As soon as I read the description, I knew I had to put in a request to review this one right away!
Pretty Little Liars is a show that I have stuck with since the beginning and it has been like a “guilty pleasure” show. I liked Ezra as a character and thought Ian portrayed the character well. I also thought it interesting that Ezra writes a book in the show and then I see this work pop up and Ian even references that as being part of the inspiration for his own book.
Well done but not too well done. Much like you want a bird you are about to eat. I found it funny haha that he got hungry for duck after going out bird watching and saw ducks! He felt like he was betraying them and I can understand that!
Very charming and entertaining the whole way through, I was smirking and nodding along at some of the puns and plays on words. I am very curious as to why he has not written a book before. His writing style is easy and flows well. It is as if you are out catching up with an old friend across the table as he is telling you some stories from his life he may not have mentioned to you before.
There are a few references to his cast-mates peppered about, but the draw here is the birding.
I actually really enjoyed reading about that as a hobby because he is right in that a lot of people think of birding as being like an “older” pursuit.
The fact that birds have played roles in his life at various times are made clear too. The bird on the sweater he wore to the PLL audition. The hawk he is allowed to “release”. The turkey he makes for Thanksgiving dinner to show he has grown since college….along with many more examples from his own life as well as the lives of his family members.
I like the title being “odd birds” because it also seems to reference a general vibe picked up on from Ian himself. He doesn’t stike me as someone who has always felt like he fit in. He probably always felt like the odd one out.
The stories of his friends tagging along on birding hikes and trips are particularly note-worthy in the humor part as well as the social aspect of birding. (It is usually a solitary pursuit.)
Very well-written and detailed with similes and metaphors aplenty; I would be intrigued to read another book by him if he gets so inspired. I especially loved the last chapter wrap up analogy he used for people and birds.
I can see a lot of the fans of PLL flocking to this one (can’t help it!) and then staying for the actually very well written prose.
Book Notes:
67.0%“It does not surprise me that Ian auditioned for the lead role in Fifty Shades of Grey. I *could* see him acting that role…BUT I think he generally comes across as too nice of a guy (and that’s a good thing) to have played that role.”
77.0%“Oh wow that art about Johnny Cash? Yeah, I don’t think I would have liked him much in person either! Shame on him!!! (Those poor birds!)”
That’s too bad about him being mistaken for James Marsden. I guess I can *kinda maybe* see it?….but not really.”
Page Count: 320
Format: Hardcover
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Biographies & Memoirs
Expected Publication Date: May 2, 2017
Tags: Biography, Essays, Memoir, Non Fiction