The Cut Out Girl

The Cut Out Girl is the extraordinary true story of Lien de Jong, a young Jewish girl in the Netherlands during World War II. To escape Nazi persecution, Lien’s parents entrust her to a network of Dutch families, including the author’s grandparents, who risk their lives to hide her. Decades later, Bart van Es, now a professor at Oxford, seeks to uncover the truth about Lien’s past and their shared history. Through interviews, archival research, and personal reflection, van Es reconstructs Lien’s harrowing journey and the complex dynamics of the family that sheltered her. This poignant narrative explores themes of memory, identity, and the lasting impact of war, offering a deeply moving account of resilience and reconciliation. Winner of the 2018 Costa Book of the Year, The Cut Out Girl has been praised for its powerful storytelling and emotional depth. The Guardian described it as “an extraordinary, harrowing story of loss, survival and love,” while the Evening Standard called it “a masterpiece of history and memoir.”

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