The Sky Beneath Us
By Fiona Valpy
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?
The writing is highly engaging, and it's easy to connect with both Violet's struggles in the 1920s and Daisy's challenges during the global lockdown of 2020. Both characters are inspiring, and it was exciting to trace their journeys while experiencing the same amazing places, from the vibrant chaos of Kathmandu to the breathtaking beauty of the Himalayas.
If you enjoy historical fiction, adventure stories, and strong female characters, and would like something to transport you to the beauty of Nepal, I would highly recommend this book."
