What is the author's style in The Fifth Child by Doris Lessing?

There are several intriguing elements to the novel's use of language. First, there is almost a sense of fairy tale about the author's writing style - one almost feels, upon starting the book, that it really should have begun with the classic phrase "once upon a time". Once Ben appears on the scene, however, even in utero, the amount of detail the narrative employs to portray his presence and his effect on Harriet and the family increases substantially. Here again, there is the sense that style manifests substance - the narrative's use of language reflects what's going on in the plot ... the most important element of the characters' lives gets the most attention.