Review by Booklist Review
Walker and Alec Holland are identical twins, but they're different down to their roots: gregarious Walker is the life of the party, and though he tries to include his brother, Alec has never quite understood how to communicate with other people, preferring to experiment with plants. As the brothers spend their last summer before college in Virginia with their cousins, Alec goes deeper into his laboratory, and his plants begin to have strange effects on his body and his diabetes. At the same time, he meets a girl whose own experiments are deeply tied to the history of the town. Both Stiefvater's narrative, which flashes back and forth in time and is overlaid with Alec's philosophical recordings on plant life and death, and Beem's moody artwork, which uses split panels to great effect, play with ideas of duology and symbiosis. A moody green color palette, interrupted only by the otherworldly purple of Alec's plants or occasional dangerous burst of color, adds eerie atmosphere. It's a pensive, ambitious endeavor that will linger long with thoughtful teens.HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Fans have flocked to Stiefvater's high-concept YA series (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, The Raven Cycle). Her first graphic novel serves up everything they love.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Though Alec and Walker Holland are identical twins, they couldn't be more different: while Walker is outgoing and personable, Alec thinks Walker "makes being human look so easy," and struggles with interpreting social cues from his peers. Following a difficult year--Alec develops Type 1 diabetes following a severe illness, the siblings discover their father's adultery--the twins spend the summer before college in rural Virginia with their aunt Jessica and cousins Dalton and Jolie. Walker quickly rekindles his friendship with their cousins, while Alec focuses on recreating his experiment after his cousins' dogs destroy his research. Alec's experiment facilitates the transference of memories and thoughts from plants to hosts, occasionally transforming them in the process. Though overabundant plot elements compete for attention, Stiefvater (Call Down the Hawk) succeeds in establishing sympathetic character dynamics. Beem's waifish characters--paired with the monstrous floral transformations throughout--conjure a subtly eerie atmosphere, rendered in cool greens and blues, that keep the origin story's intrigue alive. A compelling, if uneven, narrative that may appeal most to those of a botanical bent. Ages 14--up. (Oct.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Twin brothers try to understand each other as their lives take separate paths. The Incredible Holland Bros may be identical twins, but their personalities couldn't be more distinct. Walker is the outgoing, thrill-seeking protector while Alec is the reserved plant whisperer. The boys are shipped off to Rappahannock, Virginia, to spend their last summer before college in the country with their cousins after catching their father cheating. Walker's easygoing disposition makes his transition smooth, but Alec's research on capturing and transferring the thoughts and memories of plants is disrupted when his cousin's dogs eat his specimen, which he's named Boris. The brothers grow apart as Walker becomes part of the local scene and Alec spends time in the high school lab working on his project. The summer heats up when a legendary tree is destroyed at a party, leading Alec to become his brother's protector and sinking him further into his experiment. There is a slow, choppy build to the story, with botanical information interspersed so readers understand the science behind Alec's research. Colors are used effectively, with green and earth tones indicating Alec's bond with nature while deep purples and blues show the effects of his experiments. The panels vary in shape and layout, maintaining visual interest. The twins appear White, but there is diversity among the cast. An unusual origin story for a lesser-known DC Universe hero. (Graphic fiction. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
