What is the author's style in The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket?

"The Slippery Slope" is written in an old-fashioned style that is meant to be humorous and ironic. The characters often do not speak to one another in natural conversation, but in pronouncements that explain elements of the story. The narrator digresses often and makes off-hand references to other stories and events. The author uses wordplay in the creation of secret codes the children must decipher and poses questions based on language, such as the mystery of the true meaning of the initials VFD. The author makes frequent use of alliteration, especially in names like Mortmain Mountains, Stricken Stream, Snow Scouts, Slippery Slope and Quigley Quagmire.