The Diamond Eye
Kate Quinn
The New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet bookworm who becomes history's deadliest female sniper. Based on a true story. In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kyiv, wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son--but Hitler's invasion of Ukraine and Russia sends her on a different path. more
435 pages, Hardcover
First published William Morrow
4.29
Rating
129822
Ratings
12072
Reviews
Kate Quinn
27 books 26978 followers
--I use Goodreads to track and rate my current reading. Most of my reads are 4 stars, meaning I enjoyed it hugely and would absolutely recommend. 5 stars is blew-my-socks-off; reserved for rare reads. 3 stars is "enjoyed it, but something fell a bit short." I very rarely rate lower because I DNF books I'm not enjoying, and don't rate books I don't finish.--Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network”, “The Huntress,” “The Rose Code,” and "The Diamond Eye." All have been translated into multiple languages. Kate and her husband now live in San Diego with three rescue dogs.
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Edit: THE DIAMOND EYE has launched. You can buy a hardback, e-book, or audio copy wherever books are sold. I hope you enjoy Mila's story. This book is now uploaded for request on Netgalley and Edelweiss. May the odds be ever in your favor. more
***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY***I love Kate Quinn’s novels, her prose is wonderful and her research is meticulous. This book reads more like a biography of Lyudmila Pavlichenko “Mila” than historical fiction. In fact in the author’s notes Ms. Quinn states that almost all of the characters and their actions came straight from Mila’s personal memoir. It’s hard in the current political and world climate for me to feel much sympathy for Russia. more
Kate Quinn's latest WW2 historical novel throws a welcome light on a little known Ukrainian Russian woman sniper, Lyudmila 'Mila' Pavilichenko, with her record of 300+ sniper kills for a Red Army desperately fighting the German Nazi invasion. It is a blend of fact and fiction that draws heavily on Mila's autobiography, The Memoirs of Stalin's Sniper. A history obsessed student, she is mother to her young son, Slavka, and married to ambitious and arrogant surgeon, Alexei, a man who has no interest in her or their son, and is unco-operative in her efforts to try and divorce him. Having received advanced training as a sniper, she manages to enlist, and becomes a sniper under the command of Captain Sergienko, proving herself to be a valuable asset. Interspersed throughout the story are the notes of American first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, the eyes and ears of Franklin, a man with deadly enemies prepared to do whatever it takes to get rid of him. more
You will probably not find historical novels better than this one. Quinn manages to make history feel like it’s happening right now. Her characters feel so real that they could be alive, even if they existed in completely different circumstances. The story of the Russian sniper was interesting but also emotional. The rage directed towards the nazi’s, the camaraderie and courage crept under my skin. more
The Diamond Eye, by Kate Quinn. 3 generous stars. This was my fourth book by this author. It’s a work of fiction about a woman sniper, based on a real character. Because I loved “The Rose Code”, my anticipation was too much. more
It took me some time to get through this one but not because it was a sludge, oh contraire. I was in France- with little luxury time for reading. Anyone who follows me knows I’ve been gobbling up Ukraine, and Soviet reads. This one takes places when Ukraine was still part of the USSR in 1942. Germany made the bold step to move into Soviet territory in their quest to take over Europe. more
“It isn’t enough to believe in equality and peace and human rights—one must work at it. ”4 lustrous stars for another gem of a book written by Kate Quinn, Diamond Eye. The dazzling story of the multi-facted, Mila Pavlichenko, and the life of the girl who became a mother, having been seduced at a very young age, the mother who became the reluctant wife, the wife who became a soldier, and the soldier who became one of WWII’s greatest snipers, and the sniper who became a diplomat to the US. Kate Quin has done it again and found another unfamiliar female war heroine, and having brilliantly researched her life and memoirs, has delivered another immersive, captivating and eye-opening account of a dark period in our history and the personal anguish felt by so many on both sides. The Storyline and MemoirsThe plot is simple. more
I don't read WWII historical fiction often, but The Diamond Eye caught my attention, and what a riveting story. This remarkable woman Lyudmila "Mila" Pavilchenko, aka Lady Death, is a Soviet sniper with 309 confirmed kills. Mila was a teen mom. She attended Kiev University with a dream of becoming a historian in Moscow. She only shoot as a hobby until Germany invaded in 1941 (Battle of Kiev) when she enlisted with some pushback of being a woman. more
The Diamond Eye is the fictionalized autobiography of Lyudmila Pavlichenko “Mila”, a Russian sniper during World War II. The novel expertly blends portions of the real-life Mila's actual biography with Quinn's "unofficial" biography. We follow Mila from being a 15-year-old mother, then a history major writing a dissertation, to becoming a trained markswoman, a sniper, and going on a goodwill mission to the United States where she befriends Eleanor Roosevelt. The fictional element of her being targeted by a hitman while in the United States adds intrigue throughout the story. Kate Quinn is one of my top five favorite authors. more
It’s no secret- historical fiction is my jam- so I knew I’d be engrossed in this one. 🤓 I really took my time- absorbing each part of her story. Impressive that the author took so much time and truth from Lyudmila (Mila) Pavlichenko’s life and incorporated real people w/ each character. 🤔 The USSR lost so many- but that often gets overlooked in the whole mess that was WWII. I appreciated learning more about it and reading this version of “Lady Death” the famous female sniper. more
Lyudmila Pavlichenko is “The Diamond Eye’, Lady Death, a World War Two Russian army sniper with an alleged 309 kills. Russian propaganda or the truth. Her mission in 1942 in the United States is to be part of the delegation to encourage President Roosevelt to offer aid in its brutal war against Hitler. A marksman watches the proceedings, there is an audacious plot to kill FDR and Mila would be a great patsy. Backtrack five years to Kyiv in the Soviet Union and we get an insight into her life as an angry young mother, with her husband she’s trying desperately to divorce and how she becomes a sniper. more
The Diamond Eye was an excellent historical fiction story about Mila Pavilchenko, the female Russian sniper who had more than 300 kills in WWII. Mila was a single mom attending college to become a historian when she joined the Russian fight against Hitler’s invasion. When her 300th kill makes the news, Mila, aka Lady Death, is sent to the US for a PR tour, but it seems not everyone is impressed by her sharp shooter skills. I used to read a lot of historical fiction but have really stepped back from it over the last few years because I felt burnt out, particularly with WWII HF. Not saying these stories aren’t important or are unworthy, I just found them blending together far too much for me to enjoy reading them. more
“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. more
Lyudmila Pavlichenko is separated from her husband Alexei, she wants a divorce, he's stalling and they have a son Slavka. She lives in Kiev, when the Germans invade in 1941, the woman with an interest in historical events and she will become part of World War Two history. Mila joins the 25th rifle division, she’s taken a marksmanship course and becomes a sniper. Mila shoots from underground man made nests and hidden in bushes and from the tops of buildings. A comrade made a joke, to be a good sniper, you need a weapon, a knife, two ammunition pouches, patience and a non-reflective flask containing a little vodka. more
The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn. Probably my favorite book of 2022 this far. Tells a side of Russia at the brink of WWII. A bot of romance and sex but just enough to keep you interested not raunchy. Female heroine. more
The Diamond Eye is well-researched and documented historical fiction. It should help restore a mostly unknown WW2 heroine to her rightful place in history. Most of the characters, the events, battles, friendships, and losses are factual, but the author reveals fictional parts and speculation added to this compelling story. I had some problems with the book's structure and flow and would have preferred less emphasis on the various types of military weapons and her romantic involvements. I thought the story could have been tighter without losing any focus on her bravery in battle, her skill as a leader and as a sniper, her war wounds, tragic losses, and heroism. more
Find this review, my favorite quote, and companion read recommendations at: https://historicalfictionreader. blogs. The epigraph of THE DIAMOND EYE stopped my progress before I even hit the prologue. I was casually familiar with Lyudmila "Mila" Pavlichenko's history as a soldier and sniper but was utterly oblivious to the fact that she was also a single mother, a library researcher, and an envoy to the United States. The revelation took a minute to wrap my head around, but once it settled, I wondered how Kate Quinn would balance all the facets of her subject's life. more
3. 5 starsOut of the five books I have read from this author, unfortunately this is my least favorite. It's not bad by any means, but it just didn't draw me in as much as her other books have. This is based on a true story about a Russian woman, Mila Pavlichenko, who joins the army to be a sniper because she already possessed the needed sharpshooting skills. She is so good at her job that she becomes known as "Lady Death" and is then sent on a diplomatic mission to America to help convince Americans to start a second front against Hitler. more
I have read several of Kate Quinn’s novels and was really looking forward to reading her newest one, The Diamond Eye. It had all the elements I have come to expect in a book by Kate Quinn. The Diamond Eye was filled with intrigue, it was fast paced, gripping and quite remarkable. There was a strong female protagonist and I learned so much from reading it. The Diamond Eye was based on the life and experiences of Lyudmila (Mila) Pavlichenko, a talented and determined woman sniper in the Red army during World War II. more
4. 5 sharpshooter starsNo one writes historical fiction like Kate Quinn. This time she brings to life a quiet student, Mila Pavlichenko, as she becomes Lady Death -- a sniper working against the enemy Germans in WWII. We meet Mila in Kyiv as she cares for her son and works at the library. As war breaks out, she enlists to help defeat the Germans. more
I loved learning all about Mila, the Russian sniper that single-handedly eliminated at least 300 Nazis during World War II. While this is Historical Fiction, it hits harder on the history. Mila really needs no embellishment. Not only is it awesome to learn about how she handled herself during combat, but when she is sent to the U. S. more
Kate Quinn has written a fabulous historical fiction novel, The Diamond Eye. While Quinn was doing research, she discovered the story of Mila Pavlichenko who was a librarian turned sniper with over 300 kills to her credit. 5% of the total military personnel in Russia for WWII were women. Women were primarily in administrative roles but there were women who were skilled marksmen. Quinn's research uncovered that Pavlichenko became great friends with Eleanor Roosevelt, another incredibly strong woman. more
Kate Quinn is a kickass writer who immediately makes me care as deeply about the main protagonist as she does. The Diamond Eye is a historical fiction novel based on WWII Soviet sniper, Lyudmila (Mila)Pavlichenko, a woman who the Soviets claimed had more than 300 kills to her name. But during a trip to Washington DC in 1942 to drum up American support, there are those who lurk in the shadows that believe the tale to just be Soviet propaganda. Is Mila a hero or a fraud. Relying on a variety of non fiction texts and Pavlichenko's own memoir, Quinn creates an edge of your seat novel filled with fascinating characters and intriguing plot turns, including the friendship between Mila and American First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt. more
4. 5 starsKate 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. more
Lyudmila “Mila” Pavlichenko, estranged from her husband Alexei, was a history student working as a library researcher while supporting her young son. She decides to enlist in the Red Army when the Germans invade the Soviet Union. Mila demonstrates her advanced shooting skills and quickly establishes herself as a highly effective sniper. As Mila’s kills escalate, she is nicknamed “Lady Death. ” The story alternates between 1941, as Mila and her comrades face danger and death on the battlefields and 1942, when Mila and a Soviet delegation is sent to Washington D. more
I mentioned last year that I wanted to take a break from WWII books but nonetheless, I chose to read this book because of its interesting story. It's based on the true story of a renowned Ukrainian sniper during the war. I haven't heard of Mila Pavlichenko before this book and it's always interesting to see historic figures brought to life in fiction. So it was a real plus for Quinn in this book, that and her strong writing style. Other than that, however, I must admit that I couldn't connect with the characters and sometimes even if my mind wandered while listening to the audio, I wouldn't feel lost at all (nor care honestly). more
A sparkling gem of a story about a fabulous and fascinating woman. Mila Pavlichenko’s journey from history student and mother to sniper and national hero is beautifully rendered by Kate Quinn in this utterly absorbing novel. more
I am such a fan of Kate Quinn and yet this is the first book I review here (more reviews of her other books will follow). Oddly enough, this is the first of her books I have been following from start to finish and couldn’t wait to read. So much so, that I bought the book on launch day. Then counted the days until the book was delivered to Bulgaria. That was a story I was not inclined to wait forever to be translated and printed (I just collect the Bulgarian editions of Kate’s books). more
As much as it pains me to do it, I’ve added this to my DNF list. I LOVE Kate Quinn’s books but this was just not my thing. Most of the characters were unlikeable, including Mila, the main character. Moreover, I hated the way this story was being told. I usually don’t have a problem with dual timelines or first person but this was just so choppy. more