An autobiography of Audrey Hepburn. Most people knew her as the star of many famous films but behind that facade was a girl who lived a troubled and tragic childhood that she kept hidden. This is an account of her life approved by her son.

This book has both nothing and everything to do with Audrey Hepburn. The story is largely about the Nazi occupation in the Netherlands and all of the famine and violence that it brought. There is so much to Audrey's demeanor that was never understood during her lifetime and this book sheds light on the trauma and devastation that she faced with her family. There were some shocking moments to the book but I don't wish to provide spoilers.

If you aren't "into" war books, as I was, this book may at times feel daunting - but Matzen is really pushing a realistic look of The Netherlands at war. I pushed through those particular sections and feel like stories like these shed light on the darkest days of our humanity, and how we can transcend them.

I found this book interesting both as a childhood biography of Audrey Hepburn, giving some context to her later life as a UNICEF ambassador for children, and as a history of the Netherlands in World War Two. The author had obviously done a lot of research to unearth some of the stories deliberately hidden from previous biographers, such as Audrey's mother's early Nazi sympathies. There was also a great deal of detail about one of the most famous episodes in World War Two military history (Operation Market Garden) and about the experiences of ordinary people under Nazi occupation. I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in the history of World War Two in Europe, especially the civilian experience, as well as fans of Audrey Hepburn.

I gave this book a 4 out of 5 star review. It was an enjoyable and I would recommend. to others. Generously provided to me through NetGalley

Dutch Girl documents the life of Audrey Hepburn during her years in the Netherlands which includes the torrent episodes of World War 2. At times the book comes across as a history book about the Netherlands and WWII and the story of a would be actress who would steal the hearts of the world in her adulthood.

The novel does not really go into her films or life after she had become a star. It does however document an important part of world history and the part she played in these events and her family, mainly her mother’s role with Nazi’s and the change of attitude once the Germans invade the Netherlands. It is a very interesting novel and I was captivated by the way Matzen is able to weave the two stories together. The story of the Netherlands is more interesting and tends to overshadow the story of Hepburn.

The novel can be described as a thinly disguised book selling on the life of a movie star but delivering a historical account of Germany and Netherlands. I personally found it to be about a family and their involvement during the War and it gave the war a personal face through their experiences. This is where the novel does amazingly well.

There will be a bit of disappointment who are expecting a straightforward biography. This will probably be the thorn in the books side because this is more a book about the war and a girl who will grow to be one of the most iconic film stars of her generation. This is really an extraordinary book that if it was dressed up as a WW2 book, I probably would have bypassed it on the shelves but as it was a biography, it kept me interested and engrossed in the history. I learned about an awkward girl and her family during a terrible time in history, I was able to empathise with life during this time period.

My hats are off to Matzen and it is pure ingenious on how he was able to give me a history lesson disguised as a biography of a film star and show me the human story behind historical events. This is a winner and one of the hardest reviews to write. Highly recommended.

Straightforward focus on particular aspect of this really fascinating woman's life, more complex and international than maybe people think .. her background surely influenced not only her life choices, but the grit we feel in her performances ..not only for fans! For anyone wanting a different angle on how women specifically survive and achieve ..

This is a book that brings alive the early life of Audrey Hepburn and it is also an account of how the Netherlands suffered during the invasion in World War 2 . I found it fascinating, as someone who has visited the area around Arnhem countless times over the last 30 years. The reader learns of Audrey’s mother Ella, Baroness van Heemstras and after a failed first marriage she married Robert an Englishman and Audrey born in England spent her early life enjoying an English school and beginning ballet, which was to be the love of her life. Later her parents, deeply interested in Hilter left the children, Audrey and her two half brothers to enjoy the Nazi inner circle and in Ella’s case write about the greatness of the Nazis, which was to haunt her later in life. As her parents marriage breaks up it is in Arnhem that she begins to enjoy family life with grandpa, the Baron and her circle of van Heemstras and their connected noble families.The beginnings of her dedication to learning ballet starts and then the invasion by Germany happens.At first her mother Ella is keen to keep her friendships with the invaders setting up Audrey to dance for the German soldiers at a concert and performing a masque to celebrate Bach. Then as the war develops they find themselves in Arnhem as life gets more difficult and the beloved Uncle Otto is seized probably in retaliation for Queen Wilhemia’s speech in New York and after an Resistance incident, it is he and four other prisoners who are executed as a reprisal.
The terrible conditions the family suffer when they move to Vip to one rented house where they worry about the hidden English soldier whilst Germans use an attic for thei4 radion. Here we learn of the terrible events of Market Garden and then the aftermath. The family as well as all Holland suffer starvation, grinding up bulbs to make flour and then face the bombing by the Allies who realise that tanks are based nearby plus the V1 and V2 rockets fired on England but landing local. Audrey plays her part by teaching ballet classes, working with the hospital and delivering Underground newsletters. This part of her life is carefully researched and the young teenager’s life with the regime even her illness from malnutrition is explained. The suffering of all is clear. Whilst touching on her films and her two marriages and her dedication to her two sons the majority of the story is the war and her life post war. Her later life as a UNICEF Ambassador for children brings the story full circle when she is able to identify the suffering of the children in the war torn areas she visited with her own war time e periences. This is a thoroughly engaging book that I feel all should read to show the futility of war.

People probably like this book will probably be more interested in World War II than Audrey Hepburn. Audrey Hepburn lived through and experienced major episodes of World War II which ended when she was fifteen. However, the book needed to make a better connection Audrey Hepburn's childhood and her adult. Also, the book has a more information about Holland and World War II than is strictly needed for a book that is mainly about Audrey Hepburn.

Audrey Hepburn lived through some of the major incidents of World War II. Both her parents were early supporters of Hitler and Fascism (her mother continue to support the Germans two years into Germany's occupation of Holland). Her father left her when she was a small child. Audrey Hepburn's mother brought Audrey Hepburn back to Holland at the beginning of World War II believing that Holland would be safe from the Germans. Some of Audrey Hepburn's early education in ballet and theatre was helped because her mother was friendly with the Germans.

In about 1942, two years into the German Occupation of Holland, Audrey Hepburn's mother seems to have changed and at least not actively helped the Germans. Audrey Hepburn had an uncle that was shot by the Germans. Her family lived in Velp which saw some of the most intense fighting during the war. The area also experienced severe hunger. Audrey Hepburn and her family helped both the British and the Dutch resistance. The area had many hidden Jews..

The book barely touches on Audrey Hepburn's later life. One would be interested to find a more direct connection between Audrey Hepburn's later life and her war experiences.

The more interesting parts of the book are about Audrey Hepburn's mother worked with the Nazi’s until 1942. Her mother was on some Dutch watch lists for being pro-Nazi. My mother fled Nazi Germany so I know that anyone who had what appeared to be voluntary Nazi sympathies could be intensely hated by victims of the Nazis. Audrey Hepburn's mother seem to have a talent for being able to reinvent herself and could hide her Nazi past.

Audrey Hepburn seems to have taken some care to hide her mother's Nazi sympathies. Also, Audrey Hepburn herself had to keep quiet that some of her performances that she when she was ten to twelve were done with German sponsorship when she gave talked about her childhood in Holland.

It would have been helpful to know how Audrey Hepburn's war experiences affected her adult life. The author seems to assume that people have in depth knowledge about Audrey Hepburn’s later acting career and about her humanitarian activities which many people nowadays don’t have.

Again, this book more a book about people interested in World War II than Audrey Hepburn the movie star.
I received a free copy of this book from Negalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book provides a lot of detail about the early life and war years of Audrey Hepburn and her family, but even more details about the German occupation of the Arnhem area where Audrey spent most of her early years. There was almost too much detail of various events, and sometimes I felt that the story lost sight of Audrey. Nevertheless, it was an interesting read.

"Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II" eBook was published in 2019 (April) and was written by Robert Matzen (https://robertmatzen.com). Mr. Matzen has published three books.

I categorize this novel as ‘G’. The book tells about the mostly early life of actress Audry Hepburn paying special attention to the years 1940-45 when she lived in the occupied Netherlands. 

This book gives an entirely different look at Hepburn. Much is told of her life as an eleven to sixteen-year-old in the German-occupied Netherlands. Then in 1944, the life of she and her family take a turn for the worst when the Allies undertake Operation Market Garden. They were living in Arnhem and were in the middle of days of battle between Allied and Nazi forces. 

The months, nearly 200 days, following Market Garden were not much better as they had to survive in damaged housing and with almost no food until they were finally liberated by the Allies on April 16, 1945. 

I enjoyed the 8 hours I spent reading this 400-page biography. I thought that this was an interesting story of survival by a young girl who developed into an international movie star. I found it interesting that Hepburn was such an enthusiastic and talented ballet dancer before and during the early years of the war. I like the chosen cover art. I give this novel a 5 out of 5.

Further book reviews I have written can be accessed at https://johnpurvis.wordpress.com/blog/. 

My book reviews are also published on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/31181778-john-purvis).

Princess Fuzzypants here: There once was an actress who very well could have been a princess. In fact, she came from a long line of European aristocracy. To look at her, one would think a brisk wind could blow her away but behind the surface, there was a very strong woman who survived much and accomplished more in her life.
Anyone who has ever watched an Audrey Hepburn movie would be forgiven for thinking she was a delicate waif. But as the reader learns more about her early years, particularly the ones during WWII, one realizes the steel behind the fragile form. Born into a family of exquisite blood lines but very little money, she had the unfortunate luck to have two very challenging parents. Her father abandoned his family early in her life and her mother was hyper critical of everything about Audrey. They also had a fascination with Hitler and the Nazis, her mother’s lasting into the Occupation of Holland. It was something that, even though she attempted to make amends, would haunt both her and Audrey all their lives.
Yet, in spite of her parents, or perhaps ironically because of them, Audrey had a discipline, courage, strength and compassion that was monumental. She wanted to be a ballerina but was too tall and started too late to achieve her desire. She fell into acting and stardom and was able to walk away with no regrets. She was able to find contentment in giving to others, both her family and the children of the world even with the ghosts that would haunt her.
She was a remarkable woman. This biography tells her story beautifully and gives the reader a glimpse of the true beauty that lay behind the image she projected. The world lost an admirable soul when she died. I am glad she can live again in this book.
Five purrs and two paws up.

I enjoyed this book tremendously and was extremely excited at getting an insight into the tumultuous life of Audrey Hepburn, one of the most amazing actresses of her time. The novel was insightful and very interesting.

This book is about Hepburn’s early years in Europe during the war. It has a foreword by her youngest son Luca Dotta. She had always been very introverted, a quiet, shy girl. Probably more so after her parents split and her father wasn’t around anymore. but the ballet lessons she loved so much finally helped her become more expressive outwardly. Her mother, Baroness Ella Van Heemstra was very pro-German before the war began and had met Hitler a couple of times during their many travels. But then Audrey’s father had walked out when she was 6. They were both taking it hard but Audrey was really worried about her mother.

Elle put Audrey in a school and found her some ballet classes in London, but when war became imminent her mother had her brought to the always previously neutral Netherlands to live. It was hard for Audrey because she didn’t speak the language there and so didn’t understand a word of what they were saying at school. The only thing that made it bearable for her was that her mother was able to get her into ballet classes again. She grew up as Adriaantje (little Audrey) Van Heemstra, but after the Germans moved in she became known as the English-sounding Audrey Hepburn-Ruston. Ella is good at organizing events, especially if it will be something that will offer a chance to show her daughter’s talent. But she’s lacking in showing warm feelings to Audrey, who is so needing them. Audrey can’t understand why Ella is still friendly with the Germans, who are being so cruel to their Jewish friends. Though, as time goes on and her mother can no longer ignore what’s going on, she does stop socializing with them, etc. But this will cause problems for Audrey throughout the rest of her life.

About halfway through the book, near the end of the war, it begins speaking from Audrey’s later perspective, done in italics, where she returns to the Netherlands and reminisces about the war, married and a star. This appears off and on through the book. It’s well researched and reads well. This is for those interested in the old star biographies, and WWII. My thanks for the advance electronic copy that was provided by NetGalley, author Robert Matzen, and the publisher for my fair review.

I received a copy of Dutch Girl from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. It's not just a biography of Audrey Hepburn but a biography of the time and place that made her who she was.
Robert Matzen does a stunning job of bring Audrey to life.

Dutch Girl by Robert Matzen is a superb novel with impressive research in regards to the biography and true life-story of the adolescence of Audrey Hepburn-Ralston.
To finally have well-researched story to give a foundation of who Audrey was and how she became who she was later in life, is astounding.
To hear all the hurdles she overcame, to hear all the horrors that she had to endure, makes one fall in love with her all over again.
Audrey wasa strong, passionate, selfless woman who overcame it all to be a great mother, daughter, and family member. Her professional jobs later in life as an “actress” os just the smallest part of this puzzle.

This is a must read. Well done. 5/5.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this gem in return for my honest review.

I hadn't read books about Audrey Hepburn before, all I knew was that she was European and spoke many languages fluently. Author Robert Matzen makes it clear that other biographers were wrong about details he got right. Her Dutch mother, Baroness Ella van Heemstra, persuaded her English father Joseph Ruston to take on his ancestor's surname, an Earl of Bothwell named James Hepburn, which is how her birth name came to be Adriaantje Hepburn-Ruston.

War is complex and I can totally appreciate how one family can honestly stress bits in their past about abetting Allied soldiers and being tormented by Nazis while neglecting to emphasize that her mother's fluent German helped her find work and avoid worse suffering, or the fact that both her parents supported fascism to varying degrees and at different points in time. Clearly the effects of war impacted Audrey Hepburn her whole life, compelling her to maintain rigid privacy and to give her all to UNESCO and child victims of war worldwide.

Audrey is all honesty, integrity, and genuineness. I love that the gossip here is more political than saucy. In fact, according to Eleanor Harris's Good Housekeeping article, the dish on Audrey in 1959 was that as a patient she refused narcotics and sedatives and never complained, while filming The Nun's Story was seen selflessly serving thirsty Africans her water rather than drinking it herself, and as a wife and mother she was known to run a perfect household, and to credit self-discipline for her world-famous waist.

I would recommend this book to war afficionados, there was incredible attention to detail on the subject. Matzen alludes to gallows humor being a Dutch specialty, but I wish he'd provided examples. I was very curious about the Dutch ethnic slur for Germans "moffen" or "moff," meaning unwashed and backward people; when I looked it up online, I laughed out loud to find it defined as Menschen ohne Freunde (people without friends)!

I thoroughly enjoyed this captivating book about Audrey Hepburn's years in the Netherlands during WWII. Matzen fills in the voids that Hepburn was intentionally vague about. And with good reason: her mother was a Nazi sympathizer during the 1930s. The book highlights just how cruel the war was to the Dutch, right to the very end. Matzen's descriptions are vivid. He has a great introduction and it was almost as fun to read his notes as it was the text.

war-is-hell, world-war-ll, The Netherlands, ballerina, UNESCO *****

Who knows more about children's troubles living in a country visited by war than a girl who lived in England and then was summarily moved to the Netherlands not long before it was occupied by the Nazis. Her later accomplishments allowed her to make a difference through UNESCO, but that frightened girl remained inside her forever.
This biographer had some real advantages in being vetted by Audrey's son and also being able to have someone able to access classified documents in the Netherlands. At first the book spends an inordinate amount of time lauding her mother and later details some aspects of the War in Europe in excruciating military detail. However, even if the reader only reads half the book and skims whatever doesn't suit, it is worth the full retail price.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Smith Publicity via NetGalley. Thank you!

If you are interested in how Audrey Hepburn became the composed and compassionate woman she was, Dutch Girl by Robert Matzen is a must read. Dutch Girl is the little known story of Hepburn's years during WWII. She was 10 when Holland was invaded and 15 when it was liberated. She has said "My childhood in Arnhem and in Velp was the most important part of my youth." You learn how a young girl running errands for the Dutch Resistance between ballet practice balanced life as the daughter of a Hitler idolizing mother and a Nazi spy father.

This book is also a detailed account of WWII in Holland and would be a good book for anyone interested in WWII history. Robert Matzen did his research not only on Hepburn but also on the war and it's effects on Holland.

I received an uncorrected proof copy of the book from Netgalley and this copy is a little disjointed, I can only assume that it will flow better before actual publication. Even that stated, I would still highly recommend this book.

The story of one of the most enduring and beloved stars Hollywood has ever produced -- Audrey Hepburn -- has been told again and again since her passing in 1993. An Amazon search of books with her name will produce well over a thousand titles, with every aspect of her life but one covered in print: her years during World War II when she lived in the Netherlands under Nazi rule.

On April 15, 2019 -- just weeks before what would’ve been her 90th birthday -- critically acclaimed and bestselling biographer Robert Matzen reveals the true war story of this cinematic icon. The book, as shocking as it is vital and triumphant, is ​DUTCH GIRL:​ AUDREY HEPBURN AND WORLD WAR II

As soon as I saw this book, I knew I had to read it! I've been a big fan of Audrey Hepburn for a long time and I'm always interested in reading about her life. This isn't just a biography of Audrey Hepburn but a biography of the time and place that made her who she was. I found it to be well researched and nicely put together.

Thank you #NetGalley for the ARC of #DutchGirl
Pub Date: 15 Apr 2019

Book Court - Where I'm the Judge and Jury

CHARGE (What is the author trying to say?): To explore Audrey Hepburn’s early years in the Netherlands during World War II and how it affected her development as a person and as an actress.

FACTS: Audrey, called Adriaantje, was born in Brussels. She was blindsided at age 6 by the separation of her parents and her banishment to a small boarding school in England. “She would never quite recover from the shock of the separation.” Her mother, Ella, was a Nazi-sympathizer and spent a lot of time in Germany. Her father also traveled extensively for the Third Reich. After Great Britain declared war on Germany, Audrey was moved to the Netherlands, where she lived with her mother and two half-brothers. Reunited with her mother would prove difficult. “Audrey would spend most of the next forty-five year subjugating her own will to that of her mother.” Audrey was trained in classical ballet. The circumstances of Anne Frank and the writing of her diary had a profound effect on Audrey. As the author describes the horrors and privations of the war years, he notes that Hepburn very rarely discussed them herself – though these experiences affected her for the remainder of her life. The book does bog down with too much focus on the unfolding history and too little on Audrey herself.

VERDICT (Was the author successful?): Guilty, as charged.

#DutchGirl #NetGalley

Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and WW II
by Robert Matzen
due 4-15-2019
Good Knight Books, Pittsburgh

Audrey Hepburn was born in Belgium in 1929 and was always a shy and quiet person, best known for her work as an ambassador for UNICEF and for starring in movies including Breakfast At Tiffanyś and My Fair Lady.

This is a fascinating and intriguing look at at a part of Audrey life that is not as well known, her 5 years of living through Nazi Occupation in the Netherlands and her participation in the Dutch Resistance. She worked as a Doctorś assistant during ´The Bridge Too Far´ battle at Arnhem, she witnessed the brutal execution of her Uncle and lived through the Hunger Winter of 1944, esp hard to read. Taken from Audreyś wartime diaries, interviews with her sons and people she knew, and from research done at the Dutch archives, this is a compelling telling of a little-known part of the life of one of our most beloved actresses and personalities ever. Reading of her experiences through WWII were emotionally difficult, and hard to imagine but it gives such great insight to the ravages and devastation of this war and itś influences on peoples lives.

Highly recommended for fans of Audrey and WWII.
Thanks to Good KNight Books for sharing this ebook ARC for review.
#netgalley #DutchGirl

Born in Belgium and having spend the first 18 years of my life there I was always interested in actress Audrey Hepburn.
Reading this book made me even appreciate her more for the type of woman she had become. I'm so glad this book was researched at a time when some of the children having lived through that awful period under the control of the Nazis where still alive to be able to talk about it.
If you are looking for a glamorous story this book is not for you. This tells what is was like. Some readers find this is more about the war and life in that five year period under the Nazis then about Audrey. I think they are wrong because it very much gives back her life story at a time when her biggest worry should have been about dancing and to start thinking about boys.
The chapter notes beginning at page 321 gives a description of the sources consulted. A lot of work and research went into producing this book.
Mentioning is made of some YouTube videos which are interesting to watch.

As soon as I heard about this book it went straight on to my tbr list and it did not disappoint.

This book is so detailed and well researched even the end notes are interesting reading.

It focuses on the childhood of Audrey Hepburn, particularly her life during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands during World War Two. Hepburn was notoriously adept at separately her private and professional life in interviews, but by putting all the pieces together with the support of her family, the author has told a story that has remained untold.

It's a fascinating story - the details of the van Heemstra family and the part they play in Dutch history, Ella van Heemstras Nazi sympathies, Hepburn's dancing career and surviving the Nazi occupation are fascinating. What also stands out is the longterm affect the war years had on Hepburn and how they shaped the actress and woman she became.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will definitely return to it in the future - the breadth and depth of it warrant a reread.

Thank you netgalley for this advanced copy in return for an honest review

The giddiness I felt upon receiving an advanced digital copy of this book to review was immense (thank you NetGalley and Smith Publicity!). I’m not alone in saying I’ve loved Audrey Hepburn since I first saw her in movies like Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. My personal library includes several books about her, and my infant son even has his own Audrey biography to enjoy! The more I’ve learned about her over the years, the larger my admiration has grown. Dutch Girl opens with an introduction from Luca Dotti, Hepburn’s youngest son. Knowing that he learned new information about his mother from Matzen’s research got me extra excited to read it, and I was not disappointed. Matzen’s writing captivated me and it felt like he was actually there taking notes on Hepburn’s family. I learned and was surprised by so much! I highly, highly recommend this for anyone who has even the slightest interest in Audrey Hepburn. Very well done!

I enjoyed this book immensely. While I love biographies and memoir-type books, it is a rare treat to find an author who can write said book and keep it interesting. While the subject matter itself might be enough to hold the reader's interest, I tend to find myself with a pile of unfinished biographies, because the writing style was putting me to sleep. But Robert Matzen did a brilliant job of not only holding my interest, but keeping Dutch Girl running through my head each time I had to walk away from the book to tend to adulthood. A new fan of this author and a definite recommend for Dutch Girl.

A corking read! If you are only familiar with Audrey Hepburn onscreen, you need to read this detailed and harrowing account of her life in the Netherlands under Nazi occupation. Matzen's book chronicles the years with detail, harrowing detail. How this period of her life shaped the woman who became the woman Audrey Hepburn is set out with care and scholarship that is admirable. His style of writing is exciting and also elegant. Knowing of Hepburn's long work for UNICEF, this book makes you understand why. Her work as a child in the resistance, amazing. Those brave souls. When I thought I could not admire this woman more, this book gives ample reasons why she is an inspiring figure 20+ years after her passing. A must read.

Audrey Hepburn on war: " I wouldn't have missed it for the world-anything that happens to you is valuable."

Thank you, Sarah, from Smith Publicity for sending the ARC of Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen. Just like her movies, this book flew by like a motion picture with me seeing myself as Audrey's imaginary friend. The next time I watch any of her superhit movies, I won't be able to stop thinking about this book. I am sure, Audrey might be giving Dutch Girl a thumbs up from heaven.

Robert Matzen records the life of Audrey Hepburn, a movie star who was known for her humanitarian work beyond Hollywood. This book starts with a touching note from Audrey's daughter, Luca Dotti. The write-up describes Audrey as a doting mother who didn't let her superstar status affect her kids. Luca warmly remembers her mother's knack of turning her wartime anecdotes into bedtime stories. As we read further, the book starts slightly before Audrey's birth as the author fleshes out her family's history.

Audrey was born in Belgium to Baroness Ella van Heemstra and Joseph Victor Anthony Ruston. Contrary to her mother's outgoing personality, Audrey was a shy and reticent child. Her childhood was uprooted when she was sent to boarding in England away from family. Soon after her birth, her parents separated due to which she rarely met her father. However, her maternal grandfather filled up that role in her life. Growing up alongside her older stepbrothers, she was a moody child. During that time, Hitler's control over Europe was mushrooming along with Audrey's growth, At a tender age, she witnessed her motherland come under Hitler's rule, overnight. Although her mother wasn't an overly emotional parent, they still connected. In fact, it was Ella who watered Audrey's interest in ballet and after a few months of practice, she gained popularity as a ballet star. This also became a base for her acting career at a blooming age of 21.

Dutch Girl has deep dived into Audrey Hepburn's personality beyond just the image that the world witnessed on the big screen. Not many of us recognise her as an empathetic and caring human that she was. More importantly, growing up in the wartime moulded her in adulthood. The author also describes the traumas and successes of Audrey's life, making the readers feel as if they are witnessing it in front of their eyes.

What I was able to read was phenomenal. I had an unfortunate case of serious errors while trying to read this, which definitely took away from being able to enjoy it. I couldn't even get to the end.
However I can't fault the book for technological error that has nothing to do with its content.
What I read was well written, engaging and informative. There was never a point where I felt it was slow, or lacking pace; filled in with random input to fill page counts. I thoroughly look forward to being able to purchase this upon release, and being able to read it without system freezing and being sent back to page 5 no matter how far I was.
Over all five stars for the work itself and the amazing information it divulged.

This month I'd tried to make an effort to read a few non-fiction things and I went into this expecting heavy reading. My knowledge of WWII is fairly limited as to what I was taught in school with focus more on the United Kingdom and Germany. Then there was the remarkable Anne Frank, whose diary I've read countless times and cried until I couldn't stop. This novel is a great insight into life in the Netherlands during WWII with Audrey Hepburn and her relatives lives as a focus. And oh, Audrey, how you have suffered and persevered. 'Dutch Girl' does a great job convincing you just how integral Audrey's experiences of WWII were to her later life, how her parents' actions and decisions shaped her very being, the things in life Audrey never wished to discuss (understandably so). I truly don't know what else to write as my heart aches for the childhood that many in WWII never got to have, the countless lives lost not just in the duration of the war but the trauma forever held afterwards. Audrey might never have been the greatest actress of her generation but her charm and grace resonated with many, and I think will for many years to come.

Wow, I really didnt realise how interesting the WW2 / Audrey Hepburn combo would be when I first picked up this book. I'm pretty shocked at some of the things I have read.

Audrey's parents were particularly interesting, her father was British and was considered a traitor and spent most of the war in a British prison. Her mother, Dutch, actively supported and met Hitler on many occasions, and even wrote about it in a fascist newspaper, something that followed her for a lifetime and had many implications.

What really struck a cord with me though was the connection to Anne Frank. Anne and Audrey were born weeks apart, the same age, just 60 miles away from each other and how different their lives were. I was amazed that Anne wrote in her diary an event in which Audrey's uncle was murdered. Audrey was called upon many a times to play Anne is various films which she always turned down.

Overall I enjoyed this however in true non fiction style it's a dry read.

Many of us know Audrey Hepburn as the extraordinarily waifish, pixie-like actress who played Gigi, Holly Golightly and Eliza Doolittle in our favorite movies. In her later years, she was a devoted UNICEF Ambassador and her love and care for children was at the forefront of her life until her death. Audrey was a very private person, did not usually give lengthy interviews and never answered questions regarding her childhood or teenage years. Most people thought she was "aloof" and too high society to do much socializing and wondered why. Robert Matzen's DUTCH GIRL is the story that provides answers as to what Audrey Kathleen van Heesmstra Hepburn-Ruston's life growing up was like. And growing up during World War II, life was anything BUT a movie.

Taking the reader back in time, we are there with Audrey as she is raised with her two step brothers by a mother who is too caught up in travelling in the limelight of the Nazis and Hitler and leaving her daughter behind with relatives. Bereft of a mother's love, Audrey develops a great love of ballet and because her mother had always dreamed of becoming a famous dancer herself, Ella does all she can to provide dance lessons and teachers for Audrey and lives vicariously through her daughters dancing triumphs.
But war takes its toll on everyone and as more threats develop the van Heemstra family must do whatever they can just to survive for five harrowing years.

Bringing snippets of Audrey's later years in Hollywood with glimpses of interviews with Audrey, her casting directors, co-stars and her two sons, Sean and Luca, we see how her years in wartime had a life-long affect on how she continued to live her life and relate to others.

For anyone who has loved and admired Audrey Hepburn, this book is an eye-opening homage to a legendary actress and humanitarian.

Dutch Girl Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen

A treasure for historians, this is more a book about the Netherlands during WWII than it is of Audrey Hepburn. Doggedly researched, this book is a very detailed history lesson. Names, places, and even addresses blur as the author relates one event after another. The account of Audrey’s rise to fame as an actress is a very small part of this book. We only read a brief section of her post-war life in the last ten percent or so of the story.

As the author explains, the German invasion of the Netherlands disrupted the well organized, happy life the Dutch knew. Audrey’s mother Ella was initially sympathetic to the Nazis, and found Adolph Hitler especially charming in the early 1940s. That changed over time, but the truth of her politics followed her the rest of her life.

Most dramatic for the Dutch was the lack of food, and overcrowding as nearby towns evacuated to Velp, Audrey’s village. Malnutrition was the norm and they were always cold. All suffered coal shortages, along with the lack of blankets, clothing and anything else of value because the Germans took all available food and supplies. They also imposed strict curfews. Many citizens, including Audrey’s Uncle Otto, disappeared to be shot or died of starvation.

Machine guns and bombs from overhead required the family to stay indoors for very lengthy periods of time. The author knows every shot and shell blasted, bomb dropped and the times of day the barrage took place. He recounts nearly every battle fought near Velp. His research is mind boggling.

Little Audrey (Adriaantje) had a disjointed childhood living in one place and then another with one relative or another. Her mom, Ella, had a flair for drama and her father was rarely seen. Audrey’s Aunt Meisje was more a mother to her. She played and cuddled with Audrey, while Ella was the rule enforcer who very rarely showed her children affection. Ella did, however, see that Audrey received ballet lessons throughout the good and the bad times, as ballet was Audrey’s true passion. It eventually transported her to a life she couldn’t have imagined during the war.

But no matter how awful, Audrey recalls some good times from the war, mostly her dance which she loved, and the stories everyone told at night in the dark to keep themselves entertained. Throughout her life, Audrey looked for the good in any situation, but as an adult, she refused to divulge any stories of her experiences during the war.

While this book give in depth details of Audrey Hepburn during World War 2 it also tells of the Netherlands during the invasion of the Germans and Nazi Rule. Interesting to read how Audrey was influenced by the war. Well researched and documented about a sad part of history.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from the publisher and am voluntarily reviewing it.

One of the best biographies I've read in a long time. This beautifully researched and written book chronicles the early life of actress/dancer Audrey Hepburn in the Netherlands in World War II. Though she spent some of her early years in England, she returned to Velp and Arnhem in the Netherlands right before the German occupation. Towards the end of the war, Audrey and three relatives took refuge in the cellar as one of the last major battles of the war raged right above them.

"Dutch Girl," in one sense, is a tale of one small Dutch town's experiences during the Nazi occupation. Historians and those who enjoy historical case studies will find this book riveting. The fact that the "main character" of the book turns out to be an A-list Hollywood actress is almost an aside. Nevertheless, the book insightfully shows how war affects children and young people for the rest of their lives - emotionally, psychologically, and physically.

If you have ever admired Audrey Hepburn or her movies or just know who she was you will be easily engaged by this book. Until I read Last Hope Island by Lynne Olson I never knew that Audrey Hepburn was a teenager in the German occupied Netherlands during WWII. She mentioned Audrey in her book as one of the peripheral characters that she uses so well to draw in her readers and it made me wonder what her life was like during that time. Robert Matzen has done a nice job of filling in much if not all of her story.
Audrey Hepburn was born to an Englishman and an upper class Dutch woman. Her parents were also Nazi sympathizers, a position her father never gave up and her mother only well after the invasion of her homeland. This personal history made Audrey fairly reticent about many details of her life and through determined research and help from many Dutch survivors he has pieced together much of Audrey's childhood and adolescence. Born in 1929, Audrey was 11 when the Netherlands were invaded. She lived in Arnheim, close to the German border, and although the entire war was difficult the final year from the Market Garden invasion in September 1944 to the end in April 1945 was particularly brutal. Perhaps the author's main theme is that Audrey's experiences in WWII not only never left her but formed her into the person she would become.
This is the story of Audrey Hepburn but it is also a history of what was happening as she was growing up so there are asides in which the history overtakes the story of Audrey's life. It appears to be well documented (the endnotes are extensive as they explain where the author got his information). If you are interested in WWII history and know about Audrey Hepburn you will enjoy this book.

The book has been marketed as telling the story of Audrey Hepburn's young years during World War II in which she lived in Arnhem, developing her skills as a dancer and working as an agent for the underground. While this is true in parts, it primarily chronicles what life in that town (the town of "a bridge too far") was like for the inhabitants and the transformations wrought by invasion, occupation and liberation. Such devastating affect on Audrey and members of her family was truly immersive, but the author's obvious high regard for Audrey is apparent with every description and episode, imbuing all with a great deal of affection. Her mother's history was remarkable, being enraptured by Hitler, even meeting him in 1935 and being a believer until some time into the occupation. Later in life during interviews as an adult, Audrey didn't talk about this aspect of her family history. In fact, she sublimated a lot of the horror and deprivation and tamped it down inside. That changed in 1946 when she first came across Anne Frank's diary. The similarities she and Anne shared went straight to her heart, and provided her with what became her most important mission later in life, that of the protection and welfare of children via UNICEF. The reader thus comes away with a deeper understanding of why Hepburn projected such empathy especially for children,

However, I found the book on the whole to be quite repetitious in parts and much more of a history than a biography.

Dutch Girl is an emotional book about Audrey Hepburn and her experiences during WWII. It tells about war in a more personal way, as books related to war often is more about mechanics and abstract concepts.

This book deals mainly with Audrey Hepburn's experiences during World War 2 in her native Holland. I love reading World War 2 history, biographies and Hollywood accounts so I expected to love this book and to race through it. The research is very well done and the book deals mainly with actual historical events that did occur such as the battle of Arnhem, the liberations the hostage taking and subsequent murders of Dutch prominent figures as reprisals for sabotage. The book also details the hunger that the Dutch endured towards the end of the war. I enjoyed reading this however I found it difficult to race through the book as I normally do with stories like this. The author I felt made a lot of presumptions on how Audrey perceived events and on how they impacted on her. Also the story felt stretched in places and I found myself skipping sections as I felt I had already read enough to get the gist of what the author was trying to convey. Audreys son Luca writes the foreword and praises the author for his work. I was left with a feeling that the son is looking for answers as to what troubled his mother and that WW2 has been settled upon to answer his questions. There were also comparisons drawn with Anne Frank' sufferings and Audreys which didn't seem appropriate to me.
Having said all that for the research, the look at Dutch history during WW2 through an iconic figure such as Audrey and the account of Audreys very interesting family I give this book 3 stars .

Another fascinating book by Robert Matzen, unfortunately the last in his WWII Trilogy. 'Dutch Girl' covers the five years Audrey Hepburn spent in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. The book is both a gripping history lesson as well as providing Hepburn-fans with a background about her youth and her family, with her mother being a Nazi-sympathizer early on.
Like with Jimmy Stewart (covered in Matzen's 'Mission'), you really fear for her well-being although of course you know she survived all right. Bombs, machine guns, starvation - Hepburn lived the life a lot of Europeans had to endure during WWII.
One of those books you race through, I enjoyed it not quite as much as 'Fireball' about Carole Lombard but this would have been a tall order. All three books by Matzen rank very, very high among my vast collection of film books. Highly recommended!

This book is amazing!! I read it in 2 days and totally loved it!! Robert's research is perfect!! If you are a fan of Audrey Hepburn -- this book is definitely for you!! If you aren't sure -- read this book!! My respect for Audrey has increased tenfold and I'm so thrilled that I was able to read it!! Even if you aren't a fan of Audrey's and you are just a history buff - I think you will still get so much out of this book.

This story was very interesting and I actually learnt so much about WWII from the Dutch perspective. I also never realised the parallels between Audrey's & Anne Frank stories either.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for a honest review.

It's an interesting idea, telling the story of part of World War II from the point of view of someone who was growing up in occupied Holland during the War. When the person in question is Audrey Hepburn, it's even more interesting.

Hepburn was 11 when her country was overrun by the Nazis and 16 when it was liberated. During the War she lived first in Arnhem and then in a village outside it. She witnessed first-hand Market Garden, lived in her family's cellar for months, suffered malnutrition, and helped the Dutch Resistance. Her story and the story of the country during the war is compelling and Matzen makes it interesting and moving.


His meticulous research not only makes the book a great addition to history, it also sets the record straight on her activities and those of her family during the War. It's something virtually all other biographers have gotten wrong.

A fascinating recounting of Ms Hepburns wartime experience along with her family's history. A wonderful depiction of life in Holland under the Nazi's and how it affected the famous movie star.

Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Dutch Girl” “Audrey Hepburn and World War 11” by Robert Matzen, April 15, 2019

Robert Matzen , Author of “Dutch Girl”; Audrey Hepburn and World War 11″ has written an intriguing and intense biography with tremendous historical background on the life and times of Audrey Hepburn. Most of this centers around the 5 year period that the Nazis occupied The Netherlands. At that time Audrey lived with her mother and family in the Netherlands.

When I decided to read this book, I thought I would be reading more of Audrey Hepburn’s life , and it turns out I read about her Mother’s life. some of her father’s life and her family life, and much information about Germany and World War Two. I would have preferred to read more about Audrey Hepburn’s life.

The information provided by the author was interesting. Audrey had gone to school in England, and did speak English. She treasured dancing, and always wanted to be a ballerina. The five years of German occupation was traumatic and deadly for the Dutch people. Audrey did help as much as she could, and emotionally had the scars from this tragic timeline.

I appreciate that the author describes Audrey as a sympathetic and empathetic person who wants to do good in this world. I would recommend this book for readers who enjoy reading about World War 11 and German History.

You may think you know Hollywood superstar Audrey Hepburn, but this biography is of her early life, about growing up during World War II and the role that living through World War II had over the entire rest of her life.
Ms. Hepburn didn’t like talking about that time, and frankly, who can blame her. She lived through a horrific time in our history. Her father was accused of being a spy and arrested, her mother loved Hitler, meeting him numerous times and also writing about him for a fascist magazine, and her beloved uncle was killed by the Germans. Living under German occupation, she was subjected to bombings by Allied Forces and starvation. She and her family camped out in the cellar, hoping for survival. To go from that type of situation to reigning Hollywood royalty a few years later took a lot of determination and courage. This book is in-depth and detailed, definitely worth the read if you like biographies. You’ll learn a lot of information about Ms. Hepburn and become even more of a fan than you already are. At least I did. A very thought provoking and moving account of a young lady who would become a goddess of the silver screen.

I started out wanting to read this book because an interest in Audrey Hepburn and her connection to The Netherlands, where I was born and now live again, but this book was so much more than a biography.

Besides finding out more about an icon, this book tells the story of a war, of a small area, in a country I grew up in. Of course much time was spent on WWII in school. I remember being moved and touched by documentaries about the war shown during history lessons, the images of stacks of dead people, the horrors of concentration camps are still burnt into my heart, as they should be. In a way, this was a different kind of WWII story. It still brought the horrors of war home, but from the perspective of a small area and the people that lived there.

Through Audrey’s story and the story of her family, we find out what life was life for everyone living through the war; the suffering, the uncertainty, the fear, the hunger.

It all paints a picture of the girl Audrey was and the woman she was to become. Robert Matzen did a great job piecing the facts together with a bit of artistic licence here and there. I think this book is very well written and very coherently tells of a complicated time in history and the effects it had on people. I particularly found Audrey’s mother Ella fascinating character.

This book reiterates the fact that although I do not like reading WWII based fiction, I do really appreciate a well written non-fiction book on the subject and this one showed a different perspective from any other book I have read on WWII. This is not so much a biography as a historical portrait of Arnhem and Velp during the war.

Highly recommended if you are interested in either Audrey Hepburn or WWII.

An intriguing biography of Audrey Hepburn's formative years during WWII. I had absolutely no idea about her family and her work for a member of the Dutch Resistance. The amount of research that must have been carried out is phenomenal, yet the author writes in an accessible manner. If you are expecting lots of detail about her film career, then this is not the book for you, but if you want to learn what made Hepburn such an extraordinary person, then you will find this book fascinating.

Thanks to NetGalley & publishers, GoodKnight Books, for the opportunity to review an ARC.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2787491253

CEELEE'S REVIEW OF DUTCH GIRL: AUDREY HEPBURN AND WORLD WAR II by Robert Matzen

When I was 10 years old my parents were watching "Breakfast St Tiffany's" while i sat in another part of the room reading a book. I started paying more attention to the movie than my book especially at the end when she and George Peppard were out in the rain on the streets of New York looking for Cat. (I love kitties!). I thought she was amazing and I immediately had a tween girl crush on her! I read all the articles I could find about her in the movie magazines and I know when i got older I read a couple of biographies about her but most of them glossed over her life in general and her childhood in particular. That is why I was so intrigued when I saw the ARC available on NetGaley and I was thrilled when I was picked to read it!

Let me first say this book is not for a casual fan or one who only wants to know about her career in the movies. This is a serious work covering not only her life but also the history that she lived through before and during World War II and how it affected her all her life. If you aren't interested in discussions of the history of the times skip it. If yew want to learn the history that helped shape the lives of people who lived through WWII including Audrey Hepburn then you might find the book both interesting and enlightening. I think learning about the history that a person experienced helps to understand the persons because it contributes to making them who they are.

Audrey's parents were pro-Nazi. Her father was a British agent who betrayed his country and her mother, Ella van Heemstra, who was a social climber, became friends with the Mitford sisters from a British aristocratic family, who influenced her fascism particularly Unity who had become a friend of Adolf Hitler and Ella met him a few times when Audrey was a toddler. In 1937 Ella moved herself and her children to Arnhem in the Netherlands and lived on the family estate there. Audrey was a quiet introverted child who discovered dancing and it became her first love next to her family. She loved reading and animals and the family felt safe in The Netherlands and even after the Nazis came and occupied the town no one believed they would do any harm until things slowly started to change with essential food items becoming unavailable and they faced harsh winters with no heat when coal; was not available to properly heat their homes. . The turning point was when Audrey's uncle Otto was murdered along with four other innocent men, executed as an "example" to the Dutch people. Ann Frank even mentions the murders in her diary. She and Audrey were the same age and lived in different towns not far from each other. After the war she met Ann's father (the only survivor in the family) but she wold never consent to play his daughter in a movie. There is a picture of them together in the book as well as photos of Audrey's family and pl;aces important to her life. Her mother soon changed her mind about Hitler but it was to late and they suffered war on their own doorstep and over their heads. Throughout this Audrey had her dancing and became Arnhem's most famous ballerina. She also worked in the Resistance as an assistant to a doctor.

Audrey never talked about her life at that time much and I can understand why. My father was an ex-POW who was held in a German prison camp for 21 months 1943-45 and he didn't talk much about his experiences either but internalized it like Audrey did and 50 years later he would still wake up screaming. I can only imagine what kind of dreams he had or that Audrey must have had because of her own tragic war experiences.

Author Robert Matzen does talk a lot about the history of WWII in the book which some people might not like for whatever reason but to understand Audrey, or anyone really, as a person there is no way he couldn't talk about it. She was there. She lived it. She was fortunate to have survived and made a success of her life despite it but always had that shadow of the war hanging over her. I find her an extraordinary woman and I am so glad we were able to learn something about her history and it makes me love her even more! I also give tremendous respect to the author for bringing her story to us. Well done!

Many thanks to NetGalley, author Robert Matzen and Paladin Communications publisher for giving me the opportunity to read the fantastic book!

I received an advanced digital copy of this book from the author, Netgalley.com and GoodKnight Books. Thanks to all for the opportunity to read and review.

In the only biography approved by her son, Mr. Matzen has carefully retold the story of Audrey Hepburn's past that she kept very closely hidden. Well written and thoughtful, we met Ms. Hepburn before she met the cameras.

5 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended.