Finalist, 2026 American Fiction Awards - Historical Fiction
From Jillian Forsberg, award-winning author of The Rhino Keeper, comes an unforgettable novel of art, ambition, and survival in the glittering-and dangerous-court of 18th-century Dresden.
In 18th-century Dresden, beauty, power, and ambition are as fragile-and deadly-as porcelain.
Johann Joachim Kändler, a gifted young sculptor, is summoned to the royal court, where King Augustus the Strong demands a magnificent porcelain menagerie unlike anything the world has ever seen. Every sculpture could secure Johann's future-or cost him everything.
Decades earlier, Fatima, a Turkish handmaiden chosen to become the king's royal mistress, must navigate a court ruled by power, spectacle, and impossible expectations. To survive, she must protect her identity while mastering the dangerous game played within the palace walls.
Two timelines. One king. A legacy shaped by obsession.
Perfect for readers who love richly researched historical fiction filled with unforgettable characters, immersive settings, and the hidden stories behind history's greatest works of art.
Advance Praise
"An engrossing, page-turning historical novel. I could not put it down." - Jess Armstrong, USA Today bestselling author
"A dazzling tale of art, power, and survival... Forsberg paints history with a vivid hand." - Nancy Bilyeau, author of The Blue