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~

A cosy read about a rhinoceros travelling through Europe. It’s not the kind of story that keeps you on the edge of your seat but it was comfy and pleasant and I enjoyed getting back toit each day. . I preferred the chapters set in the past. The historian in present time was a bit dramatic but I also appreciated how she fought for her beliefs,
As for the characters, I loved the rhino keepers, the boy especially. I wished they were more developed. Finally, the fact that they traveled from one place to another led to some elements being repeated in the story.
I also enjoyed the notes from the author because i truly wanted to know more about Clara.

3.5 stars

Many thanks to Netgalley, Author,Narrator for the opportunity to listen to this book and share my thoughts.

The story is told from two different timelines and had an interesting start. The blurb is pretty self explanatory.

The story is based on true events but I had to force myself to remember that it is a work of fiction. Some manner of speaking and relations do not seem realistic to me for that time period.

The Narrator had quite the task before them to do all the accents and voices. The Dutch accent was not the best example but it was a good attempt, as was the Indian accent.

Thanks to Jillian Forsberg, History through Fiction, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.

First, narrator Caroline Hewitt does a beautiful job. You feel the history when shifting perspectives. I really appreciated the distinction in public places. Much easier to follow along on transit or doing errands.

Now for the review. There's a clear arc for every character, except one. You understand the ideas and some fanciful turn of fact or phrase when little was known of the travels. Please listen to the last section of notes. It rounds out what the book lacks at points.

Clara the Rhino has her own personality, especially around those teenage years. Forsberg allows her to be a main character and not necessarily a side show attraction. Her keepers are also deeply embedded in the care and upkeep, creating a found family.

Douwemout van der Meer works hard at maintaining aristocratic relationships and figuring out to feed such a large mammal in Europe as she ages. I really liked the parental role in several ways.

My biggest complaint was the current timeline. Later events mesh better than Andrea's backstory and the impetus to take a semester abroad. The mystery, the unlocking of clues, how things exist in a respected university was great. I just didn't buy certain storylines. I think if there had been more closed ending on the contemporary story, I would have given this 4 stars. Easily.

However. Don't let a three star fool you. If you enjoy conservation/historical archival fiction, this is a good book. And to that end, purchase of The Rhino Keeper gives a donation to rhino conservation. As trophies are collected and animals butchered, there's a definite need. And Forsberg knows Clara's history. She works at weaving fact and fiction in a way that makes sense for the 18th century and Enlightenment. This is a book worth reading.

I enjoyed listening the The Rhino Keeper audio thanks to NetGalley

A historical fiction based on a true story told in dual-timeline, 1740's and 21st century. Clara, the rhinoceros story is fascinating, provided me with several facts about rhinos. I enjoyed the audio voice. Beautiful book cover! Loved the storyline.

What a wholesome, heartbreaking, lovely book this was! I was immersed in this world completely. Clara was the star of the book and I was so deeply attached I cried at one point. I never cry at books! It was moving and sincere in every way. The multiple storylines kept me interested and wanting to know what happened in the past and present. I fell in love with this book for the story but I was most impressed with the insane amount of research that must have went into this book. What is explained in the prologue alone seems huge, but I know it was more than what the author even gave herself credit for. Doing a bit of my own research after, I was able to find so many small details from history included in the story, even minor characters were modeled after real people. This literary achievement was a monumental amount of work and still managed to steal my heart more than my mind. This is a book I’ll be recommending to every animal lover and history buff I know.

Special thanks to NetGalley and IBPA for the gift of this ARC in exchange for my honest review. What a gift it was!

I struggled with this book. On the one hand, I really enjoyed the historical piece of the story. It was compelling and I learned a lot about rhinos and how they were seen in the past. I have always hated zoos. I used to cry when my parents took me there as a toddler and I don't love them anymore now. I have the same struggle with circus animals. So I went into this cautiously optimistic. I ended up loving the historical portion. I thought Douwe showed a lot of respect and love for Clara, the rhino, despite the context of Clara's life. What brought this book down was the absolutely unnecessary modern-day plot, which added nothing whatsoever to the story. The audiobook narrator and the historical timeline carried this book.

A huge thank you to the author and the publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

What a great read! From start to finish, I was invested in Clara and Douwemout’s story. Clara was so adorable! She acted like a ginormous puppy 😂 I love the bond Clara, Douwemout (the rhino keeper), and Zubin (Clara’s caretaker) have with each other. I know Zubin was a fictional character for this book, but I cannot imagine how amazing it must have been for all the children in Europe to see a rhino over 200 years ago!

The other plot in the story was interesting, too! Taking place in Holland, 2022, Andrea is a student studying abroad, escaping the nightmare of an almost-fiance. She and a few others uncover Clara and Douwemout's historical mystery, including where the missing artifacts went! I think one of the only things I didn’t like about this story was that Andrea and Lukas’s (?) relationship seemed out of place. She just got out of a relationship with someone she thought she knew, and she seemed to jump to Lukas immediately. I think that could have been explored more towards the end of the book, after the mystery was resolved. That’s just my opinion, though!

I also wasn’t a huge fan of how colonialism was brushed over. While Clara was the book's main focus, it seemed that everyone in India was fine with Douwemout, and everyone in Europe was fine with Zubin.

The ending absolutely devastated me! I know the author mentions in her author’s note that no one really knows how Clara died, but her take on Clara’s death hurt! Knowing the religious fanatics in our current time, I can’t imagine how unholy Clara’s appearance in Europe must have seemed. But to cut her horn off?! I’m not sure if the priest in this story was driven by greed as well as faith, but either way, it broke Clara’s spirit, which is what I think ultimately killed her. Some justice for Clara was she was able to trample one of the priests to death (serves him right!).

Overall, I loved this book and would reread it.

I took a while after I listened to this book to write my review. The story of Dowe and Clara was so interesting and you could tell the author did her research. I thoroughly enjoyed their part of this book.
What I noticed (and other reviewers saw apparently) was that I immediately wanted to tune out the chapters with Andrea. This urge began pretty much immediately when she behaves as though the man she had been dating was the utmost evil man ever as his family hunted. Now tell me you make it to the stage of him proposing without knowing his family hunts? Her overreactions through the book were major red flags.
Overall I would have rated the book much higher without Andreas part of the boo’k.
I received an ALC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Thank you for allowing me to listen to an advanced copy of this audiobook! I enjoyed the narrator and the pacing was great. I had no trouble distinguishing between chapters or characters and I especially enjoyed the accents of each character. The book itself was very interesting and kept my interest the whole time. It follows my favorite method of alternating chapters of then and now to build the story. This would be a great read for any animal lover and anyone who enjoys historical fiction. The characters were very likable and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This captivating historical novel tells the tale about a lone rhino named Clara, touring and being showcased around Europe in 1740.

The story unfolds in dual timelines. The past takes us through Clara's solitary journey and the present is told through Andrea and her quest to uncover the truth about this majestic creature.

While the pace is slow, the narrative makes up for it with a beautiful tale, evoking powerful emotions ranging from wonder to sorrow. The writing allows the setting easy to visualize and made it hard not to become emotionally attached to Clara.

I loved the authors notes at the end and noted how "Clara" did exist. Although, it was not documented in such detail, there was once a rhino who toured Europe during this time and the story offering a touching and thought-provoking exploration of relationships with animals and humans.

4 stars! This story takes you on a great adventure. I felt like I was really there & lived vicariously through the characters.

My favorite historical books are those that send me on a Wikipedia deep dive to learn more. While listening to the audiobook of "The Rhino Keeper" by Jillian Forsberg I did just that. I loved learning more about Clara the rhino, who spent about 20 years traveling across Europe with her care taker, Douwe Mout van der Meer. This novel alternates between two timelines - one based on the true story of Clara and Douwe, and the other of a modern day college student named Andrea who has discovered artifacts of their adventures. The Clara and Douwe storyline was fascinating and unique, offering a glimpse into a historical event I had never heard about before. The relationship between Douwe and Clara was so charming and unique, making this part of the book my favorite. Unfortunately, I found Andrea's storyline less engaging. Her character's motives were unclear to me, and her love interest felt forced, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of her timeline. Andrea's love and respect for history only slightly redeemed her. I was also interested for the modern storyline to explore animal conservation a little more and found that to be lacking. The author's note at the end did provide some good insight to this though!

Despite my mixed feelings about the modern-day storyline, I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator did a lovely job, bringing the characters and events to life with their expressive reading.

Overall, I would give "The Rhino Keeper" 3.5 out of 5 stars. The historical storyline and the relationship between Douwe and Clara were the highlights for me, and I appreciated the narrator's performance. If you're interested in historical fiction that highlights unusual stories, this book is worth a listen.

Jillian can write. More accurately she can weave a story. There’s something special in the way her words come together here. This is beautiful

ARC Note:
I have been following Jillian Forsberg since The Rhino Keeper was first released, and I’ve completely fallen in love with her writing! Her ability to weave history with heartfelt storytelling is simply magical. And now, with her second book, The Porcelain Menagerie, coming out on October 21st, I’m beyond excited to see where she takes us next! If you follow her on social media, you’ll get behind-the-scenes interviews, stunning historical images, and—my absolute favorite—a little sneak peek at what’s to come!

Now, onto my Feedback Review:

Jillian Forsberg’s The Rhino Keeper is an absolute gem of a historical novel, and the audiobook takes it to another level! This beautifully told story follows Clara, a charming and unforgettable Indian rhinoceros, and her devoted caretaker, Dutch sea captain Douwemout van der Meer, as they travel across 18th-century Europe. It’s a story packed with adventure, heart, and the kind of history that feels like stepping right into the past.

Narrator Caroline Hewitt delivers an outstanding performance! She brings every character to life with such richness, from van der Meer’s unwavering determination to Clara’s endearing presence. (Yes, you will 100% feel like Clara is a main character, and yes, you will 1000% adore her!) The dual timelines blend seamlessly, and Hewitt’s expert pacing keeps you engaged from start to finish.

Forsberg’s meticulous research and vivid storytelling, paired with Hewitt’s phenomenal narration, make this audiobook a total standout. If you love historical fiction, compelling characters, and animal-human bonds that tug at your heartstrings—this is a must-listen. Five stars all the way!

I truly loved listening to this beautiful book. As I listened I wondered if this was based on a true story and I’m glad to find out that it is. This will definitely be a book I relisten to in the future and recommend. I don’t often cry over a character but Clara my heart hurts for you but I’m so glad in a way I met you.

When I first came across The Rhino Keeper, my initial thoughts were: 1) What a stunning cover, and 2) Rhinos? That’s unexpected. But as I read the description, I was intrigued—how could a book seamlessly weave together a thriller/mystery, historical fiction, and adult fiction? Amazingly, it does, and it does so beautifully.

Julian Forsberg’s immersive writing pulls you into both timelines, making each feel equally compelling. I was especially captivated by the book’s exploration of the deep bond between humans and animals—the sense of wonder they inspire and how that connection transcends race, religion, and socioeconomic status. It was profoundly moving, and I found myself in tears multiple times.

If I had one critique, it would be that the ending felt a bit abrupt. I would have loved a deeper dive into X’s (no spoilers here 😄) family history and how it tied back to the VOC, especially in relation to the museum’s future. Still, this was an unforgettable read—thought-provoking, emotional, and truly unique.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7306046785

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️

I enjoyed it. The plot was really good, but I felt the present timeline lacked a little more detail. It very well could be I didn't understand it, but I was still wracking my brain on how and why it was a mystery 😅 The details were fantastic and Jillian's writing style was entertaining. The present-day timeline could've been beefed up a bit and I feel that's where the last 1.5 stars are 😅 The research that went into it though is 5 stars! Definitely picking up the books that were mentioned in the epilogue!

I really enjoyed this story based on a true story about a rhino named Clara and a Dutch sea captain named Douwemout van der Meer. The sea captain faces all sorts of odds with the sea crew (who are very superstitious and steal Clara's food), the society and government in Europe (who say Clara can't stay there), but luckily enough kind-hearted people join the crew and make a good journey for Clara. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an audio copy of this book, in return for an honest review.