U noći: Svagdašnja povijest iz hrvatskoga života

At Night is a political novel by Ksaver Šandor Gjalski from 1886. It is one of the most important and critical Croatian realistic novels of the 19th century, which sharply depicts the political and social conditions in Croatia under Austro-Hungarian rule, especially in the period after the Illyrian Movement.

The plot follows a young lawyer Kačić (and his circle around him), full of patriotic ideals, who enters political and public life. Gjalski realistically, almost naturalistically, describes party struggles, electoral machinations, corruption, hypocrisy, careerism and the moral decline of those who originally swore allegiance to the homeland and the people. The novel shows how "night" – the dark side of politics, opportunism and personal interests – swallows ideals and destroys pure souls.

The work is full of vivid, typical characters of Croatian bourgeois and aristocratic society: from ardent young patriots to cynical politicians to ordinary people affected by politics in their everyday lives. Gjalski criticizes both Austrophilic politics, Croatian party divisions, and false patriotism, and he does all this with a deep knowledge of the situation (he himself was politically active).

St. Kugli Publishing House, the illustrated edition of Sveupupni djela V. is a classic and respected edition of Gjalski. The illustrations, done by Andrija Maurović, additionally revive the atmosphere of Zagreb and provincial life of that time.

The style is typical of Gjalski: realistic, analytical, with rich psychological portraits and social criticism, but without excessive pathos. The novel is still relevant because many themes (political corruption, betrayal of ideals, party hypocrisy) have not lost their power.

In the Night is considered one of the best Croatian political novels of the 19th century and an important document of its time. Ideal for lovers of realism, historical prose, and those interested in Croatian political and social history.