Overall ratings
Goodreads: 4.9 out of 5.0 stars
Amazon: 4.6 out of 5.0 stars
(as of 2/25/2026)
Paul Sellars, Independent Editor
"Brenda Ellis's prose is strong, clear and effective. There's so much thought and passion in Roza's narration, so much drama, and the ending
is extremely poignant — as articulate a comment on the nature of war as anyone could want to make."
Harley Patrick, Hellgate Press
"Roza's War makes an excellent contribution to the existing body of WWII Historical Fiction."
Caroline Johnson, author
5.0 out of 5 stars
Story of True Courage
Aristotle wrote so many years ago, in his Nicomachean Ethics, that true courage can only be found on the battlefield. In Roza’s War, we get a rare glimpse of a soldier and her first-person account of the brutality of a WWII sniper’s life. Readers follow the adventures of Roza Shahina, one of the most famous Soviet female snipers, as she commands a platoon of women snipers against the German “fritz,” all while entangling herself in romantic liaisons, dodging tricky dealings with officers, and sending and receiving covert mail that could get her fired—or even killed. Roza spends time with her fellow female warriors, earning two Medals of Glory, and front-page headlines in many Russian newspapers. She uses her power to try to help the plight of women soldiers, many of whom are sexual victims on the front. We cheer for Roza—celebrate her victories, as she writes, “I crave a fight, a fierce fight. I’d give anything to go and fight with the soldiers on the frontlines this minute. If I were a boy, it would be allowed.” The Soviets allow her to use her weapon, but because she is a woman, they want her towards the rear of the offensive. “There are those who need vodka,” Roza Shahina says. “I need combat.” Throughout the novel she questions whether she is truly brave, despite her loyalty to her country. “Monsters tell us what to do,” she writes her sister Yulia, “and then we kill each other.” Go pour a glass of Russian vodka and cozy up with this wonderful, unique account of WWII, a tale of true courage that Aristotle would approve of.
Chloe Antonia
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm blown away
Let me start off by saying that I am not generally a fan of this genre, or historical fiction in general. In fact, I’d say that my usual tastes are the complete opposite. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy this book, but I’ve recently decided to broaden my horizons and decided to give it a try. Now, with that in mind, trust me when I tell you that I’m SO GLAD I did. I genuinely was not expecting to love it this much. From Roza’s first letter, I was immediately transported into her world and felt like I was there with her throughout her entire journey. Apart from the book being entertaining on its own, I learned so much about the Soviet Union and WWII while reading, and it didn’t feel like I was reading a textbook (like some other novels in the genre). Roza’s War is so masterfully written that I didn’t even realize how much I was learning because I was so hooked on the story. I got to relive the human experience through the perspective of someone I didn’t even know existed (and yes, she really existed)!! You will do mental gymnastics contemplating a lot of life’s unanswerable questions - “What is right?” “What is wrong?” “What exactly is ‘the truth’?” And, “how do we know what the real truth is?” … The aftershock of this read is still with me, even a week later. I am completely blown away. I am telling you, do yourself a favor and add this book to your collection. I can’t recommend it enough! Oh - and be prepared to shed a tear (or many). Roza was a Russian sniper in World War II who was held up as a model of Russian womanhood and fighting spirit. Experience World War II through this young woman’s reimagined diary of her experience on the front lines. Based on extensive research into original documents, this moving story will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
M Perbix
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Different Perspective on WWII
Roza’s War exposes the reader to life during World War II from a Russian soldier’s perspective – specifically that of a rare female army sniper. The book is presented as the journal of Roza Shahina and addresses many of the topics one would expect – life as a soldier at the battle front and complaints about the people and circumstances she faces on a daily basis. Through her journal entries, she expresses her frustrations about being treated differently from other soldiers because she is a woman – even though she is the leader of a platoon of other women snipers. This leads to some repetitive themes such as sexual harassment and being held at the rear rather than being allowed to engage in the fight – both of which fit well in the journal format of the book. Although the journal is a fictionalized account of Roza’s military life, she was a real soldier, and the book includes documentation of her heroics. This turns out to be another one of her frustrations because she sees that she is being “protected” so she can be used for propaganda purposes, and she is further restrained from actually engaging in combat. All of these elements are integrated by the author into a believable story that should be engaging and enlightening to any reader. Roza was a Russian sniper in World War II who was held up as a model of Russian womanhood and fighting spirit. Experience World War II through this young woman’s reimagined diary of her experience on the front lines. Based on extensive research into original documents, this moving story will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
True story told in an exciting and moving way
This is a WWII novel based on a real-life Soviet sniper. The history is real but the feel of the book is quite modern, with themes like #metoo and #fakenews. So much better than any other Roza Shanina book I’ve read!
Keri
5.0 out of 5 stars
Phenomenal Story and Phenomenal Woman!
This was a riveting story about a bada$$ female sniper. The courage it took to do what she did is inspiring. She was a woman ahead of her time and her accomplishments are something to aspire to! I absolutely recommend this book to anyone!!!
Reba's Dad
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fictional Account but Very Good
From what I understand, Roza kept a diary of her experience as a female Russian sniper during the Nazi retreat from Stalingrad. This book takes that diary and embellished very realistically upon it to turn it into novel form, so not every conversation or feeling or relationship may be actual but I have also read Roza's actual diary and this book does an excellent job of connecting the dots and fleshing it out. There is nothing crazy or outlandish that has been extrapolated from the diary. I liked it and would recommend it.
sangrevista
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Different Perspective
I am very glad that a friend recommended Roza's War. I have read many nonfiction books about WWII, primarily from the American and British perspectives. Books about the Red Army's experiences are far less common, and this aspect of the war has been a mystery to me. While Roza's War is historical fiction, there is a large body of research behind it, and the characters of Roza, her family and fellow Red Army soldiers are very believable. This book was an enjoyable read, and a nice break from nonfiction WWII tomes. I related well to Roza and her struggles, and the often-horrific life of a young female Red Army soldier. A fairly quick read, and well worth the time.
Barbara Stewart
5.0 out of 5 stars
Masterful Retelling of Russian Woman’s War Experience
Roza was a Russian sniper in World War II who was held up as a model of Russian womanhood and fighting spirit. Experience World War II through this young woman’s reimagined diary of her experience on the front lines. Based on extensive research into original documents, this moving story will stay with you long after you have turned the final page.
Erich Grossman
5.0 out of 5 stars
The woman who found the dark side of utopia.
This is the story of a complex and fascinating character, a young woman who came of age while the Soviet Union, as she saw it, transitioned from an idealistic experiment in social justice to a bloody battleground ruled through lies and brute force. On her journey she finds friendship, love, heroism, and tragedy. A thrilling read.
Zoya Popovic
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really interesting topic that few people know about.
Brenda Ellis gives us an honest view of the war life of one of the famous outstanding women Russian snipers during WWII. The tough defense from the Germans from the perspective of a strong young women, and her family's patriotism and sacrifice, is nicely described. Rare topic and important for people to know about.
Becky
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!
This book really helped me understand better the dynamics at play in Russia during the tragedy of WW2. I love historical fiction books and the author told a great story surrounding a true historical hero - Roza. It’s also an easy read. Highly recommend!
