Do you have a book that is a go to when anyone asks for recommendations? I have a few, one of which is The Rose Code by Kate Quinn. Do you want a really good read? Have I told you about The Rose Code by Kate Quinn? Do you want a good WWII story? The Rose Code. WWII from a female experience? The Rose Code. Which makes it even more unfathomable that it has taken me more than three years to read this book and she has published two more since then. Maybe I was worried that this book wouldn't live up to The Rose Code, but I needn't have worried.

So what prompted me to finally read this book? My read on a theme book club has chosen War as it's next theme and when I looked through my Kindle this one jumped out at me. I think I have about 50 books that will fit the theme but this was where I started.

Lyudmila Pavlichenko is a young mother who is separated from her much older manipulative husband who refuses to take the final steps required to finalise their divorce. Supported by her parents as she raises her son, Slavka, she is studying history and working at the public library. Taunted by him, she also takes up marksmanship, a skill which will give her an unexpected trajectory into Soviet history.

When war breaks out, Mila was among the thousands of young women who signed up to fight for the Soviet Army and soon her skill with her gun sees her becoming a sniper. This isn't only about being able to kill an adversary with a single shot, although with her life motto of "Don't Miss" Mila is very focussed on that, it is also about being able to wait in silence for hours watching, calculating, almost stalking her mark. Soon her hit count is rising, and yet, as is true for so many women who perform amazing tasks in war, the recognition that she should get for her skill is very slow in being given.

The portrayal of war is very detailed about the conditions, about the injuries and death, and the very specific skills a sniper must have and use on a daily basis. However, we also see a Mila who is trying desperately to remain connected to her true self and her son by sending him different types of leaves that she finds. She also carries her dissertation around with her every where she goes in the hope that she will finish it one day.

Interspersed with Mila's war stories are sections which tell of her visit to the US where she was sent along with others to try and convince the US of the need for a second war front to help relieve the pressure on the Soviet Army against the Germans. Here, Mila meets and befriends Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the American president. She also has to brave the belittling press pack who don't necessarily believe that she is a sniper and so ask her about her underwear and other inane questions.

Here is where the story deviates from the known history, with the introduction of an unnamed character who has a plan where Mila will take the blame for his actions which, had they been successful, would have completely changed the course of the war.

I loved the various methods and voices that Quinn uses to tell the story. We see Mila through diary entries made by Mrs Roosevelt, we hear from her adversary and all through the text we see Mila's humour as she shares lines from her official memoir along with those of her unofficial version. For example, here is one from very early in the book

My memoir, the official version: Every woman remembers her first.
My memoir, the unofficial version: Those words mean very different things for me than most women

In the hands of a lesser author, it would have been possible that this story could have been very bleak and upsetting, but balanced between the injuries, death, and fighting there are moments of joy, mostly found through the friendships and yes, love, that Mila finds on the battlefield and in her life.

It is interesting looking at the events of this book through the lens of the current situation between Ukraine and Russia. A lot of the action takes place in the Ukraine and Lyudmila Pavlichenko was born in what we would now call Ukraine. At the time that the book is set, Mila was a proud Soviet. It is likely that if she was still around Mila would rather be addressed as a proud Ukrainian that is just a guess on my part.

And now if I am asked for a reading recommendation about women in war I will have to say have you read The Rose Code or The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn.
I am sharing this review with the Historical Fiction Reading Challenge which I host here at The Intrepid Reader and Baker. This is also one of my nominated 20 Books of Winter, and at 435 pages counts as a Big Book of Summer (well Winter but you know what I mean!). Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the review copy. Sorry it's so late!

Rating 4.5/5

A female sniper who became known as ‘Lady Death’ because of the number of authenticated ‘kills’ she made and who served in the Russian army on the frontline in World War 2. That’s got to be a work of the imagination, right? But it’s not because The Diamond Eye is based on the real life story of Lyudmila Pavlichenko. And if you think she must have be an exception then you’ll be fascinated to learn from the author’s Historical Note that over 800,000 woman served in the Soviet armed forces, many in non-frontline roles but also employed as tank drivers and snipers. The author’s earlier novel, The Huntress, revealed the role of a Russian all-female night bomber regiment known as the ‘Night Witches’.)

The story alternates between Lyudmila’s experiences on the front line from 1941 during the siege of Odessa and her visit to the United States in 1942 as part of a Soviet delegation attempting to obtain the intervention of America in the war in Europe. At that time, Soviet forces were under severe pressure from the German army. There is also a secondary plot involving an unnamed marksman seeking to use Lyudmila as a scapegoat for an assassination attempt on a high-profile figure (think Day of the Jackal) which is purely the product of the author’s imagination.

With the exception of the aforementioned subplot, the book closely follows events in Lyudmila’s life, including the strangely prurient questions she is asked by journalists during her time in the United States and the friendship that develops between her and the President’s wife, Eleanor Roosevelt. What the author adds is an insight into Lyudmila’s thoughts, fears and emotions, as well as filling in some of the gaps and inconsistencies in the historical record. Soviet propaganda sought to present Lyudmila in a particular light in order to further its aims. The author cleverly exposes this by including excerpts from two versions of Lyudmila’s memoirs at the start of certain chapters: one ‘official’ and one ‘unofficial’, the latter revealing her true thoughts about her experiences and her sparky humour.

The most compelling parts of the book for me were the section describing Lyudmila’s experiences on the front line. These scenes are vividly realisitic, demonstrating the visceral and brutal nature of war. ‘We lived fear, breathed fear, ate and drank and sweated fear.’ One minute a comrade is standing beside you, the next they’re blown to pieces. Lyudmila herself is seriously injured a number of times, as she was in real life. It’s no wonder that in such situations people seek an emotional connection with others even, as it often turns out, it is fleeting and destined to end in tragedy.

One of Lyudmila’s most important relationships is that with her fellow sniper, Kostia, who becomes her partner on missions. It’s a relationship that requires the utmost trust on both sides and Lyudmila discovers that Kostia shares her precise attention to detail, guile, relentless determination and superb markmanship. Their partnership becomes such that they instinctively know each other’s intentions. The descriptions of the long hours they spend staking out targets waiting for that perfect moment to strike are utterly compelling. The technical details of these missions is obviously the product of an immense amount of research by the author.

The fact that Lyudmila was a Ukranian fighting in the army of the Soviet Union in defence of its enemies (in this case Nazi Germany) is just one of the ironies about her story given current events in Ukraine.

The Diamond Eye is a completely absorbing story, punctuated by moments of drama and intense emotion.

I am not normally one for historic novels – I’m the same with historic TV series (apart from Downton!) however I’ve thoroughly enjoyed Kate Quinn‘s previous books, and so had requested a copy of The Diamond Eye from Net Galley. However, it had slipped down my TBR pile for months (over a year in fact) – but I recently remembered it was there and devoured it! Here’s the blurb:

“In the snowbound city of Kiev, aspiring historian Mila Pavlichenko’s life revolves around her young son – until Hitler’s invasion of Russia changes everything. Suddenly, she and her friends must take up arms to save their country from the Fuhrer’s destruction.
Handed a rifle, Mila discovers a gift – and months of blood, sweat and tears turn the young woman into a deadly sniper: the most lethal hunter of Nazis.
Yet success is bittersweet. Mila is torn from the battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America while the war still rages. There, she finds an unexpected ally in First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, and an unexpected promise of a different future.
But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a terrifying new foe, she finds herself in the deadliest duel of her life.
The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.”

As with Kate Quinn’s previous (and subsequent!) books this is exquisitely written and incredibly informative as well as being a thoroughly enjoyable novel. Whilst it is ‘fiction’ it is based on a real person – and I think knowing that makes the storyline even more interesting (although obviously I’ve been Googling subsequently to see just how much artistic licence has been taken!)

You are rooting for Mila from the start – initially a young mother, estranged from her son’s father – but then throughout the war and her role as a sniper. Whilst she is fighting for Russia – she is technically Ukrainian – which obviously given current world events puts a different angle on it too.

Some of the storyline is bleak – but then it is during a war, and so that’s not a huge surprise. But there are elements of love and laughter too. And Mila’s love for her son shines through the storyline throughout.

Overall it was a wonderful book which I thoroughly enjoyed – I think Kate Quinn is always going to be an author I read everything she writes going forward. A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

This is the fascinating true story of a Russian sniper who happened to be female. Why she joined the war and what happened to her.
Having read The Rose Code, I requested The Diamond Eye from Netgalley. World War 2 Russia would not be my usual choice of a book so it sat on my shelf for a while. When I did read it, I was pleasantly surprised. Kate Quinn manages to show history in a very human way. I look forward to more from Kate.

Apologies for the delay in reading and reviewing.

Fascinating story, weaving fact and fiction together. Hasn’t realised how many Russian women had been front line soldiers during WW2.

A breathtaking moving story that you can hardly believe is actually based on a true story. Kate Quinn cleverly weaves lives and events together to give the reader a true understanding of the horrors of war and how people you wouldn't have thought were involved were affected.
In 1937 history student Mila Pavlichenko life revolves around her library job and her young son. The invasion of Ukraine and Russia by Hitler's troops set her on a different path. She is given a rifle and sent to join the fight ,becoming a deadly sniper known to the Nazis as Lady Death. She is sent to America on a 'goodwill 'tour by the Soviets where her life changes when she is introduced to Eleanor Roosevelt .

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.
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