In January 1864, Leskov’s novel “Nowhere” began to be published, which completely undermined the writer’s reputation in left-wing circles. Contemporaries perceived the novel as a slander against the “young generation,” although, in addition to the “crazy mongrels” of nihilism, the writer also depicted young people who were sincerely devoted to socialism, placing them among the best heroes of the novel (mainly supporters of the gradual reform of the country). Leskov's main idea - the futility of the revolution in Russia and the danger of unjustified social sacrifices - provoked rejection of the novel in the 1860s. Leskov was declared a “spy” who wrote “Nowhere” by order of the III Department. Such a violent reaction was also explained by the overt pamphleteering of the novel: Leskov drew recognizable caricatures of famous writers and revolutionaries. However, now, when comparing “Nowhere” with the later anti-nihilistic novels of both Leskov himself and other writers, it is difficult to understand the extent of the indignation caused by him . “Nowhere” is not an exclusively “retrograde” work. One of the main characters, Rainer, who openly calls himself a socialist, conducts political agitation and dies as the head of a Polish rebel detachment, is not only not subject to the author’s censure, but is surrounded by an aura of nobility. The same aura of “true” desire for new foundations of life, in contrast to the feigned democracy of the Beloyartsevs and Co., surrounds the heroine of the novel, Liza Bakhareva. In the person of his other favorite hero, Doctor Rozanov, Leskov deduces something like liberal common sense, hating extremes, but standing for everything that is good in the new demands, up to and including civil marriage. Finally, with the general meaning and title of the novel, the author expressed a very pessimistic thought and little favorable to the movement of the 60s, but, at the same time, quite negative in relation to the old system of life: both the old and the new are worthless, people like Rainer and Lisa Bakhareva must die, they have nowhere to go.