Though this book followed dual timelines, the real standout was the historical side of things. Douwe, Zubin, and Clara formed such a wholesome little family unit as they traveled through Europe. It was delightful to watch Clara charm sailors, kings, peasants, and emperors alike. The story spanned years and saw the characters flourishing in new and sometimes unexpected ways. It made me feel more connected to their emotions.
Andrea’s story in the modern-day, however, felt like mere interludes between the historical stretches. It was hard to connect to her character as her trauma response seemed a bit over-the-top. The way she responds to things, you would’ve thought that her ex’s family hunted her down, tied her to the table, and started taxidermying her. Though they obviously weren’t great, her reaction seemed outsized (and it seemed like she should’ve gotten some inkling about this before her literal engagement). Though it felt unbalanced in comparison to Douwe, Zubin, and Clara’s years of growth and development, I did appreciate that I got to see Andrea grow and change in just a few days of learning about an old rhino and her keeper.

Based on the true story of a Dutch sea captain who traveled with an Indian rhinoceros called Clara across 18th century Europe, it's even more amazing when you realize that no European had seen a living rhinoceros. The story is told over two different timelines: 2022 when college student Andrea Clarkson uncovers a historical mystery while studying abroad in Holland, and 1740 when ship captain Douwemout van der Meer and Clara, the only rhino in Europe, tour the continent enthralling both peasants and royalty.

The book contains a lot of information about Clara's diet and needs and it was all quite interesting, so interesting that I immediately searched out all I could find about Clara on the internet and there are some great drawings and sculptures there. I probably could've done without the romance in the current timeline but it's very low key.

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. Caroline Hewitt, the narrator, did an admirable job voicing the different characters and her modulation was appropriate to each situation. Apparently the print editions were released last year and I'm not sure I would've enjoyed reading the story as much as I enjoyed the audiobook. And what a beautiful cover! I was really pleased to have the Author's Note at the end as quite often they're missing from audiobooks. She provided information on her research and clarified which parts of the story are fiction.

My thanks to History Through Fiction via Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: February 14, 2025

A story of two timelines, one with Andrea who is studying abroad in Hollland and finds documents about a mysterious tale of a rhinoceros. The other, a ship captain from 300 years prior who finds himself the owner of a rhinoceros with the bad wrap of being a man-eater.
A fun historical fiction about a strange tale of a rhinoceros.
I could have used a lot more character development to get me more attached to this book, but overall a pleasant read.
I enjoyed the narration quite a bit and that helped me like the story more.

Thank you NetGalley and Independent Book Publishers Association for this audiobook ARC!

Based on the true story of a Dutch sea captain who traveled with an Indian rhinoceros called Clara across 18th century Europe, THE RHINO KEEPER evokes both the thrill of discovery in the archives and the wonder felt by a world in which no European had seen a living rhinoceros.

2022 – College student Andrea Clarkson uncovers a historical mystery while studying abroad in Holland.

From hidden desk drawers come unusual historical documents featuring a rhinoceros. On a lichen-covered eighteenth-century grave, the same animal is carved. When an expanding river forces exhumation, what she finds buried there is life-changing. Andrea faces her nightmares to retrieve what a grave robber steals: valuable proof of a long-forgotten history.

1740 – Ship captain Douwemout van der Meer has something not seen in two hundred years: the only rhino in Europe, called Clara. Douwemout and Clara tour Europe, enthralling peasants and queens, hoping to change popular views that rhinos are man-eating beasts. Absolute wonder follows, but when a priest sees idol worship and becomes hell-bent on destroying her, Clara, Douwe, and the lives of her bonded caretakers are at risk.

As Douwe becomes protectively dedicated to adventuring with Clara, unexpected love finds him, and his heart starts to tear. Will he choose a life with a traveling wonder-beast forever, or can love exist in many forms for the rhino keeper?

What a lovely story! The Rhino Keeper combines history & fiction in such a believable way that it feels like everything must've happened exactly as told here.

The story unfolds through 2 timelines, and while I liked both, the plot in the present didn't feel as strong to me. I felt way more drawn to the events of the past - precious little (and later not so little, haha) Clara may have had something to do with that. ^^

It was fun to accompany Clara & her humans on their adventures to & through Europe (and what a surprise to see Vienna, my hometown, make an appearance ^^) and watch them bond through it all. I really enjoyed this beautiful & heart-warming tale!

Posted to Goodreads: 1/22/2025

This book was beautiful. Forsberg does a great job of weaving two time periods together through historical significance, and paints a picture of found family all centered around an Indian rhinoceros that made the voyage from India to Europe. The love portrayed between Douwemout and Clara, along with the others who help to care for her, shows the kindness and understanding that humans and animals can have with one another. The book also touches on conservation and animal cruelty, giving us the story of a young woman who finds the history of Clara and her keeper irresistible upon her discovery of an old broadside advertising the rhino. Overall, I would consider this an inspiring novel that animal lovers and history lovers both will enjoy. I was given the opportunity to listen to this audiobook through NetGalley and hope it finds readers that enjoy it as much as I did.

“When people saw that the world was bigger.”

I discovered the Rhino Keeper in tandem with both the audio and the ebook version. I like the narrator who did a great job with the story, making it alive without taking too much space.
Like many historical novels, it has two timelines. I loved the 18th century one, as it takes place during the enlightenment, which is one of the parts of our History that fascinates me the most. I liked how the book questions the scientific discoveries versus the ethics about the colonized countries (people, art, but also nature and animals –among other things). That is what makes that moment in History so interesting in my POV and it was very well told in this book. I think I would have preferred the author used a completely fictional character inspired by the real one. I’m always uncomfortable with books that decide thoughts for people who existed but didn’t leave much of a trace. So I did as I often do, and decided to read the story as a complete fiction, and loved that a lot, thanks to all the paradoxes it addresses. There were truly many things in this book, but it was also very easy to read.
The second timeline –present tense– didn’t bring much to the story IMO except a slight put in perspective of the events.
In the end, the Rhino Keeper was a nice story, that takes place during my favorite part of History and is about one of my favorite subjects (Natural Sciences History), so I truly enjoyed my time with the book.

Thank you NetGalley and to the author for the ARC. My opinions are my own.

Douwemout van der Meer did not expect to meet the behemoth of Job face-to-face, much less take ownership of it. Then again, after meeting such an adorable creature, he knew he had to show Clara off to all of Europe, so that the people there could better understand this monster. And who better than Andrea, a historian-in-training and animal lover trying to find her own way in the world, to help uncover this part of Europe’s forgotten history.

*The Rhino Keeper* is a fantastic way to introduce the story of Clara the rhinoceros to readers, much in the same way that Clara was a beautiful way for Douwe to introduce Europe to the Indian Rhino. The story pulls you from the beginning by introducing the reader to parallel story lines, one modern and one 200 years ago. The reader is kept engaged throughout the book as they follow Andrea through the mystery of the grave she is meant to be taking records of, as well as being pulled through the story of Clara and her travels around Europe. With philosophical debates being brought up about the rhino’s existence, as well as other moral hardships throughout the story, the book gives the reader space to reflect on their own moral compass.

All-in-all a great way to learn about some of the world’s lost history. And I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys the thought of rhinos being introduced to kings and queens.

The Rhino Keeper is a delightful and very enjoyable book. This intriguing story is full of interesting facts about this often-misunderstood animal and its loving caretakers. I would highly recommend this book as a gratifying and heartwarming read for all animal lovers who truly understand the bond that can exist between humans and animals.

Narrated by: Caroline Hewitt
Presented by: History Through Fiction

A sweet story. A little too soft for my tastes but an interesting account of a strange morsel of history.

Once upon a time, a baby Rhino crossed the sea to travel around Europe.

This is a fictional account of that very true story - Clara the Rhinoceros lived til 1758, and in her 20-odd years toured Europe in the care of a man named Douwe Mout van der Meer (had to Google that spelling lol). They visited kings and queens, and Clara's likeness was captured by painters, sculptors and other artists.

If you're yearning for more details, this book will deliver. It gives a fictionalised account of each visit Clara made while adding heart and humour to the story through the characters. You can tell Clara's story was researched meticulously by the author because a Google search of Clara will essentially provide a synopsis for this story. I like that; I enjoy reading historical fiction and, through it, learning more about true figures of history.

The narrator does a great job in differentiating the characters, and she had quite a job pulling off so many accents. I found it easy to listen to, and easy to follow the action. Some of the names are quite unusual (to this modern-day Australian, anyway) so I had to look up the spelling of some to round out my comprehension a little.

I did find it a little slow at times - Clara makes many visits, so after a while they do tend to get a little same-same. But I am an impatient reader who loves action, so the pace grated on me a little. I think those with more patience will really enjoy the rich details of this novel, and be absorbed by Clara's story.

I do recommend this one because it's such an unusual, uplifting kind of story. Despite a rather short life, Clara seems to have made quite an impact on many and I think many readers will get a lot out of learning her story.

With thanks to NetGalley for an audio ARC

Based on real events, The Rhino Keeper follows Clara, an Indian rhinoceros, and her handlers, a sea captain and his charge whom he loves as a son, Douwe, and Zubin, while they traveled Europe in the 18th century to show the world this miraculous animal.

The story is a dual timeline starting in the present time when a college student, named Andrea who is studying history stumbles upon documents hidden in a secret drawer inside a desk in her dorm room about a rhinoceros. We are transported back to 1740 where we begin the journey with Clara.

The audiobook, narrated by Caroline Hewitt, weaves together nicely. The vivid descriptions helped paint the picture of the landscapes, clothing, and Clara. Her use of different accents helped pull together the story and give it a worldly and emotional experience. This one checked multiple boxes for me. I absolutely enjoy based on real event books. In addition to that, the book also had a mysterious feel and had you wondering what would happen next. If you enjoyed West With Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge then I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, History Through Fiction, and as always Jillian Forsberg for the opportunity to enjoy this audiobook before its release on February 14, 2025. All thoughts and opinions are my own

I picked this book for the cover, knowing I'm not much into historical novels. Halfway through, I was recommending it and now can't wait for the opportunity to see a rhino! I fell in love with Clara and all of those who loved her. What a tangled web that was so beautifully presented!

Okay, that was a bit of a disappointment. Firstly, the book follows two storylines, and both of them feel like they could have been developed into a book of each own. There are some problems involving characters. All the characters felt really underdeveloped, especially the secondary ones.

For example the historical storyline introduces us to a woman posing as a male sailor, who is set up as this adventurous woman who wants independence from the shackles of society and would risk potentially being court martialed for that goal. But after heronly a couple of scenes of this characterization it all goes down the drain and she's reduced to being the male protagonist's barely present love interest.

Another problem with character was the presence of big bad villains in both the contemporary and historical narratives. Those characters were completely unnecessary for the story and underline one of the other major issues I have with it - the black and white thinking present in the characters' thinking and the story's messaging.

In this narrative there is no in-between - you're either a selfish evildoer who doesn't care about animals, or you absolutely love them. This is also an extreme example of how some animals rights activism reduces views they consider as opposing animal rights to caricatures (on a side tangent, hunting, if done observing legislation, is absolutely necessary for nature conservation, because human activity leads to overpopulation of some species, and I'm not taking any shit on this). Especially the fact that Adnrea was against trophy hunting (which I'm also opposed to) but had little to say against zoos (some of which are far from ethical, with that being an major issue fought by animal rights activists) is the best example I have for that.

Basically, the only reason I'm not giving this one star is that Clara was adorable.

The story starts off with a girl being terrified of taxidermy animals. She is so afraid that she rejects her rich boyfriend's marriage proposal and runs screaming from the house. That is the most interesting part of the story. I was so bored. I got 20% into the book and just never felt compelled to turn it back on. The narrator's fake Indian accent was distracting and I just can't. I love rhinos and I'm sure Clara was a cutie, but no thank you.

Based on a true story, this book tells of a 18th century man, Douewmout, as he cares for and transports a rhino by cart and boat. In an additional timeline about 300 years later, Andrea is an intern assisting in the preservation of graves and comes across the grave of Douew. This book was heartfelt seeing the love and devotion that Douew had for his beloved rhino, Clara. While it was interesting to have the alternate timeline with Andrea, I would have been just fine without it as well. The story of Douew and Clara traveling from India to Europe is the star of this book. Editing down the fiction and following more of the history would have held my attention more. On audiobook, it seems to drag out and gets a bit repetitive.

Thank you to NetGalley and History Through Fiction for the audiobook for review.

This dual timeline narrative goes between present day and the 18th century. Andrea is studying in the Netherlands where she accidentally finds a document about a rhino. This allows her too study the archives and she's more and more curious about the story of the rhino.

The other timeline follows the life of the baby rhino, Clara, and how it ended up in Europe. Clara is owned by a ships Captain. This is based on a true story of a rhino brought to Europe.

The narrator does a great job. The book is interesting but a bit long at parts.

3.75 stars

Okay, so as an Indian, who loves animals, and historic fiction, I was really glad to receive the approval for its ARC from Netgalley! And there's no ounce of regret I feel for reading it.

It was beautiful, sweet, with ups and downs, a great balance of light-hearted happy moments and the serious tense ones. The journey of Clara and Douwe and Zubin (yes, I know he's fictional, but in my heart, he was real.) was portrayed in such a charming manner that it was hard not to feel an ounce of affection every time Douwe called Zubin his 'son', that was my favourite part of the story for sure.
I also loved the chapters with Andrea's journey of discovering the history, and all that drama on the side. The short chapters of present time in between the longer ones of the medieval era (not sure if that's the right term for it) felt like a refreshing break ngl.

I really liked the narrator's style and voice while narrating, it was certainly riveting. But I wish a little effort was made in the pronunciation of the Indian words by the Indian characters. I have heard many audiobooks, where the pronunciation of French, Spanish, German words are all done really aptly with the accents and all, and was expecting at least the correct pronunciation, if not the accent. But the accent and pronunciations being so incorrect BY the Indian character (Zubin) just felt like a dismissal to me.

I loved this story... I found it charming, and really enjoyed both the historical and contemporary timeline. I thought either timeline would have been great on its own, and was a true bonus that we got two great stories in one!

I loved Clara. Jillian Forsberg did such an excellent job describing her sweetness, her natural playful self, and her connection with her humans. She had some tense moments of understandable fear, and the end was heartbreaking, but written with such respect and reverence.

I really enjoyed the aspect of animal rights (I love my fur babies), and loved that Andrea stood her ground.

All in all, I was engaged, entertained, and uplifted by this great book - thank you for all the time it must have taken to research this story!

Title: The Rhino Keeper
Author: Jillian Forsberg
Format: 🎧
Narrator: Caroline Hewitt
Publisher: History Through Fiction
Genre: Historical Fiction
Audiobook Pub Date February 14, 2025
My Rating: 3.4 Stars
Pages: 272

Based on the true story of a Dutch sea captain who traveled with an Indian rhinoceros called Clara across 18th century Europe,
This historical based story is told about rhino being taken from India to Europe in the 18th century.
Story is told in two timelines: 1740 –
In 1740 by Ship captain Douwemout van der.
And in 2022 – by College student Andrea Clarkson
This historical plot based on a rhino being taken from India to Europe in the 18th century.
Although not my typical read- I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and History Through Fiction. (Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members’ Audiobooks for this audiobook. Audiobook Publishing Date February 14, 2025.

To say the least this was a pretty boring read.

I was hopeful as the premise sounded great, however it just wasn’t for me I think. There was an awful lot of telling opposed to showing in this slower paced story - which is never what I enjoy.

The Rhino information was interesting and at first I quite liked Andrea. But then her character just didn’t seem consistent as the story went on.

My interest also waned when it felt like there wasn’t rhyme or reason to why we would get the time flash back and forth. It didn’t feel succinct for me.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.