Casual, Conversational, Animated
Libba Bray wrote this book so you feel like you're accompanying Cam on a long walk while he recounts the whole adventure, animatedly gesturing and talking to you as if you're part of his inner circle. You are along for the ride with Cam and Gonzo and Balder—except you're not really a spectator, you're more like an invisible participant:
Balder's on the table, and people are lined up, throwing whatever they've got at him—knives, forks, coffee cups, rocks. One little girl hurls her waffle and it bounces off his round belly like a spongy boomerang.
"Two dollars a shot! All comers welcome!" Gonzo shouts. He's running between everyone, gathering money in Balder's Viking helmet.
"I cannot be injured, for I am Balder.…" A knife sticks into his arm, but he keeps going. "Son of Odin…" A fork lodges into his skull. "Brother of Hoor," he says, pulling them both out. "Immortal." (29.96-98)
Okay, so some authors paint pictures with their words—Tolkien, for instance, spends pages upon pages describing a scene, incorporating geography, the flora and fauna, and pretty much anything else he can think of. But Bray makes movies: Her dialogue is compelling and realistic, and she includes just enough description that you can see what she's getting at while drawing your own conclusions about the smaller details. She gets your imagination involved in the action, sweeping you into the plot as the scenery wizzes by.