Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

The Legend of Lilia by Christopher P. Redwine is a gripping World War II novel based on real events and characters. When Nazi Germany unexpectedly unleashed their blitzkrieg on the Soviet Union in June 1941, it set in motion a chain of events that would be the bloodiest and most deadly of the war. The Soviets were indeed fighting for their very existence and it would require every source at their command to halt the Nazi invasion. Lilia Litvyak was a young woman whose life had been thrown into turmoil when her beloved father was deemed an “enemy of the State” during one of Stalin’s purges and was executed. Lilia, though, had one remarkable talent that would make her vital in the upcoming conflict. Lilia was a brilliant and talented pilot, a skill that would ultimately lead her into a frontline role in the defense of the motherland from the Nazi invaders. This story follows the remarkable journey of Lilia Litvyak and her fellow female fighter pilots as they sought to protect their homeland from the Nazis.

The Legend of Lilia is a fantastic tale of heroism, raw courage, and bloody-mindedness that saw Soviet women rise out of their assigned role in society and take on the challenges of defending the motherland, head-on. Author Christopher P. Redwine has tapped into a wonderful true story and events, weaving a captivating fictional tale of Lilia’s life and interactions with her fellow combatants. From a distance of time and space, it is easy to minimize and forget the terrible effects of both Stalin’s purges on his people and the Soviet’s devastating losses of people and resources in World War II. The numbers are truly staggering and this tale highlights the utter fear, helplessness, and terror of those caught up in the purges and the battles. Yet, despite losing her innocent father to these abuses, Lilia was still first in line to fight the Nazis and determined to do whatever she possibly could to defend her homeland. The author carries readers along in a perfectly balanced mix of thrilling action and dogfights in the skies above the Soviet Union with a reminder of the hum-drum day-to-day life of an ordinary Sergeant Pilot dependent on weather, orders, and the capricious and unfair actions of the State apparatus. Despite Lilia’s great successes as a fighter ace, as the daughter of a declared “enemy of the State”, she was always at risk, and yet none of this ever fazed her or distracted her from her desire to help the Soviet Union win this war. This is a truly fantastic book that seamlessly combines the elements of known history with informed conjecture and speculation. I can highly recommend this read.