The Legend of Lilia

A novel based on a true story

By Christopher P. Redwine, 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Via: Reedsy/Discovery

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“Hey Mom!” quoth I, Kimber the Magnificent. “How do you spell ‘fas-cin-a-ting?” (“Quoth.” Isn’t that a great word? I stole it from Mom. Don’t tell anyone, okay?)

“Why?” quoth Mom. (There’s that great word again.)

“I need it to help with the review of that cool book you just read. The historical novel about the world’s first female ace fighter pilot.”

“You mean, The Legend of Lilia?”

“That’s it!” Says I. Mom tells me it goes kinda like this:

“For the crime of being her father’s daughter she was classified as a traitor. By her deeds in war, to the people she was a hero.”

First Female Ace Fighter Pilot

The Legend of Lilia is the fascinating “story about a story” of the world’s first female ace fighter pilot. Brimming with adventure, courage, history, tragedy, and a touch of romance, the book also chronicles the mystery swirling around the final fate of its protagonist, Lilia Litvyak. Because her father was classified as an “Enemy of the State” and executed during one of Stalin’s purges, Lilia was “erased from history” after she disappeared in the skies above the front in 1943. What happened before she was shot down and why is expertly explored in this gripping historical novel.

The White Lily of Stalingrad

The Legend of Lilia is based on the true story of Lilia Vladimirovna Litvyak, The White Lily of Stalingrad. It opens in 1936 Moscow. We soon learn that Lilia loves flying and earns her pilot’s license by age fifteen. World War II crashes into the story when the Germany Army smashes through the Soviet border in 1941. The Soviets lose over 2,000 airplanes on the first day of battle. So Stalin “authorized the formation of three air combat regiments to be comprised exclusively of female pilots.”

Lilia joins up. And a legend is born.

Most Dangerous

Across the frontline, “the war would be won or lost in the battle for air superiority, which would be settled by the fighter squadrons and the skills of their pilots on both sides of the line.” One of the most skilled and successful fighter pilots you’ve probably never heard of is Lilia “Seagull” Litvyak.

An ace fighter pilot by age 21, Lilia was the most dangerous woman in the sky over the Eastern Front – until she was shot down in 1943. Nobody really knows what happened to her after that.

Nimble and engaging, this is the remarkable story of a remarkable woman and fighter ace. The writing is solid, detailing aerial dog fights, ground crews, and battle scenes with precision and accuracy. The author’s command of the subject matter is impressive. So is his skill in bringing history to life and filling it with vivid color, action, and intensity. Expertly woven into the text is the story-within-a-story of the massive graft, fraud, and corruption that was the Soviet Union. How its duplicity and mendacity impacted the life of one female fighter pilot, her family, and history is also detailed.

’12 and Top’

Meticulously researched and briskly paced, The Legend of Lilia is a little Twelve O’clock High and a little Top Gun. It’s thoroughly engrossing. Indeed, this finely crafted historical novel will appeal to military history buffs and anyone who enjoys a well-told story. It merits a wide audience.

A monument to Lilia Litvyak stands in a small coal mining town in what is now the Ukraine. (Note: This book was read and reviewed before the invasion.)

***

Kimber: Can we spell “dinner” now?

Our Rating: 4.0