What is the author's tone in the memoir, A Cup of Water Under My Bed?

A Cup of Water Under My Bed is a memoir about the author's coming of age, written with a lyrical and descriptive style that effectively captures the thoughts and feelings she experienced at different stages of her youth. Her prose is not overly ornate, however; she presents difficult memories such as the neighbor calling the police after her father hit her with a belt in a matter-of-fact tone devoid of melodrama.