Grof Monte Kristo

The young sailor Edmond Dantès, on the verge of marrying his love Mercedes, is unjustly accused of treason due to a conspiracy by three envious men: Danglars, an ambitious colleague, Fernand Mondego, a rival in love, and the drunkard Caderousse. Arrested and sentenced without trial, Dantès spends 14 years in the dungeon of the Château d’If. There he meets the abbot Faria, who reveals to him the secret of the treasure hidden on the island of Monte Cristo and teaches him knowledge and strategy. After a daring escape, Dantès finds the treasure and transforms himself into the mysterious, wealthy Count of Monte Cristo. He returns to Paris, where, under various identities (such as Abbe Busoni or Lord Wilmore), he devises a complex revenge against his enemies. Taking advantage of their greed, corruption, and weaknesses, Dantès exposes their crimes, but faces moral dilemmas: is revenge justice? The novel explores themes of revenge, redemption, love, and fate, interweaving historical events with dramatic plots, such as the love story with Mercedes and the fate of Danglars' son Albert.

The 1964 edition of the Matica Hrvatska Publishing House, translated by Vladimir Brodnjak, is notable for its completeness and literary fidelity. It comprises three volumes (1456 pages), with a hardcover, gold printing and illustrations, making it an aesthetically valuable and sought-after antiquarian copy. Unlike abridged versions (e.g. later editions of Globus), this edition retains the fullness of Dumas's style, including detailed descriptions of characters, historical context and philosophical discussions. Brodnjak's translation is notable for its precision and preservation of the poetics of the original, making the work accessible to Croatian readers in its full glory.