Name: 561
ISBN: 9780008319540

Katherine Heiny

From the author of Standard Deviation comes a wryly tender story of crises and cardboard boxes; of marriage and moving on. *Includes a free extract from Katherine Heiny’s debut novel, Standard Deviation*

Trish

This was a very brief but insightful story that was over before I knew it. Maybe it’s because I’m reading her works back to back, but compared to the thoroughness of Standard Deviation and Early Morning Riser, 561 is just a taste, barely a glimpse of what Heiny excels at: writing about the complex and often hilarious relationships between a woman, her husband, and her husband’s ex-wife. 

I think for future novels I’d like to see Heiny venture out of her comfort zone and write about a different sort of family/marriage dynamic. Or maybe stick to what she knows but from the perspective of the thwarted, left-behind ex-wife instead. 

This short story/novella would serve as an excellent intro to Katherine Heiny if someone is curious about her writing style and themes she explores.