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The Sky Beneath Us
An inspiring, uplifting story of love and loss, courage and adventure, from the bestselling author of The Skylark’s Secret.
1927. Violet Mackenzie-Grant is embarking on her dream of studying at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women. She doesn’t yet know that it’s a journey that will take her to Kathmandu and beyond, deep into captivating landscapes and cultures that are worlds away from everything and everyone she’s left behind in Scotland.
2020. Daisy Laverock has dreamed of retracing the footsteps of her great-great-aunt Violet ever since discovering her long-lost journals, whose accounts of plant hunting in the 1930s inspired Daisy’s own career. Divorced, and facing an empty nest, Daisy decides to embark on the trip of a lifetime. She arrives in Nepal, ready to start trekking in the shadow of Everest. But fate, and the pandemic, have other plans.
Stranded and alone, Daisy must fall back on the kindness of strangers, taking inspiration from Violet’s determination and resilience to keep going in the darkest of times. As she gradually pieces together the fragments of Violet’s story and uncovers long-held secrets, can Daisy finally reveal a path forward to her own future?
1927. Violet Mackenzie-Grant is embarking on her dream of studying at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women. She doesn’t yet know that it’s a journey that will take her to Kathmandu and beyond, deep into captivating landscapes and cultures that are worlds away from everything and everyone she’s left behind in Scotland.
2020. Daisy Laverock has dreamed of retracing the footsteps of her great-great-aunt Violet ever since discovering her long-lost journals, whose accounts of plant hunting in the 1930s inspired Daisy’s own career. Divorced, and facing an empty nest, Daisy decides to embark on the trip of a lifetime. She arrives in Nepal, ready to start trekking in the shadow of Everest. But fate, and the pandemic, have other plans.
Stranded and alone, Daisy must fall back on the kindness of strangers, taking inspiration from Violet’s determination and resilience to keep going in the darkest of times. As she gradually pieces together the fragments of Violet’s story and uncovers long-held secrets, can Daisy finally reveal a path forward to her own future?
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 10, 2024
3640 people are currently reading
20700 people want to read
About the author
Fiona Valpy
19 books2,461 followersFiona Valpy spent seven years living in France, having moved there from the UK in 2007. She and her family renovated an old, rambling farmhouse in the Bordeaux winelands, during which time she developed new-found skills in cement-mixing, interior decorating and wine-tasting.
All of these inspirations, along with a love for the place, the people and their history, have found their way into the books she’s written, which have been translated into more than 30 languages and sold more than 2 million copies worldwide.
Fiona now lives in Scotland, but enjoys regular visits to France in search of the sun.
Sign up to be the first to hear about her NEW releases here: http://bit.ly/184zc8B
All of these inspirations, along with a love for the place, the people and their history, have found their way into the books she’s written, which have been translated into more than 30 languages and sold more than 2 million copies worldwide.
Fiona now lives in Scotland, but enjoys regular visits to France in search of the sun.
Sign up to be the first to hear about her NEW releases here: http://bit.ly/184zc8B
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 557 reviews
July 22, 2024
Violet Mackenzie-Grant is happy her parents have allowed her to study at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women, and she has no idea what's install for her and she will take a huge risk. Violet leaves Scotland and travels to Nepal and a little settlement called Phortse in the Himalayan Mountains. A stunning place, the Sherpa people are lovely, and Violet can’t believe she’s seeing the wild rhododendron bushes and more.
The Sky Beneath Us has a dual timeline and its set in 1927 and 2020 is told from Violet and her great-great-nieces Daisy's points of view and it's easy to follow and understand.
Daisy Laverock found her great-great-aunt Violet's letters and journal’s years ago, they came to an end and she always wanted to travel to Nepal and find out what happened to her. Daisy and her mum Lexie planned on going together and Covid breaks out and she’s already on the plane. Daisy arrives alone, she planned on trekking to Mount Everest, asking about Violet along the way and the pandemic changes her plans. Daisy takes inspirations from her great-great-aunt, she meets two Sherpa men, who are returning to their village and to isolate and are willing for her to go with them.
I received a copy of The Sky Beneath Us by Fiona Valpy from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed reading about Nepal, Himalayan Mountains, plants that I didn’t know originally came from the area and the stunning scenery, teahouses, the Sherpa people, their way of life, religious beliefs and culture, and how they lived in high altitudes and Violet's legacy. Reading about Covid was hard and it brings back all the bad and scary memories of that time.
A captivating narrative about family, uncovering the truth, solving a hundred year old mystery, both Violet and Daisy are inspirational and strong women, they overcame challenges, hardship and adversity. The cover of The Sky Beneath Us is gorgeous, perfect for this novel and a five star read. Daisy and Lexie, are characters from Ms. Valpy's previous book, The Skylark’s Secret, and I highly recommend both.
The Sky Beneath Us has a dual timeline and its set in 1927 and 2020 is told from Violet and her great-great-nieces Daisy's points of view and it's easy to follow and understand.
Daisy Laverock found her great-great-aunt Violet's letters and journal’s years ago, they came to an end and she always wanted to travel to Nepal and find out what happened to her. Daisy and her mum Lexie planned on going together and Covid breaks out and she’s already on the plane. Daisy arrives alone, she planned on trekking to Mount Everest, asking about Violet along the way and the pandemic changes her plans. Daisy takes inspirations from her great-great-aunt, she meets two Sherpa men, who are returning to their village and to isolate and are willing for her to go with them.
I received a copy of The Sky Beneath Us by Fiona Valpy from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed reading about Nepal, Himalayan Mountains, plants that I didn’t know originally came from the area and the stunning scenery, teahouses, the Sherpa people, their way of life, religious beliefs and culture, and how they lived in high altitudes and Violet's legacy. Reading about Covid was hard and it brings back all the bad and scary memories of that time.
A captivating narrative about family, uncovering the truth, solving a hundred year old mystery, both Violet and Daisy are inspirational and strong women, they overcame challenges, hardship and adversity. The cover of The Sky Beneath Us is gorgeous, perfect for this novel and a five star read. Daisy and Lexie, are characters from Ms. Valpy's previous book, The Skylark’s Secret, and I highly recommend both.
September 14, 2024
This was my 7th Fiona Valpy novel and I believe it’s her best yet! Not only was it wonderful to change settings, but it was great to revisit Daisy, whom I’d ‘met’ two books previously, in The Skylark’s Secret.
What a spectacular cover!
The writing between the covers is just as inviting and compelling. Valpy’s story is made so much more immersive because of her ‘boots on the ground’ experience. I loved my armchair visit to Phortse, a remote village in the Himalayas.
Valpy introduces readers to two characters who are at a crossroads, unsure of what to do next. They’ve lost sight of where they were going and who they used to be. Violet Mackenzie-Grant thought she had choices; after all, she was attending the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women in the 1920s. Unfortunately, she discovers that her level of self-determination is realized by someone else who wields power over her. She ultimately sacrifices her position in society for love and discovers it’s really a plan of salvation.
Violet’s great-granddaughter, Daisy Laverock, is struggling, too, and decides that finding her Auntie Violet (who’d gone missing) would give her life direction. I got swept up in a beautiful story about two people who allowed the wind to change their lives instead of living with regrets. They learned to put one foot in front of the other and reach a place where they could see the sky. In doing so, they left behind the people they’d become and found exhilaration and liberty in re-finding their former selves.
Highlighted quotes:
💜“It’s only when we stop clinging on to the plans we’ve made that we step on to the middle way - the way of the unknown. We call this the sacred path of the warrior.”
💜“Sometimes in the river of life you just have to throw your heart in and dive in after it.”
💜“Life falls apart; and maybe some things can’t be mended, but perhaps they can be reshaped into something even more beautiful.”
💜“I wasn’t playing all the wrong notes. I was playing all the right notes, just no necessarily in the right order.”
💜“Journey far, but travel within.”
I won’t forget this bookish journey! Days later, the setting and people are still fresh in my mind.
I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
What a spectacular cover!
The writing between the covers is just as inviting and compelling. Valpy’s story is made so much more immersive because of her ‘boots on the ground’ experience. I loved my armchair visit to Phortse, a remote village in the Himalayas.
Valpy introduces readers to two characters who are at a crossroads, unsure of what to do next. They’ve lost sight of where they were going and who they used to be. Violet Mackenzie-Grant thought she had choices; after all, she was attending the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women in the 1920s. Unfortunately, she discovers that her level of self-determination is realized by someone else who wields power over her. She ultimately sacrifices her position in society for love and discovers it’s really a plan of salvation.
Violet’s great-granddaughter, Daisy Laverock, is struggling, too, and decides that finding her Auntie Violet (who’d gone missing) would give her life direction. I got swept up in a beautiful story about two people who allowed the wind to change their lives instead of living with regrets. They learned to put one foot in front of the other and reach a place where they could see the sky. In doing so, they left behind the people they’d become and found exhilaration and liberty in re-finding their former selves.
Highlighted quotes:
💜“It’s only when we stop clinging on to the plans we’ve made that we step on to the middle way - the way of the unknown. We call this the sacred path of the warrior.”
💜“Sometimes in the river of life you just have to throw your heart in and dive in after it.”
💜“Life falls apart; and maybe some things can’t be mended, but perhaps they can be reshaped into something even more beautiful.”
💜“I wasn’t playing all the wrong notes. I was playing all the right notes, just no necessarily in the right order.”
💜“Journey far, but travel within.”
I won’t forget this bookish journey! Days later, the setting and people are still fresh in my mind.
I was gifted this copy by Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
September 9, 2024
4.5★
This book wasn't perfect, but it was one of my most memorable and satisfying reads of the year so far. Two things I loved about it the most were the location and the botany.
A classic dual timeline structure gives us Daisy Laverock in the present, and her great-great-aunt Violet Mackenzie-Grant in the late 1920s. The action takes place in Scotland and Nepal.
Violet is a woman ahead of her time. Rather than settle for a good/correct marriage, she has a keen interest in botany and commences studies at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women. She's also a gifted botanic artist, and this skill brings her to the attention of Callum Gillespie, a gardener at the Royal Botanic Garden, who recommends Violet to the Regius Keeper (i.e. his boss) who is in need of someone to illustrate specimens sent back from an expedition to Tibet. Working side by side at the Botanics, Violet and Callum develop an affection for each other despite their different social standing.
In March 2020, Daisy is thrust into the middle of a nightmare when her long-planned trip with her mother to Nepal is turned upside down by the emergence of Covid-19. She's not sure she has the strength to adapt and make it work. A lucky (very lucky) chance meeting sets her on the right path and as the world shuts down she finds herself sheltering in place in the remote Khumbu village of Phortse, where she discovers unexpected connections with her ancestor, Violet.
Valpy has done a pretty good job of bringing Nepal to the page, both in the present and in the past. One or two cultural and linguistic errors were big enough to notice, but not to spoil the overall reading experience. There's a 15 minute video on Valpy's website that shows her research trip to Phortse, and it really is worth a look for context. https://www.fionavalpy.com/books/the-... The only reason I'm not rating the full 5 stars is that the book includes one of my pet hates: supposed journal entries that read like a novel!
Fiona Valpy has been on my radar for a while, although this is the first of her novels that I've read. I'm happy to see there are so many more to discover, including The Skylark's Secret, which includes characters from this book (with a focus on Daisy's mother). I wasn't aware of that until I'd finished reading, so clearly this one works well as a standalone.
Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an eARC to read and review.
This book wasn't perfect, but it was one of my most memorable and satisfying reads of the year so far. Two things I loved about it the most were the location and the botany.
A classic dual timeline structure gives us Daisy Laverock in the present, and her great-great-aunt Violet Mackenzie-Grant in the late 1920s. The action takes place in Scotland and Nepal.
Violet is a woman ahead of her time. Rather than settle for a good/correct marriage, she has a keen interest in botany and commences studies at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women. She's also a gifted botanic artist, and this skill brings her to the attention of Callum Gillespie, a gardener at the Royal Botanic Garden, who recommends Violet to the Regius Keeper (i.e. his boss) who is in need of someone to illustrate specimens sent back from an expedition to Tibet. Working side by side at the Botanics, Violet and Callum develop an affection for each other despite their different social standing.
In March 2020, Daisy is thrust into the middle of a nightmare when her long-planned trip with her mother to Nepal is turned upside down by the emergence of Covid-19. She's not sure she has the strength to adapt and make it work. A lucky (very lucky) chance meeting sets her on the right path and as the world shuts down she finds herself sheltering in place in the remote Khumbu village of Phortse, where she discovers unexpected connections with her ancestor, Violet.
Valpy has done a pretty good job of bringing Nepal to the page, both in the present and in the past. One or two cultural and linguistic errors were big enough to notice, but not to spoil the overall reading experience. There's a 15 minute video on Valpy's website that shows her research trip to Phortse, and it really is worth a look for context. https://www.fionavalpy.com/books/the-... The only reason I'm not rating the full 5 stars is that the book includes one of my pet hates: supposed journal entries that read like a novel!
Fiona Valpy has been on my radar for a while, although this is the first of her novels that I've read. I'm happy to see there are so many more to discover, including The Skylark's Secret, which includes characters from this book (with a focus on Daisy's mother). I wasn't aware of that until I'd finished reading, so clearly this one works well as a standalone.
Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an eARC to read and review.
January 27, 2025
A generally light and heartwarming story, but I really struggled with the author’s style of writing. It was overly descriptive and felt a bit long winded, which made the book drag for the most part. Heavy narrative style and lack of substance isnt for me and made it all feel a bit boring overall. Can’t really understand why it has such a high rating on here!
September 22, 2024
3.5 ⭐⭐⭐✨
I'm struggling to rate this. I was really excited to listen to this novel, I've been to Nepal and it is one of my favourite places so to find a book set there was great. Unfortunately, I really struggled with one of the narrators, I don't know which narrator was which character but the narrator for Daisy was for me, awful. She was stilted in her narration and even upping the speed to x1.25 didn't help a great deal and made poor Violet's narration too fast but it wasn't feasible to keep changing the speed between characters so 1.25 it was.
I also struggled with a story that had COVID playing such a big part in it, I realise people are going to want to put it in for whatever reason but it's not something I am interested in reading about and will be a topic I avoid from now on.
Violet's story was very interesting and the narration was great. I did enjoy a lot of Daisy's story (except the COVID parts) and I possibly would have enjoyed it more if I had read it. I enjoyed the link between Violet, Nepal and Daisy's family and I enjoyed the ending of the novel.
I wouldn't recommend the audiobook, but if you don't mind COVID being a big part of your story then you might enjoy reading the novel for yourself.
I'm struggling to rate this. I was really excited to listen to this novel, I've been to Nepal and it is one of my favourite places so to find a book set there was great. Unfortunately, I really struggled with one of the narrators, I don't know which narrator was which character but the narrator for Daisy was for me, awful. She was stilted in her narration and even upping the speed to x1.25 didn't help a great deal and made poor Violet's narration too fast but it wasn't feasible to keep changing the speed between characters so 1.25 it was.
I also struggled with a story that had COVID playing such a big part in it, I realise people are going to want to put it in for whatever reason but it's not something I am interested in reading about and will be a topic I avoid from now on.
Violet's story was very interesting and the narration was great. I did enjoy a lot of Daisy's story (except the COVID parts) and I possibly would have enjoyed it more if I had read it. I enjoyed the link between Violet, Nepal and Daisy's family and I enjoyed the ending of the novel.
I wouldn't recommend the audiobook, but if you don't mind COVID being a big part of your story then you might enjoy reading the novel for yourself.
October 10, 2024
I feel like there needs to be a disclaimer on my review. I’m going to be an odd one out I think and whether that’s fair or not, I’m not sure. Here it is- I don’t like books that are set during the COVID time period. I hated that time so dang much that it automatically makes me hate any book that brings it up and discusses it. I’m sure that’s going to happen more and more over the next few months and years but I hope we can get past it because it sucks.
February 28, 2025
2.5 - it got quite cheesy, repetitive and annoying towards the end
April 21, 2024
Just look at this gorgeous cover with prayer flags fluttering as a Himalayan peak rises majestically behind a stupa! My heart soared just looking at it. The Sky Beneath Us is a remarkable historical novel and astoundingly relevant, taking the reader from Scotland to the high-altitude Khumbu valley of Nepal. The author's descriptions of trekking in the Himalayas with their rich biodiversity had me gasping from the thin air while at the same time, I could smell the cascading wild roses, camellias, and towering rhododendrons. Told in a dual timeline, we have the stories of Violet and her great-great niece Daisy, who strive to rise above what life has thrown at them.
Fair warning...Daisy's story begins in March 2020, just as COVID was changing life as we knew it. Reading this brought emotions rushing back, the fear of the unknown and the isolation. I lost my sister to COVID so it was difficult to read about victims dying alone in the hospital and families being unable to have funerals. This story beautifully illustrates how no one was unaffected by the pandemic as it even changed life in a remote Himalayan village in Nepal. I was so touched by the generosity of spirit shown by the Sherpa people as they offered unconditional sanctuary to both women. This book is inspiring, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting as both Violet and Daisy conquer the obstacles in their lives. "Sometimes you just have to throw your heart into the river of life and dive in after it." It was a privilege to read this book...I loved it.
My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are entirely my own.
Fair warning...Daisy's story begins in March 2020, just as COVID was changing life as we knew it. Reading this brought emotions rushing back, the fear of the unknown and the isolation. I lost my sister to COVID so it was difficult to read about victims dying alone in the hospital and families being unable to have funerals. This story beautifully illustrates how no one was unaffected by the pandemic as it even changed life in a remote Himalayan village in Nepal. I was so touched by the generosity of spirit shown by the Sherpa people as they offered unconditional sanctuary to both women. This book is inspiring, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting as both Violet and Daisy conquer the obstacles in their lives. "Sometimes you just have to throw your heart into the river of life and dive in after it." It was a privilege to read this book...I loved it.
My thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the digital ARC. All opinions and the review are entirely my own.
February 2, 2025
2.5 rounded up. I am frequently disappointed by split time novels in general and this was no exception. I enjoyed Violet’s chapters set in the 20s and 30s but found myself rolling my eyes throughout the entirety of the Daisy plot line (which was unfortunately the majority of the book). I rounded up because had I read the full synopsis and seen that half of the book takes place in COVID era 2020 I would not have read it. My mistake!
May 16, 2024
Look at that cover - I mean, wow. The Sky Beneath Us follows two distantly related women, separated by almost 100 years, as they journey through Nepal. As both women trek through the mountains, they must face their past, their future, and their identity. The author explores historical and modern contexts, bridging two very different worlds together and exposing the unwavering and unchanging aspects of the human condition. The potential with this plot is immense. Fiona Valpy has beautiful diction and her ability to describe nature so vividly is incredibly impressive. It also felt so enlightening to learn about the suffering of the Sherpas, to see inside such a resilient population. There’s a lot that I liked, but also a lot that I didn’t - which can mostly be explained by my dislike of this writing style.
My feelings about the first half of this book are very different from those of the second half. For the first half, I feel like the back and forth between 2020 and the letters from the late 1920s created a false sense of understanding and depth. There’s little character development and the content is just large blocks of play-by-play narration of the two women moving through their days or months. Thoughts are explained almost too literally and unnaturally, leaving little to the reader’s imagination. There’s just so much fluff. It was extremely hard for me to get through this part of the book because of how bored I became reading about where they walked, the color of the flowers and sky, what the food tasted like, etc. Setting the scene in this novel just took way too long and reading action after action became exhausting.
I think it comes down to my dislike of this kind of writing, which is characterized by heavily detailed narration and scene descriptions. In the second half of the novel, the pace picked up and it was much easier for me to get through. It kept my attention with the promises of families reuniting and discovering, serenity in Phortse, and plot development. The prose takes a sharp turn to readable and airy in this half. The story unravels in a cozy, mild way - not void of its heart-wrenching moments. Depictions of nature are kept reasonably brief and are immensely breathtaking. At points, I felt like I was there, breathing in the thin, fresh air, surrounded by the flowers of my dreams.
It’s hard for me to reconcile my feelings about this book. I have issues with some of the writing, but there’s heart and wisdom to it that I appreciate. I think this novel is perfect for those that love an atmospheric read, drenched in details and the awe of nature.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Edit: I forgot to mention how much I thoroughly appreciate the author’s dedication to research and accurate portrayals. Reading the “Author’s Notes” at the end of the novel only cemented my respect for her ability to tell fiction rooted in truth.
My feelings about the first half of this book are very different from those of the second half. For the first half, I feel like the back and forth between 2020 and the letters from the late 1920s created a false sense of understanding and depth. There’s little character development and the content is just large blocks of play-by-play narration of the two women moving through their days or months. Thoughts are explained almost too literally and unnaturally, leaving little to the reader’s imagination. There’s just so much fluff. It was extremely hard for me to get through this part of the book because of how bored I became reading about where they walked, the color of the flowers and sky, what the food tasted like, etc. Setting the scene in this novel just took way too long and reading action after action became exhausting.
I think it comes down to my dislike of this kind of writing, which is characterized by heavily detailed narration and scene descriptions. In the second half of the novel, the pace picked up and it was much easier for me to get through. It kept my attention with the promises of families reuniting and discovering, serenity in Phortse, and plot development. The prose takes a sharp turn to readable and airy in this half. The story unravels in a cozy, mild way - not void of its heart-wrenching moments. Depictions of nature are kept reasonably brief and are immensely breathtaking. At points, I felt like I was there, breathing in the thin, fresh air, surrounded by the flowers of my dreams.
It’s hard for me to reconcile my feelings about this book. I have issues with some of the writing, but there’s heart and wisdom to it that I appreciate. I think this novel is perfect for those that love an atmospheric read, drenched in details and the awe of nature.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
Edit: I forgot to mention how much I thoroughly appreciate the author’s dedication to research and accurate portrayals. Reading the “Author’s Notes” at the end of the novel only cemented my respect for her ability to tell fiction rooted in truth.
February 17, 2025
Waaaaaaay too cheesy for me. Debated on whether or not I should even finish the book. I shouldn’t have. I enjoyed the descriptions of Nepal, but I was practically skimming the last half of the book to get through. I was pretty disappointed since it received such high stars. If you’re looking for an over the top feel good book where everything works out in the end then you may enjoy it…it just wasn’t for me.
January 2, 2025
I read this book along with my F2F book club. I had never heard of this author and knew little to nothing about the Sherpa people, the Himalayas and the gathering of plants and seeds which aid in the development of medicine.
The author’s character development is excellent. As are her descriptions of the various locales.
It was a little bit longer than it needed to be and had a little too much poetic romance for my taste but I still enjoyed it and am glad I read it
The author’s character development is excellent. As are her descriptions of the various locales.
It was a little bit longer than it needed to be and had a little too much poetic romance for my taste but I still enjoyed it and am glad I read it
February 4, 2025
Usually, I enjoy this author's work very much. There was nothing wrong technically with this book. I wasn't keen on the storyline and the novel did not hold my attention.
September 6, 2024
So, I finished this one earlier today…and thought I’d give it some time to settle in my brain… still not sure how I feel about this one though… but I’ll share my thoughts…
Oh, and the cover, just beautiful! Breath-taking!!
OK. Here we go… The Positives:
I love the dual timeline and the setting in the Himalayan Mountains/Nepal.
I love how Violet set off almost one hundred years ago (late 1920’s) …in order to follow her heart! I also love how she maintained diaries that included all of her happenings over the years! And how she truly learned to blend with the culture…
Very sad for the way things were back then…
But I loved her independence and enthusiasm in a basically all men’s world!
I love Daisy and how she just MUST explore this distant relative to find out more about her…and her family! And that her Mom was coming with her on this amazing journey…
And then COVID hit. And…life as we know it changed.
Funny thing though…out there in the outskirts of the world…well, doesn’t seem like that much actually changed when it came to Covid. (Except for flights cancelled, etc…but everyday living just went on…)
Loved to follow along with the little ‘snippets’ of love that they each experienced too!
Seems like things were so very different, back in the day…but then also, so painstakingly the same too!
So, overall, I did enjoy this one, but I also found some drawbacks too!
The Negatives: For one, I feel like it was REALLY L O N G…. Like I kept looking at the time left, and instead of going down, it was going up?? (I KNOW that’s not possible, but that’s how it felt!)
Also, I LISTEN to my audiobooks.
Mostly I enjoy the narrators, but every now and then I find one that I just don’t care for. This was one of them. No matter what speed I tried, just couldn’t make it work FOR ME. Although some parts were ok, for the most part I just didn’t care for the narration. That’s just MY personal opinion… but it draws back from the overall take of the book for me. 😕
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #BrilliancePublishing for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
*** It is due to be released in a few days on 9/10/24. ***
#TheSkyBeneathUs by #FionaValpy.
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.
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Oh, and the cover, just beautiful! Breath-taking!!
OK. Here we go… The Positives:
I love the dual timeline and the setting in the Himalayan Mountains/Nepal.
I love how Violet set off almost one hundred years ago (late 1920’s) …in order to follow her heart! I also love how she maintained diaries that included all of her happenings over the years! And how she truly learned to blend with the culture…
Very sad for the way things were back then…
But I loved her independence and enthusiasm in a basically all men’s world!
I love Daisy and how she just MUST explore this distant relative to find out more about her…and her family! And that her Mom was coming with her on this amazing journey…
And then COVID hit. And…life as we know it changed.
Funny thing though…out there in the outskirts of the world…well, doesn’t seem like that much actually changed when it came to Covid. (Except for flights cancelled, etc…but everyday living just went on…)
Loved to follow along with the little ‘snippets’ of love that they each experienced too!
Seems like things were so very different, back in the day…but then also, so painstakingly the same too!
So, overall, I did enjoy this one, but I also found some drawbacks too!
The Negatives: For one, I feel like it was REALLY L O N G…. Like I kept looking at the time left, and instead of going down, it was going up?? (I KNOW that’s not possible, but that’s how it felt!)
Also, I LISTEN to my audiobooks.
Mostly I enjoy the narrators, but every now and then I find one that I just don’t care for. This was one of them. No matter what speed I tried, just couldn’t make it work FOR ME. Although some parts were ok, for the most part I just didn’t care for the narration. That’s just MY personal opinion… but it draws back from the overall take of the book for me. 😕
Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #BrilliancePublishing for an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
*** It is due to be released in a few days on 9/10/24. ***
#TheSkyBeneathUs by #FionaValpy.
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.
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July 26, 2024
A very atmospheric book
September 10, 2024
This is the first book I've read from Fiona Valpy but it won't be the last! What a delightful. compelling and overall amazing story this is.
There's a great attention to details providing a strong sense of place and time. You really feel as if you're there, breathing the fresh mountain air and smelling those gorgeous flowers. I must admit it took me a while to get into the story, but a few chapters on and I was hooked. This said, I wasn't entirely convinced I wanted to relive those dreaded early months of the pandemic; in fact I have avoided any published work on the matter ( be it fact or fiction ) so far. Here it somehow is pivotal to the story-line and I found it only marginally disturbing, but I think I would have liked it best if it had been set at a later date.
The characters are inspiring and the research behind them is praiseworthy. They'll stay with me for a long time and having learned they were mentioned in a previous work, I'll go and read it asap!
Great quotes, too! My favourite ( basically the book explained in a few words ) : Journey far, but travel within.
May I recommend watching the documentary that the author shoot while on location researching for the book. So inspiring.
I think this story would make an amazing film.
Thank you to Lake Union, the author and NetGalley for an early copy.
#TheSkyBeneathUs #NetGalley
There's a great attention to details providing a strong sense of place and time. You really feel as if you're there, breathing the fresh mountain air and smelling those gorgeous flowers. I must admit it took me a while to get into the story, but a few chapters on and I was hooked. This said, I wasn't entirely convinced I wanted to relive those dreaded early months of the pandemic; in fact I have avoided any published work on the matter ( be it fact or fiction ) so far. Here it somehow is pivotal to the story-line and I found it only marginally disturbing, but I think I would have liked it best if it had been set at a later date.
The characters are inspiring and the research behind them is praiseworthy. They'll stay with me for a long time and having learned they were mentioned in a previous work, I'll go and read it asap!
Great quotes, too! My favourite ( basically the book explained in a few words ) : Journey far, but travel within.
May I recommend watching the documentary that the author shoot while on location researching for the book. So inspiring.
I think this story would make an amazing film.
Thank you to Lake Union, the author and NetGalley for an early copy.
#TheSkyBeneathUs #NetGalley
May 11, 2024
This book took me some time to get in to it but eventually I did become very invested in both timeline’s story and their characters.
To be honest I’m not sure if I’m read to COVID stories yet, although I understand the symbolism of it in this book.
I loved the primary location in this book, it was definitely not your typical home base for a story.
This was an interesting yet somewhat predictable read, but I’d give it a read if I was you.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
To be honest I’m not sure if I’m read to COVID stories yet, although I understand the symbolism of it in this book.
I loved the primary location in this book, it was definitely not your typical home base for a story.
This was an interesting yet somewhat predictable read, but I’d give it a read if I was you.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
November 10, 2025
An incredible story based on thorough research and many factual details interwoven into a beautifully written novel.
Such an uplifting tale that explored the connections between Scotland and Nepal, between Daisy and her Sherpa family.
Strong female characters.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
Such an uplifting tale that explored the connections between Scotland and Nepal, between Daisy and her Sherpa family.
Strong female characters.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
September 20, 2024
Not that interesting. To much back and forth between timelines and characters. Found the story very confusing overall.
April 19, 2025
My first 5⭐️
First Fiona Valpy book for me and definitely won't be the last. I loved her writing style and everything was so beautifully descriptive.
I really enjoyed the dual perspectives of Violet and Daisy, and to see Violet's legacy live on after a century. Violet was bad ass and ahead of her time. The link between Scotland and Nepal was great, and loved reading the notes at the end detailing the historical accuracies!
With Daisy's perspective primarily during lockdown, it was hard at points reliving this part of our lives and the pain felt by so many but emphasised the importance of family and community.
Reading this a year after my break up, I was really able to relate to the heartbreak Daisy was feeling after her divorce, feeling lost and finding herself again. Maybe shed a few tears, and laughed as well. Would thoroughly recommend!
First Fiona Valpy book for me and definitely won't be the last. I loved her writing style and everything was so beautifully descriptive.
I really enjoyed the dual perspectives of Violet and Daisy, and to see Violet's legacy live on after a century. Violet was bad ass and ahead of her time. The link between Scotland and Nepal was great, and loved reading the notes at the end detailing the historical accuracies!
With Daisy's perspective primarily during lockdown, it was hard at points reliving this part of our lives and the pain felt by so many but emphasised the importance of family and community.
Reading this a year after my break up, I was really able to relate to the heartbreak Daisy was feeling after her divorce, feeling lost and finding herself again. Maybe shed a few tears, and laughed as well. Would thoroughly recommend!
August 14, 2025
What a beautifully told story! I love a dual narrative, and this one was well done. Interesting to see parallels between Violet’s life and Daisy’s. It was also fascinating to read a book set in the early days of the Covid pandemic.
January 21, 2025
Great book set in Nepal 🇳🇵 unusual to read such a story set in the mountains!
January 14, 2025
Sweet & hopeful
Two beautiful stories, both gorgeously written. Not only does this book tell the story of two incredible women, but also touches on conservation, culture, and botany. Great read!
Two beautiful stories, both gorgeously written. Not only does this book tell the story of two incredible women, but also touches on conservation, culture, and botany. Great read!
January 3, 2025
Amazing! Makes you think of the important things in life and of courage and strength! Loved it.
January 9, 2025
First book by this author for me. Recommended by a friend. It’s horticulturally slanted so an interest in plant collecting or gardening would make it more appealing for readers. Since I’m an avid gardener, I enjoyed it tremendously. It’s a dual storyline with the most recent storyline taking place at the start of COVID. Amazing how it brought the pandemic back in full force - the fear, the protocols we were all following & the lockdowns. I never thought I would forget those first months but clearly my memory had softened aspects of it.
The more I read, the more invested I was in both stories & the more emotionally involved I became with the characters. The setting of Kathmandu/Nepal was fascinating & illuminated the realities of living life in such a remote area (what I would consider almost off the grid!) I shed a good many tears towards the end of the book. Very moving & enjoyable book.
The more I read, the more invested I was in both stories & the more emotionally involved I became with the characters. The setting of Kathmandu/Nepal was fascinating & illuminated the realities of living life in such a remote area (what I would consider almost off the grid!) I shed a good many tears towards the end of the book. Very moving & enjoyable book.
June 21, 2024
This was the first book I’ve read in which part of its timeline takes place during 2020 at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. However not a “stuck at home” story as many of us were during those first weeks, Daisy, a divorced mother entering empty-nest stage of life, is on her way to Kathmandu and ends up unable to travel back home because of the pandemic. Through Daisy’s journey of tracking down the past thanks to her great-great-aunt Violet’s journals from when in 1927 she was a student of Edinburgh’s School of Gardening for Women, Daisy is able to connect with family history that was unknown.
Through this story I learned a lot of interesting information regarding the Sherpa people and their way of life as well as botanists and how they ventured into dangerous places to make discoveries.
Thanks to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Through this story I learned a lot of interesting information regarding the Sherpa people and their way of life as well as botanists and how they ventured into dangerous places to make discoveries.
Thanks to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 6, 2024
This book really has the potential to be something great. I love the back and forth between Daisy and Violet (using the journal entries). However, what I didn't like at all was how Daisy's timeline takes place during COVID. While yes this was a huge change in our current time, I felt like it seriously pulled away from how beautiful this story could have been if this was let's say 2021 for Daisy.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
October 22, 2024
know when to fold them
I loved 75% of this book and then it just dragged on and on and on. It should have been a more explosive and emotional ending. But the author chose to bore us with her trivia and repetitive emotions of the main character.
If I would have had to rate the first 75% it would be *****.
I loved 75% of this book and then it just dragged on and on and on. It should have been a more explosive and emotional ending. But the author chose to bore us with her trivia and repetitive emotions of the main character.
If I would have had to rate the first 75% it would be *****.
March 31, 2025
This is a rounded up 3 star. I do not understand the high star reviews on this book. The audiobook was terrible…so hard to listen to, like a robot was reading it or something? Brutal, this would have been DNF if it wasn’t a book club read.
April 7, 2025
No idea why this book is rated 4.46 stars 🤷♀️
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