The Diamond Eye
Books | Drama / American / General
4.2
(7.5K)
Kate Quinn
The New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet librarian who becomes history's deadliest female sniper. Based on a true story. In the snowbound city of Kiev, wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son--but Hitler's invasion of 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.
Historical Fiction
World War 2
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More Details:
Author
Kate Quinn
Pages
656
Publisher
HarperCollins Publishers
Published Date
2022-03-29
ISBN
0063211408 9780063211407
Community ReviewsSee all
"Interesting story from the other side."
Donna Thiessen
"Based on a remarkable true story, this one is about a female Russian sniper in WWII - her achievements in brutal combat conditions, rise in the ranks at a time when women were not common in the Russian military, and her unwanted role in international negotiations for support in the European theater. Told as a personal story (fictionalized history), it makes a for a compelling read."
Jackie Davidson
"My second Kate Quinn book, this one about a Soviet Sniper with 309 recorded kills. Really well written story and has a lot of true aspects to it. She gives a good explanation at the end of the parts she changed for the story aspect but the ethos of the story is all real. "
Sheldon Rapoza
"An interesting historical fiction about a young Soviet woman who trains to be a sniper in WWII. Her sacrifices and courageous spirit drive her to become one of the most prolific snipers of her time. After the war she travels to America where she is exonerated for her war efforts and is befriended by Eleanore Roosevelt. "
Merry
"This was a fascinating novel based on the true story of a Russian woman sniper fighting Germans in WWII. It was well written with good historic details and characters I wanted to read more about. I thoroughly enjoyed this one! So good! "
Katie Harrison
"Fantastic read. I loved the first person narrative and a very different perspective on WWII. I would recommend this book! "
Olivia Denning
"Does not disappoint! Courage, heart, and total bad***. Oh, and she is a Mom, too! "
S G
Samantha Goodnight
"This was a historical fiction about Lady Death, the woman who hunted Nazis. Kate Quinn a great job with this storyline, even if it was a little slower at some points. The background information about Lady Death was fascinating, and it made me want to read more about her."
Olivia Huie
"What an incredible woman! It resonates with what is happening in Ukraine today. Mila's life and exploits, maneuvering in a man's world, made me never want to finish the book. The only thing that detracted from this was a contrived fictional framework that didn't work for me. But the rest of the book is able to shine despite this. And make sure you read the author's note at the end. "
DaRo reads
"A powerful and moving account of Russian sniper, Lady Death, during WWII. I was invested from page one and carried through incredible emotions at each stage of her battle both on the front lines and on the world stage. Excellent writing and excellent storytelling weaving together facts from her memoir, the war, and fictional additions to perfectly fill in the blanks."
Cheyanne
