According to Service, Lenin developed an "emotional attachment" to his ideological heroes, such as Marx, Engels and Chernyshevsky; he owned portraits of them, and privately described himself as being "in love" with Marx and Engels.
Service juga menyatakan bahwa Lenin memiliki "ikatan batin" dengan para pahlawan ideologisnya seperti Marx, Engels, dan Chernyshevsky, yang ditunjukkan dengan menyimpan foto-foto mereka, dan secara pribadi menyebut dirinya "jatuh cinta" dengan Marx dan Engels.