Oh man, the way I've been reading this webtoon for YEARS. This new published edition is absolutely gorgeous. The art style is mesmerising, all of the characters memorable and dimensional, and it has some of the most unique and well-thought world building I've ever seen!

Kappa is the Beacon. A being who is the hope for all sea creatures in the sea and who must fulfill many prophecies in order to help them. The prophecies pull him place to place without much choice from him. And the place he is currently pulled to may be the most dangerous prophecy to fulfill. Prince Siren has been told since he was a child that he was the hope for their people. His people are cursed and the scars that linger on their skins bring them closer and closer to death every day. So many of his people have died from the curse. Their only hope is to fulfill their prophecy. Prince Siren must kill the Beacon. But when the day finally arrives… killing the Beacon may be harder than he expected. Especially when he gets to know Kappa more each day and they have a lot more in common than they realized. And deep down, Siren knows it is the not the right thing to do. So what can he do? Castle Swimmer is such a fun story on Webtoon and I’m so glad to see that it is finally getting printed! I get to reread the story all over again. This is just the beginning of Siren and Kappa’s journey but it is one that will have you longing for more!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know about you but for me, there are precious few stories as exceptional as Wendy Lian Martin's <i>Castle Swimmer</i>. I decided to read this LGBTQ webcomic on a whim one day, just happening across it on the WebToon app and I fell in love faster than I ever would have imagined with the characters and their story. With a thoroughly engaging plot and some of the best artwork I've ever seen, <i>Castle Swimmer</i> quite easily found a place in my list of favorite reads. As it recently returned for season two, I figured now would be a great time to review the first one.

I'm honestly in love with this story.

Kappa is a young merman, born to be what all those living in the ocean call the Beacon. For every group of fish folk that lives beneath the sea, each has a prophecy that involves the Beacon. Kappa's entire life has been spent fulfilling the prophecies, sometimes to the pleasure and sometimes to the disappointment of the people obsessed with what their prophecy says he will do for them. Whenever he swims near something that pertains to a prophecy, Kappa is pulled, somewhat against his will, toward it until the prophecy is complete.

Though he knows this as his life's purpose, it has also led Kappa to feel very alone in the world.

Enter Siren, the young Prince of the sharks. They have a prophecy of their own.

According to the prophecy Siren has spent <i>his</i> entire life waiting for, it is his destiny to kill the Beacon and save his people from a horrible curse that leaves them all perpetually at risk of injury or death. But when the time comes that the sharks have captured Kappa, Siren finds himself unable to strike the final blow that will break the curse upon his people forever.

Castle Swimmer is a must-read. Believe me when I say that you are sorely missing out if you've not read this comic series. One of only three that I am desperately wishing to have a book at some point, <i>Castle Swimmer</i> is an exceptional tale with exciting twists and turns that you won't want to miss!

This is an absolutely beautiful story with stunning illustrations and a cast of the most interesting, complex characters. This is a tale of love of all kinds; chosen family, self-love, romantic love and more. If you enjoy underwater fantasy with a dash of humour and love, this graphic novel is definitely for you.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I saw the cover and just thought it was adorable. The art style is whimsical and gives me a weirdly nostalgic feel and warm puzzles. It's like heart stopper but with mermen lol

"Castle Swimmer Volume 1" takes place in an underwater landscape and follows 2 merpeople: Kappa and Siren. Kappa is a golden merman who is the "beacon" meaning he is to fulfill all the mer-prophecies, and Siren has known his whole life that he is going to have to kill the beacon/Kappa to make his kingdoms prophecy come true. But when Siren and Kappa meet, they instantly become friends, creating a bond with each other due to the similarities in how they feel trapped by their destinies.

This was a super cute mer-romance and very interesting to follow along. I loved the art style-the characters were drawn very cute and colorful. It was interesting that the shark-merpeople had more of a blue color palette and the other merpeople had more of a vibrant yellow/orange color palette, which really helped the reader grasp different landscapes. Another great thing about this book is that it is LGBTQ friendly, having the 2 male characters as the love interests. It ended on a cliffhanger but I can't wait to read more! I'd definitely pick up the next volume when it's published.

I think you would enjoy this novel if you are aged teen + , like mermaids and underwater landscapes, enjoy graphic novels, and are looking for a wholesome gay romance. 5/5 stars, highly recommend!

Thank you so much the netgalley and Ten Speed Press for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Castle Swimmer is a super cute story about the choices we make that determine our future. I love the artwork in this, and I know it'll only get better as the story progresses and the artist has time to come into her skills. The characters are all unique and interesting.