Review by Ian Keogh
Swamp Thing isn’t an obvious concept for transferring to DC’s young adult line whichever origin is applied. In this iteration Alec Holland is a biology undergraduate, studious and diabetic, the complete contrast to his twin brother Walker, with whom he’s sent from California to the swampy south to stay with their cousins. He takes his plant experiments with him, but not everyone is as careful with them as he is.
Anyone who knows their Swamp Thing might expect that to be when Maggie Stiefvater breaks out the plant based life form, but this is a far more human story, less about shambling monsters than about Alec’s inability to connect with others. Morgan Beem buys into this by drawing Alec as wide-eyed and hunched in a world of Beavis and Buttheads. Otherwise she has a wonky style of drawing not far removed from Richard Sala’s strange people in strange worlds. It’s an approach that’s effective in hanging a consistent aura of oddity over proceedings, and right at the end when the weirdness is needed Beem really shines.
Stiefvater structures Twin Branches like a horror movie, so although there’s an occasional glimpse of the inexplicable, it’s well beyond halfway before events move beyond Alec’s social difficulties to the paranormal. The result of his experiments being spread far and wide over the neighbourhood is something weird and wonderful being generated. That and the moments when educational aspects about plants are thrown are when Twin Branches sparks into life, the emotional aspects that should have been present for longer finally blossoming to provide a bonkers ending. Most of the cast, though, are one note.
Ridiculous as it may seem applying an adult designation to a young adult novel, Stiefvater will have her characters swear. There are occasions where that can add power and emphasis, but not here, and having dropped the potty mouths in early, Stiefvater avoids the swearing where it would have a better effect.
Twin Branches is a story constrained by wanting to say something more powerfully, but labelled as being for young adults. There are good ideas, but the possibilities are never adequately explored.
