The Diamond Eye - Kate Quinn

Kate Quinn's previous book The Rose Code was my favorite historical read last year. When I heard she had a new book coming out I wondered - could she match that fantastic read? Well, the answer is a resounding yes! The Diamond Eye has just released and it too is a fascinating blend of fact and fiction.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Mila Pavlichenko. You’ll recognize the first name, but most likely not the second. Pavlichenko was a Russian sniper in WWII who came to be known - and feared - as Lady Death. 

Quinn brings Mila to life in the Diamond Eye. We meet her as a young mother, a hard worker, a loyal patriot, and a historical librarian student. When the Germans declare war, she immediately steps up to defend her country. She’s such a great lead character, strong, feisty, determined and clever. She’s also a woman and a mother and Quinn explores and depicts those facets of her life as well. She faced great deal of adversity on all fronts. Not everyone thinks Mila should be the sniper she is, or the face of the Russian soldier. There’s lots of action, danger and a mystery woven into The Diamond Eye.

I chose to listen to the The Diamond Eye. The reader was one of my favorites -  the very talented Saskia Maarleveld. She has the most wonderfully expressive voice. Her voice is rich and full with a gravelly undertone. She provides different voices for each of the characters that very much suited the mental images I created for each. Mila's voice is so strong and absolutely brought her to life. And yes, her Russian accent was realistic and consistent. There are many male characters as well and the voices and tones Maarleveld provided were also believable. She captures the plot of Quinn's work easily with her voice. As well as the emotions and settings. Her voice is easy to listen to, well enunciated and the pace is just right. I've said it before and I'll say it again - when listening to a book, I find I am much more immersed in the story and that was definitely the case with The Diamond Eye. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of The Diamond Eye.