What is the author's style in Heart of a Dog by Mikhail Bulgakov?

The language in the story is largely informal, though the vocabulary is impressive. This translation, done by Mirra Ginsburg, manages to keep much of the humor in the language, such as Sharik's chosen name and patronymic, Polygraph Polygraphovich. It is important to keep in mind that this book has been translated, and the original would have inevitably had a slightly different flavor.