I loved this book! I have read a few Fiona Valpy and this has been one of my favorites. We get two connected timelines that are mostly set in a village of the Himalayas. I loved that we spent a lot of time there and got to have a feeling for the culture and setting. The descriptions of the travel and hike to this remote area was captivating. I thought the author did a wonderful job with the descriptions.

Sometimes when there are two story lines I am riveted by one but not both. I thought both story lines were interesting and I wanted to know what happened in both. Given that a lot of this story centers around plants, collecting plants and having gardens it sure made me want to visit some of these places. I have a new appreciation for the study.

Sherpa culture is prevalent in the story and I thought the author showed a lot of respect for the culture. I enjoyed some of the backstory we were given before tourists came to the area to climb. I highly recommend this book and encourage you to watch the video mentioned by the author. It is on her website and shows us her visit to the area. Thank you Netgalley for the chance to review this book.

I have read many books by this author, but this one is my favourite. It's a special book, one that touches you, even once the story has ended. I think the author has had a spiritual experience which has flowed out into her writing. There were lines I highlighted, lines that will stay with me. I liked the dual timeline, I liked learning about mountain life, I liked the way the author linked past and present. With thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Sky Beneath Us by Fiona Valpy. I found this story fascinating. Daisy went on this exploration during Covid and met some of her relatives and learned valuable information about her cousin Violet. Her cousin Violet had valuable information in her journals about flowers and plants used in developing drugs to help people who had cancer and other serious illnesses.

In a dual timeline almost a hundred years apart, modern day Daisy follows her plant-hunter Aunt Violet and her trek to Kathmandu, Nepal, in search of rare plants. An excellent book with detail about Nepal, plant knowledge and the strength of family. Recommended.

Loved this story especially Violet's part showing how times have changed and the prejudice shown to women doing a so called man's job and showing what a strong character Volley was. I also enjoyed Daisy's story, how the pandemic was woven in and the discoveries she made about Violet along the way. Definitely a book I would recommend

In a dual timeline we first visit Nepal in the 1920s with botanical illustrator Violet. She's based on real female characters from that period. Violet is in a predicament and goes in search of her husband Callum, who's on a botanical expedition. Women like Violet often accompanied their husbands on expeditions but didn't get any historical credit.

Violet ends up on the expedition herself, helping to identify and paint specimens. It's gruelling work with hours of trekking and sleeping in tents, sometimes bitterly cold.

Fast forward a few decades and a relative of Violet's, Daisy, is travelling to Nepal to follow in Violet's footsteps, having read her journal. Daisy is a bit lost. She's divorced, didn't have the career she envisaged, and feels dissatisfied.

Daisy is shocked- and delighted - to find a rich seam of Sherpa relatives as she makes her way to Phortse. They make her welcome when Covid strikes and the pandemic means she can't leave Nepal. It was the same for Violet when she had nowhere else to go. The Gherkas offered her warmth and hospitality.

I loved the rich descriptions, particularly the secret Valley of Flowers. I could almost smell the fragrance and see the wonderful blue of Meconopsis Horribla, "discovered" by Violet, which really does exist.

I enjoyed learning about the Sherpa way of life, its simplicity and focus, and about the devoutness of the people. I was already cynical about the industry of exploitation that has developed around Everest. While the Sherpas are very agile, determined and fully capable of escorting unfit tourists to the top of their goddess's head, they do so at enormous personal cost.

Global warming is also having an impact in the Himalayas, and the weather has become more erratic. In the book Daisy goes back with her daughters to help the people of Phortse build glasshouses. It's thrilling to learn that this work really is happening, and Fiona Valpy, at the end of the book, describes how she went there.

I became so invested in Daisy and Violet, and their wonderful Sherpa family. It's great to know that Daisy and her parents feature in an earlier book, The Swallow Sings.

I'm a huge fan of Fiona Valpy. Her books contain strong women who display huge courage in times of trial. Violet and Daisy are both incredible characters that find strength within themselves to carry on during tough times that would make others crumble. Very well researched also.

This is my first foray into Fiona Valpy's writing and here I found myself visiting Nepal and the Himalayas, when I thought I would be in Scotland.

It's been great to travel in this dual timeline, in which we explore the same locations at different times and see how the story of these two very different women from the same family connects.

We learn the story of Violet and her grandniece Daisy, and how despite the years that separate their lives, the Himalayas return to them and surround them every step of the way.

I thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion, here I add a new destination to my historical fiction reading.

The descriptions in this book were actually perfect. I could see the mountains, flowers and scenery. I could smell the fresh air. I felt as if I were with the characters in the book. I enjoyed the dual timelines and both the main characters - I thought the chapters switched seamlessly. It was a well researched and impeccably written story. The issue I had with the book was reliving the early days of the pandemic. I was not quite ready to feel the isolation, the unknown, heartache and utter fear that I felt during those early days and months. Because Valpy is such an incredible writer, I was literally taken back 4.5 years ago... which was not the most pleasant feeling. That being said, I truly enjoyed the other aspects of this book. The woman in 2020 following her great-great aunt violet's diary to the shadows of Everest. How the pandemic and strangers help her uncover more parts of her great-great-aunts life and secrets.
Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copies.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for an early review copy.

I enjoyed reading this dual timeline story set in 1927 and 2020 and we read about what happened during those times through the viewpoints of Violet as well as Daisy.

Happy that her parents have agreed for Violet to study at Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women, she is not sure what will happen next.

Leaving Scotland, she goes to Nepal, where there is a place called Phortse in the Himalayan Mountains.

In the present Daisy has come across some letters and diaries of her lgreat-great-aunt Violet letters. She had wished to go to Nepal and find out more about Violet, how her life changed and what became of her.

As Daisy and her Mum plan to travel, the pandemic breaks out and at the same time she’s on the plane on her own. What she was hoping to do was hike to Mount Everest, and hopefully ask those she meets about Violet as she does so, but now she can’t do that.

Meeting two Sherpa men, they allow her to come with them to their village.

It was interesting reading about the Himalayan Mountains and Nepal and what was grown there. The descriptions were beautiful of the scenery, the people and teahouses,

I highly recommend this book.

I absolutely loved this fascinating, inspiring, and hopeful story. For someone with aphantasia (the inability to visualise in the mind’s eye), Valpy’s vivid descriptions brought the gardens and landscapes in Edinburgh and the wilds of the Himalayas to life for me.

I fell in love with the Sherpa community, their culture, and their deep care for one another. It was fascinating to read how lockdown affected a culture so different from my own.

This was my first Fiona Valpy novel, but it certainly won’t be my last. The Sky Beneath Us is a beautiful story about love, hope, enduring difficult times, powerful women, rediscovering yourself, finding family, and the importance of nurturing our planet—not just for now, but for future generations of all living creatures.

Many thanks to Anne at Random Things Tours and Fiona Valpy for having me on the tour and kindly gifting me a digital copy in return for an honest review.

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.

This is my first @fionavalpy but it will definitely not be my last! This book has so much depth and feeling! Set both in the late 1920s and early 2020! I connected so well with Violet and Daisy and felt like they were friends I cared deeply about! I was invested in their life and well-being throughout their struggles.
The setting of Nepal was gorgeous! Learning more about the Sherpa people was very interesting and I definitely want to read more.
There were some triggers with the fears and struggles during the first few months of the COVID. If you still have strong feelings about that time, maybe wait a bit longer for this one.
However, if you enjoy strong women overcoming the odds, gorgeous setting, and learning about an amazing culture and people who don't get a lot of attention, definitely check this one out! It is set to be published this week, so add it to your TBR and pick it up Tuesday!
Thank you to @netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!
#TheSkyBeneathUs #NetGalley

The Sky Beneath Us is the first book that I've read by this author and I loved it! It's a story about resilience, fighting against prejudice, loss, love, finding a place in the world and also with beautiful descriptions of Nepal, its mountains, traditions, people and flora. Reading the story I could transport myself to the mountains and to observe and feel the hardships imposed by distance and difficulty in accessing places. The story gives lots of food for thought regarding life, where we want to be and what makes us happy. Highly recommended!
I thank Ms. Valpy, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

What a wonderful read.
I was drawn to this book by the cover, as we often are, and I am so glad I was. This is the first time I’ve read anything by this author but it definitely won’t be the last.
A fabulous historical novel told over two timescales, one deep in Covid times.
Beautifully written, this book takes you on a colourful emotional journey from the 1920s to modern day Nepal and Scotland.
Through the eyes of the characters you’ll experience the huge changes that have occurred in both countries both in their infrastructures and in their attitudes. Their journeys through Nepal are faithfully captured and as I’ve trodden those paths myself it took me back to the beauty of the country and its people.
All that being said the very best thing about this novel are the characters whom you immediately relate to and I’m already feeling bereft as I leave their company.
A definite contender for the ‘if you read just one book this year’ prize

The Sky Beneath Us is a beautifully crafted story that flows as gracefully as the valleys of Nepal and the Himalayas. Fiona Valpy’s novel is truly a masterpiece and will likely be one of my top reads of the year.

Told through the voices of Violet and Daisy, the narrative spans two timelines. Violet’s journey begins in 1927 when she enrolls in Edinburgh’s College of Gardening for women. An exceptional artist, she loves sketching plant specimens, but life’s twists lead her far from home to Nepal. Meanwhile, Daisy’s story unfolds in 2020. She has been planning this trip since she discovered Violet’s sketches hidden in an old wardrobe. Intrigued, she decides to follow in Violet’s footsteps, but as the pandemic shuts down the world, Daisy finds herself stranded in Nepal. What secrets will she uncover about Violet’s life, and what will she learn about herself?

As a gardener, this novel resonated deeply with me. The importance of conserving plants in their natural habitat, along with the need to protect biodiversity, has never felt more urgent. Valpy’s depiction of Nepal’s rugged beauty is so vivid that I felt I was right there with Daisy, exploring the majestic valleys and landscapes. The metaphors connecting the endurance of plants in harsh environments with human resilience were incredibly moving. Ultimately, this is a story about beauty, faith, and perseverance.

Fiona Valpy is one of my favorite authors, and The Sky Beneath Us does not disappoint. It’s an uplifting, poignant tale that celebrates both nature and the human spirit.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for this wonderful book.

Content Warning: This novel is set during the pandemic, which may be sensitive for some readers.

I adore a dual timeline book and absolutely loved all of Fiona Valpy’s books I’ve read so far.

Violets story in the past is both heartbreaking and inspiring, she’s a strong female character who seeks out a life for herself after life throws her a curveball.

in the present day we meet Daisy, a woman kind of lost after a divorce and travelling in the footsteps of Violet to Nepal she find herself helped by the kindness of
others and discovers more than she ever could have imagined.

The setting is stunning - Nepal and its peaks are beautifully described, the nature and the landscapes which challenge take you there and I adored the link with the past and the importance of family and love.

What a wonderful book and one which will give your heart joy and immerse you in a nostalgic reading experience
Brilliant !!!

This is not the first Fiona Valpy book I’ve read - but one of my favourites! Such a heartwarming read searching for family history, secrets and love.

As Covid hit the world in March 2020, Daisy embarked on her journey to Nepal trekking the Himalayan’s to discover her family history.
Violet enrolled in Edinburghs school of gardening for women in 1927 unsupported by her parents. Whilst there she met the love of her life Callum another avid gardener - both families against their love.
Callum was selected for a once in a lifetime expedition across Nepal where struck with illness ended this trip. Violet hiding a secret gambles everything in search of Callum treks across Nepal before settling there herself.

We learn of the heartbreak and love of Violets past through Daisy and the diary entries whilst embarking on the same path to discover her families history.

Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy!

I loved this book and didn’t want it to end, ever!
I enjoyed the dual timeline with Violet and all that she had to endure and what she did for the Sherpa people and Daisy and her adventure and voyage of discovery.
This book shows girl power at its best and also, just how important family is.
A tremendous amount of research was done and it was well worth it.
I will definitely be recommending this book to anyone who will listen to me.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I seem to have decided to read books this year that stay with me long after I have finished reading. This one was very different to the others which were set in WW2 and depicted the horror of War.
This one was harrowing in it's way with the depictions and descriptions and effects of the Pandemic - which, of course, is still in the minds of many of us.

I had not read the previous book where Daisy is mentioned and did wonder if I had missed something important in her earlier life.

I had no idea about the lives of the Sherpas in Nepal and found this aspect of the book fascinating. It was obvious that Fiona Valpy had researched this well and in fact had visited the area.
I recommend that you follow the link to the video about her visit and the people she met there.

This is essentially a dual timeline story about Daisy and her Great-Great Aunt Violet. Violet was a pioneer in a way - dealing with what life threw at her in an unorthodox way (for those days) which pretty much fashioned the rest of her life.
Daisy had found documents, drawings and plant material pertaining to Violet and decided to follow her journey to Nepal - then Covid hit.
The medicinal side to the Nepalese plants was interesting as well.

A really well written book that made me think about both plant collecting and mountain climbing.
This deserves more than the 5 stars I can give it - I recommend this book