In the first half of the 19th century, among the well-known literary works stand out "A Hero of Our Time", "The Captain's Daughter", "Taras Bulba", "Notes of a Madman", and others. However, one of the popular novels of that time, now forgotten, was "The Battle of the Russians with the Kabardians or The Beautiful Muslim Woman Dying at the Grave of Her Husband". Its author was officer of the Narva regiment Nikolai Ilyich Zryakhov, whose portrait has not survived. The novel described events of the Caucasian War.

The plot tells the story of a young soldier, Andrei Pobiedonoscev, who is captured by the Kabardians and meets Selima, the daughter of a local prince. Feelings arise between them. Admiring Andrei's bravery, the prince offers him to convert to Islam and marry Selima, but Andrei refuses and is soon exchanged for prisoners. Unable to bear the separation, Selima runs away to Andrei, they marry and return to his parents. However, their happiness is short-lived: a few years later, Andrei falls seriously ill and dies in Selima's arms. The plot of the novel is unusual and could serve as the basis for a modern sentimental series. Interestingly, at first, high society did not accept "The Muslim Woman", considering it primitive. Belinsky even left a review stating that it was "not stupidity, but only underdevelopment, ignorance".

Nevertheless, the novel resonated with peasants and townsfolk, who saw in the main character their relatives and acquaintances. Over time, Zryakhov's work became so popular that it began to be reprinted, and "The Muslim Woman" was published until 1917. The love of the common people for this novel was so great that many adaptations and blatant plagiarisms appeared. Zryakhov himself wrote several more novels about the Caucasian War, but remained the author of only one successful work.