 By the time he began the serial , Seth had developed a style derivative of The New Yorker stylists of the 1930s and 1940s . In the book 's appendix Seth describes Peter Arno as " possibly The New Yorker 's greatest stylist " . Seth appropriates the sophisticated , jaded satirical mood , thick brushline , and compositional sense of Arno 's work . Seth 's brushline is simple and organic , and he gives attention to buildings , landscapes , weather conditions , and other background details . The brushstrokes broaden into thick black shadows , sometimes flattening figures to near @-@ abstract silhouettes . A greyish @-@ blue wash accents the otherwise black @-@ and @-@ white cartooning . The novel is printed on yellow paper , giving an aged feeling to the book . 
