Erica’s Pick of the Week: Saltcrop

Climate fiction is having a moment, isn’t it? Stories of near-futures beset by ecological disasters – and the characters who struggle to navigate them – are on every bestseller and big awards list. Whether you’re a fan of the genre or just starting out, Yume Kitasei’s latest novel, Saltcrop, is not to be missed. With vivid worldbuilding, strong characters, and high stakes, this story of sisterhood and survival offers a hard-won sense of hope. 

The world of Saltcrop is a perilous one. Ravaged by the climate crisis, overrun with pollution and blight, society relies on genetically engineered crops to eke out the barest of livings. But Skipper and Carmen Shimizu are struggling with a more personal disaster: their sister has vanished. Nora, a scientist, left home years ago to work for the agricultural conglomerate who saved the world’s food supply. Now she’s inexplicably missing with no word and no warning.

Skipper, who spends her days on her boat, scavenging and reselling ocean trash, is desperate to take action. Carmen, the dutiful middle sister, is about to start a new job that will provide the family with a modicum of security. The last thing she wants is to head to the city in search of Nora.

But when an ominous message arrives, there’s no talking Skipper out of her rescue mission – and Carmen cannot let her go alone. Instead, the two set sail on a journey that will take them to unexpected and dangerous shores. They forge alliances, fend off pirates, and fight the elements and corporate greed alike. Along the way, they come to understand each other — and themselves.

The world of Saltcrop is both brilliantly imagined and alarmingly familiar. Animals have mutated. Oceans have swallowed entire towns. Millions have died. And yet, people still go to college. They celebrate birthdays and deal with annoying relatives and fold laundry. It’s our world, just…harder. So, so much harder, and that makes it even more believable. An unrecognizable future is easy to dismiss, but this one feels like a warning.

Also familiar is the squabbling tension between the sisters. Family dynamics, long-held grudges, and differing recollections all play a part, but the search for Nora disrupts their usual patterns. For the rest of the novel, the girls must forge new ones. Anyone who has a sibling – especially a sister – will recognize their prickly, bittersweet bond.

Yume Kitasei expertly balances the emotional beats of the story with plenty of suspense – this is a story that thrums with tension. Once the truth behind Nora’s disappearance is revealed, it edges into thriller territory, leading to a cinema-worthy climax. 

Propulsive, imaginative, and genre-bending, Saltcrop is perfect for fans of Wild Dark Shore or I Cheerfully Refuse.