What is the author's style in Daniel Deronda by George Eliot?

Eliot writes the novel in first person from his own perspective. This choice is interesting, as Eliot is not a member of the cast of characters. This deviation from the typical choice to write either from the perspective of a character or from a third person perspective may seem strange to the reader. The author seems to have chosen this option because of the ability to add personal observations and asides.