After she spent six hours stuck in her cabin while waiting to see if she would be rescued, she decided to make a major life change and become a full-time writer.

[2][9] It tells the story of a student's recollections of her brilliant and demanding teacher, and a offers a contemplation on the meaning of art.

"[8][13] Set in Leningrad, the book centers on Russian women's efforts to quietly resist and keep the memory of loved ones alive in the post-World War II period, and it explores the legacy of the Soviet Union.

[8][11] Simon Patterson and Nina Chorda translated Vremia zhenshchin into English in 2012 as The Time of Women [ru].

[2][14] Chizhova has since published several more novels, including Terrakotovaya starukha ("The Terracotta Old Woman") in 2011, Planeta gribov ("Mushroom Planet") in 2013, Kitaist ("The China Specialist") in 2017, and Povelitel' veshchei ("Master of Things") in 2022.

[1][2][17] In 2019, Chizhova drew controversy in Russia when she wrote an article, tied to her new family memoir Gorod, napisannyy po pamyati, arguing that Stalin shares blame with Hitler for the Siege of Leningrad.

"[4] The backlash came from both general readers and the Russian government, with members of the Federal Assembly launching a campaign against her, and she faced a criminal investigation into her statement.