This was so so sweet, I read it in one sitting and I'm already craving for more!!

My favorite part was the art style. I was immediately drawn to it, and to the colors, but ended up really liking the characters and what I've seen of the story so far.
I expected more to happen in this volume, but I was pleasantly surprised to see I was wrong. I like that the story isn't rushed, and that the author is (I think) taking the time to properly set things up before jumping into the meat of the plot.

Both Siren and Kappa are really really cute, and I'm excited to see more of them!!

Castle Swimmer is a story about prophecies, making the right decisions, and finding love. This first volume focuses on how those prophecies affect us and the world around us. It shows us how, sometimes, we can lose ourselves in blindly following what we’re told.

This was such a cute and cozy read with amazing artwork. I read it in one sitting and look forward to seeing how Kappa and Siren’s story develops!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC!

This story follows two mermen fighting against what they were destined to do. Siren is a prince destined to save his people. The Beacon is the key. Will they be able to fight against prophecy to forge their own paths?

I really enjoyed this graphic novel. The art was adorable. I enjoyed how many different types of merpeople there were. The story was funny at points and heart-wrenching at others. Siren’s conflicted feelings with his responsibility to his people and his destiny made my heart hurt for him. It’s an impossible choice. I look forward to the next book!

in the meandering and whimsical introduction to the castle swimmer series, a pair of young mermen meet and inspire each other to defy their intertwined destinies.

i’m new to graphic novels, but i found this one to be absolutely darling. the art is lovely (i love the different mermaid styles!), and kappa and prince siren are cute and easy to root for. i was left wanting more despite the slow pace here (we don’t get any of those promised adventures in this volume) and i’m looking forward to picking up volume 2!

A short and fun read! I am very interested to see where the plot progresses from here. I enjoyed the look into the artist's process at the end and I am eager to see the evolution of the artist's style. I am so glad the artist decided to keep their original style from the beginning as it is so fun to see the evolution of art!

I've been a big fan of Castle Swimmer on Webtoon, so I'm so excited to see that it is coming up in print for everyone to enjoy! Kappa is a sweet little cinnamon roll and his character is very easy to fall in love with. His budding relationship Siren is cute and wholesome (minus the potential murder thing). I can't wait to see the artwork in person, it's so dreamy on screen and I really hope that there's some holographic extra oomph used in Kappa's tail because I think it would make it just pop even more.

I'm EAGERLY awaiting the continuation of this series and can't recommend it enough!

Wendy Martin’s Castle Swimmer: Volume 1 is an enchanting, heartwarming graphic novel that shines with creativity and charm. From the moment we meet Kappa, a beacon with the heavy burden of fulfilling countless prophesies, the story draws readers into a beautifully illustrated underwater world filled with magic, mystery, and unexpected romance.

The artwork is stunning, with vibrant colors and fluid designs that capture the vastness and beauty of the ocean. Each character is uniquely expressive, especially Kappa and Prince Siren, whose emotions come through in every panel. The underwater setting feels alive and dynamic, adding a magical quality to the story’s more whimsical and adventurous moments.

Kappa’s journey to discover his own path—despite the immense pressure to conform to destiny—creates a strong emotional core. His relationship with Prince Siren, the Shark kingdom's prince who is supposed to kill him to lift a curse, is touching and evolves beautifully. Their growing bond feels genuine, full of humor and tenderness, and it's a refreshing take on defying fate for love and freedom.

What really stands out is the balance between adventure and emotion. There's plenty of excitement as Kappa and Siren face challenges together, but the story also explores deeper themes like self-acceptance, the weight of expectations, and the courage to choose your own destiny.

Castle Swimmer: Volume 1 is a delightful read that blends thrilling adventure, charming characters, and a sweet romance, leaving readers eager for the next installment.

I really enjoyed reading it. Love how fast graphic novels are, finished it in like an hour i think! Loved the story line, like how there is a curse involved. And i love mermaids. Also love the characters. Kappa and Siren are sooo nice and very cute together, love them! Love their little bonding moments. Hope all works out in the end. Very curious to the rest of the serie.

** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Copy received through Netgalley


Castle Swimmer has such a unique and interesting concept. It's clear that lots of thought and ingenuity were put into the art and world building. I was surprised by the amount of violence and blood, considering this is billed as a book for a kids.
There was a super cute romance between the Beacon and Shark Prince Siren that I can see having lots of twists and turns in the future. There's a vague enemies-to-boyfriends plotline, with a touch of forbidden love because there's a prophecy saying the Shark Prince must kill the Beacon. Complicating matters further, there's a tether drawing the Beacon - Kappa - towards fulfilling every prophecy! It makes for a tense but exciting story.
However, while it's a cute story, at times it feels like it's trying to give a meaningful life lesson that's unrealised. Maybe because it's just vol 1. There's a plot of betrayal, fulfilling unrealistic expectations and the burden and pressure of a legacy forcing someone towards a certain goal.
I don't really understand the title. It doesn't really explain the story as well as something related to the Beacon might. In fact, I haven't a clue what it references, because there are multiple "castles" within the world building.
Another negative is that The ending was too open and abrupt, too much of a cliffhanger. After taking a look at Webtoons, I believe that more than ever. The ending of Season 1 on Webtoons was a perfect stop point for Vol 1 and I'm not sure why they deviated from that, but in my opinion it was the wrong choice.
I'd happily read more, but I'm heading over to Webtoons to continue, because I'm not sure I enjoyed it enough to buy a paperback, though I'd consider the ebook, in the future.

That was such a cute read and for once I'm intrigued.

The drawing are absolutely adorable especially in way baby are drawn .
I don't have much to say it is a first volume so it was more about settling few base point for the story .
It was pretty chill . Not much action happened but it was really adorable .
I don't know yet if it going to be a full on romance but the tag and the interactions between Kappa and Siren are really foreshadowing a little queer romance which I LIKE.
The idea of multiple prophecies may mean that Kappa should not be the only one of his kind
Apart from the fact that it does not resemble any of the species we have met so far, each kingdom has its own prophecy and if every prophecies were to be fulfilled , Kappa will not succeed without missing one or more.

*reviewed from uncorrected eARC via netgalley*

graphic fiction series from webcomic (middlegrade/teen friendly) - a mer beacon (Kappa) has hatched, and is expected to fulfill "all the prophecies" but he doesn't have a clue what to do while all the various merpeoples argue over who gets priority to get bestowed with riches first. Meanwhile a shark prince (Siren) is supposed to kill the beacon in order to save his people, but he'd really rather not kill anyone.

Beautiful full-color illustrations tell the story of a sweet friendship/romance between two young mer-boys who would really rather do without all the impossible expectations put upon them. You'll definitely want more by the time you've finished this first volume. To be continued!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Castle Swimmer is a cute story with good potential. It invests you well in the characters, and while the story is nothing fully standout in this first book, it isn't bad, either.

The problem I mostly have is the amount of story you are given. With 270 pages roughly, I was able to finish this in under an hour, with little true progression in the story. I understand it is to be the first of many, and that it is already published fully online, however in print you are left at a place with high tension, but not very memorable tension.

Furthermore, I think the pages could have been utilized more, give readers more bang for their buck. I would be disappointed if I purchased this, not only because of the little given, but also to find that the first plot doesn't get resolved satisfyingly, and that I will have to wait almost a full year for the next published book, if Goodreads has its dates right.

I enjoyed my read, but I don't recommend buying this book unless you are already invested in the story, or until the next book is out, so you at least have some form of resolution.

4.5/5 rounded up. Thank you to Netgalley and Ten Speed Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A lovely, sweet, innocent love story of two mermen who are fighting against what they are "supposed" to be in order to do the right thing. The artwork is gorgeous! I love the worldbuilding and lore surrounding this story. There's some really heartwarming themes that I think will resonant with young adults and adults alike. Both Siren and Kappa want to be free but also be loved and accepted for who they are. I first saw this comic on Webtoons and am stoked that it's getting published! This is the first 19 episodes and start off pretty slow, a lot of the content in this installment is building the foundation and showing us the world and lore that will make up the action of later installments.

I discovered Castle Swimmer on Webtoons online so when I saw there was a book I snapped it up. This is such a friggin adorable story, and one of the most beautiful illustrated. It manages to be both cute and stunning in its artistry: the way the light shifts in the water, the different types of mere creatures, the glow of Kappa's scales - it's just SO lush. The story is sweet as hell, obviously an incredibly slow burn we get nowhere with in this first instalment but the seeds are there - the laughs, the blushes, oh my gosh it's just too cute - and the overarching plot of Siren being a protected and isolated prince and Kappa being dragged from kingdom to kingdom to make other people happy but never himself? It's powerful and lovely. Great for readers of all ages.

This was so cute!! I need vol. 2 now! I absolutely loved the art and the story and will definitely recommend this one to my followers on TikTok.

I found this comic through Webtoon and I'm thrilled it's getting a book release. The story and characters are cute! I adore the underwater setting, with special care given to worldbuilding and marine life.

The translation from scroll format to traditional comic format feels smooth. The panel layouts are engaging and easy to follow. There are a few pages where there were a lot of speech bubbles at once, which could be distracting for some readers, though I understand how tricky it could be to fit the bubbles on a page when the comic was originally designed for a format that allows for more space.

The bonus materials are a treat for Castle Swimmer fans—the additional comics, lore, and behind the scenes really add a lot to the experience.

I hope Castle Swimmer receives more volumes in the near future!

This is such a beautiful story. I was delighted to discover that it is actually on Webtoons so I can go ahead and race through the entire series and then read it more leisurely as the books are published. I don’t always buy the graphic novels that I review but this one is a must!

Kappa is the Beacon. His is a special merman with a destiny which will affect all sea creatures. For some creatures, he is a blessing through his life, for others he will become a blessing through his death.

The shark kingdom believe that the Beacon will save them through his death and that their Prince Siren was born to kill the Beacon on behalf of the shark kingdom to alleviate their suffering.

Neither Kappa, nor Prince Siren are happy with their purpose and destiny and when they finally meet as destined, they agree to work together to thwart Kappa’s death. Unfortunately the rest of the sea kingdoms want their own destinies through Kappa and they want him alive or dead.

This is such an excellent first volume, with beautiful artwork and colouring and a story that is exciting, funny and engaging. Definitely a series to follow and definitely going on my list of exquisite reads for 2024.

This was super cute! Definitely a good middle-grade graphic novel. I loved the art style, and the characters were fun! They had some good depth (hehe, underwater characters, depth, okay, I'll stop), and they both seemed done being tied to the prophecy. Their interactions were super cute. The worldbuilding and lore were also pretty great, especially for a graphic novel, where it can sometimes be harder to fit everything into the story. I really enjoyed the book!

I would recommend it if you want a middle-grade graphic novel with fun, magical illustrations, a good storyline, and characters that are still growing and learning about themselves.

This was cute! I love underwater fantasy and the visuals were beautiful.

I like the idea of the mer-boy who is compelled to help lots of different civilisations complete their prophecies. I do think the story could have moved a bit quicker though. A lot of time was spent watching Siren conflicted about completing the shark prophecy or not.

I would be interested in continuing this series to find out what happens next.

Castle Swimmer by Wendy Martin is a captivating and visually stunning debut installment of the hit Webtoon series, now available in a gorgeous graphic novel format. The story follows Kappa, a young merman destined to be the Beacon, a figure meant to fulfill countless prophesies for sea creatures. Bound by a magical yellow cord that pulls him toward his fate, Kappa’s life feels like a never-ending cycle of self-sacrifice. His journey takes a dramatic turn when he’s drawn to the Shark Kingdom, where he’s imprisoned and faces a grim prophecy: Prince Siren must kill him to lift a curse plaguing the Shark people.

However, Siren defies his destiny, choosing to help Kappa escape, setting the stage for an epic adventure filled with romance, danger, and self-discovery. The chemistry between Kappa and Siren is beautifully portrayed, making their relationship the heart of this enchanting tale. The artwork is vibrant and imaginative, bringing the diverse sea creatures and underwater world to life.

Fans of the original Webtoon will appreciate this faithful adaptation, while newcomers will be drawn into its mesmerizing story. Castle Swimmer is a must-read for anyone who enjoys queer romance, fantasy, and adventure. A delightful, whimsical read that leaves you eager for more.