Hi everyone, this last week of April I’m giving you an adult mystery book I read a couple of years ago by bestselling author Kate Quinn. You could say the cover image gripped me at first, the story second. Hope you enjoy the review below!
Title: The Diamond Eye: A Novel
Author: Kate Quinn
Genre: Fiction – Historical
Publication details: HarperCollins; London, 2022
ISBN: 9780008523015 (Hardcover)
What this book is about: In the snowbound city of Kiev, bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko’s life revolves around her library job and young son – until Hitler’s invasion of Russia changes everything. Practically overnight her life changes as the young people take up arms to save their country from destruction. Handed a rifle, Mila discovers a gift. After months of blood, sweat and tears, the young woman turns into a deadly sniper: the most lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. 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 becomes a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.
My review: This was an intriguing and multi-layered mystery set in the trenches during World War Two! One of the things that struck me was that women and men fought as equals in the former USSR during this period in time. I hadn’t heard of female snipers from the Red Army until I read this fascinating read!! The layers of her past and present make this an intriguing one. I found that the pacing, description and storyline went hand in hand with the underlying mystery superbly. When I realised this was based on an actual person and found the photographs at the back I was quite surprised. You’ve got to hand it to Quinn for portraying aspects of history that are forgotten. An amazing story and historical fiction at its best!!
My rating: 4 ⭐
Additional notes: This title was nominated for the Goodreads Choice award for Historical Fiction and the She Reads Best of Awards for Book of the Year and Historical Fiction in 2022.
Miss Mahee's Library of Reads 