No one writes quite like Quinn.  She has a way of taking historical fact and weaving it into a compelling, unputdownable read that feels fresh and inspired.  She is in a league of her own, and it would be a disservice to this book to simply consider it “more WW2 historic fiction.”

 

309 kills.  That’s Ludmila Pavichanko’s official kill count.  That number doesn’t include kills she couldn’t verify, and, most importantly, it doesn’t tell her full story.  Devoted mother, book worm, budding historian.  Mila is not the cold-hearted heroine you’d expect.  She’s steely yet tender.  She’s devoted to the mission yet sensitive.  

 

I was fully endeared to Mila and her story… laughing at her jokes, swooning alongside her as she discovered love, fearing for her safety, and sitting with her in the trenches as she resolved to fight for a better future for her son.  This is a memorable portrait of a real heroine who deserves a bold spotlight in history.         

 

It’s not lost on me that Mila is a {badass} Ukrainian fighting against an invader.  It appears Ukrainians have always been born of hearty, brave stock. 

 

Well over 400 pages, I was fully engrossed in this riveting story… from adept character development to cinematic atmosphere to beautiful prose, I couldn’t put this book down until I turned the last page.  And even then, I wasn’t ready to be done.  

 

Much like our protagonist, Quinn has hit the mark with her latest novel.  

 

I partnered the physical book with the audio.  The narration by Saskia Maarleveld is nuanced and gave Mila a distinct voice.  My one qualm would be that the narration of the marksman was not set apart, and therefore necessary to notate that distinction in the print.  

 

Thank you to Kate Quinn, William Morrow, and Harper Audio for the advanced #gifted copies of this book to read and review.