lzwalsh90's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
lbw's review
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
I’ve been on a streak of reading depressing things, but this is just a good, nice novel about basically decent, sort of quirky people going through life. It reminded me of an Anne Tyler novel. I liked the characters, it was amusing in spots, and although it was about life and marriage and family, which can often be challenging, it was not depressing.
smartyhelen's review against another edition
2.5
kinda boring, nice story, i liked the writing style but it didn’t have a purpose, it left me wondering what it was about
nancidrum's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this book and it did cause me to smile and reread some of the funny parts, but I differ from the majority of reviewers who were laughing out loud. The humor was dry and sarcastic, which I usually like, but I mostly found the writing clever, not hysterically funny. I did smirk and even sniggered a number of times, but never quite got to the laugh out loud part of the scale. Unusual for me, as I love humor and normally I'm quick to pick up on it. Maybe I'll try a reread one day and see if it affects me in a more humorous way. It's a story where there's not a real plot, but the characters are entertaining and Heiny did an excellent job of developing them. Rounded up from 3.5 to 4 stars due to the quality of the writing.
kay_slayerofbooks's review
4.0
3.5 stars
I admit, I laughed throughout this entire book! Elspeth was refined but anal to a point. Audra was just ridiculous, period. I admit to liking Elspeth better than Audra though. Why the hell did Graham feel it necessary to leave instead of working a compromise. I wouldn't have been able to deal with Audra if she were a man. Good Gawd! And Matthew, I absolutely LOVED him. He was the most perfect thing in this entire story.
I admit, I laughed throughout this entire book! Elspeth was refined but anal to a point. Audra was just ridiculous, period. I admit to liking Elspeth better than Audra though. Why the hell did Graham feel it necessary to leave instead of working a compromise. I wouldn't have been able to deal with Audra if she were a man. Good Gawd! And Matthew, I absolutely LOVED him. He was the most perfect thing in this entire story.
daisytudball's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sarracenia's review
3.0
A relaxing read without being trashy, this is the novel I'd imagine the Guardian columnist Tim Dowling would write if he wrote one. I found some parts faintly amusing but not laugh-out-loud funny as other reviews suggested. I felt that Audra and Elspeth seemed almost like caricatures and the characters lacked depth, though as everything is seen through Graham's eyes, it could just be how he saw them. Standard Deviation also acts as a sensitive account of being a parent to a child with Asperger's, and I thought this aspect of the novel was nicely done.