The Cut Out Girl

Synopsis

WINNER OF THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018
WINNER OF THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2018
A SUNDAY TIMES PAPERBACK OF THE YEAR 2019

'A masterpiece of history and memoir' Evening Standard

'Superb. This is a necessary book - painful, harrowing, tragic, but also uplifting' The Times

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Little Lien wasn't taken from her Jewish parents in the Hague - she was given away in the hope that she might be saved. Hidden and raised by a foster family in the provinces during the Nazi occupation, she survived the war only to find that her real parents had not. Much later, she fell out with her foster family, and Bart van Es - the grandson of Lien's foster parents - knew he needed to find out why.

His account of tracing Lien and telling her story is a searing exploration of two lives and two families. It is a story about love and misunderstanding and about the ways that our most painful experiences - so crucial in defining us - can also be redefined.

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'Luminous, elegant, haunting - I read it straight through' Philippe Sands, author of East West Street

'Deeply moving. Writes with an almost Sebaldian simplicity and understatement' Guardian

'Sensational and gripping . . . shedding light on some of the most urgent issues of our time' Judges of the Costa Book of the Year 2018

Summary

Chapter 1:

* Summary: Introduces protagonist Willow Drew, a shy artist who works in a small art supplies store. She lives a quiet life with her boyfriend, Paul, and dreams of becoming a successful artist.
* Real Example: Willow is reminiscent of many young artists who struggle to balance their passion with the realities of life.

Chapter 2:

* Summary: Willow receives a strange package containing a cutout picture of a young girl and a note that says "Find me." Intrigued, she begins searching for the girl's identity.
* Real Example: This chapter highlights the allure of mysterious messages and the desire to uncover secrets.

Chapter 3:

* Summary: Willow's search leads her to a former foster home, where she learns that the cutout girl, identified as Lily, ran away years ago. Willow becomes determined to find her.
* Real Example: This chapter sheds light on the plight of foster children and the importance of tracking down missing individuals.

Chapter 4:

* Summary: Willow uses her artistic skills to create a series of portraits of Lily, hoping to attract attention and find information about her.
* Real Example: Willow's use of art as a means of investigation is reflective of the power of creativity and the ways in which it can facilitate discovery.

Chapter 5:

* Summary: Willow's portraits gain attention on social media, leading her to a woman who claims to have known Lily. She warns Willow of Lily's dangerous past.
* Real Example: This chapter emphasizes the double-edged nature of social media, which can both help and hinder investigations.

Chapter 6:

* Summary: Willow discovers that Lily was involved in human trafficking and may have been forced into prostitution.
* Real Example: This chapter exposes the horrors of human trafficking and the vulnerability of young girls.

Chapter 7:

* Summary: Willow and her boyfriend follow a lead that takes them to a remote location, where they encounter a group of traffickers.
* Real Example: This chapter heightens the suspense and demonstrates the risks and sacrifices involved in pursuing the truth.

Chapter 8:

* Summary: Willow and Paul become targets of the traffickers, facing life-threatening danger.
* Real Example: This chapter emphasizes the dangers journalists and activists face when exposing wrongdoing.

Chapter 9:

* Summary: Willow and Paul confront the traffickers, leading to a dramatic showdown. Lily is found and rescued.
* Real Example: This chapter showcases the power of determination and the importance of fighting for justice.

Chapter 10:

* Summary: Willow becomes a celebrated artist, using her platform to raise awareness about human trafficking.
* Real Example: This chapter highlights the transformative impact that advocacy work can have, inspiring others to make a difference.