4.5 stars

This was the perfect follow up after volume 1. I loved everything about this. The characters are so funny and cute. I loved the sweet moments between Siren and Kappa. They are absolutely precious and deserve everything. I think my favorite character has to be Skiff. I kind of want him to have his own romance now. He's such a gem.

So awesome! Loads of enjoyment, just like the first volume. I love the facial expressions of the characters, and the romance is cute.

This is book two in the graphic novel adaptation of an original Webtoon series and it is every bit as magical and beautiful as book one. The characters are so incredibly endearing, the plot enthralling and the artistry is just incredible - the glint of Kappa's scales, the detail in each panel, and all the hard work that's gone into adapting something designed for a small screen into a larger format. The relationship between Kappa and Prince Siren is adorable, and takes a fairly big step in this one after the slooooow burn of book one, and for such a sweet book/story it had me so incredibly twisted in knots half the time - there's some pretty intense things a-happening in Siren's home kingdom and it will tug your heartstrings!

A heartwarming story about two mairman who are trying to defy fate. The story picks up right after the first volume. This volume devolpled their relationship more and is even better than the first one. There was also a twist that i didn’t see coming. I will definitely read the rest of the series.

(Full disclosure: I received a free e-ARC for review through NetGalley.)

Wendy Martin's CASTLE SWIMMER is quickly becoming one of my comfort comics (like vegan mac & cheese for the soul!). HEARTSTOPPER meets SPLASH, now with a dash of, idk, AQUAMAN (to account for the competing underwater kingdoms, I guess?), CASTLE SWIMMER follows two young mermen who are prophesied to be at odds - but end up falling in love.

Kappa is a Beacon, a magical creature who ping-pongs around the sea to fulfill the prophecies of various underwater Kingdoms. Everyone is happy to see him ... until they're not. (Prophecies are tricky, slippery things that rarely play out as expected.) When Kappa is drawn into the Shark Kingdom, he comes face to face with Prince Siren - an unhappy and sheltered heir who must kill Kappa in order to save his people from a decades-old curse. Siren was already conflicted about the whole murder thing - and then he met Kappa. Beautiful, glowing Kappa, who seems to know exactly how he feels. Teenage angst to the nth degree, y'all.

At the end of Volume One, Siren was trying to devise an escape plan for the imprisoned Kappa. In Volume 2, this plot line continues to play out, but not how you'd expect. And, oh yeah, there is a plot twist of monumental proportions.

CASTLE SWIMMER continues to charm with its depiction of two queer sea creatures in love. I especially appreciate that absolutely zero percent of the conflict centers on Kappa or Siren's sexuality: some merpeople are straight, others are not, and that's a-okay. (It's got hints of SCHITT'S CREEK in that way.) The artwork is lovely, as is the storytelling, and I love that Siren picks up some (unexpected) allies along the way.

CASTLE SWIMMER got its start on Webtoon, where it just wrapped up Season 3. Volume 2 includes episodes 20-41, thus concluding Season 1.

Castle Swimmer has been high up on my wishlist ever since I heard about it last year. So I was thrilled to have my request for the ARC of Vol.2 approved. And I have to say it was everything I hoped for and more.

Set in a fantastical undersea world where you have different Mer-clans, each based on a different species of sea creatures, Castle Swimmer Vol.2 focuses on Prince Siren, heir to the throne of the Shark kingdom, and his efforts to save Kappa, a young mer-person whose death is prophesied to be the only cure to the deadly curse plaguing the Shark Kingdom.

This is a story about friendship, found family and above all, love and the heights and depths it inspires. I loved Siren. He’s so earnest, so determined to do all that he possibly can, and then some more to free Kappa. Queen Susca, Siren’s mother, was another fantastic character. She makes some bad decisions that trigger the main crisis of this volume, but her motives are so relatable, and the fallout so devastating, that you can’t help but pity her.

That’s not to say that the story is dark or tragic. On the contrary, there’s a steady thread of gentle humour and hope throughout the storyline that makes reading it feel like cuddling under a warm, fluffy blanket.

I’m so glad I got the chance to read this volume, and I’ll definitely be continuing with the series.

Wendy Lian Martin’s <i>Castle Swimmer</i> honestly feels like one of those once in a lifetime tales, the sort of book that manages to capture the most integral emotional essence of something both unique and relatable. My experience with this story is one of deep appreciation, though it is without question that one must read Volumes 1 and 2 in succession. It’s the sort of story, I think, that begs experiencing everything all at once. And while that is not to say that you can’t read them separately, but rather that the full impact of the emotional value of the story exists with both. While the first volume was all about Kappa and Siren meeting and discovering the impossible connection between them, this follow-up focuses on what happens next: actually trying to free Kappa from the destiny that’s bound him since birth.

Volume 2 truly brings about the awkwardness of teenagers in an impossible situation, showing both the difficulty in planning an escape but also the young tenacity to take advantage of every opportunity that arises to accomplish their goal. There’s real urgency now, bringing a stronger sense of forward momentum and danger as everything moves past the theoretical. But what really makes this volume shine is how it all leads to an absolutely thrilling climax—one that delivers a massive twist regarding the prophecy, revealing secrets and truths that no one saw coming.

The emotional payoff here is huge, and Wendy Lian Martin knows exactly how to build the suspense before dropping those big story-altering revelations. By the end, we’re left staring down a cliffhanger that’s both painful and exhilarating. It’s the kind of ending that leaves you desperate to know what comes next, because nothing will be the same for these characters again.

As always, the art is breathtaking. Every underwater panel is filled with life and emotion, and the expressions between Siren and Kappa continue to hit like a tidal wave straight to the heart. Each piece leaves you more and more attached to the two lead characters, eager to see every new sequence. There’s no doubt in my mind, <i>Castle Swimmer’s</i> Volume 2 is everything a great sequel should be—

ARC Review

The cry rating:
😭😭=This hurt my feelings a lot
🥲🥲🥲=If you don’t stop making them be so sweet I’m gonna fight you

Siren is the most amazing mershark guy and the way he cares for Kappa is so damn precious. His blushing is second only to Skiff’s blushing on the adorable scale.
Kappa the precious baby beacon is just having such a hard time and I wish he was in a different situation so he could care for himself and let Siren take care of him.
Queen Nee is the love of my life and I stand by that. From bonding moments to doing the right thing by Kappa I just freaking adore her.

TL;DR
The vibes were perfect. I wish I could read this again for the first time. The MC’s are my personality now and I will absolutely re-read. Definitely recommend!

An absolutely perfect sequel to the most heartwarming story, I was left with so much love and longing in my heart. I demand the third book this instant!

Wonderful, just like the previous one.
Definitely recommend to fans of mermen.
Lovely artstyle too.

This was an absolutely lovely follow up to Volume 1! I love the growth in characters that is already evident in this volume. The relationship is so adorable, but isn’t the focus. I love that this is about becoming who you want to be when faced with impossible odds. I’m so excited for the next volume and how the story is going to develop from there.

I definitely would recommend this to anyone who wants to read a cute graphic novel that focuses on friendship and family dynamics.

When I saw an ARC of "Castle Swimmer: Volume 2" by Wendy Martin on Netgalley, I neeeeeded it! And lucky me, I was granted one a few weeks later.

["Two mermen reject their destinies and embark on a raucous adventure as big and unpredictable as the ocean itself—and a romance that nobody could have predicted—in the stunning second installment of the hit Webtoon series Castle Swimmer.

The sharks want Kappa dead, and time is running out for Prince Siren to save him. Queen Susca knows Siren doesn’t have the courage to kill Kappa, and for the sake of the kingdom, she’s willing to do the deed herself. As tensions run high, neighboring queens pay the sharks a visit to offer an alliance, and while they might just be the means of escape the two mermen have been looking for, it’s unclear if they can be trusted.

Siren will do anything to get Kappa to safety—even if it means never seeing him again, and even if all Kappa wants is to stay by his side. Yet escaping the queen’s spear will take all of Siren and Kappa’s courage and cunning, and there’s no guarantee they’ll both make it out alive."]

Siren and Kappa are still my absolute favorite! They are adorable and in-like and sooo lost in life. But the second volume of "Castle Swimmer" showed the power of saying "no", of finding who you are as a person (what your beliefs are), and standing up for yourself. It's about the weight of responsibility, of putting so much of that responsibility on a child (and just being okay with it--I'm looking at you, too, Harry Potter).

A lot of people stood up for what they believed in. A lot of people explored new beliefs. A lot of people were changed by seeing others stand up for their beliefs.

And yet...this one ended on an almost-cliffhanger. Not as bad as Volume 1, but still not a completed HEA. Here I go to Webtoon.

#netgalley #arc #arcteammember
#castleswimmer #castleswimmerseries #wendymartin #graphicnovel #queergraphicnovel #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Thank you NetGalley, Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press, and Ten Speed Graphic for this arc!

4/5 stars

This was a great next installment of the Castle Swimmer series! It had suspense, humour, love, and plot twists I didn't see coming! Siren and Kappa are really cute together, and I can't wait to read volume 3 to find out where their love story goes from the way this ended. Very sweet!

I loved the illustrations, the colors, and the storyline! I can feel the love and care Kappa and Siren have for each other. The visuals added a lot of depth to the story and the colors was so visually pleasing that it matches the mood of the scenes.

Thanks to Netgalley I had a chance of reading volume 1 of Castle Swimmer last year. And I fell in love with everything in it 🤗🤩.
Castle Swimmer Volume 2 was as beautiful and stunning as the first one. It is funny, swoon worthy (they had there first kiss YAY!! 😘). Kappa and Siren have my whole heart. The art and drawings are really brilliantly crafted. The rich ocean world-building and it's creature are a captivating sight for sure 🫶🫶.
Cute and heartwarming.
Can't wait to devour more of this magical delightful adventures of Two Mermen 💖✨.
.
🧜🏻‍♂️🧜‍♂️
THANK YOU NETGALLEY AND CLARKSON POTTER / TEN SPEED PRESS FOR THE ARC OF THE BOOK.

Thank you to the author Wendy Martin, the publisher Ten Speed Press and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved and adored this volume even more than the first one, which I read years ago on Webtoon. It hooked me from the start, and then I just couldn't stop reading it. This book was a rollercoaster, truly. Besides, I love Kappa and Siren a lot, so it's always lovely to read about them.

It is heartwarming and inspiring to read about the blooming of their slow burn romance and how they face everything with bravery and hope for a better future in which no one needs to be sacrificed in order to fulfill a prophecy.

"Despite everything that happened, the time I spent with you is the happiest I've ever been." I just needed to write this quote down in the review. It's one of my favorite quotes of the book.

It is beautifully illustrated with bright and lovely illustrations. I'm such a big fan of the way the author visually depicts this story and its characters, too.

Truths and unveiled secrets long hidden, a prophecy hanging from the prince and the beacon's necks, a love blooming between them. It's way the best volume of Castle Swimmer to date. Hope we get the compiled Volume 3 soon!

I'll be posting my review on my blog on pub date!

This was so adorable! I loved volume 1 so I was thrilled to see volume 2 available. The characters are sweet and the story is so great.

Continuing the story right from where the first volume left off (on a bit of a cliffhanger!), volume two of this beautifully illustrated series follows Prince Siren's attempts to help the Beacon escape, despite knowing that the prophecy of his castle calls for Kappa to be sacrificed. However, the true meaning of the prophecy will soon be revealed...changing Siren's life forever.

I swam through the pages of this book as quickly as Siren swims to Kappa's defense, again and again, as he tries to save his friend. The truth behind the sharks' prophecy is a difficult one for Siren to accept, but I look forward to seeing him seek out an alternative as the story continues to unfold in future volumes (as well as to Kappa's own quest to live for himself rather than as the Beacon dragged from prophecy to prophecy). I highly recommend this book (and the previous volume) to readers who love fantasy stories with lovable characters, plenty of humor, and gorgeous artwork, and I'll be waiting (im)patiently for the next volume to release.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC. Still cute and wholesome but a bit angstier than the first volume, though that isn't a bad thing. The conversion from webtoon episodes to book format feels fairly smooth, although I wish there were more distinctive separations between each chapter, but that's a personal preference.

I enjoy this story so much as a webcomic, and it was an absolute treat to read through it in book form! The growing relationships between the characters are shown beautifully here, alongside the series' intrinsic humor in both writing and artwork, all which give Castle Swimmer its wholesome, sweet, and fun vibe. I love Queen Nee so much!

Recommended for fans and new readers alike - especially for those who enjoy beautifully-drawn comics and budding romance.

Thank you to Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for providing the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Public posts of my review will go up closer to the book’s pub date.