The novel's use of the first-person voice is effective. Rita often speaks directly to the reader, beginning many of her remarks with comments such as "there is something you don't know about me yet—" and "well, let me tell you—" and "if you are thinking—."

This casual narrative style inspires an intimate relationship with the reader, who comes to see Rita as a friend. The dialogue is generally realistic, although Arnold tends to speak in an affected and rather formal way to reveal his dreaminess and it does not always seem believable. This is especially true when he uses terms of endearment such as "darling" and "my dear lady."

The book also contains satire, poking fun at the children's book world and the type of hack writing (in this case, a series of books about appliances such as toothbrushes, eggbeaters, and vacuum cleaners...