What is the author's style in Women of the Silk by Gail Tsukiyama?

The language and meaning used within the novel are generally straight forward. The exception would be pages 164-165 in chapter ten, where the author's intent is not clear. The passages on those pages could be interpreted in multiple different ways. Additionally, some terms of cultural significance are mentioned, such as Jong. There may be no translation for such terms, so the Chinese name is used, even though the book is written in English. No meaning is lost, however, because the author always takes care to describe the item in question.