Death on Credit

Book Review

«Death on Credit» by Louis-Ferdinand Céline is a work that evokes mixed feelings among critics and readers. The book continues the traditions of modernism and is a vivid example of the stream of consciousness characteristic of Céline's style. At the center of the narrative is the life story of Ferdinand Bardamu, unfolding against the backdrop of social and economic upheavals in early 20th-century France. Critics note that Céline masterfully conveys an atmosphere of hopelessness and despair, using coarse and sometimes shocking language. His style, rich in slang and colloquial expressions, creates an effect of immediate presence and involvement of the reader in the events. Themes of poverty, illness, and human cruelty that permeate the novel make it heavy to perceive, yet deeply philosophical and thought-provoking about the nature of human existence. Some critics believe that «Death on Credit» falls short of the power and innovation of Céline's previous novel «Journey to the End of the Night», yet they acknowledge its important contribution to 20th-century literature. The book attracts those willing to immerse themselves in the dark and relentless world created by the author and appreciate his unique literary style.