Joy D's Reviews > Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II

Biography of Audrey Hepburn’s life offstage, focused on her early years in the Netherlands during WWII. She and her family endured the Nazi occupation, the execution of her uncle, and starvation during the Winter of 1944-1945. Her mother was initially a supporter of the Nazis, but soon became disillusioned. Early in the occupation, Audrey continued to pursue her passion for the ballet, and later switched to teaching children to dance. Audrey played a role in the resistance – delivering pamphlets and running errands for a doctor.

The first half is stronger than the second. I enjoyed hearing about her family background, her interest in ballet, and what life was like in the Netherlands during the occupation. It becomes a bit repetitive and less focused toward the end. I listened to the audio book, read by Tavia Gilbert. She does a competent job, but her narrative style is overly dramatic for a book of non-fiction.