This was another well written book by this author. It is so well researched. It reads like a memoir. The writing is atmospheric and the writing is immersive.

A very interesting read and made more interesting by knowing that it is based on an actual person. Some good historical knowledge.

The Diamond Eye is a fictionalized historical novel about Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a Soviet sniper that killed more than 300 enemy combatants during WWII. When I picked it up I was unaware that the book was inspired by a real person; in fact, according to the author’s note at the end, The Diamond Eye includes numerous facts taken from Lyudmila’s own autobiography but blended with some fictional aspects. Leaving aside that I don’t know what to think about it—why not create your own main character loosely inspired by Mila instead of repeating her story but changing only a couple of elements?—the book didn’t work for me. I felt that the way it was told failed to get me engrossed and that the whole drama towards the end was condensed with a very convenient outcome for a certain character. I liked some scenes and I’m sure the author did a lot of research in order to write this book, but overall this was a miss for me.

I so enjoyed this book about a female Russian sniper during World War Two and the book gave us a great story about the difficulties faced by the Russians up against the Nazis.
Strong setting and characters

Kate Quinn is an excellent writer. The life of a Soviet Union sniper is not easy topic to write about. The author very carefully used historical facts adding some fictional elements what in the end turned into a perfect book. Definitely I will look for other Kate Quinn's books to read.

mother and history student, whose life is changed forever with the outbreak of WWII. We see her enlistment into the Russian army and then follow her on the front lines as a sniper for the army, and then to America as part of a publicity tour.

What is truly remarkable is the way that the author is able to bring these real-life characters out in such an intriguing and emotional way. Each character has their own story and each relationship feels entirely believable, from the camaraderie of the battlefields to the fears and frustrations of family relationships in wartime.

It is made even more interesting by the fact that many parts of the story are taken from Mila’s memoirs, and the bits invented by the author for the purposes of this novel are interesting and fitting.

I would recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and would certainly read more by this author.

My thanks to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for the arc to review.

The download date was unfortunately missed, I would be happy to re-review if it became available again. I have awarded stars for the book cover and description as they both appeal to me.

It pays to read the authors notes at the end as I didn’t know this was based on a real person and the novel has been written around her biography.
For anyone who loves historical fiction, I cannot recommend Kate Quinn enough. Her research and insight are so good, in fact with this book I actually googled her bio to see if she was Russian!
Mila is a young girl who trains to be a sniper with the Russian army, she is better than good in fact and becomes one of their top snipers with over 300 kills against the war with Germany.
In 1942 she toured the USA with a Russian delegation with the hopes of finding support for their war on the Nazis. Here she befriended Eleanor Roosevelt whom she remains friends with until their death.
This is such a good story, fleshed out with great interesting characters and I certainly will be reading Mila’s biography.

Kate Quinn consistently highlights remarkable women with fascinating lives.

The novel The Diamond Eye is no exception. The book follows actual events.

During the onset of World War II, Lyudmila Pavlichenko, a young mother and student, enlists in the Red Army as a sniper. Conditions during a war are challenging for everyone, but on the battlefield, they are particularly challenging for women who must deal with sexual abuse, objectification, and gender inequity.

Strong friendships and even love can grow on the battlefield despite the relentless loss of life. Lyudmila becomes known as Lady Death, which even brings her to the USA in the middle of the war, where she meets the presidential couple Roosevelt and lobbies for military aid in the form of an opening a second front and uncovers a fictitious assassination plot.

Kate Quinn always balances real historical events with fiction well; her characters are strong and courageous. She connected this novel with the characters in The Huntress, but I personally liked The Huntress more because of the dynamics of the story. There was more action and attachment to the folklore - rusalka (mermaids, water fairies). Although Baba Yaga and Lady Midnight are mentioned in The Diamond Eye, a large part of the story takes place on the battlefield, and there are a lot of technical terms.


Still, I highly recommend this book.

This was an amazing book, usual standard from Kate Quinn, a nice real touch of history combined with war and romance

Loved this book! Kate Quinn is a fabulous writer and once again has she written a story that pulls you and stays with you a long time after you have finished it. Great characters, an engrossing story and such a thrilling ending. There are also parts of the book that are heartbreakingly sad to get through.

Whilst I love reading books of this genre. This book was something else.. whilst it is a fictional story it is based on a true character. Very well written and I thoroughly enjoyed this fictional book mixed with facts

Based on the real life of Mila Pavlichenchko, the star sniper in the Soviet Red Army during World War II, this novel was a rollercoaster. Mila is known as Lady Death, a woman who gained fame for knocking up 309 kills during her time in the Red Army. Kate Quinn’s novel really brought her to life through her emotive account of a young mother and patriot who goes on to defend her country. Mila also played a pivotal role in persuading the USA to launch a second front in Europe during the USSR delegation to USA. There Mila meets with the Roosevelts, developing a friendship with Eleanor and uncovers a fictious assassination plot. It’s unbelievable that this is largely based on a true story (with a few major departures from what is known in the historical record).

I sometimes find that fictionalized accounts of real people go one of two ways – either so bogged down in the minuet to ensure accuracy or the events too sensationalized and fictionalized that you almost rather the novel had stuck to fictional characters as well. However, here Kate Quinn balances fact and fiction well, writing a compelling human story of a phenomenal young Soviet woman on the front line, with excellent romance and thriller subplots. An outstanding effort, this has encouraged me to read more of Kate Quinn’s novels.

What a wonderful book is ‘The Diamond Eye’ by Kate Quinn. The fictionalised story of a real Soviet female sniper fighting in what is now Ukraine in the early years of the Second World War, this is a novel I didn’t want to put down.
The life of Kiev resident Mila Pavlichenko, young mother and history student, changes when the Nazis invade. Already an accomplished shot with a rifle, she leaves her young son Slavka with her mother and goes off to war. In the 18 months of her time on the frontline as a sniper, the real Mila scored 309 official ‘kills’. She is injured fighting in Sevastapol and, once recovered, is ordered to join a diplomatic mission to the USA to persuade the Americans to join the European war. The action in America is probably the most fictionalised part of ‘The Diamond Eye’ which is based in part on Mila’s memoir. Quinn states in her Author’s Note that parts of the memoir are clearly Mila’s own voice, other entries seem like Soviet propaganda.
This is not just a war story with guns and death and trenches. Quinn tells the story of a young woman, torn from all that is familiar, who finds strength inside herself and with her comrade snipers, to do what must be done. Some of her fellow soldiers have brief times at her side; others, the most skilled snipers, survive. She discovers how difficult it is, when you know you may die tomorrow, to open yourself up to friendship, or love. She acquires a nickname, ‘Lady Death,’ and spurns the frequent attentions of her senior officers. Her girlfriends also volunteer, her estranged husband turns up as a combat surgeon, but there are few light moments in her life. Her primary motivation is to defend her homeland, that is the only thing keeping her away from home. Between missions she gathers leaves and sends them to Slavka, she carries her dissertation with her and takes it from her backpack to read to remember the life she once had. Quinn alternates the dark story of Mila’s fighting, first at Odesa and then at Sevastapol, with her later trip to Washington in 1942 plus excerpts from the diary of the First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, who Mila met on that trip.
This is a shocking story and a compelling one. The sections about sniper technique and tactics are not for the faint-hearted but the current war in Ukraine adds a reality check and there are light-hearted moments in Washington as Mila meets the American press, not alerting her hosts to the fact that she can speak English. Also lightly woven through the fighting sections are snippets of Russian folklore, a reminder that Mila’s country has roots and traditions much older than the Soviet Union.
Quinn creates a heroine we care for. Brave and determined with a sharp edge of sarcasm, this is Mila’s story as imagined by the author. The two parts of the story – the fighting, the subsequent trip to America – are key to the growth of an unusual and exceptional young woman. So what if the final section lurches into ‘thriller’ territory, it made the pages turn even faster.
Highly recommended.
Read more of my book reviews at http://www.sandradanby.com/book-reviews-a-z/

A historical novel based on the true story of a female Russian sniper during WW2. Featuring real characters including Eleanor Roosevelt, the American first lady, the narrative lacked pace although the story is absorbing. The novel is well researched and a tribute to the heroics of Russian women who went to war.

What a great read. Great historical thriller but with the added thrill of a LN assassin. This book let me gripped the whole way through. Highly recommend

A 5 star book from Kate Quinn! I am a little late posting this review but the book is soooo good; all based on the true story from WW2 of a Russian woman sniper called Mila Pavilichenko who was credited with 309 sniper kills.

Hitler invades Russia in June 1941 and Mila immediately joins up at the Odesa office and leaves her history studies at the university. She joined the infantry and trained as a sniper and was later nicknamed Lady Death. This took great courage as she left behind her young son with her parents as she was already seeking a divorce from her husband.

Kate Quinn weaves fiction and fact together to produce a fantastic book based on these true events and the life of Mila Pavilchenko. In 1942 she is chosen as one of the soviet delegates to travel to the USA and to try to persuade Roosevelt and America to join the was and provide aid. She makes an instant impression on the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. She is not aware however off a plot to kill the President and indeed becomes frustrated as she wants to get back to Russia and her job as sniper, not be in PR!

How does it all end? This is a fascinating account of Mila's life, achievements, history and was a great book to read. I had previously read The Alice Network by KQ and look forward to reading the rest that she has written - bold brave works to devour!

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn ⭐️⭐️⭐️

When Germany invades Russia, Mila doesn’t hesitate in enlisting to serve the Motherland, leaving behind her young son and dreams of becoming a historian.

We follow Mila through the horrors of war as she becomes one of the country’s deadliest snippers, and then as she travels through America as part of a delegation trying muster support for the cause

This book is based on the true story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko and the research that has gone into fictionalising her experiences is brilliant, however maybe because of the restrictions of basing a book on a real person the storyline just wasn’t as riveting as her others

I absolutely adore Kate Quinn's writing, I find it absorbing and also educational in parts too as I immerse myself in history. This novel is no exception, it was a fabulous read.

Based on a true story - of a female sniper (Mila) in the Second World War - this novel has also been fictionalised so there are various parts of the plot which aren't true... but it doesn't feel like that, it is so cleverly written and woven together that it's impossible to know which parts are true and which parts aren't. I was totally gripped and afterwards I just wanted to know more. I looked up the real-life Mila and was amazed by her story.

When reading The Diamond Eye I found myself completely believing everything that was happening and I was totally transported into the era - this is a very clever skill for an author to have. Kate Quinn's research is impeccable - the little details she knows about guns... incredible!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and can't wait to read more novels from her in the future!

I only recieved the ARC of this book a couple of days before the publication date and when I realised it was set in Ukraine I decided not to read it as the news from the Russian invasion and bombardment was too awful. Having waited for a few months I discovered that although the book is set in the Ukraine (as it was then) it is not really about that area. It is all about Mila and her development into a sniper and how she used her skills. The first half of the book is certainly the strongest writing I have read by Kate Quinn. Excellent sense of time and place and with a real sense of her feelings. The second half, set during her visit to the USA was more of what I expected from Kate Quinn but still a very good read. Overall I think this is the author's best book yet although I haven't read all of her work. With thanks to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for a digital copy of this book to read and review. Sorry for the delay.