Saltcrop

by Yume Kitasei

From the acclaimed author of The Deep Sky and The Stardust Grail comes the tender and gripping tale of two sisters who sail across oceans to find their missing third sister – and Earth’s salvation.

ONE OF ELLE'S BEST FANTASY AND SCIENCE FICTION BOOKS OF 2025

LONGLISTED FOR GOODREADS READER'S FAVOURITE SCIENCE FICTION 2025

'An absorbing, compelling tale of love, loyalty and danger' Guardian

'A deft and intimate family saga set against the backdrop of an utterly believable dystopian world' Elle

'An unforgettable novel that teems with big ideas and abundant heart' Michelle Min Sterling, New York Times bestselling author of Camp Zero

'A brilliant triumph and a heartfelt love letter' J.R. Dawson, award-winning author of The First Bright Thing

'Urgent and gorgeously written' Sarah Brooks, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands

In Earth's near future, seas consume coastal cities and mutant fish lurk in their depths. Skipper, a skilled sailor and the youngest of three sisters, earns money skimming and reselling plastic from the ocean to care for her ailing grandmother.

Her eldest sister, Nora, left home in pursuit of a cure for failing crops all over the world. Now, she’s missing. When Skipper and her other sister, Carmen, receive a cryptic plea for help, they must put aside their differences and set out across the sea to save her.

But their voyage through a dying world both beautiful and strange brings them to question what dangerous attention did Nora attract, and how well do they really know their sister – or each other?

Thus begins an epic journey spanning oceans and continents and a wistful rumination on sisterhood, friendship, and ecological disaster.

'Get a copy of Saltcrop for all the perpetually warring siblings you know' Vajra Chandrasekera, author of the Nebula, Ignyte, Crawford, and Locus award-winning The Saint of Bright Doors

'Luminous, credible, and engrossing from beginning to end' Kirkus, starred review

'A tale that feels both intimate and expansive. It’s an impressive feat' Publishers Weekly, starred review

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy, Audiobook, Adult, Mystery

Audible Audio

First published September 25, 2025

About the author

Yume Kitasei (www.yumekitasei.com) is a Brooklyn-based Japanese and American writer of speculative fiction. She is the author of three novels, THE DEEP SKY, THE STARDUST GRAIL, and SALTCROP. Her stories have appeared in publications including New England Review, Catapult, SmokeLong Quarterly, Baltimore Review, and Nashville Review. She chirps occasionally @Yumewrites at Instagram and Bluesky.

Reviews

[Alina ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

☆☆☆☆

Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei was a book I genuinely enjoyed, particularly for its story and writing style. The prose is engaging and atmospheric, and I found myself invested in the sibling relationship at the heart of the novel. The way the book explores family bonds, how far you’re willing to go, and what you’re willing to risk, for the people you love, was one of its strongest elements.

That said, I did find both Carmen and Skipper a bit naïve at times. While this does make sense given how little they’ve seen beyond their small, insular world, I kept second-guessing why they trusted others so easily, even when that trust clearly hadn’t been earned. I was also frustrated that neither of them thought to ask the “egg” any meaningful questions about Nora, which felt like a missed opportunity and strained my suspension of disbelief.

One aspect I really appreciated was the commentary on climate (change), which was thoughtfully woven into the story without feeling heavy-handed. Interestingly, this is the second book I’ve read in a short time that features a sea vault, the other being Wild Dark Shore. It struck me as a very specific and challenging topic to handle, and I found it fascinating to see different approaches to a similar concept.

The sea journey itself gave me slight Tress of the Emerald Sea vibes, though this book is much less cozy and doesn’t lean into a found-family dynamic (just real family vibes).

Overall, Saltcrop is a compelling and well-written novel with strong themes and an intriguing setting. Despite some character decisions that didn’t fully work for me, I would still recommend it, especially to readers who enjoy maritime journeys, sibling-focused stories, and climate commentary.

[Samantha (ladybug.books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know what, I cannot stop thinking about this book. I am officially rounding up to a full five stars.

Forever in awe of Yume Kitasei and her books. Saltcrop is so many things. A heartfelt story of three sisters, a gripping adventure across dangerous waters, and an eerie dystopian with rich world-building.

Full review to come

[Lucia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read the two previous books from this author and I found this one to be really different from those, and also her best work so far.

The story is part mystery, part thriller, part ecological dystopia, but mainly an excellent exploration of family dynamics and sibling’s relationships. While a lot happens during this book, I loved the introspective and slow paced cadence of the story.

Each sister has a distinct voice and personality, and I really enjoyed reading each of their POVs.
The world building was really interesting, the book kept surprising me when more aspects of this world were brought to light, this was done very organically and without info dumping.

The ending was probably my least favorite part, it was maybe too satisfying, I'd have preferred it to be even more bittersweet.

Apart from that, I think this was Yume Kitasei's strongest work, I'm really looking forward to future books from her!

Thanks to HarperVoyager via NetGalley for providing an eARC

[Bethany (Beautifully Bookish Bethany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was gorgeous! Saltcrop literary dystopian sci-fi about a complicated relationship between three sisters that becomes heightened when one of them goes missing and the other two go on a dangerous journey to find her.

Divided into three parts, each one is from a different perspective and it brilliantly showcases how different their perspectives of reality, themselves, and their siblings are. It's truly a journey that will change each of them, and transform their relationships for better or for worse. Sci-fi elements are seamlessly woven into the background in a world that has been devastated by diseased plants and is now run by the megacorporations that supposedly saved humanity. But the beating heart is the sisters - their commitment to each other, their determination to survive, and their willingness to do whatever it takes to protect family. The audio narration is excellent and each character POV feels distinct. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

[laurel [the suspected bibliophile] · Rating 5 out of 5]

The trip seems straightforward enough, but then, maps never show the whole truth, just what a place could be without people or time.

I am so, so happy I read this.

Yume Kitasei thrives in melancholic, moody dystopians where the stakes are through the roof. It's about becoming and sisters and resilience and integrity and trust, and a whole lot more.

It felt like three books wrapped into one: a sister missing, an oceanic journey, an agricultural thriller. And it all worked really well for me.

She wants to stand before Nora, and for her sister to look at her, really look, and say, Yes, this is what I've always seen in you. You didn't fail at anything, you just needed more time to become yourself.

Anywho, it's my top read of August.

I received an ARC from the publisher

[Trisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The climate has failed us, mold and "blight" cover crops and plants and its all we can do to not let it kill everyone. In the midst of all this, two sisters get word that their brilliant achieving sister that was exploring the seeds that grow the crops and the blight itself - their sister has gone missing in the midst of her studies.

They head out in an attempt to find her and explore their childhood, relationship, and how or what they want it life. I liked the adventure of this. The horror and fight to survive in the world was bleak but also interesting. I liked the different sisters and learning about them but I felt like the adventure hit a small lull, in the end, but I did like the conclusion. 3 1/2 stars I'm rounding up. Interesting climate dystopian.

[Booksblabbering || Cait❣️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s the end of the world.
Not really, but close. Water levels are rising, the weather is unpredictable and extreme, crops are failing, there are mutant animals.

So, basically us in 50, 100 years?

When Nora, the eldest Shimizu sister, goes missing, Skipper decides to go and find her and their middle sister decides to meddle - I mean, come along.

This was fine, but I never felt compelled to continue. I had no attachment to the characters despite being drawn in by the sister component, and I was not that intrigued by the mystery.
The world-building was also not strong enough to pull me along.
DNF at 54% after a POV switch at 50% from Skipper, the youngest sister, to Carmen, the middle sister.

I did enjoy the dynamics between the sisters. How each perceive situations differently, remember the past differently. As someone who has two younger brothers and a close family unit, the kind of comparisons, misread situations, and fast made judgements felt very real to me.

I am always drawn in by climate catastrophe books as we’re on that pipeline. However, I wish this was more developed.
I think, had I finished, I would have given this an okay 3-stars, but I didn’t want to force something I wasn’t gripped by.

Arc gifted by publisher.

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[Shirleynature · Rating 5 out of 5]

This profoundly moving story of sisters and sailing with reflections of humanity's dysfunctions in the face of climate dystopia is eerily atmospheric and somewhat reminiscent of The Morningside by Téa Obreht.

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I haven't read any Yume Kitasei before, but I might have to change that after reading this ARC. This book was compulsively readable, and so tense it kept me up at night thinking about it.

SALTCROP takes place in an imagined near-future world that survived a global famine, and now most crops suffer from cycles of blight controlled by a pesticide called Amaranthine. Both blight-resistant seeds and Amaranthine are made by the same company - Renewal.

The story operates on a few levels: on its most basic, it's about three sisters in this world. One goes missing, and the other two try to find her. They stumble into some nefarious doings by Renewal, and have to figure out what to do about that. They also have to figure out how they're going to live their lives, in relation to each other and also for themselves.

The story is told in three parts, and each sister gets a section. The plot moves straight forward through these three sections, but switching perspectives allows for a deep character study of each sister and how she relates to the others. Kitasei does a great job of revealing info in each successive section, clarifying and correcting what's been presented before.

It's a fascinating journey (literally) through this dystopian world, taking place in the sisters' small town, a larger city they sail to (NYC?), across the ocean, at a seed bank (Svalbard?), and a flourishing city that mostly managed to recover from the famine (some European city?). Nothing is named, so the exact locations are up to the reader to determine. But they are each memorably and evocatively described.

But I think the reason this story will stay with me is because despite having the trappings of an adventure conspiracy plot, everything landed so real. These are not characters cleverly unraveling puzzles, making daring escapes, and taking on corporations fearlessly and flawlessly. This story resonates with the anxiety and uncertainty of real people forced into some exceptional scenarios and having to make some dramatic choices as a result.

I think that now I have some of the same unresolved trauma that these sisters do from living through some gnarly situations!!!

Similarly, the end doesn't just tie things up in bow. The main challenges are resolved, but the vibe is "...and then life went on, in spite of everything." KITASEI, HOW DARE?! You keep it real like that?!

I'm kind of a sucker for sister stories, but most dystopians are too over-the-top dramatic and emotional for me to truly resonate with. NOT THIS ONE. It felt all too real, and I am shook. In a good way.

[Abolfazl Nasri · Rating 3 out of 5]

رمان سالت‌کراپ یومه کیتاسی اثری است که ایده و جهان‌سازی‌اش ظرفیت بالایی دارد: ترکیب بحران اقلیمی، فروپاشی اجتماعی و سفری خانوادگی برای یافتن حقیقت گمشده. داستان حول سه خواهر شکل می‌گیرد و در دل چشم‌اندازی پر از زوال زیست‌محیطی و خاطره‌ی گذشته‌ای ازدست‌رفته روایت می‌شود. نویسنده در فضاسازی بسیار موفق عمل کرده و صحنه‌هایی تاریک و مرطوب از ساحل‌های فروریخته، خانه‌های نیمه‌غرق‌شده و دریایی خشمگین خلق می‌کند که حس انزوا و زوال را به‌خوبی منتقل می‌سازد.
همچنین دغدغه‌های اجتماعی نظیر بحران غذا، وابستگی مردم به شرکت‌های بزرگ کشاورزی و شکاف میان نسل‌ها و خواهرها به متن بُعدی واقع‌گرایانه می‌بخشد و پیوند خانوادگی در مرکز روایت، بار عاطفی داستان را تقویت می‌کند. با این حال، رمان در ریتم دچار مشکل است. روایت در جزئیات روزمره و گفت‌وگوهای تکراری گیر می‌کند و همین کندی، برای خواننده‌ای که به دنبال تعلیق یا حرکت سریع است، خسته‌کننده می‌شود. برخلاف دو رمان فضایی دیگر کیتاسی که به شکل طبیعی تنش بالایی دارند، اینجا بیشتر زمان در تعاملات خ��نوادگی و فضای کوچک قایق سپری می‌شود و خطرهای بیرونی آن‌قدر که انتظار می‌رود پررنگ نیستند.
از سوی دیگر، مضمون‌های زیست‌محیطی هرچند مهم و ارزشمندند، اما گاهی بیش از حد مستقیم بیان می‌شوند و عمق داستانی پیدا نمی‌کنند. در مجموع، سالت‌کراپ کتابی است با پیامی زیست‌محیطی روشن و تصویری تلخ از آینده‌ای نزدیک؛ رمانی که لحظات شاعرانه و اندوه‌بار دارد اما به دلیل ضرباهنگ کند و کشش روایی محدود، کمتر از آنچه می‌توانست تأثیرگذار است. برای خواننده‌ای که شیفته‌ی دو رمان فضایی نویسنده بوده، طبیعی است این کتاب کمتر جذاب جلوه کند. امتیاز سه ستاره از پنج، منصفانه‌ترین توصیف تجربه‌ی خواندن این اثر است.

[Sabina · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5) Unbelievably atmospheric and compelling!! I could practically taste salt water as I turned the pages. Nostalgic, harrowing and hopeful, I was enraptured by the blight-ridden future that Kitasei created and finished the book in a day, filled with the need to follow these three sisters all the way to the conclusion of their stories. I love books that bring you so closely alongside the characters that you finish them feeling like you, yourself, have gone on a journey. If you see me on a sailboat disappearing into the horizon say nothing!!!

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saltcrop is my first Yume Kitasei novel, but definitely not my first dip into climate fiction—just the latest reminder of why I love the genre. Give me collapsing coastlines, dangerous seas, and corporations misbehaving, and I’m apparently thriving.

Here, Kitasei blends eco-sci-fi adventure with a genuinely tender story about three sisters whose lives have splintered in different directions. When the eldest, Nora, sends a mysterious plea for help, Skipper and Carmen head out across a drowning world full of mutant fish, pirate territories, and ominous scientific secrets. It’s the kind of journey where every chapter feels a little salty, a little dangerous, and surprisingly emotional.

The world-building is vivid without being overwhelming, the sister dynamics have bite (and heart), and the plot moves with the force of a storm front. A gripping, atmospheric read that reminded me exactly why I keep drawn to climate fiction—equal parts warning, wonder, and “oh no what now?” vibes.

Kitasei is definitely an author I’ll be reading again.

Music to play while reading this one...
Fallen Fruit by Lorde
Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears
Fall on Me by REM
Monkey Gone to Heaven by Pixies
The Landscape is Changing by Depeche Mode
all the good girls go to hell by Billie Eilish
The Seed by Aurora

[Weronika · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story that will sit with me for a while. Like Yume’s previous novels, this ended up being a big adventure with family connections and high risk, but also great reward.

The pacing felt very cohesive, I like that we spend half of the book with Skipper, the youngest sister, then get to explore each of the sisters’ inner thoughts. It’s a bit of a slower pace at first but the second half picks up speed gently, like their boat Bumblebee, then wraps up fast with a bittersweet conclusion. As the middle child and also eldest daughter, I found each of the women very relatable. The way we get to experience their childhood from each perspective is really touching and endearing. The many scenes of sisterly love and bickering, then acting normal and unfazed are something every sister knows by heart.

The world building is very creative and at times whimsical, a unique take on climate change fiction that feels realistic. It’s not overly complicated and not completely terrifying either. The idea of a big conglomerate taking advantage of people is not that far fetched, and I really loved the scientific angle of this book. An interesting mystery and puzzle I liked solving along with the characters.

Audiobook performed by Eunice Wong was fantastic. She is a wonderful narrator, her voice and delivery is so effortless and soothing. I enjoyed how she put great emotion and personality to each of the sisters.

Thank you to the author for the ARC and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook copy.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Saltcrop is a dystopian eco-thriller with absolutely brilliant world-building and a story that feels urgent as well as deeply human.

Though at its core, it’s a story about sisters. Two who sail across oceans to find their third missing sister. This isn't my usual genre, but I'm happy I picked this one up because I flew through it!

What stood out to me the most was how much the book is rooted in family. The dynamics between the sisters felt messy, complicated, and relatable. (Speaking as someone who's the oldest of five siblings)
I also loved how their bond was written with such honesty, showing the ways siblings can clash while still loving each other fiercely.

The worldbuilding itself was vivid and unsettling, shaped by climate disaster, corporate greed, and a dystopian future. and despite the bleak setting, Yume does an incredible job weaving in a thread of resilience that keeps everything from feeling too hopeless.

Honestly, this was sharp, atmospheric, and BEAUTIFULLY written, and I can only recommend it to everyone who enjoys character driven stories and dystopians that feel frighteningly close to reality.

[Laura (crofteereader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really liked the first 2/3 ish, with Skipper and Carmen braving a ravaged environment and a corrupt mega corporation to find their missing older sister. I liked the contrast between capable and clearheaded but antisocial Skipper and charismatic but affirmation-seeking Carmen and how the two approached problems so differently. I also really appreciated that each sister narrates a section of the book (as much as I love Eunice Wong as a narrator, I would have loved to see 3 different narrators here to really drive the differences home).

However, once Nora takes over the story, things feel a bit more mundane. It feels less like a “dystopia” and more banal. Things also seem to fall into place much faster as though the author was aware that this section was less engaging and wanted to rush through it.

{Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review; all thoughts are my own}

[Merve · Rating 5 out of 5]

İklim değişikliği üzerine kurulmuş bir distopya. Kendilerinden uzakta, bir biyomühendislik şirketinde çalışan Nora’nın kaybolmasıyla başlıyor ve diğer iki kız kardeşin onu bulmak için çıktığı yolculuğu anlatıyor.

Üç bölümden oluşuyor ve her bölümde hikayeyi farklı bir kardeşin gözünden okuyoruz. Hepsinde farklı bir maceranın içindeyiz. Üçünün de kişiliği çok farklı ve iç dünyaları, ikili ilişkileri ve karakter gelişimleri vs. güzel yansıtılmış. Kardeşlik bağını gerçekten hissettiren bir hikâye.

Korku ve gerilim dozu yüksek. Kurulan dünya gerçekçi, bilim kurgu soğukluğu hiç yok. Çevirisi yok ama dili zor değildi keslinlikle, akıp gidiyor

[Kaylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reminds me of two books I’ve read this year, mashed together: Julia Armfield’s Private Rites and Leif Enger’s I Cheerfully Refuse. (Both absolute powerhouses in a similar slow eco-apocalypse vein.) The bonds of family, chosen and blood; a sense of belonging in a fragile, disintegrating world; how to say goodbye; the journeys of leaving home and finding it again; identity and distance; and water, miraculous water, thread throughout. (Saltcrop has the best pirates though! And the only mushrooms.)

It doesn’t remind me of Yume Kitasei, though, whose prose is usually tight and searing, lingering on the exact right beats to wrench and thrill my heart in equal measure. This is a beautiful and hopeful look at the future we’d be lucky to grasp from the current mess, believable in its grimness but still iridescent with possibility. It’s tender and real and hits a resigned, continuous note of sorrow until its final perspective, which is dull with anxiety yet also emotionally vibrant. Though gorgeously imagined, this book never hit its pacing for me. It went slow and unpredictably for the first 150 pages, after which it evened out some but never quite caught, and fell back into clunky set movements orchestrating us through the plot points of its conclusion. That kind of writing swallows up the spare tenderness I usually love in her work. Saltcrop suffers from a lack of urgency—it makes the characters seem like they aren’t taking things seriously, rather than being convincing as cognitive dissonance or paralysis. This is a novel that maybe needed to marinate for another year or two before it could be delivered as clean and clear as Kitasei’s others.

Some really stunning prose is studded throughout, lines that made me gasp or laugh or swallow hard against a sting in my throat. I think this world, so lovingly carved away bit by bit as a sculptor frees their design from a block of stone, will stick with me for a long time. Even so, I liked this less than Kitasei’s shorter, tighter novels (they are dense with plot and feeling and so perfectly balanced, a throwing knife that hits the target every time). This is a far more meandering book that reads a bit like a trilogy in one volume. Not bloated by any means, but perhaps a bit ambivalent? Kitasei remains one of my favorite active SFF writers, but the disorganized pacing and sometimes unconvincing emotional tone of the plot keep it from rising to her usual level of excellence for me.

[Laura Rhodes · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC of this novel.

This novel was very slow paced, and character driven. A major focus of the book was the relationships between the three sisters. It felt like the focus of the story was off. The setting and plot is simply so interesting, and instead of really diving in to all that, the story focuses on the relationships. I found myself getting bored pretty often. I have read the authors other novels and far preferred those. I did really enjoy the worldbuilding and overall plot, but just wish we would have spent more time focused on those components of the story.

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid 3.5. A great start, but the story lost steam as it went on (and on). I enjoyed the relationship between the sisters, but the bio-conspiracy angle never really felt as threatening as it should have. I think the sibling dynamics overshadowed the thriller/sci fi aspect of the novel. I was hoping for a bit more of the latter, so rounding down to 3.

[Sam Cheng · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kitasei divides Saltcrop into three parts, each of which is narrated by one of the three Shimizu sisters.

Beginning with the youngest, Skipper (22), she and Carmen (26) set sail on Bumblebee from their hometown in the south to find their eldest sister, Nora (28), after receiving a distress message. Nora works in the labs of Renewal, the preeminent agricultural company that develops blight-resistant seeds. The death of one million human beings from blight haunts the earth’s inhabitants. In their world, water covers large portions of the earth, and food and resource production are stable but precarious. For now, Renewal’s seeds and soil treatment products offer a solution.

In part two, Carmen works undercover at Renewal’s lab to find out more information on Nora’s whereabouts. In part three, Nora shares the secret she uncovers with her sisters: Renewal manufactures the blight and the blight-resistant seeds to monopolize the industry. Along with the help of her lab’s boss, sisters, and others that she learns to trust, they expose Renewal’s sinister business model.

Skippers’s section, perhaps because of her more distinct voice, stands out above Carman and Nora’s. However, Nora’s section surprises Skipper’s in how much tension Kitasei conjures in her eerie and unruly dystopian world. As such, Saltcrop reads as a thriller with a hint of mystery. As a whole, the parts required to create a solid traditional dystopian novel are present: sisters learn to support each’s unique strengths and grow in their weaknesses as they solve a massive problem involving a corrupt corporation that’s out to end their lives. The novel might be strengthened with more evenness in at least two ways. (1) The book’s pacing is odd (i.e., the author could carve out space from Skipper’s pov to further develop Nora’s and the company’s demise). (2) The supporting characters’ air time could be distributed differently (i.e., squash Jackson and allot that space to focus on grandma’s and Nora’s boss storylines).

My thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for an ARC.

[Me, My Shelf, & I · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story of sisters, told in 3 parts from each of their perspectives respectively.

There was something beautiful in the resilience of the bond that they shared. But likewise relatable and real in how even when they were giving up everything and traveling to the end of the world for each other, they still managed to have those petty sibling squabbles.

I appreciated how each one manifested a different form of fierce determination and sacrifice, and the unfolding climate science fiction plots that were in the background. You never really forget that they're living in the wreckage of a major climate catastrophe and the myriad ways it affects their lives.

Well... save for the episode where a certain jerk invites himself along on the boat. But that derailment aside, I found myself very invested in the whole story and how grounded it felt. I think it'll be too quiet a story for a lot of Scifi lovers so it actually might do better with the Literary crowd. Regardless-- I really liked it.

Audiobook Notes:
Narrator did an excellent job. Her voice is mellow and often somber, but I think she conveys the text well.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for providing me with audio and eARCs of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sarah Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. The premise(search for a lost sister), setting(sailing in post apocalyptic world), characters (sisters) all looked like it was going to be my kind of book. But I never got a sense of place after the very first scene. I never felt convinced by the characters or their ability to sail and I lost interest so often that I’d have to reread sections. There were really good bits of writing though and it kept me me going. But
I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger or Adrift, by Lisa Brideau are far better books if you want better options.

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two sisters, who live in a climate dystopian world where food is blighted and life is hard, embark on a sea journey, searching for their missing scientist sister. Skipper and Carmen, have very difference lives and personalities but are bonded in their quest. And, Nora, the eldest, is a bit of an enigma. What comes out is evil manipulation all for the sake of capitalism, despite the harm caused. Along the way, this journey becomes more than it seems, but it's the bond of sisterhood, mutual love and learning to let go that truly shines through. This is Yume Kitasei's best book yet.

I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘Saltcrop’ by Yume Kitasei is a third science fiction, a third domestic fiction, and a third political thriller. The environmental damages that afflict the lives of the characters in the book are ones scientists currently predict will happen. The author has extrapolated climate change predictions into the plot. The world has become very hot in the novel which has stressed food crops, making the survival of common grains problematic from the heat and dry atmosphere. The ocean is bigger, and port cities and most coastal roads are now underwater. The oceans are polluted, and massive plastic and garbage islands float here and there. Forever chemicals have poisoned the water supplies and all animal life. Deformed fish and other animals are common, and people and plants are experiencing new fungal sicknesses and infections.

One corporation has developed a pesticide which can give plant seeds immunity from the new funguses and other diseases, but it is more interested in profit than feeding the world. It has become a world-wide monopoly since only their seeds are completely immune to a new blight afflicting all crops. Unfortunately, the pesticide is also dangerous to other life forms, and must be washed off the bodies of animals and people who come into physical contact with it. However, employers do not actually seem to give employees who work with it enough protection or time to wash.

I have copied the book blurb:

”From the acclaimed author of The Stardust Grail comes the epic tale of two sisters who sail across oceans to find their missing third sister―and Earth’s environmental salvation.

In Earth's not too distant future, seas consume coastal cities, highways disintegrate underwater, and mutant fish lurk in pirate-controlled depths. Skipper, a skilled sailor and the youngest of three sisters, earns money skimming and reselling plastic from the ocean to care for her ailing grandmother.

But then her eldest sister, Nora, goes missing. Nora left home a decade ago in pursuit of a cure for failing crops all over the world. When Skipper and her other sister, Carmen, receive a cryptic plea for help, they must put aside their differences and set out across the sea to find―and save―her. As they voyage through a dying world both beautiful and strange, encountering other travelers along the way, they learn more about their sister's work and the corporations that want what she discovered.

But the farther they go, the more uncertain their mission becomes: What dangerous attention did Nora attract, and how well do they really know their sister―or each other? Thus begins an epic journey spanning oceans and continents and a wistful rumination on sisterhood, friendship, and ecological disaster.”


While I enjoyed the book, I expected more depth. The book is written in such a manner it seems like a literary read, but it ultimately falls short in my humble opinion. The main characters - Nora, Carmen, and Skipper - barely survive several life-threatening situations coming at them one after another, yet they somehow come out the other side of such dramas psychologically untouched. Readers are constantly reminded by the author that no matter what new scary threats the women stir up and face down, they still somehow remain the same people they always were, but even more so.

Nora, Carmen and Skipper were not aware of who they were in the beginning of their adventure, and how their interactions with each other affected the others, until they push themselves out of their familiar niches. In moving out of their childhood home from under the thumb of their grandma, they save each other from ugly deaths by a greedy corporation and maybe save the world too from a corporation’s corrupt practices They begin to accept themselves and the other siblings, flaws and all, because they see themselves for the first time. But despite that each sister learns what she is made of and each becomes a little ashamed of themselves, they end up simply shrugging their shoulders and accepting they are who they are. This didn’t seem right to me. These characters, if they had undergone what they went through in real life, would definitely have done some serious introspection which I believe naturally brings about changes, especially since each sister experiences some shame when they finally see themselves. But they don’t. All that happens is they take a good look at who they are, and basically go, whatever, ok then, it is what it is, full stop. Each sister is like, well, I’ll just move on and be me.

The book is written with strong literary bones, but I felt it lacked realistic character development. But it is still a decent entertainment and a good extrapolation of what climate change might look like in the near future. Of course, the fictional corporation’s business practices and its responses to possible exposure of them are totally true to life, gentler reader.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

the book took sail out to sea and never reached land for me...lol

the concept of this book was really cool but the execution lacked. this book tries to deliver a sci-fi, dystopian, and thriller all in one and did not fully hit the mark on either for me. the first 3/4 are pretty slow and I had a hard time staying engaged or developing a connection with any of the characters. the ending was pretty rushed and there were plot holes. I just found myself kind of bored and wanting more. part of it could be the audio; I didn't mind the narrator's voice but she was fairly monotone throughout.

overall, take a chance! other early reviewers are giving this book a lot of love.

thank you net galley and macmillan audio for the advanced listener copy!

[Phoenix2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Big Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the Publisher for the advanced copy! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

'Saltcrop' is a dystopian sci-fi by Yume Kitasei, and it follows the story of three sisters as they struggle to survive in a climate change-disastrous planet.


The plot is told through three different POVs, and that allows the reader to get to know all the sisters as well as see many points of the story. The story was also filled with many twists, action parts, horror scenes, and sweet family moments, though the final part was more action-packed and quick in pace. There were other parts, however, that were slower and some of them even boring. And yet, the characters were endearing and the thriller enjoyable.

Finally, the writing was great and the story well handled.

[Graham | The Wulvers Library · Rating 3 out of 5]

Saltcrop by Yume Kitasei is a dystopian novel about three sisters that reads more like a journey and it was enthralling every step of the way. A ravaged world wrought by a global famine, a sister goes missing. We follow the other two sisters as they try to find her, and find themselves.

I was a fan of how this story was told. There were three parts and each POV was of a different siter. It was refreshing to see each sisters perspectives throughout their journey and this was a brilliant way of showing the world through different eyes. I enjoyed the journey aspect of the story. There were no place names however their was a familiarity left for us to determine and the way that Kitasei described such a bleak landscape was horrifying.

This wasn't just a story where characters go on a journey and find themselves, this was a journey of hope. We don't have resolved plot points, a happy-ending or drama-free results. As Kitasei said - "and then life went on, in spite of everything". This was a greatly written dystopian novel that will resonate with many readers that are looking for something real.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a richly immersive eco-thriller that sweeps you into a near-future world drowned by rising seas and haunted by corporate greed. Through the alternating voices of three sisters—Skipper, Carmen, and Nora—Kitasei crafts a story that’s as intimate as it is high-stakes. Her writing is vivid and textured, building elaborate, believable worlds and deeply human characters you can’t help but root for. I especially enjoyed Carmen’s point of view for its balance of practicality, emotion, and determination, but Skipper’s grit and loyalty make her equally compelling. The book’s ending hints at the possibility of a solo adventure for the youngest sister, and if Kitasei ever chose to write a standalone about Skipper’s future on the ocean, I’d be first in line to read it. The audiobook narrator was excellent—giving each character a distinct, authentic voice that drew me deeper into the story and made the shifting perspectives seamless. With its blend of emotional depth, thrilling action, and inventive world-building, Saltcrop is both a gripping survival story and a poignant exploration of sisterhood in a time of collapse.


Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC . This is my honest review.

[Khin (storyatelier_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.25 stars

SALTCROP is a story about sisterhood in all its messiness, against a backdrop of eco-disaster spurred by late-capitalism. As the eldest of three sisters myself, I loved following each sister’s perspective, and at times having my interpretation of a certain event reconfigured through the lens of a different sister, the additional angle creating a fuller truth. Each sister carries her own baggage and resentments against the other two, partially because of the fractured family they were raised in, but at the end of it, blood and the complicated love that comes with it, continues to hold them together as they face the biggest challenge yet: getting out the truth about Renewal. How far would a corporation go to silence one employee from revealing the truth that has been helping them become the near-monopoly they currently are? More importantly, will the law even be of any help when a mega-corporation holds all that money and the power that comes with it? SALTCROP gives us what is probably a hopeful outcome—I don’t think I could be so hopeful in real life, but I would have flipped if things didn’t turn out okay for the sisters and if Renewal didn’t face some consequences for their actions. As a bonus, the writing is beautiful and rich in metaphors.

[brewdy_reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you @flatiron_books & @macmillan.audio for the ARC & ALC ♡

🌎 In this dystopian near future, the once plentiful bounty of the earth is no more. Blights have taken over entire crop species. Conspiracies and corporate greed.

🌊 3 sisters are living joyless lives, mainly just trying to get by. Until the scientist sister goes missing. The other two embark on a search and rescue, sailboat ⛵️ living style. They’ll sail to the end of the earth.

🌍 For fans of climate fiction, character driven books, and complicated family dynamics. The pacing was a bit slower than I prefer. This ended up being more of a contemplative type of read.

▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||။‌‌‌‌‌|• 🎧 I switched between audio and print format which was a nice way to consume this one.