What is the author's style in Number 9 Dream by David Mitchell?

The language in the novel is contemporary English. Since the story is set in Japan and uses Japanese characters, the challenge of presenting uniquely Japanese experiences in English could be a difficult one, but it is handled with an eye to clarity rather than by piling on the Japanese terms. The few Japanese words that are used are either familiar to readers of English or are presented in a context that makes their meanings clear. Additionally, and equally as important, the author avoids heavy use of ultra-contemporary English slang, which might be a temptation, when writing about young people.