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.

Pub date: September 30, 2025

Title: Saltcrop
Author: Yume Kitasei
Genre: Sci-fi fantasy, dystopian, climate change fiction
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️