Rating: 2.5-2.75 stars
Review: I found myself bored and struggling to move forward with the story. I have a love/hate relationship with historical fiction for the pure fact that it could pull me in or do nothing at all; this did not work for me. Granted, I can see how others can enjoy this and can see how the story can be told, but this just didn't do it for me.
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Thank you so much @historythroughfiction @netgalley for sharing 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑷𝑶𝑹𝑪𝑬𝑳𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑴𝑬𝑵𝑨𝑮𝑬𝑹𝑰𝑬 𝒃𝒚 𝑱𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒈 with me!

A historical fiction, this tale takes place in 18th Century Dresden, during the reign of a maniacal, power-hungry King Augustus the "Strong" who replaces his mistresses like old clothes. Maria, or her given name of Fatima, is one such woman who is chosen and uses her new position to provide herself a real animal menagerie! When the King becomes obsessed with the new craze of porcelain, he orders a young Johann Kändler to sculpt a true sized porcelain menagerie, despite the insanity of such a request.

This is a tale of palace intrigue, survival in a tenuous court, love of animals and art, and the power of obsession. I was so fascinated by all the historical details about a time, place, and people of whom I know very little. I also had no idea how intricate the process is to make porcelain! There is some animal "activities" that are pretty horrific, but true. There is a note at the beginning if you want to skip that chapter.

Narrator Caroline Hewitt did this story so well in audio. She captures the accents and still made it feel easy to follow. I loved having the dual formats!

Historical fiction fans should absolutely put this on your TBR, or preorder wherever you grab your stories!

4.5⭐
(Audiobook)
A big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance listening copy!

The Porcelain Menagerie is a fascinating story about the lives of 2 different people, at 2 different points in time, with one common denominator: Their captor.
I think this is probably one of the most interesting historical fiction books I've read to date, in part because it is very grounded in the real events and people that the story is about.
The writing was atmospheric and really put you right in the middle of it all (the narrator definitely helped on this front and did a fantastic job making characters sound distinct from one another)
The author definitely did their research (though I do have a gripe with the word "corset" being used instead of the period accurate "stays"; but I do realize not everyone would know what a "pair of stays" is, so I give that a pass).
The book does not shy away from some brutal realities of the time, which could be triggering to some. Triggers are provided up front!
I think this story was very engaging and made you feel for the characters.
The romance element felt a little underdeveloped to me personally.

Overall a great take on real events, which made for an engaging albeit slightly sad story!

Told from two different timelines featuring many of the same characters, linked by history, this is a sad and often brutal book that tells a tale of forbidden love, bravery, greed and abuse of many kinds.
The story is intricate in an accessible way, it weaves between the two storylines with ease, following female and male POV, all of whom are vital to the story.
I felt the descriptive passages were done so well that the sights, sounds and smells of this book came alive. I felt sorrow, rage and the urge to be able to stop what was happening both to Fatima and the animals in her care.

There is no real happy ending, this was written from the perspective of telling the reality of 'Court' Women, sold into ownership to brutal and selfish Men.
However, I did enjoy reading this book, it really did bring the Worlds alive.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this ARC.

At times, “The Porcelain Menagerie” is a compelling and interesting read. However, for a majority of the book, stilted dialogue and a focus that is a bit too heavy on crafting an accurate 18th century world makes for a dull read. It’s clear a lot of work was put in to ensure historical accuracy, but that came at a cost for entertainment. Still, it is a compelling read at times, which makes it worth checking out.

"My role has an ending," she said. "You know full well my place here is temporary. Augustus trades women like we're the balls of his tennis matches. It is the same story every time. He moves on, leaving women behind, assigning them elsewhere."

In The Porcelain Menagerie, Jillian Forsberg brings to life the court of King Augustus the Strong with clear evidence of her historian’s hand. Dresden and Augustus’ court are well-researched and vividly drawn. The story itself (of a Turkish girl sold to a foreign king and a porcelain artisan, set decades apart) is fictional, but the truth laced through it makes the tale feel convincing.

The storytelling is compelling, if occasionally simplistic, but that simplicity made it easier to follow. Many authors falter when switching between multiple time periods, confusing the reader with cleverness for its own sake. Forsberg avoids that trap and I found it improved my audiobook experience. A nice change, for sure.

Hewitt’s narration faltered for me in places, particularly with accents, but her genuine care for the story was undeniable. Her sympathy for Fatima’s plight and her contempt for Augustus both felt real, and her handling of sensitive moments (especially in chapter 30) was exceptional and helped me stomach some of the more difficult passages.

Ultimately, the story is a meditation on a king’s obsession, on value, and on the objectification of women. I think The Porcelain Menagerie had a lot to say and I think Jillian Forsberg succeeded in saying it.

Thank you to NetGalley and History Through Fiction for providing me with this audio eARC.

3 and 1/2 stars.

Set in 18th century Dresden during the reign of Augustus the Strong, this tells the story of the development of Meissen porcelain through the lives of two people: Fatima, known to history as Maria Aurora von Spiegel, and Johann Joachim Kändler. The chapters alternate between 1706, when the young Fatima became (against her will) one of the many mistresses of Augustus, and 1733, when Augustus drafted Johann to create a menagerie of life-sized porcelain animals for his ever-growing collection.

This is not a period of German history I know much about, so I very much appreciated the author’s notes at the beginning and end about the historical material and changes she made for the sake of the novel. She does a good job of bringing this period to life, but I did seem to detect a faint whiff of superiority about modern sensibilities. It is normal for us to think that many of our own time’s ideas are better than those of an earlier age, but we must always guard against thinking we are superior to those who went before. Holding these together is a hard path to navigate, and I’m not certain Forsberg entirely succeeded. The extended subplot about Johann’s disabled brother did not seem to add anything to the story, and I found myself wondering if it was there principally to show how far we’ve come in our attitudes toward disability. I very much liked the fact that Forsberg showed how Fatima was trapped in her relationship with Augustus. I don’t know if there’s any evidence about Fatima’s own feelings, but too often history has assumed that royal mistresses sought or desired their position. Another strength is Forsberg’s skill at introducing some of the bigger historical context such as geopolitical events and the European obsession with Chinese porcelain without distracting from the action.

The audio narration was disappointing. The pace of the reading was a little slow, but that’s a matter of taste and I could compensate by speeding up the digital copy. The real distraction had to do with how Hewitt accommodated the German setting. At times she adopted a faux German accent. I’m glad she didn’t use it all the time, but the inconsistent use was confusing. Her pronunciation of German names was inconsistent, and her pronunciation of “Dresden” was particularly distracting. On the other hand, she imparted a real warmth to the passages about Fatima that helped me like that character, and she seemed to have real sympathy for Johann and his friend Samuel. The alternation between 1706 1732 ones with was clear.

For me, this was a hard novel to get into. The writing was easy to follow but conventional, and occasionally clunky. Imagery was routine, and character development was limited. I did begin to enjoy it once Fatima and Johann in their respective sections were a little established in their lives and beginning to develop relationships with those around them. I liked the way that she brought the two stories together. At bottom, this is the story of how two individuals managed to live in a system that held them captive to a capricious and narcissistic ruler. I found myself wishing there was more about the relationship between power and art, or a deeper exploration of the tensions between Johann’s effective captivity and the freedom necessary to create art, but Forsberg gave the book enough dramatic tension to keep my interest, and it was fascinating to read a novel about the first successful European hard paste porcelain.

Set in 18th century Dresden during the reign of Augustus the Strong, this tells the story of the development of Meissen porcelain through the lives of two people: Fatima, known to history as Maria Aurora von Spiegel, and Johann Joachim Kändler. The chapters alternate between 1706, when the young Fatima became (against her will) one of the many mistresses of Augustus, and 1733, when Augustus drafted Johann to create a menagerie of life-sized porcelain animals for his ever-growing collection.

This is not a period of German history I know much about, so I very much appreciated the author’s notes at the beginning and end about the historical material and changes she made for the sake of the novel. She does a good job of bringing this period to life, but I did seem to detect a faint whiff of superiority about modern sensibilities. It is normal for us to think that many of our own time’s ideas are better than those of an earlier age, but we must always guard against thinking we are superior to those who went before. Holding these together is a hard path to navigate, and I’m not certain Forsberg entirely succeeded. The extended subplot about Johann’s disabled brother did not seem to add anything to the story, and I found myself wondering if it was there principally to show how far we’ve come in our attitudes toward disability. I very much liked the fact that Forsberg showed how Fatima was trapped in her relationship with Augustus. I don’t know if there’s any evidence about Fatima’s own feelings, but too often history has assumed that royal mistresses sought or desired their position. Another strength is Forsberg’s skill at introducing some of the bigger historical context such as geopolitical events and the European obsession with Chinese porcelain without distracting from the action.

The audio narration was disappointing. The pace of the reading was a little slow, but that’s a matter of taste and I could compensate by speeding up the digital copy. The real distraction had to do with how Hewitt accommodated the German setting. At times she adopted a faux German accent. I’m glad she didn’t use it all the time, but the inconsistent use was confusing. Her pronunciation of German names was inconsistent, and her pronunciation of “Dresden” was particularly distracting. On the other hand, she imparted a real warmth to the passages about Fatima that helped me like that character, and she seemed to have real sympathy for Johann and his friend Samuel. The alternation between 1706 1732 ones with was clear.

For me, this was a hard novel to get into. The writing was easy to follow but conventional, and occasionally clunky. Imagery was routine, and character development was limited. I did begin to enjoy it once Fatima and Johann in their respective sections were a little established in their lives and beginning to develop relationships with those around them. I liked the way that she brought the two stories together. At bottom, this is the story of how two individuals managed to live in a system that held them captive to a capricious and narcissistic ruler. I found myself wishing there was more about the relationship between power and art, or a deeper exploration of the tensions between Johann’s effective captivity and the freedom necessary to create art, but Forsberg gave the book enough dramatic tension to keep my interest, and it was fascinating to read a novel about the first successful European hard paste porcelain.

This story is set against the backdrop of the Dresden court in the early 1700s, using actual people and events for the author to help weave her tale. There are two timelines, one telling the story of how Fatima became the King's mistress and started her menagerie, the second is the story of Johann, who was tasked with recreating the menagerie in porcelain. Their lives are controlled by the whims of the King, a collector of beautiful things, but also a cruel man who believes the sport of fox tossing is a fun pastime. An interesting read, especially when you know the characters are real.

I don't often say that a book is 'captivating', but the word is perfectly suited to describe historian Jillian Forsberg’s meticulously crafted second fiction novel 'The Porcelain Menagerie'; it's a paradigm of the literary historical novel.

Dresden is vivid in its eighteenth-century incarnation – scenery fit for the towering characters with whom Forsberg populates it. Fatima's chapters are, simply put, captivating; they rolled over me like waves and I just floated along in her narrative. Both timelines are immersive; once I could distinguish the cast of characters performing alongside Fatima in each act, Forsberg made it easy to slide back into the individual accounts of her finely wrought characters.

Thanks to the author’s warning (I can’t tolerate animal cruelty), I chose to skip chapter 30 and I continued on after that point without feeling that I’d missed any significant development, so take up this suggestion if you’re similarly fearful of this trigger. Also in the address to her readers, Forsberg says that her second novel will make you hurt, and – wowee – it did. This book does have ‘difficult parts’, as she says. Yes, Johann’s story is scarring, but the true emotional wringing, for me, comes with how Forsberg crafts the mother and daughter narrative for Fatima and Katharina to scrutinise attitudes towards ownership of women.

And this extraordinary novel couldn’t have come alive in anyone else’s narration than Caroline Hewitt’s. Her performance is so remarkable that I would rewind passages just to listen again. Her narration is heartful, emotive, compelling. Hewitt is half of what makes this triumph of a book so memorable for me.

My recommendations? Readers who enjoyed ‘The Glutton’ a couple of years ago (A. K. Blakemore), I think, will adore this. The only other comparison I can think to make that climbs the heights of the Historical novel is ‘Elixir: A Story of Perfume, Science and the Search for the Secret of Life’ by Theresa Levitt.

Enormous gratitude, truly, to History through Fiction (IBPA) for a copy of the audiobook for review., who are proving themselves to be a discerning and ambitious independent press. I look forward to what comes next from them!

The Porcelain Menagerie is one of the most vivid books I have read this year. Jillian Forsberg captured my attention from the first chapter with her mastery of sensory language and descriptive details. The book has also ignited a new interest in the history of porcelain and the people behind it.
I will say that while the writing and setting were written wonderfully, I did struggle to connect with the characters. I could sympathize with their predicaments, but their personalities were quite flat.
I can't wait to read more of Jillian Forsberg's writing - thank you so much to NetGalley and History Through Fiction for the eARC!

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the characters, peril, romance, and adventure. I know historically, the fox tossing, and other animal cruelty was accurate, but that's what made it 4 instead of 5 stars... It's just too heartbreaking for me with that much in depth description of the brutal treatment of animals. I loved how the ending tied into the Rhino Keeper!

I wanted to love this story; It's well written, and the author does an excellent job of world building, blending fact with fiction in a lesser known (to me) period of time - much like in her debut novel <i>The Rhino Keeper</i>, which I also enjoyed.
The narrator is also really good and brings the story to life, but something was lacking overall as it failed to grab my full attention until about 2/3's of the way through the story.

I think it's the use of dual timelines that stops me rating this 5 stars.
It's a good device it slowly unravels details in one timeline that helps progress the other one along, but occasionally I would forget which which timeline I was listening to and found myself a little confused to the events currently happening.



<i>Thank you to Netgalley and History Through Fiction for providing me with an advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.</i>

The Porcelain Menagerie is a stunning fictionalisation of true events in 18th century Dresden in the court of King Augustus the Strong, This in not just a retelling of history, it is a story that would rival Game of Thrones for the drama, intrigue and intricate plot, yet exceeds it because it is indeed based on true events. If you are a lover of history, this is a wonderful audiobook to indulge in, not least for the outstanding narration by Caroline Hewitt who emulates the writing with an elegant strength befitting the era

Decades apart, the book follows Johann Kandler, a son of a priest, who is recognised by chance as an exceptional sculptor. King Augustine wants Johannn to sculpt his porcelain menagerie, a representation of each and every beast on earth, whether real or fantasy. He is a cruel king and failure would mean certain death. Johann's task matches that of Fatima, the Kings mistress from decades earlier who was tasked to create her own, real life menagerie for the king. Both must navigate the hierarchy and treachery of the Kings court, carving their future and fighting to survive

I was engaged from the beginning and it was a consistent listen to the end. The writing is enchanting and the character development of Fatima and Johann is strong and I was utterly invested in each step of their lives, especially Johann's back story with his brother and the side arc with his father. Also the side arc of the King's guard who sees all of the courts activities, and falls in love with Fatima, knowing it could never be. Fatima's growth from Turkish Handmaiden to a court tour de force is absolutely captivating and horrifying in equal measure

This ALC was so good that I will be getting the book to keep as it is absolutely brilliant. This book for me, stands as a unique story, and if I can give a comparison, is that it is as powerful as Perfume by Patrick Suskind and will likely remain with me in the same way. Outstanding!

Thank you to Netgalley, History Through Fiction | Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Audiobooks the author Jillian Forsberg and incredible narrator Caroline Hewitt for this ALC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

If you are looking for an heartwarming story with a happy ending, you have come to the wrong place. If you are looking for a story to weave its way into your heart and wreck it, you are on the right track.

Another haunting historical fiction from Jillian Forsberg. As a local Kansas author I knew I needed to support her writing immediately.

She spins a tale so disturbing but still based on so many true facts from no one is aware of. I loved and hated this story at the same time.

I wanted so much for Johann but his story wove its way into my heart. I loved the little nugget at the epilogue that points toward the authors first book.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

This book tells the story of King Augustus the Strong's obsession with manufacturing porcelain, also known as "white gold", in 18th-century Dresden. Johann Kändler, a talented young craftsman, is drawn into the king's court to create a porcelain menagerie of lifelike animals. He gets entangled in court policies and intrigues.

The book offers a unique and interesting perspective on this historical period. However, be prepared for vivid descriptions of the king's cruelty and the powerlessness of both animals and women during that time. The author's portrayal can be intense and may not be suitable for everyone.

I don’t usually enjoy audiobooks where the narrator uses multiple accents, but here it was done really well and added interest to the story. The dual timeline—following a mother and daughter at different points in their lives—was beautifully done, and I could truly feel the emotions of both the human and animal characters, which speaks volumes about the quality of the writing.

Even with the back-and-forth chapters, it was easy to follow (a rarity for me in audio), right up until the last few chapters where it got a touch more tangled. The cast of characters is rich and varied, making the story engaging all the way through. It’s tinged with sadness, but that emotional weight only made me connect more deeply. I had no idea it was based on a true story, and discovering that made me love it even more!

A delightful and well written novel based on true events - which I love! Augustus the Strong wanted a porcelain menagerie for his Japanese Palace in Dresden. In 18th C Europe the Meissen factory was the only place hard paste porcelain was made. Commissioned to create these life-sized animals, Johan Kandler finds himself in a scary, fractious and disturbing world but his love for his art compelled him to create. In the meantime, Augustus’s mistress, Fatima (Maria) had been charged to create a “real” menagerie. Johan’s and Fatima’s worlds collide and I intertwine (the book alternates between 20 years before the commission and the. During the time of the commission. It was a fascinating listen to this well narrated book. I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to listen to this ARC.

Beneath the Glaze, Camaraderie

In The Porcelain Menagerie, Jillian Forsberg transports the reader to eighteenth-century Dresden, then the glittering capital of the Elector of Saxony—also King of Poland, among other titles—at the height of his extravagant ambitions. The sovereign’s obsession with rare objects, and above all with porcelain, forms the backdrop for a tapestry in which court intrigue, artistic aspiration, and personal destinies intertwine.
The novel unfolds along two distinct yet intimately connected timelines. The first, set in the early 1730s, follows Johann, a young man seeking his place in the world, who is drawn into the demanding apprenticeship of porcelain-making. Confined to the secretive workshops to safeguard a skill still mastered only in China, he must contend with his own family wounds and romantic stirrings—particularly for the king’s illegitimate daughter. When the king entrusts him with a seemingly impossible task: to create a life-sized porcelain menagerie, Johann realizes that his future, and that of the workshop, will hinge on this monumental undertaking. His success also depends on his mentors—experienced men who, far from rivalry, strive to protect one another and make their semi-imprisonment more bearable. This camaraderie, rare in historical fiction, adds unexpected warmth to a setting otherwise defined by constraint and secrecy.
The second thread takes place two decades earlier. Here we meet one of the king’s mistresses, the future mother of Johann’s beloved, during her youth and rise at court. Driven by a fascination for animals and a desire to create something unique, she dreams of establishing a grand menagerie at the palace. Her path crosses that of an extraordinary craftsman who, for the first time, manages to fire the precious clay successfully—thus marking the birth of Saxon porcelain. Forsberg interlaces these two narratives in a play of echoes and legacies, where intimate passions and grandiose projects resonate across time.

Though the structure might seem complex, Jillian Forsberg maintains consistent clarity. Transitions between eras are smooth, supported by a balanced alternation of chapters and a particular care in individualizing the characters. Notably, she alters certain first names—a rare but welcome choice in a historical context crowded with Johanns, Friedrichs, and Augusts—which enhances readability.
Narratively, The Porcelain Menagerie sits firmly within the grand tradition of historical fiction: meticulous reconstruction of setting and customs, a solid anchoring in real events, and a romantic sensibility that refracts History through the prism of individual destinies. Forsberg handles the balance between research and invention with finesse, avoiding both the dryness of a purely factual account and the pitfalls of excessive anachronism. While romance is present, it never overshadows the exploration of the artisanal and political context, allowing the story to remain rooted in its time.
The theme of porcelain—often reduced to a decorative luxury—is here explored in its full technical and symbolic breadth, with the secrecy of its production intact and the complexity of the process brought to the fore. Difficult to produce and jealously guarded, porcelain becomes a metaphor for power, creation, and the desire for perfection. The life-sized menagerie, a project as magnificent as it is impractical, embodies both the artisans’ virtuosity and the blindness of a court determined to dazzle at any cost.
It is true that Forsberg does not take major stylistic risks: her prose remains classical, fluid, and descriptive, favoring narrative efficiency over formal experimentation. Yet this choice, consistent with the genre, ensures an accessible and immersive read. The author does not seek to upend the conventions of historical fiction; rather, she offers a solid, highly enjoyable work, carried by genuinely engaging characters and set against a richly rendered historical backdrop.
Ultimately, The Porcelain Menagerie captivates by marrying narrative clarity with historical richness, offering a vivid immersion into a world where art, power, and love vie for supremacy. Without reinventing the genre, Jillian Forsberg delivers a refined variation, leaving behind the lasting gleam of a finely crafted piece of porcelain.

The Porcelain Menagerie by Jillian Forsberg
Thank you for the eARC NetGalley. I was super excited to read it as its based on historical events but unfortunately it was not for me. Not to say that others readers will not enjoy it, it was just not up my alley. Thank you for the opportunity to read it. I will not be adding my review to GoodReads as I dont want anyone else to think its not a good book. Just not for me.

Thank you to MetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an audio eARC of this great historical fiction novel. I truly enjoyed the multiple POVs along with the back and forth in time. I enjoyed that this was based off of real people and events and learned much about ancient porcelain. All of the characters were great. Able to be hated when necessary and enjoyed when deserved. I loved the author’s note at the end regarding truth vs fiction elements, it made the story feel real (as it was to a point) and once again, what a great experience learning about this history in such an engaging way. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed historical fiction with strong female characters, art collection elements, and dark yet real depictions of a portion of our history.