Castle Swimmer: Volume 1

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Author(s)

Wendy Martin

Publisher

Ten Speed Graphic

Genre(s)

Age Range

13+

Release Date

October 22, 2024

ISBN

978-0593835814

Buy This Book

In the gorgeous first installment of the hit Webtoon series Castle Swimmer, two young mermen reject their destinies and embark on an epic adventure full of romance and danger, featuring exclusive bonus material.

“Castle Swimmer hooks you from the start and doesn’t let go. It’s devastatingly charming with a hint of sweetly heartbreaking.”—Katie Cook, author of Nothing Special

From the moment Kappa tumbles into existence on the ocean floor, his life’s purpose is already decided for him: He is the Beacon, a light to all sea creatures, and destined to fulfill their many prophesies. In high demand and under immense pressure, Kappa quickly realizes that fame and glory are small compensation for a life of predetermined self-sacrifice.

Unable to resist the call of destiny due to a magical yellow cord that appears from his chest and pulls him inexorably to any sea creatures he swims by, Kappa ultimately finds himself drawn to the Shark kingdom, where he is immediately imprisoned. The Sharks’ prophecy states that the curse maiming their people will only be lifted once their prince, Siren, kills the Beacon. But when Prince Siren decides to defy fate and help Kappa escape, Kappa realizes that there might be more to life than fulfilling endless prophesies, leading to a raucous adventure as big and unpredictable as the ocean itself—and a romance that nobody could have predicted.

Episodes 1-19 of Webtoon's Castle Swimmer Season 1 is collected in this stunning graphic novel, which also includes a never-before-seen bonus chapter featuring Kappa and Siren.

Editor review

1 review

Prophecies, Friendship, and Underwater Adventure

November 24, 2024

Overall rating

5.0

Plot

5.0

Characters

5.0

Writing Style

5.0

Illustrations/Photos (if applicable)

5.0

Castle Swimmer follows Kappa, the beacon destined to fulfill many prophecies for all sea creatures. Kappa cannot resist the calls for the prophecies as a magic yellow cord that comes from his chest pulls him to the sea creatures that come near him. Due to this, he is drawn to the Shark Kingdom whose prophecy states that the curse harming their people can only be lifted by their prince, Siren, killing the Beacon. Prince Siren cannot kill Kappa though and is helping to plot his escape when Kappa realizes there might be more to his life than just fulfilling prophecies.

What I Liked: I love the personalization of the sharks and various sea creatures that are introduced throughout this book. I appreciate how they have distinct features that let you know which animal they are but also each of them looks different from the others that are in the same clans. I appreciate that we get to see that Siren already had complex feelings regarding the fact that he has to kill the beacon before even meeting Kappa yet this gets even more complicated once he has met him.

I like how we get to see a few of the other prophecies at the start of the book and get Kappa’s perspective before things turn over to Siren. I also enjoyed getting to see Siren’s life before Kappa got there and his relationship with his mother. The warmth between Siren and Kappa is great as we get to see them learn more about each other. I’m excited to read more about this book and read as their relationship develops and find out if Kappa ever gets to escape from the Shark’s Kingdom.

Final Verdict: Castle Swimmer is a fun graphic novel that incorporates multiple sea creatures and various prophecies. Young adults will relish the relationship that is developing between Kappa and Siren and want to learn more at the end of this book.