What is the author's style in the novel, The Third Hotel?

The Third Hotel uses a similar approach to magical realism as Gabriel Garcia Marquez. The novel is not supposed to be filled with magic, that is simply how that novel's world works. It forces the reader to expand their view of what is real and what is impossible. Van den Berg uses Yuniel Mata to personify Garcia Marquez's idea that that transformation should be seamless, the viewer or reader completely unaware it is happening until it is too late to look back.

Van den Berg does not use quotation marks in The Third Hotel which aids in the confusion between reality and what happens in Clare's mind. Putting magical elements into a realistic setting makes it difficult for the reader to differentiate between what is real and what is made-up, unlike a fantasy novel where the whole world is completely fake. These blurred lines help the reader connect to Clare, who is struggling between two dueling personalities, unsure of which side to trust.