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The Republic of Salt

Part of The Mirror Realm Cycle

Author Ariel Kaplan
Paperback
$18.95 US
| $24.95 CAN
Kensington | Erewhon Books
On sale Oct 28, 2025 | 496 Pages | 9781645660972
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In this riveting sequel to The Pomegranate Gate, Toba, Naftaly, and their allies must defend a city under siege—while the desperate deals they’ve made begin to unravel around them.

After a near-disastrous confrontation with La Caceria, Toba and Asmel are trapped on the human side of the gate, pursued by the Courser and a possessed Inquisitor. In the Mazik world, Naftaly’s visions are getting worse, predicting the prosperous gate city of Zayit in flames and overrun by La Caceria. Zayit is notorious for its trade in salt, a substance toxic to the near-immortal Maziks; if the Cacador can control the salt, he will be nearly unstoppable. But the stolen killstone, the key to the Cacador’s destruction, could eliminate the threat—if only Barsilay could find and use it.

Deadly allies and even more dangerous bargains might be the only path to resist La Caceria’s ruthless conquest of both the mortal world and the Maziks’, but the cost is steep and the threat is near. A twisty, clever entry in The Mirror Realm Cycle, The Republic of Salt asks what personal morals weigh in the face of widespread danger and how best to care for one another.
Praise for The Republic of Salt:

"The plotting of this Jewish-inflected trilogy’s middle volume is complex and almost defies summary. . . . the chase is thrilling, the worldbuilding is unique, and characters are an intriguingly gray-shaded bunch who must constantly weigh principle against expedience. The midpoint of a journey worth pursuing to the end." —Kirkus Reviews

"Written with an eye for the mythic, a set of characters who have the virtues of their flaws, and a deft hand with a turn of phrase, The Republic of Salt is a worthy successor to The Pomegranate Gate." —Reactor Magazine

Praise for book 1 in The Mirror Realm Cycle:

“YA author Kaplan (We Are the Perfect Girl) draws readers into a bewitching folkloric world in her enthralling adult debut . . . The worldbuilding is lush and exciting, and the dynamics between the leads charm. . . . This spells good things for the series to come.” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] strong novel with brilliant, lyrical writing, appealing to readers across the fantasy genre. And personally, I need the follow-up desperately.” —Grimdark Magazine

“Refreshing . . . A unique take on Jewish history and legend.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Fans of Naomi Novik will love this novel rich in history and magic.” —BookBub

“Wow, I loved it. It’s mythic and human, breathtaking and special. I want to read everything Ariel Kaplan does. You’ll break the rules and eat the fruit just so you can stay in this magical world for a little while longer.” —C.L. Polk, Nebula Award-winning author of Even Though I Knew the End

“The Pomegranate Gate is a spellbinding work of storytelling, teeming with rich mythology and intricate mirror worlds, court politics and adventure, warmth and wit and darkness and profoundly real characters who will stay with you long after you turn the last page. I loved everything about this book.” —H.G. Parry, author of The Magician’s Daughter

“An amazing, exciting book, full of Jewish lore, history, and enchantment!” —Veronica Schanoes, author of Burning Girls and Other Stories

“The Pomegranate Gate is an unforgettable journey to a world lush with magic and imagination. Every page is unearthly and delightful in equal measure—I couldn’t put it down.” —Natasha Siegel, author of Solomon’s Crown

“The sweeping Jewish epic fantasy I’ve been waiting for all my life.” —Rebecca Fraimow, author of The Iron Children

“Captivating. A humane, and sometimes harrowing, mythohistory that unfolds effortlessly into convincing dream logic. Kaplan's attention to the laws, consequences, and loopholes of magic can only be described as Talmudic” —Elijah Kinch Spector, author of Kalyna the Soothsayer
Ariel Kaplan grew up outside Washington, D.C., and spent most of her childhood reading fairy tales and mythology before settling on a deep love for Jewish folklore. She began studying the history of medieval Spain and the Convivencia while working on a Monroe Scholar project at the College of William & Mary, where she graduated with a degree in History and Religious Studies. She is the author of several books for younger readers. The Mirror Realm Cycle is her first fantasy series.
Ariel Kaplan View titles by Ariel Kaplan

Discussion Guide for The Republic of Salt

Provides questions, discussion topics, suggested reading lists, introductions and/or author Q&As, which are intended to enhance reading groups’ experiences.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Read More

About

In this riveting sequel to The Pomegranate Gate, Toba, Naftaly, and their allies must defend a city under siege—while the desperate deals they’ve made begin to unravel around them.

After a near-disastrous confrontation with La Caceria, Toba and Asmel are trapped on the human side of the gate, pursued by the Courser and a possessed Inquisitor. In the Mazik world, Naftaly’s visions are getting worse, predicting the prosperous gate city of Zayit in flames and overrun by La Caceria. Zayit is notorious for its trade in salt, a substance toxic to the near-immortal Maziks; if the Cacador can control the salt, he will be nearly unstoppable. But the stolen killstone, the key to the Cacador’s destruction, could eliminate the threat—if only Barsilay could find and use it.

Deadly allies and even more dangerous bargains might be the only path to resist La Caceria’s ruthless conquest of both the mortal world and the Maziks’, but the cost is steep and the threat is near. A twisty, clever entry in The Mirror Realm Cycle, The Republic of Salt asks what personal morals weigh in the face of widespread danger and how best to care for one another.

Reviews

Praise for The Republic of Salt:

"The plotting of this Jewish-inflected trilogy’s middle volume is complex and almost defies summary. . . . the chase is thrilling, the worldbuilding is unique, and characters are an intriguingly gray-shaded bunch who must constantly weigh principle against expedience. The midpoint of a journey worth pursuing to the end." —Kirkus Reviews

"Written with an eye for the mythic, a set of characters who have the virtues of their flaws, and a deft hand with a turn of phrase, The Republic of Salt is a worthy successor to The Pomegranate Gate." —Reactor Magazine

Praise for book 1 in The Mirror Realm Cycle:

“YA author Kaplan (We Are the Perfect Girl) draws readers into a bewitching folkloric world in her enthralling adult debut . . . The worldbuilding is lush and exciting, and the dynamics between the leads charm. . . . This spells good things for the series to come.” —Publishers Weekly

“[A] strong novel with brilliant, lyrical writing, appealing to readers across the fantasy genre. And personally, I need the follow-up desperately.” —Grimdark Magazine

“Refreshing . . . A unique take on Jewish history and legend.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Fans of Naomi Novik will love this novel rich in history and magic.” —BookBub

“Wow, I loved it. It’s mythic and human, breathtaking and special. I want to read everything Ariel Kaplan does. You’ll break the rules and eat the fruit just so you can stay in this magical world for a little while longer.” —C.L. Polk, Nebula Award-winning author of Even Though I Knew the End

“The Pomegranate Gate is a spellbinding work of storytelling, teeming with rich mythology and intricate mirror worlds, court politics and adventure, warmth and wit and darkness and profoundly real characters who will stay with you long after you turn the last page. I loved everything about this book.” —H.G. Parry, author of The Magician’s Daughter

“An amazing, exciting book, full of Jewish lore, history, and enchantment!” —Veronica Schanoes, author of Burning Girls and Other Stories

“The Pomegranate Gate is an unforgettable journey to a world lush with magic and imagination. Every page is unearthly and delightful in equal measure—I couldn’t put it down.” —Natasha Siegel, author of Solomon’s Crown

“The sweeping Jewish epic fantasy I’ve been waiting for all my life.” —Rebecca Fraimow, author of The Iron Children

“Captivating. A humane, and sometimes harrowing, mythohistory that unfolds effortlessly into convincing dream logic. Kaplan's attention to the laws, consequences, and loopholes of magic can only be described as Talmudic” —Elijah Kinch Spector, author of Kalyna the Soothsayer

Author

Ariel Kaplan grew up outside Washington, D.C., and spent most of her childhood reading fairy tales and mythology before settling on a deep love for Jewish folklore. She began studying the history of medieval Spain and the Convivencia while working on a Monroe Scholar project at the College of William & Mary, where she graduated with a degree in History and Religious Studies. She is the author of several books for younger readers. The Mirror Realm Cycle is her first fantasy series.
Ariel Kaplan View titles by Ariel Kaplan

Guides

Discussion Guide for The Republic of Salt

Provides questions, discussion topics, suggested reading lists, introductions and/or author Q&As, which are intended to enhance reading groups’ experiences.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Read More

Additional formats

Other books in this series

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