Mamas, if you need some help getting through these long, cold winter days, we’ve got the book for you. The Diamond Eye, by one of our favorite authors, Kate Quinn. Before I found this author, I would’ve told you that historical fiction wasn’t my thing. But now, I LOVE it, as long as Kate Quinn is writing it. She knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat.
Book title: The Diamond Eye
Author: Kate Quinn
Genre: Historical thriller
What it’s about (without spoilers):
The bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable work of WWII historical fiction about 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. 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 in this gripping historical thriller. 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 piece of biographical fiction about 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.
Why we like it:
This book will make you realize that even the dead of winter in Northwest Arkansas is a really good place to be. Because the main character in this story lives in some truly terrible conditions in some of the coldest places on Earth. You’ll also become a huge fan of this Ukranian woman because she is such a total badass. She commits herself to becoming a top sniper, in large part because she is trying to create a safer world for her son. There are a ton of tense situations in this book that will keep you turning pages even when you know you should probably go to sleep. The romance element in this book does not disappoint. And we promise the ending is as good as you’ll want it to be.
What other people say:
“Quinn specializes in centering strong women; each of her books exceeds expectations set by the previous title… Readers looking for a new and unique viewpoint of World War II with a mystery to solve and a light touch of romance will dive deep into this story.” – Library Journal (starred review)
“Remarkable…Kate Quinn is a master at crafting an intoxicating, well-balanced blend of immersive period details and deft character work.…The Diamond Eye is a remarkable combination of immersive wartime storytelling, rich detailing and wonderful pacing. What really makes The Diamond Eye land, though, goes beyond Quinn’s mastery of her chosen genre. This is, first and foremost, an exceptional character piece, a study of a woman who is a killer, a mother, a lover and, above all else, a survivor.” – BookPage (starred review)
About the author:
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 bachelor’s and master’s degrees in classical voice. A lifelong history buff, she has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga and two books set in the Italian Renaissance before turning to the 20th century with The Alice Network, The Huntress, The Rose Code, The Diamond Eye, and The Briar Club. The Astral Library is her first foray into magic realism. She and her husband now live in Maryland with their rescue dogs.
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