Like most of Narayan's novels, The Man-Eater of Malgudi is written in clear, straightforward prose. Narayan's dominant tone is of gentle irony; Narayan seems to be incapable of heavy-handed satire or cynicism. He shows a marked ability to control the narrative pace, shifting adroitly from the slow-moving opening scenes to the fast-paced end where Natavaj and the townspeople maneuver to thwart Vasu. Since The Man-Eater of Malgudi is a first-person narrative, we are made to share Nataraj's growing tension and anxiety at Vasu's actions; and yet the novel never ceases to be funny. And although the book has mythical overtones and some very fantastic happenings — for instance, the manner of Vasu's death — it is almost always realistic in its depiction of Indian settings and culture.