Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

45 reviews

saliwali's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, War, Violence, Grief, Murder, Bullying, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Blood, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Rape, Sexual violence, Stalking, Mental illness, and Medical trauma

Minor: Xenophobia and Antisemitism

just_jess02's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Mila’s story is fierce, bold, heartbreaking, infuriating, encouraging, fascinating, and freeing. It is so much packed into a thrilling page-turner. I imagine it would be even more poignant if I were reading it myself rather than listening.

The narration was crisp and stiff- something I didn’t like at first but once I saw how well it fit the story, it was one of the many aspects that gripped me. The dualities of each character created depth and complexity that had me wondering where many moments would lead. Each relationship and interaction was important and necessary. Is it odd to appreciate the efficiency of a novel?

I enjoyed the exploration of what happens behind the facade of strong, courageous, women who cannot show weakness or softness to the public eye. It is so nice to read a book about a female protagonist that is truly through the female experience and challenges the expectations of the ‘male gaze’ while still incorporating the struggles it causes. Mila is unapologetically brash because she has to be and understanding the inside of her mind during those moments made my heart ache and my conscious confused. 

 This is so well written, well narrated, and just very engaging overall. It is one you want to sit with and think about but also don’t want to put it down to do so. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Death, Alcohol, War, Murder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence

Moderate: Sexual content, Medical content, Abandonment, Blood, and Stalking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Torture, and Suicidal thoughts

humblebookdragon's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Word of advice, don't read Lyudmila Pavlichenko's memoir "Lady Death" before this, or you will know 90% of this book. No twists and turns here except for the last 10%, which is pure fiction. As scenes were building up, I was like "oh, is this where she XYZs?" and so forth. Kind of actually felt like I was reading Lady Death again at certain points. 

Its not a bad read, and I do believe my prior knowledge and reading made enjoyment complicated, but I do prefer The Rose Code. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Murder, Gun violence, War, and Medical content

Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, and Misogyny

paizliibubs's review against another edition

adventurous informative inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: War and Violence

Minor: Rape and Suicide

cameronmh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Really beautiful book— easier to digest than her autobiography, but very faithful. Highly recommend the author’s note to anyone who might normally skip it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Death, Violence, Sexism, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Medical content, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Gun violence

Moderate: Sexual content and Racism

Minor: Pedophilia and Sexual harassment

nataliebootlah's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Who doesn’t love a heroine based on a true story? Lyudmila Pavlichenko, or “Lady Death”, was a Russian sniper credited with an official count of 309 kills during WWII. 

I love how Quinn writes historical women, especially since you can tell how much research goes into each story. And this novel was no different. Mila is a single mother, marksman, and history student when war comes to Russia. Soon, life as she knew it is gone and she’s fighting against Nazis on the front lines. 

Saskia Maarleveld brought Mila’s strength and resilience to life in the audiobook. What a treat.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, War, and Violence

ka_ke's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

My thoughts and feelings regarding the Diamond Eye are difficult to explain. 

On the one hand, I chose one hell of a time to pick it up seeing as Russia has cruelly invaded Ukraine and they have been at war for 1.5 years at this point. Therefore, I find myself unable to sympathize with Lady Death and the Russian people as they struggled through Nazi invasion. 

On the other hand, the Diamond Eye is an excellent lesson in the theory of intersectionality and my understanding/belief in it. 

Lyudmila is a Russian woman, a student majoring in history, a single mother whose husband abandoned their family. She is then forced to become an infamous sniper for the Russian army.

So while I can support a woman doing what she feels is right and proper to protect herself and her country, I am torn by my disgust at the present day uncalled-for actions of Russia against the citizens of Ukraine. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Body horror, Classism, Blood, Death, Grief, Violence, War, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Murder, Sexual content, Abandonment, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Forced institutionalization, Suicidal thoughts, and Sexual harassment

kuurankero's review against another edition

dark emotional informative medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

This was very interesting book about the worlds deadliest female sniper in history. Lady death, Ljudmyla Pavlytšenko was unknown to me before reading this. So it was very cool to read about her, and I would love to read Ljudmyla's memoir book now.

My only complain is, that the book focused a lot on her lovers. Especially since one of them was apparently fictional. It would have been great to see less of them and more of Lena (I think thats her name, I listened the audiobook) or Eleanor. I never would have expected a USSR sniper and the first lady of the USA be best friends but thats cool about history. You never know the full story.

This book told me a lot of new information on ww2 and gave me new perpectives. I never knew woman of ussr could fight in the forefront. I definetly want to learn more about the female soldiers of ww2 now. Not that I never wanted before. It's always fun to discover new stories of history.

So I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone interested in historical fiction! Or if you are interested anyway. Such a great book! I also really liked the finnish audiobook version so be not afraid to listen it :D

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexism, War, Stalking, Murder, Gun violence, Blood, and Death

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

nvargas's review against another edition

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Violence, Toxic relationship, and War

smagzisreading's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful inspiring tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: War

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Death, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, and Antisemitism

Minor: Rape