What is the author's tone in The Death of Woman Wang by Jonathan D. Spence?

The overall tone of the book is one of impartiality and interest in painting a picture of a small county in China, before the full impact of the West is felt there. What gives the book its interest and charm is the factual descriptions of life in t'an-ch'eng County and Shantung Province, as compared with the magical world of the stories of P'u Sung-ling. In the stories of P'u Sung-ling, which are scattered throughout the book, characters solve problems and fight for justice.