Kate Quinn doesn't disappoint and she is absolutely a historical fiction author that you should know. Her newest novel is "immersive" and action-packed and puts you squarely in the life (and loves!) of a Russian female sniper who you have probably never heard of. I loved how small vignettes from history were brought to light - such as Mila's BFF friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt. Mila is a kickass heroine who you will adore. Read this if you love WWII stories that keep you on the edge of your seat. Thank you, Netgalley, for my arc.

Kate Quinn has become a “must read” author for me, and this didn’t disappoint. I really enjoyed getting to know famed World War II female Red Army sniper Lyudmila "Mila" Pavlichenko in this enthralling tale, which has two plotlines that converge later in the novel. The earlier story introduces 21-year-old Mila, university student and already a mother to five-year-old son Slavka, frustrated with her erstwhile husband, Alexei, who always misses their divorce appointments despite not wanting to be live with her. She enrolls in marksmanship classes as much to prove something to Alexei as for herself and soon excels at the skills she learns. When Germany invades the Soviet Union in 1941, Ukranian-born Mila enlists in the army and offers her skills to fight off the unwelcome “Hitlerites,” though she finds many officers who would prefer her to serve as a nurse. Eventually she secures a place as a sniper and eventually a leader of other snipers.
The second plot revolves around the 1942 visit of a Soviet delegation to the United States, intended to foster good will among the allies and to secure American aid to the Russian war effort. Unbeknownst to anyone, sinister elements in the US are plotting to assassinate FDR, and a stealthy American marksman has hatched a plan to pin the kill shot on none other than “Lady Death” herself during a White House stop.
The two narratives come together and bring urgency to the read, which is interspersed with notes from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who befriends Mila. I appreciated Mila’s point of view and learned much about life on the front lines for a sniper. Reading this during the recent developments in Ukraine brought a poignancy to the book that it might not otherwise have had, and Mila’s strong, defiant rejection of the WWII invaders is indicative of the fierce reaction I see by today’s Ukranians.
Highly recommended

Besties, Kate Quinn has done it again. I’m not a fan of WWII fiction, but I will never hesitate to read a WWII novel if Kate Quinn is at the helm.

The Diamond Eye is almost a pseudo-autobiography, an engrossing re-imagining the official (state-sponsored) memoir of Soviet sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko. When German troops reach the borders of the USSR, Mila abandons her quiet life as a library research assistant and history student to enlist in the Red Army. The book moves between her time acclimating to the horrors of war as she hones her deadly sharpshooting skills and her subsequent goodwill tour across America.

4/5: I really enjoyed this one; it wasn’t my favorite of Quinn’s (The Rose Code and Mistress of Rome hold that honor), but it was impeccably researched and full of interesting characters. Fans of The Huntress in particular should love The Diamond Eye’s deeper dive into Soviet resistance during the war.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A young mom/student becomes one of the most deadly snipers in WWII. Love these historical novels that are based on so much truth that they could almost be nonfiction. The drama and suspense are top notch; the characters really form an emotional bond with the reader. It seems so timely as the heroine is Ukrainian (part of Russia at that time) and fighting against the invaders. Great storytelling by Kate Quinn!

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow/HarperCollins for the ARC to read and review.

I think I just read my favorite Kate Quinn book, is that possible!? Everything she writes is perfect, and holy cow. This one is so good. I loved the strong female lead (like all of her books!!) and the history. This is a part of history I knew nothing about, so even if you feel like you read a lot of WWII books, READ THIS ONE TOO!

The Diamond Eye follows a fierce and dedicated sniper shooter through WWII on a quest to keep her son and country safe from Nazis. She wasn't planning on becoming one of the best/first female snipers in Russian history, but a sequence of unfortunate events led her down that path.

This is another great WWII story but told through a different perspective than the usual. It's hard not to love the independent, strong, and bold main character. Based on the true life of Lyudmila Pavlichenko, this story will take you through the casualties of love and war but also show you the size and strength of a mother's love.

What a very timely book from Kate Quinn! Heavily researched and well written, this offers a glimpse into the life of one of Russia's most famous snipers. It's an underwritten part of World War II history and this is a welcome addition to the World War II fiction genre. Quinn writes a great character--engaging in every way. However, I felt that the first half of the book was worlds better than the second. This seems to be a common issue with Quinn's books. She's just much better at laying out scene and characters than she is with these mystery plots she keeps shoehorning into her books. I really liked this book, but I did find it a little bit frustrating because I know it could have been better. Recommend, but mild reservations.

4.5
Another well-researched and beautifully written book by Kate Quinn. Although I didn't enjoy this story as much as some of her previous novels, this was not due to her writing. The main character and subject matter (a female Russian sniper) don't have the same appeal to me as those of previous works. However, as always, Kate Quinn does a beautiful job of weaving fiction with true story to create a convincing narrative of the life of Lyudmila. I am so impressed by the realism and detail of the writing which though based on truth, has been embellished by the author.
Highly recommend.

“No matter how hard the metal, it yields to human strength. All you have to do is devise the right weapon. I was a weapon”. - Kate Quinn, The Diamond Eye

*Disclaimer: It’s amazing and in many ways unlucky that the timing of this novel, which centers around Ukrainian born Lyudmila Pavlichenko who was a Russian female sniper during WWII, has coincided so closely with the events currently unfolding in Ukraine. I have felt much less compelled to pick this story up and think if I’d read it a year ago my review might be much different. I’m going to try to be completely unbiased and review strictly on the story’s merit.

Quinn is one of my favorite writers and her writing here did not disappoint. While Mila was very well developed, I didn’t feel like the second half of the novel was as strong as the first half. The historical portion was fascinating, but the fictionalized parts felt too contrived. I wish the story had stayed focused on the history rather than veering into the fictionalized parts. The story was interesting enough without this addition. I loved the relationship that developed between Mila & Eleanor Roosevelt, with Eleanor’s ‘notes’ being a really nice touch.

Mila continually said throughout her journey that the reason she had no remorse for her kills was because Germany had invaded her country… I can’t help but think that in the current conflict she would’ve been one of the first on the frontlines defending her Ukraine. 3.5 stars rounded up.

***ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Fearless and bravehearted! Quinn’s latest badass gal Mila is cool and accomplished. I felt like I was right there in that sniper’s nest covered in leaves and brush, kissing the cool dirt beneath, finger freezing on the trigger. Reading this rocket ride of a story during the invasion of Ukraine was all the more fascinating for the times, especially, the undercurrent in the story of the Ukrainian vs Russian and the cultural underpinnings of the area, the old grudges. This was a pacey read, lots of edge of your seat moments, historical accuracy, unforgettable characters. Quinn’s BEST yet!

This is the latest book from Quinn, following the excellent The Rose Code. This is the fascinating tale of real-life Russian sniper Mila Pavilichenko, the “girl sniper” who goes from being a Ukrainian Ph.D student to a fierce fighter who is dubbed “Lady Death” for her lethal skills against the Nazis. She becomes nationally recognized after 309 kills and become a heroine. Her fame leads her to be put in a delegation of Russian students to Washington DC whose hidden agenda is to help persuade the US into aiding Russia in the war against the Nazis and where she becomes a popular speaker for the cause. While there she meets and becomes a lifelong friend of Eleanor Roosevelt. Intrigue follows her there and she must match wits with a clever American assassin. This is an interesting and exciting read, even more so now as Mila was Ukrainian. As always with Quinn’s books it is helpful to read her Author’s Note, where she describes her historical research process and fills in some information about her characters. I enjoyed the YouTube links to some of Mila’s actuall speeches—that really enhanced the story.

4.5 good historical fiction makes you want to go back and read more about the lives it was based on and this was no exception. Well behaved women seldom make history and I was delighted to make the acquaintance of this remarkable woman.

Everything Kate Quinn writes is golden. Her talent in finding forgotten women brings yet another intriguing, colorful figure to light. This book has more of a biographical feel to it than Quinn's previous books. This story belongs to Mila Pavlichenko and no one else. Why should we read about this Soviet female sniper who had over 300 kills during WWII? Quinn makes Mila human, she gives us a woman who - like so many other women around the world- made choices because she had to. Mila married young, studied hard, trained as a sharpshooter and joined the military all to protect herself, her family, and her country. Quinn put me right there in the foxhole, hiding in the bushes, scoping out the target with Mila as she conducted her countdown. I was there in the White House as Mila chatted with Eleanor Roosevelt. Quinn presents Mila with all of her insecurities and sharp edges. A wonderful read!
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley.

Overall this is a solid novel, but I just couldn't get into it. It was really slow and maybe I'm just feeling burn out on WW2 novels, but this didn't do it for me.
Though, I'm sure others will enjoy it and it will be a hit

A little known figure from World War II takes center stage in this incredible novel. Lyudmila Pavlichenko, or Mila, was a sniper for the Soviet Union with a confirmed 309 kills. She was also a mother, a student and a librarian. Quinn seamlessly slips between Mila’s time on the front and her propaganda tour of the United States, where she struck up an unlikely friendship with then First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt. At times a bit slow, the novel itself is a mastery of historical fiction.

When the historical fiction world is overwhelmed with WWII novels, Quinn has taken an aspect from the era that is little known as well as fascinating. As usual, her attention to detail is on point - from the weapons used to how snipers work to the clothes Mila wears on her propaganda tour - you are immersed in Mila’s world. With romance, deception, intrigue and above all historical nuances, Quinn has created yet another gripping novel.

Kate Quinn is a master at telling stories about real women in wartime. She succeeds again in her telling of Mila Pavlichenko. Mila will become a lethal sniper during WWII-one that the Nazis call Lady Death. While it does run a bit long (Quinn does a lot of research on her ladies and wants to share it with her readers), the story is amazing. Quinn's books always lead me to do some Googling of my own. This is another tale by Quinn that is sure to be a bestseller and a popular library checkout. Thank you so much to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy of this title.

Kate Quinn has done it again. This a fantastic Historical fiction. Her characters are so well written. The plot is amazing and it gives me a different perspective.

Well researched and interesting historical fiction based on the true life of a Russian sniper during WWII.

While I know this book will be a hit with so many readers, it was a miss for me. I wasn't able to finish it.

I like to say I've read Kate Quinn before she was famous--writing hilarious and historically relevant dialogue for her ancient Roman period historical novels back in the early 2010s, and recommended her at the library desk at every chance I got. And it's all true! And now she's writing hard hitting historical novels, and each one keeps getting better. (This librarian is SO proud.)

Mila Pavlichenko may not be a household name to most Americans today, but back in 1945, she was celebrated in the States for killing a whole lot of Nazis as one of the few celebrated female snipers on the Russian front. Mila married young, a hasty marriage to hide a pregnancy to an impossibly arrogant Russian army surgeon who taunts her at every moment. Even though she was separated from him, he seems to be lurking behind every decision Mila makes, even as she signs up defiantly as a sharpshooter after the Nazis invade Russia. Mila has no idea her talents and skills as a sniper give her the notorious nickname "Lady Death". Even after she is celebrated by First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Mila's ghosts follow her everywhere.
Mila is a heroine for the ages. Writing about Russian history--especially right now when Russia and US relations are not at its finest--I tip my hat to Ms Quinn for handling this so deftly and expertly. She has done an incredible amount of research on this, as her end of book bibliography has shown. Get your hands on this book--it'll be on the best of 2022 lists this year.