‘Diamond Eye’ tells the true story of Lady Death, who killed 319 Nazis – Culture

The new book of the beloved author Kate Quinn is now on the book market. “Diamond Eye” is a historical novel that interweaves the real events of Lyudmila Pavlichenko’s life with historical facts.

Known as Lady Death, Ludmila was a single mother, graduate student, researcher and librarian who went down in history as the deadliest female sniper in World War II with 309 enemy kills.

The story in the book begins in 1937, when the student Mila’s daily life is reduced to three main tasks – her history studies, her work in the library and the care of her young son. But when, on a sunny day, the news thunders through the streets of Odessa that Hitler is attacking Russia, Lyudmila Pavlichenko’s fate is unexpectedly pushed in another direction. To the front.

The student replaces the books with a rifle and in a short time becomes an excellent shooter. She is determined to do everything to protect her child’s future, but she doesn’t even suspect that amidst the nightmare of war, she will know not only pain, but also fleeting moments of happiness from true shared love.

Three hundred and nine Nazis killed – the number of enemies brought down by her hand brought Mila national fame and the Soviet authorities readily used her popularity. Lady Death is sent to the US to help push the idea of ​​a new front and active American aid in the war.

Pressured by the dizzying media attention, Mila finds an unexpected ally in the person of the first lady of the USA – Eleanor Roosevelt. But will that be enough? Far from the muddy trenches, in the beautiful gardens of the White House, Mila Pavlichenko faces the deadliest sniper duel of her life.

“An amazing, stunning work from one of the best contemporary historical novelists. Meticulously researched, skillfully constructed, and filled with an exciting mix of dynamism and heart, The Diamond Eye is a masterpiece,” Christine Harmel wrote about the novel.

Drawing on the official memoirs of Lyudmila Pavlichenko and numerous historical sources, Kate Quinn constructs a compelling narrative that immerses the reader in the horrific reality of war, but also allows him to peer into the heart and mind of a woman who does not lose the ability to love even when it goes hand in hand with death.