Well, I have been thinking why I found this book " old fashioned".
The casual racism is one of the things that led me think this. I grew up, was brought up wth the same casual racism. That was rather a part of life then, and though I never questioned it at the time, I didn't share it of course. So, when reading this book I hardly noticed it, wasn't bothered by it, as I somehow expected it, being a book from the fifties.
The other thing is the omniscient presence of the narrator. Again, this didn't bothered me and I "expected" it as well, being brought up by strict religious parents with a God who was said to "see all, even the tiniest hair on your head". So, such a narrator would be acceptable for me.
These two things goes to show, for me that is, how initial upbringing can influence a view on book, rather than a subsequent academic education. Interesting......
