«The Queen of Spades» in Aktobe

Modern writer Dmitry Bykov once said that Pushkin’s The Queen of Spades is the first thriller in Russian literature. The element of the fantastic in this story is remarkably strong. This classic plot, familiar to many since school years, explores the theme of fate’s unpredictability, fortune, destiny, and the limits of human control. A young military engineer, Hermann, lives modestly, saving money and never playing cards, only observing others. But one day, his friend Tomsky tells him a captivating story: his grandmother, a countess, once lost a fortune at cards but managed to win it back thanks to the mysterious secret of three cards. From that moment, Hermann becomes obsessed with the idea of success. Yet instead of glory and wealth, he loses not only his fortune, but also his sanity.