Kate Quinn has done it again! I loved to learn about another view from the war perspective and talk about girl power! Mila and the other characters are so vivid that I felt that I actually knew them. Such a great read, highly recommend.

From my blog: Always With a Book

This is the fourth book I’ve read by Kate Quinn and I fall more in love with her writing every time. This book was a highly anticipated read this year and it did not disappoint. And true story – I’ve already read this one twice now…it’s that good!

I absolutely loved this one. Mila Pavlichenko, better known as “Lady Death,” is one of the most bad-a** characters I’ve ever read about and yet she’s a real person and I’m so glad Kate Quinn gave us her story. I’ve read a lot of historical fiction, especially WWII books, and don’t remember her name coming up.

I also loved the friendship she developed with Eleanor Roosevelt while on a goodwill tour to the USA. Eleanor Roosevelt is one of my favorite people, so I loved all the cameos she made throughout this book. This was probably my favorite part of the whole book, the scenes between the two of them. I loved the conversations that take place between the two, and my favorite quote from Eleanor is in the book:

“I reminded myself that you must do the thing you think you cannot do,” she said simply. “Always. And generally you find out you can do it, after all.”

Reading this book was such an immersive experience. The writing is so vivid and the characters so richly drawn that it all comes alive as you make your way through this book. It’s not always an easy read, as we are right alongside Mila in the field as she sets her sights on her targets and it is gruesome at times, but this was such an integral part of the story and really hit home her role. At the same time, we she her struggle with being in this role versus being a good mom for her son and this tugs at your heartstrings.

I loved that this is based on a true story and when you read the author’s note, it is even more impressive. I have loved all the books I’ve read by Kate Quinn, but I think this is now my new favorite. It is just so impressive and awe-inspiring. It is clearly so meticulously researched as is evidenced from the author’s note and I could not have loved this more – again, I’ve already read it twice and that is in a period of two months. I will definitely be recommending this one to all my friends that love historical fiction…it is definitely a must-read!

Another Quinn hit! Her books are always so interesting to read. The voices of the female characters always take me directly to that point in history she is describing.

We don't usually hear about a female sniper and how much more she has to do to be respected. Here it is!!

I am a huge fan of Kate Quinn's books, so I was prepared to love The Diamond Eye. I wasn't disappointed. I always learn about a new aspect of World War Two when I read her books. I feel like a hallmark of a good historical fiction book is when you finish it and want to know more about the subject. I always close Quinn's books and go to the internet to learn more about the subject. Coincidentally, I was just in Washington, D.C. which plays a large role in the setting in the second half of the book. As I walked and drove near Rock Creek Park, I found myself replaying the climax of the novel in my head.
Being a librarian, I was excited to read about a librarian who becomes a feared and fearless sniper for Russia during World War Two. Mila Pavlichenko is a worthy heroine and a fascinating woman. The only thing I am unclear about was if the climax at the park was based on any truth. While this novel doesn't replace my favorite by Quinn, The Rose Code, it is still a fascinating and worthy read.

Kate Quinn does it again. The Diamond Eye is another fabulous read. I loved this book. She is a genius with her words.

Excellent novel. Really good historical fiction makes the reader want to search out nonfiction sources for the incidents depicted in the story in order to learn more. This novel does just that! I really appreciate Kate Quinn giving further sources of information at the end of the book. My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book will break you, haunt you, and make you question everyone and everything. And the craziest part? It’s based on REAL people. Kate Quinn will bring you to your knees with this tale of grief and courage.

Watch my Amazon live interview with Kate: https://amazon.com/live/broadcast/96f8b5c5-9ecb-464b-bb50-5534d35829fa?tag=erinmbransco-20&linkCode=ilv&ref_=social

I have mixed feelings about this one. There were scenes depicting the hardships of the Russian people and how they were brutally treated by the invading Germans. With everything going on in Ukraine right now, this was very difficult to read about at this point in time. Obviously the author wrote this well before Ukraine was invaded and the story has much integrity, but it was hard to read. With that said, the story about real-life sharpshooter Mila Pavlichenko was very interesting. I particularly enjoyed reading about her relationship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, another powerful female presence of that time period. The scenes of the war and the fighting were not my favorite, but not because they were poorly written. Kate Quinn has a gift for promulgating strong, unsung women from history and I am so grateful to have read all of her books.

Honestly, I'll read anything Kate Quinn writes so I'm probably a little biased but this book was so good! I love learning about badass women history has overlooked and Mila Pavlichenko is definitely a badass.

The Diamond Eye follows Mila's journey from librarian, grad student, and mother, to one of the deadliest female snipers with 309 confirmed kills. Mila's time in the war is scary, violent, and heartbreaking but she also manages to find friendship and love and earns her nickname Lady Death. After a wound leads to her evacuation from the frontlines Mila and her sniper partner and translator Kostia are sent on a goodwill tour of the United States. Mila's friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt and Eleanor's personal notes are one of the sweetest parts of the book but of course, there is still danger lurking even in America. I won't spoil it but everything comes together for an exciting ending.

This book is long at 435 pages but flew by and I could've kept reading. Mila is a remarkable heroine and though her work as a sniper could make her unapproachable and unrelatable as a character she really isn't, she's funny, feisty, smart, and above all human. I highly recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley.

For whatever reason, I’ve been putting off reading very much historical fiction lately but this one reminded me just how much I love it!

I always find myself incredibly invested when I know that it’s based on a true story and this one was no different. I was drawn in immediately and was so compelled by this extremely inspirational heroine!

I truly applaud Quinn for all of the meticulous research that goes into her writing and I truly relish in her ability to create such engaging stories with such particular details, complex characters and vivid atmospheres.

Being of Ukrainian heritage, this one hit home a bit with the current war and Pavlichenko being a Soviet Sniper and being born in Ukraine.

This ones a true gem that you don’t want to miss!

4.5 stars rounded to 5 for goodreads!

Very good book based upon a woman defying gender norms even for her Ukrainian homeland and becoming one of the best snipers to defend her homeland from Nazi invasion when allies didn’t come to their aid.

4.5 stars

Kate Quinn has done it again! This tremendously talented author (one of my favorites) has once again written another engrossing, transportive work of historical fiction with a strong, formidable female protagonist at its center. In a provocative narrative based on the real life story of Lyudmila “Mila” Pavlichenko, a Russian librarian and history student turned deadly sniper, Quinn returns to the WWII time period of her previous novel, except this time, the focus is on the Soviet front and the physical battles fought during the war. Mila’s story is fascinating in its own right, but through her beautifully rendered prose, Quinn truly brings this little-known war heroine to life. I love the way Quinn writes her characters in all her books and this time around was no exception. With the character of Mila, I appreciated how, despite the moniker “Lady Death” and a tally of 309 kills to her name, the focus throughout most of the story wasn’t really on her fame per se, but rather, on her humanity. Mila was formidable, but never hostile, and in the face of everything she had to deal with — taking care of her son as a single mother, pushing back against the bias and prejudices she had to endure on a daily basis in her field of work, fending off those with bad intentions toward her, being tasked with defending her country against foreign advances, etc. — the tremendous strength and fortitude she consistently displayed was nothing short of admirable.

This was a meticulously researched, engaging story that I found difficult to put down. I learned a lot about a segment of WWII history that I was less familiar with, which I appreciated, as I always hope to learn something from my reading experiences. Kate Quinn’s novels have all been 5 star reads for me up to this point and while this one was indeed wonderful, it did fall a tad bit short this time around, mostly because I felt parts of the story leaned a little too much into the technical aspects related to weaponry and battle, which has never been a subject of interest for me. Also, I felt the storyline involving Alexei went on for way too long, and the way he seemed to keep popping up all over the place honestly kind of annoyed me.

One thing I do have to mention — given the context of what is going on in the world currently involving Russia and Ukraine, it was honestly hard to read this book and not feel impacted in some way by the similarities of war. This would be the one caution about reading this book during this time.

That notwithstanding though, The Diamond Eye is a magnificent story that is absolutely well-worth the read. Highly recommended!!

Received ARC from William Morrow and Company via NetGalley.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of The Diamond Eye by author Kate Quinn.

I have read books by Quinn in the past but always felt like her works are hit or miss for me. This one unfortunately was also a miss. I struggled to become attached to the characters and invested in the story. It just moved too slowly for me.

I would rate this book 2.5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for fans of historical fiction

Did I Google Mila Pavlichenko? Sure did. Kate Quinn masterfully tells the story of a little known, yet skilled and valuable, Russian female soldier.

The Diamond Eye is based on the true story of a Russian Sniper named Lyudmila Pavlichenko. The book follows Mila as she transforms from citizen to sniper to unofficial ambassador for Russia to the United States during the second Word War. This book had everything I love about great historical fiction and I really enjoyed learning about this woman. Women were not taken seriously as soldiers and she has to go through a lot to be taken seriously. Mila becomes the deadliest sniper with over 309 official kills and many more unofficial ones, becoming known as Lady Death.

Couldn't help but think about the current situation between Russia and the Ukraine as I was reading.

This book is amazing. So many times throughout reading I had to stop and google events/people because it seemed so unbelievable. I know very little of this viewpoint of WW2 and it is so interesting. Things I loved: pacing was great-it's a long book but never felt overdone, characters were flawed and human and interesting, setting/story is something new in a genre that loves to reuse good ideas, single timeline (I'm getting tired of dual timelines) and the authors notes at the end...fascinating. Things I didn't love: it ended. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I'd always been a little daunted by Kate Quinn's writing given the length of her novels, but I'm so glad I finally dived in with "The Diamond Eye"!

This storyline focuses on the life of Mila Pavlichenko, a Russian sniper who left her life as a history student and became one of the most celebrated heroes during World War II. We follow her as she struggles to leave the shadow of first marriage; attempts to be a good mother, soldier, and leader; and eventually becomes a celebrated national and international figure, all while holding the true brutalities of war in her memory. The novel goes between Mila's past as she enters the war, to the "present" day of 1942, when she is flown into the United States as a representative of the USSR to try and garner public support for her country.

Quinn has done an incredible job researching the true-to-life "Lady Death", and her afterword highlights the number of facts and events she tried to keep accurate, as well as the areas she allowed for more artistic license. While I did find it hard to keep up with the various battles and skirmishes covered, it isn't necessary to go in with a comprehensive background of Ukrainian or Russian geography or history. Given the current situation in early 2022 between Russia and Ukraine, this was also a tricky storyline to read, but one that gave insight to the complexity of the political situation between these two countries.

What I found most engaging about this novel, however, was Quinn's writing style and prose, and her ability to craft such realistic and complex characters - ones that aren't perfect and are clearly flawed, but also ones that you can't help but feel empathy towards. Giving perspective to Mila's character not just as a soldier, but also as a mother and daughter, a lover, and a friend made her losses and her wins that much more substantial, and did justice to this individual in history.

Mila Pavlichenko is studying history at the University of Kiev when the Germans invade Russia at the beginning of WWII. Mila, a sharpshooter, enlists in the army and becomes a decorated sniper, with 309 kills over the course of a couple of years. After an injury, she becomes part of a Soviet propaganda team that travels to the U.S. to encourage the Americans to begin a second front and relieve pressure from the Soviets.

Based on a true story, this novel is fascinating. I had no idea that women were used by the Soviets on the battlefields during WWII or that the Soviets sent a delegation to the U.S. There’s also a bit of a romance amidst the horrors of war. The Diamond Eye is also incredibly interesting to read at this particular point in time, when Russia has invaded Ukraine. In 1940, Ukraine was part of the USSR, and some citizens considered themselves Russian and others did not. Ukraine is a country all too familiar with invading forces.

You tell me it's a Kate Quinn book, I want to read it. You tell me it's the forgotten history of "a quiet bookworm who became history's greatest sniper", I'm even more ready.
It's necessary to comment on this book coming out at this exact moment in history, as main character Lyudmila Pavlichenko is a Ukrainian born history student who enlists with the Russian army, working as a sniper, and I have to say that at times while reading it, it was hard at moments to separate her story from the current war. I felt that ultimately the story was more about Mila and her journey, and that did work for me.
This is a necessarily hard story, with a lot of loss and pain along the way for Mila. She had an incredible talent, despite having planned a career as an academic. The chronological telling of her story is interspersed with sections about the tour of the United States she participated in, which breaks up the story with a different and intriguing plot line. Kate Quinn writes history in a very absorbable, detailed way, and I am always fascinated by the women she features.

I am a WWII book junkie. I especially love reading a fiction book based on a true story with a unique storyline. The Diamond Eye is exactly that. The story tells of the well known horrors of war but this story is unique because it is told from the point of view of a sharpshooter. A woman sniper. It was rare for women to be on the frontline during WWII but Mila is not only on the frontline, she is a sniper with over 300 kills.

I did not know as much about Russia’s part in WWII as I thought I did. I was amazed at the smaller sizes of their military and that they had many women involved not just in the medical aspect but in the fighting aspect of the war. The Diamond Eye is rich in history and it is history I will remember because of the way Kate Quinn wrote the book. She made the characters real. The storyline flowed perfectly with great details given so I could picture what Mila was having to live through.

I have been a fan of Kate Quinn for a while and The Diamond Eye just cemented her in the must-read list of authors. I highly recommend this book for any historical fiction reader. I am sure this will be in my top books of 2022 list.

**Thank you William Morrow Books for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Once again Kate Quinn has focused on a little known facet of World War 2 history, the story of a Russian female sniper selected to meet Eleanor Roosevelt at the height of the war to strengthen American support for the Russians fighting on the eastern front.

Based on a true story, the novel is told in dual timelines at the start, Mila's 1943 visit to the US and the events in her younger life that made her into the most successful Russian sniper of the war. Along the way, the reader learns more about rifles and training than would be needed to understand the plot, and there are some horrific descriptions of battle scenes including the almost obligatory death of her lover.

This is an excellent choice for readers looking for a World War 2 novel that breaks new ground but it's as much a history lesson as a novel.