Mila’s story is fierce, bold, heartbreaking, infuriating, encouraging, fascinating, and freeing. It is so much packed into a thrilling page-turner. I imagine it would be even more poignant if I were reading it myself rather than listening.

The narration was crisp and stiff- something I didn’t like at first but once I saw how well it fit the story, it was one of the many aspects that gripped me. The dualities of each character created depth and complexity that had me wondering where many moments would lead. Each relationship and interaction was important and necessary. Is it odd to appreciate the efficiency of a novel?

I enjoyed the exploration of what happens behind the facade of strong, courageous, women who cannot show weakness or softness to the public eye. It is so nice to read a book about a female protagonist that is truly through the female experience and challenges the expectations of the ‘male gaze’ while still incorporating the struggles it causes. Mila is unapologetically brash because she has to be and understanding the inside of her mind during those moments made my heart ache and my conscious confused. 

 This is so well written, well narrated, and just very engaging overall. It is one you want to sit with and think about but also don’t want to put it down to do so. 

Besties, Kate Quinn has done it again. I’m not a fan of WWII fiction, but I will never hesitate to read a WWII novel if Kate Quinn is at the helm.

The Diamond Eye is almost a pseudo-autobiography, an engrossing re-imagining the official (state-sponsored) memoir of Soviet sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko. When German troops reach the borders of the USSR, Mila abandons her quiet life as a library research assistant and history student to enlist in the Red Army. The book moves between her time acclimating to the horrors of war as she hones her deadly sharpshooting skills and her subsequent goodwill tour across America.

4/5: I really enjoyed this one; it wasn’t my favorite of Quinn’s (The Rose Code and Mistress of Rome hold that honor), but it was impeccably researched and full of interesting characters. Fans of The Huntress in particular should love The Diamond Eye’s deeper dive into Soviet resistance during the war.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!