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A review by purrson
Castle Swimmer, Volume 1 by Wendy Martin
dark
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Castle Swimmer: Volume 1 is a fresh, sweet MG/YA beginning installment of a unique fantasy. The plot, about a young merboy (he seems to be about 15 maybe?) who’s born to play the key role in other cultures’ prophecies. He has incredible importance to all the denizens of the sea, but it’s clear from his beginning that his life is a lonely one. The ocean is full of various humanoid creatures desperate to meet him, but he’s always on the move, and has no family— his only friends are the little, silent fish companions who keep him out of harms way as he grows through of childhood.
Things get interesting quickly—finally out of childhood but not yet an adult, as various humanoid species eagerly follow word of his travels, he’s trapped rather quickly by the one culture who needs him to die. It’s a dramatic meet-cute for the main characters, a teen shark prince who is destined to become a murderer (to save his people) is as unhappy about this prophecy as the merboy is to be murdered. From there, things start to get interesting as they try to find away around their respective destinies. Volume 1 ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, and made me curious enough to go back and pick up the webcomic. I hope there are more installments published. The world building is interesting, and I appreciated the subtle queernormativity of the shark culture. Wendy Martin’s art uplifts the melancholy of the plot, and the characters are so determined to find a way out of their conundrum that I’m excited to see how this story develops. The characters design is consistent in this volume, but I also look forward to seeing the art style evolve (there’s a warning of this at the end of the book—it’s not uncommon for graphic novels who start as webcomics, and something I enjoy seeing). I enjoyed this, and hope the next volume is released soon.
Things get interesting quickly—finally out of childhood but not yet an adult, as various humanoid species eagerly follow word of his travels, he’s trapped rather quickly by the one culture who needs him to die. It’s a dramatic meet-cute for the main characters, a teen shark prince who is destined to become a murderer (to save his people) is as unhappy about this prophecy as the merboy is to be murdered. From there, things start to get interesting as they try to find away around their respective destinies.
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood