In Store Event with Jillian Forsberg

Johann Kändler, a talented young artist, is drawn into the world of King Augustus the Strong. The king's relentless desire for a lifelike porcelain menagerie could make or break Johann's future. As Johann works to meet the king's impossible demands, he finds unexpected allies in former royal mistress Maria and her daughter Katharina. Johann's art might secure his future-or ruin it if he fails to satisfy the king.

Decades earlier, another story unfolds. Fatima, a Turkish handmaiden, is chosen to replace Augustus's discarded mistress. As she tries to create a menagerie of exotic animals and navigate the intrigues of an unpredictable court, Fatima must learn to survive in a world that values beauty and power above all. She must fight to keep her identity and unlock her own cage in the king's dangerous realm.

Two timelines, bound by a king's obsessions: art and survival intertwine as Johann and Fatima navigate the king's unpredictable demands and the deadly allure of court life, where ambition can be as fragile as porcelain.

Jillian Forsberg is a Wichita-based author who writes primarily animal-based historical fiction. Her first novel, The Rhino Keeper, focuses on the true story of a rhino named Clara who traveled 18th century Europe. Her second book, The Porcelain Menagerie, is a companion to the first, available 10/21/25.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Watermark Books & Café, 4701 East Douglas Avenue, Wichita, United States