before they fall into the wrong hands.

This was an utterly captivating tale that had everything from seafaring adventures to royal palaces, murder and suspicion, intrigue, fighting, crafts, and above all, a deep respect for Clara and her welfare. Given it is a fictionalised account, Clara's tale was told with respect and sensitivity, and without undue sensationalism - Clara herself was a sensation!

For myself, I found the romance aspects in both timelines to have been unnecessary, and in Andrea's case, rather rushed, but that is personal preference.

I listened to the audiobook of this (from NetGalley) and purchased the ebook version from Kobo. The narrator, Caroline Hewitt, was wonderful with the myriad different accents required to really bring this book to life.

~Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review~