The Diamond Eye by Kate QuinnMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Both the writing and the story sparkle like diamonds in this historical novel by Kate Quinn, based on the life of WWII Soviet female sniper, Mila Pavlichenko. If it hadn’t been about a real woman (and supported by extensive author’s notes), it might have been tempting to disbelieve it: a pretty, petite, girl becomes pregnant at 15, is a bookish single mom when, in her early 20s and working on a dreadfully dull literary graduate thesis, she takes up sharpshooting for fun and ends up becoming a celebrity military sniper, feted in America as well as Russia. But damn it all, it’s true! And it makes for a wonderful, gripping story in the deft hands of Ms. Quinn.
I confess that for much of the book I worried that it would slip into trashy romance territory (many men were attracted to her). I’ve read too many books in which the seemingly strong heroine falls for the wrong man and/or forgives one who has been beastly to her. I’m happy to say that the author handled the romances credibly, and Mila dispatched with the worst offenders appropriately. In fact, one of the strengths of the book is that it directly addresses the challenges faced by women working in the military (particularly in the decades before “me too”). Not only did they have to fear rape as well as death if captured, they had to fend off advances from their superior officers and platoon-mates.
Quinn clearly did her research. The writing has amazing detail about what it actually feels like to be a sniper in the moments leading up to, during and after the kill. Nothing here is sugar-coated. At the same time, the writing is fast-paced, and will appeal to a wide audience.
As we are in a time when Russia’s attack on Ukraine has made it easier for those of us who haven’t lived through wars to contemplate what it might be like to have your normal life turned inside out by an invading army’s aggression, this book gives tremendous insight in a very readable way. I recommend it.
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