His novel Molotov (1861- also published in Sovremennik), the sequel to Bourgeois Happiness, secured his reputation, and brought him into the company of writers like Ivan Turgenev and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The two novels tell the story of a poor young intellectual's search for self-realization and his place in the world.
The author's novel Molotov (1861- also published in Sovremennik), which served as the sequel to Bourgeois Happiness, cemented his status as a prominent writer and positioned him alongside other notable literary figures such as Ivan Turgenev and Fyodor Dostoyevsky. The two novels narrate the story of a young intellectual's journey towards self-awareness and his place within society.