Castle Swimmer: Volume 1 (Castle Swimmer)

by Wendy Martin

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.

• ISBN10: 0593835824
• ISBN13: 9780593835821
• Publish Date: 22 October 2024
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
• Imprint: Ten Speed Graphic
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 272
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593835821

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Summary:

Kappa is the Beacon, a fact known well before his birth. Every culture and city has its own legend about Kappa. Some believe he'll come and bring with him good fortune. Others think he'll be what they need to change their lives forever. It's hard living up to these expectations, to say the least.

Siren knows a little bit about drowning under the weight of expectations. His whole life, people have been waiting for the day he lived up to his prophecy—the day he saved his people from horrendous injuries on a daily basis. But can he do what it takes?

Review:

Oh goodness. I went into Castle Swimmer Vol. 1, not really having any expectations (I didn't read the Webtoon series), and holy cats! This series has so much heart it's impossible not to fall head over heels for it.

For starters, I love the whole concept – playing around with legends and prophecies. These things never work out as we expected, and Castle Swimmer does a great job of showing the how and why of it all.

Then there are the characters. I just want to bundle Kappa and Siren up and protect them from the world (in my defense, they could probably use the help). They make this series, so there is no question about that.

The worst part about Castle Swimmer Vol. 1 was coming to an end. I didn't want to put it down – I wanted to keep reading. This had little to do with the cliffhanger ending, but mostly, it's because I got so caught up in the world.

If you love mermaids and prophecies, make sure to check out Castle Swimmer Vol. 1.

Highlights:
Fantasy/Romance
LGBT
Coming of Age
Legends and Lore
Webtoon Series

Thanks to Ten Speed Graphic and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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