Genre Fiction
![Kate Quinn - [object Object] author](https://res.cloudinary.com/readsomnia/image/upload/authors/a_B002VXE8IE.jpg)
The Diamond Eye: A Novel
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 Kiev (now known as 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. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper-a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.
Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC-until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila's past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.
Based on a true story, 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.
In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kiev (now known as 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. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper-a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.
Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC-until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila's past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.
Based on a true story, 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.
Editorial Reviews
"The Diamond Eye is sharply observed, multi-faceted and brilliantly alive-historical fiction at its best!" -- Christine Wells, author of Sisters of the Resistance
"A riveting, authentic story of a Soviet woman who becomes a sniper during WWII. In page-turning prose, Kate Quinn illuminates the tale of Mila Pavlichenko, who, after killing more than 300 of Hitler's most formidable officers, comes to the U.S. to promote America's entry into the war. With vivid characters, unforgettable battle scenes, and moments of intense humanity and love, The Diamond Eye is a master class in historical fiction. It will leave you breathless, choking on tears." -- Elena Gorokhova, author of A Train to Moscow
"Readers can all but smell the gunsmoke in The Diamond Eye, so thoroughly does Kate Quinn immerse you in the grim and grey world of the Russian Front - and in the psyche of her remarkable real-life heroine, Mila Pavlichenko. Quinn's page-turning account of Mila's transformation from student to sniper measures the unimaginable toll of pulling the trigger, portraying with power and compassion Mila's urge not to kill, but to protect. Unputdownable!" -- Bryn Turnbull, author of The Last Grand Duchess
"Kate Quinn amazes me. With each new book she reaches new heights in her craft as a writer of page-turning plots and prose. The Diamond Eye is a remarkable story filled with heart, intrigue, breathtaking drama and, perhaps best of all, meticulously researched details that prove that history provides the absolute best raw material for storytelling. Like her sniper subject Lyudmila Pavlichenko, Kate Quinn has brilliantly hit her mark--this is a stunning novel about a singular historical heroine." -- Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post
"A sparkling gem of a story about a fabulous and fascinating woman. Lyudmila Pavlichenko's journey from history student and mother to sniper and national hero is beautifully rendered by Kate Quinn in this utterly absorbing novel."
-- Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Riviera House
"The brilliant Kate Quinn is at the top of her game with an unexpected historical heroine to root for. The young Russian mother and war hero will steal your heart by stealth--just as she stole the heart of Eleanor Roosevelt, America's most celebrated First Lady. You'll be wowed by this unlikely tale of love and lasting friendship that transcends ideology. It kept me reading late into the night!"
-- Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling aut...
"A riveting, authentic story of a Soviet woman who becomes a sniper during WWII. In page-turning prose, Kate Quinn illuminates the tale of Mila Pavlichenko, who, after killing more than 300 of Hitler's most formidable officers, comes to the U.S. to promote America's entry into the war. With vivid characters, unforgettable battle scenes, and moments of intense humanity and love, The Diamond Eye is a master class in historical fiction. It will leave you breathless, choking on tears." -- Elena Gorokhova, author of A Train to Moscow
"Readers can all but smell the gunsmoke in The Diamond Eye, so thoroughly does Kate Quinn immerse you in the grim and grey world of the Russian Front - and in the psyche of her remarkable real-life heroine, Mila Pavlichenko. Quinn's page-turning account of Mila's transformation from student to sniper measures the unimaginable toll of pulling the trigger, portraying with power and compassion Mila's urge not to kill, but to protect. Unputdownable!" -- Bryn Turnbull, author of The Last Grand Duchess
"Kate Quinn amazes me. With each new book she reaches new heights in her craft as a writer of page-turning plots and prose. The Diamond Eye is a remarkable story filled with heart, intrigue, breathtaking drama and, perhaps best of all, meticulously researched details that prove that history provides the absolute best raw material for storytelling. Like her sniper subject Lyudmila Pavlichenko, Kate Quinn has brilliantly hit her mark--this is a stunning novel about a singular historical heroine." -- Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post
"A sparkling gem of a story about a fabulous and fascinating woman. Lyudmila Pavlichenko's journey from history student and mother to sniper and national hero is beautifully rendered by Kate Quinn in this utterly absorbing novel."
-- Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of The Riviera House
"The brilliant Kate Quinn is at the top of her game with an unexpected historical heroine to root for. The young Russian mother and war hero will steal your heart by stealth--just as she stole the heart of Eleanor Roosevelt, America's most celebrated First Lady. You'll be wowed by this unlikely tale of love and lasting friendship that transcends ideology. It kept me reading late into the night!"
-- Stephanie Dray, New York Times bestselling aut...
Readers Top Reviews
Ashlee
This is everything I want in a historical fiction, namely WWII. This is my second book by Kate Quinn and she's officially an auto-buy now with this release. With current world events, it's hard to remember that the Soviet Union was once a friend of the Allies. Within the context of this novel, Kate takes us on a journey through the eyes of a female sniper on the Russian frontlines across the ocean to campaign for the United States to aid against German aggression. Mila Pavlichenko becomes a face of the war to the American politicians and populace. Based on a true story, there are themes of love, agony, the struggles of war, hope and friendship. I cannot recommend this book enough. Saskia Maarleveld is my all-time favorite narrator for a reason. Her accents, intonation, and overall performance bumps every book up another level and this is no exception. She's absolutely amazing and easy to listen to. Thank you to Harper Audio for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Dianna Rostad
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!
eema2emma
Ever since I read The Alice Network, I knew Kate Quinn was going to be one to watch for. Since then, I've read all her recent World War II themed historical fiction novels. I don't even have to look at the synopsis to know I want to read her next book. So when I got my hands on an advanced copy of The Diamond Eye, I didn't check the synopsis until right before I started reading it. Imagine my surprise at the initial location of this novel, based on the timing of everything going on right now. This was a compelling narrative. I didn't know anything about Lyudmila Pavlichenko, so it was interesting to see her story brought to life in this way. I appreciated Kate's notes at the end and how she explained where she took liberties with Mila's story. She also provided other sources to find out more. This was the first of Kate's recent novels to focus on one heroine (with some villain narrative interspersed throughout). I was wondering if there would be enough for her to fill an entire novel, but she clearly did an amazing job with it. Mila was fierce and passionate about her work and I was cheering for her the entire time. There are some sad moments, as well as some really good redeeming ones. I love Mila's friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt. It's so unexpected and really sweet too. I couldn't imagine leaving my kids behind for so long to do everything Mila was doing to protect her country and I commend her for that. I don't really have any casting ideas for this one, but I pictured Alexandra Krosney as Mila the entire time.
