Graham is currently married to Audra a woman to whom 6 degrees of separation is an insult. She always knows someone with the wherewithal to help you out and thinks nothing of calling the man who delivered her child (and happens to sit on the board of the building where you would like to live) and asking him to do you a favour, even if you’re her husband’s ex wife. Audra is the quintessential extrovert and optimist and she can extract the life story of a perfect stranger with a few choice questions. Graham loves her for this but in a world-weary, resigned fashion that speaks clearly of an established relationship where even the most charming (and useful) of personality quirks, if not downright exasperating, have become rather par-for-the-course. It is at this stage of their relationship that Graham reconnects with Elspeth, his first wife and a woman a different from Audra as can be imagined; cool, calm, collected and quiet Elspeth is always is complete control. When Audra’s connections helps Elspeth move into a new apartment and learns that she is in a relationship this leads to a series of double dates, a situation alien and bewildering to everyone except Audra for whom nothing could be more natural. This bizarre and slightly uncomfortable situation allows Graham to ponder the two important women in his life and how it can be that he has loved (and wed) two such polar opposite characters. Audra’s impulsiveness and scatter-brained approach to life and love are driving Graham to distraction and closer and closer to his ex with whom he can talk quietly and coherently (or, luxury! Not talk at all) and cook complex, sophisticated meals without reference to forbidden colours and textures. He begins to wonder, did he make the right decision to divorce Elspeth and marry Audra?
It’s a frankly bonkers situation but it allows Heiny to write an insightful, funny and moving story about how people can change, how love and relationships shift almost imperceptibly over time and the need to accept and recognise this is at the heart of any lasting marriage. She brings to glorious life the truth in the cliches “absence makes the heart grow fonder” and “familiarity breeds contempt” and the characters’ (sometimes flawed) attempts to come to terms with shifts in their feelings and emotional connections. Can they remain faithful when the old attractions have lost their lustre and when the relationship has settled into a less exciting, established groove?
Alongside the central three-way relationship Heiny introduces us to a varied and lovable cast of eccentric characters. Most importantly the origami-obsessed ten-year old son of Audra and Graham. Matthew is on the autistic spectrum, anxious about change and lacking social confidence. When he is invited to join an exclusive origami club his parents hope that the socialisation will be a positive influence, that is until they meet socially-awkward, OCD-tending elderly members. Graham and Audra’s loving concern for Matthew is quite touching and Heiny manages to make his forays into unsuitable friendships (including the incorrigible proto-criminal Derek “Rottweiler) funny without being insensitive. In addition we meet Elspeth’s dapper and much older partner Bentrup, Graham’s hopelessly naive young secretary and the many impromptu guests to whom Audra opens their home at a moment’s notice from the doorman to a neighbour whose husband is on “sabbatical” and Matthew’s long-distance friend and his unbearable. intrusive grandfather Papa Stan.
It’s the kind of whimsical, gentle comedy that could easily be cloying and overly-silly in the wrong hands but Heiny manages it superbly. Her characters compliment each other perfectly , never relying on quirkiness alone to make them interesting. The dialogue is excellent and often hilarious and there is just enough sadness and anxiety in the story to give it real life and heart and lift it above its more madcap elements.

This story is told by Graham about his wife Audra and their son Matthew who was diagnosed with Asperger. Even though he has indeed some issues when it comes to social nuances - sarcasm is completely lost on him, his mother is far more eccentric.

I think I liked Olivia best, she was the simple minded receptionist at Graham's office. At 23 she had Graham explain to her that even when keeping things in the fridge, food could still go bad.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book.

The book is told from Graham's perspective. Graham was married to Elspeth a quiet, solicitor, Graham had an affair with Audra and left Elspeth to be with Audra. Graham and Audra have a son with Aspergers. Audra is loud, nosy and just wants to be friends with everyone and Graham wonders how he married two totally different women and did he make the right choice.
This book seems to just cover a couple of months of Graham's life and not much really happens there are a few funny moments but on the whole although Audra is a lively make it up as you go along kind of woman it all fell a little flat for me.
I would like to thank netgalley and harpercollins uk, fourth estate for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of those reads that just flows from one funny moment to the next with Graham trying to understand Audra and her enthusiasm for life and lodgers. In between times Graham and Audra are sometimes led to desperate measures to overcome Matthew's lack of social interaction. Katherine Heiny gives the reader a perceptive insight into the mix of relationships.

This book intrigued me right from the start. It told the story of a family situation from the perspective of a father/husband/ex-husband/friend. His son has been diagnosed as on the autistic spectrum. The narrative tells the story in an observational, touching and at times, laugh out loud funny. Very different to anything I've read before but I enjoyed it from beginning to end.

I love a book that is set in New York. Although this fact is liberally applied it still is clear where the book is set. But what is at the heart of this book is relationships with other people. Like Graham with his second wife Audra and also his first wife Elspeth. Not to mention his origami obsessed son Matthew.

Very clever prose, lots of lovely descriptions of every day life that could apply to all families everywhere.

I'm a sucker for a good plot and sadly this isn't a book with much plot. However, it is heartwarming and heartbreaking with a most wonderful character, Audra. The difficulties of having a child with Aspergers are very real, especially the mind numbing weariness and a need to know that one day their child will be able to form suitable attachments and be able to live independently. I liked the minor characters that litter the book and their apartment throughout. The departure of a central character did not have much impact, leaving me wondering why the author had included it, then made so little of it? Am I glad I read it ? yes.

This book was not really for me, I just did not feel anything for this book. It's not a bad book it just did not grip me at all. There was nothing in the book where I though I must keep reading. The story it's self was a disjointed and did not feel well put together. I did have some empathy for Graham and I did laugh out loud a few times while reading the book. I think this book is the sort of book that you will either love or hate.

There were things I liked about this book, but they never quite gelled for me. The narrator just whines about everything. Some of that was certainly deserved, but most was just annoying. I liked both his wife and ex-wife more than I liked him and felt they both deserved better.

Bit slow to start but then couldn't put it down until I was finished.

This i felt was a book without direction in its story. It rambled through the family life and then suddenly it ended; kind of just closing one door & opening another making it feel like life would be repeative on the otherside.

Audra with her constant inane talking to her family, friends & strangers seemed a bit much at times. Nothing came of her being in a hotel one lunchtime & telling her husband the same story or him not being in/recalling the sushi bar when she wanted to invite another person to eat with them. Seemed a bit odd, though Graham might have picked up on that again.

I enjoyed the information on Matthews condition, very interesting reading how he had friend challenges, his intense liking for origami.

Standard deviation is a funny, heart warming and, at times, poignant story of love, friendships and family life. It focuses on Graham, in his fifties with a younger second wife, Audra - the mother of his child, Matthew, who has Aspergers.

Audra is so hard to 'sum up' because she's such an effervescent, fun person: quirky, likeable, and very chatty, but also at times incredibly frustrating! I absolutely loved reading about her but could completely see why living with her could drive Graham mad sometimes, as they're so different in many ways and she doesn't always make the best decisions... But then, neither does Graham, as this book proves.

The story is so lovely with some emotional parts too. It's largely made up of elements of everyday life - perhaps not your everyday life, as the reader, but what is for some people every day life - and told in such a funny, entertaining way and mostly from Graham's point of view. The very different characters and their very different lives combine to create a narrative that completely drew me in and left me wanting to read more. I felt like I'd really got to know the characters and, on the whole, really liked them. There was no need for high drama; the elements of every day life (with some temptation and difficulties thrown in along the way) is enough for this novel. It's just fantastic.

Standard Deviation made me smile countless times, and laugh out loud even more! The characters are firmly ingrained in my mind even after finishing the book, and I would happily read much more about them. A truly great, refreshing read!

Omigosh! I loved this book and all the characters! Kept me up very late at night! Fun read!

This is an interesting book, different to most, and very readable. The characters are real people, you get to know them well. I felt sympathetic towards Graham. The ending seems a bit disjointed, the story could have been continued. I would definitely read a sequel.

It's unusual for me to actually laugh out loud in a book, but this frequently tickled me. The characters are lovely with some fantastic dialogue. I usually opt for psychological thrillers but this made a really pleasant change. It was a light easy read, but somehow thought provoking. I would definitely recommend a read of this to pass an afternoon. I have definitely been encouraged to try different genres now as this was sharp, funny yet sensitive.

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher. I loved this book, I liked the writing and loved the ending. Great read

This book introduces two main facets that grow during the book both centered around Graham. The descriptions of Grahams ex wife, Elspeth and his current wife, Audra describe one prong of the standard deviation whilst the story revolving around Matthew, Grahams son, and his life is the other prong. The twisting of friendships that Matthew finds, initially through his obsessive love of origami are so emotional and heart rending. It is so easy to relate to the denial of Graham and Matthew about their special son and the comments they make . The book is written with lots of humour and some sad parts. I loved the fact that as parents they read that autism is often genetic and how they discuss who it could come from. A lovely book showing what life is like with an autistic child in the family but also a wonderful family life novel that the reader can at some point relate to.

At first I didn't think I would enjoy this book as it didn't seem to have any plot and I had no idea where it was going. However, once I settled in to it and understood that the whole point was to not have an actual plot as such I found it surprisingly enjoyable. The book is told through the voice of Graham, married to his second wife Audra whom he has a teenage son with. The character of Audra was funny, I laughed out loud at some of her actions in places. The ending though, it just kind of ended, nothing wrapped up as such, but I guess that is the whole point of this style of book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Collins for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Heiny has written a smart and joyful debut novel about a New York family and their everyday life. It is written through the perspective of Graham, in his early sixties, married to his second wife, the eccentric Audra, a force of nature, whom he adores, and their 10 year old autistic son, Matthew, for whom they will do anything. The title, Standard Deviation, refers to the term used by a doctor in categorising just how far from the norm Matthew is. It might be inferred to apply to Audra, her lack of social filter in her conversations with others, and her extraordinary capacity to network, for the benefit of those in her life and strangers but more particularly for Matthew. Graham probably perceives himself as the normal one, although perhaps not, just how normal are any of us?

It begins with Graham reflecting on just how different the two women he married are, the ice cool, organised Elspeth and the voluble, messy, and warm Audra. This is a story of love, loss, everyday travails, and the moving struggles of bringing up Matthew to experience as normal a childhood as possible. Matthew's obsession and talent with Origami leads to the entry of Clayton, Manny, and other OCD characters into the family, trying the patience of Audra and Graham, but endured stoically. Graham puts up with random strangers and others queuing up to stay in the family home whilst he endeavours to serve up appetising and gourmet meals for all. The re-entry of Elspeth into their lives leads to Graham and Audra double dating and for Graham to ponder whether he is with the right woman as he compares them. Events conspire to place strains on the marriage. We observe the stresses of organising United Nations day, having Papa Stan to stay, Lorelei and Doug leaving and Matthew becoming more independent. The most moving elements outline the challenges and joy of raising Matthew through the years. As Graham puts it, he will tolerate spaghetti marinara because of love.

This is a wonderful story that comprises of all that is life, love, marriage, and family in New York. Heiny is a gifted comedic writer who provides keen observations and wry insights into the state of the family. The creation and development of the unforgettable Audra is magnificent, she is the star of the novel and will live on in my memories. I loved Matthew, he feels authentic as a character and the condition of autism seems realistic. Graham is extraordinary in his ordinariness, his ability to tolerate and most of all, his capacity to love. A warm, funny, and compelling read with an intimate narrative. Cannot recommend it highly enough. Thanks to HarperCollins 4th Estate for an ARC.

Graham is married to Audra, his second wife and they have a son Matthew whose obsession with origami allows him to meet, and us to observe, a group of likeminded origami enthusiasts. Heiney explores each character and situation with such clarity as to draw the reader in and absorb them into the plot. Be prepared to laugh out loud .