Dostoevski's The Double is his best work though an obvious and shameless imitation of Gogol's Nose.
In Vladimir Nabokov's collection of essays titled "Strong Opinions," he expresses a strong view that Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel "The Double" is his finest work. Nabokov suggests that while "The Double" is remarkable, it is also heavily influenced by Nikolai Gogol's story "The Nose," indicating that Dostoevsky borrowed elements from Gogol's writing. This commentary highlights the relationship between literary influences and originality in the works of these Russian authors.
Nabokov's assessment underscores the complex nature of literary creation, where even highly regarded authors can draw inspiration from their predecessors. While he celebrates "The Double" for its strengths, he doesn't shy away from acknowledging its connections to Gogol's earlier work, demonstrating how literature often evolves through such imitations and variations among writers.