I always love a Kate Quinn read. They never disappoint. The Diamond Eye follows her typical formula...strong female protagonist, WWII, dual timeline, but still manages to keep things fresh and interesting. I am always impressed at how she manages to come up with new ways to deliver these tales.

Based on the true story of Lyudmila Pavilchenko, a Soviet WWII sniper, the plot is full of historical detail and a realistic feel. Quinn obviously does her homework before writing and there is an awful lot of this novel that comes off (appropriately) feeling like nonfiction. The characters are vividly written, with fantastic interactions and development of relationships. There is just a magic touch to the writing that really humanizes everything. There are a lot of emotional moments and tense moments in the plot that are written in a way that feels completely organic.

This is one of those books that hooked me so well I didn't want to put it down (again typical of a Kate Quinn read for me). Though not as good as her novel The Rose Code, I sped through this lengthy read in just a couple of days, even going so far as to take the audio version with me when I went shopping for plants for my spring yard. I could not be deterred.

Quinn is 100% an autobuy author for me and I will read anything she puts to paper. She has a way of weaving an intriguing story with great balance and intrigue. When it comes to historical fiction, she is absolutely among the best.