In the Shadow of the Mountain by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado is a compelling memoir that interweaves the author’s journey of climbing Mount Everest with her emotional healing from childhood abuse and trauma. Vasquez-Lavado’s raw and honest storytelling captures her struggles with addiction, self-discovery, and the empowering experiences of leading other trauma survivors in mountain expeditions. The book is not just about physical endurance but also about inner strength, resilience, and self-forgiveness. Her inspiring narrative offers readers both a thrilling adventure and a deeply emotional exploration of healing and redemption.

There is nothing else quite like this book but if you liked The Outrun it might be for you.
It is a memoir that is also a nature book that is also about queer belonging.

This is a book about climbing a mountain. But it is so much more. Reading it becomes a journey for the reader, never mind the author. It is heartbreaking, it is painfully honest, it is beautifully written, it is inspiring. It is all of those things and more. Ms Vasquez-Lavado has many different facets and shows us them all in brutal openness. Her hugely successful career in computers, her struggles with her family and her sexuality and her abuse as a child. There is pain but there is triumph and I finished the book wanting to give the author a hug and congratulate her for overcoming so many obstacles.

I’m not a climber but the descriptions made me feel I was beside her. The ladder climbs were terrifying and the impact of the atmosphere on various different people was quite shocking at times. There is a lot happening in this book and every page is poetic and moving and I hope Ms Vasquez-Lavado finds her peace and makes a new family. I look forward to reading more from her.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

One word - Powerful! This book resonated with me on many different levels, intertwining Sylvia’s life story with the story of her Everest journey, we hear all about her struggles with alcohol, her sexuality and coming to terms with being abused as a child. I’ve read a lot of Everest books and the last couple I didn’t enjoy quite so much so I hesitated to pick this one up thinking I may have overdone the Everest reads but I’m soo glad that I did, a beautifully written life story full of female empowerment. Would highly recommend everyone to read this.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t manage to finish this as it expired on my netgalley.
I read approximately half of the book though and don’t feel sad that I can’t finish.
It’s a very slow read and not particularly gripping. I expected a more exciting read.
Had it been on my kindle I probably would have finished the book and not not enjoyed it but also probably would be top of my recommended list.

This book tells the story of grit, courage, and bravery as the main character overcomes the trauma of her childhood and refuses to let it destroy her life. I initially thought the story would be solely about the physical challenge of climbing Mount Everest, but it turned out to be a mental challenge as well. The main character, who experienced rape and sexual abuse in her childhood, learns to accept her past and move forward with the help of other strong women she meets during her climb. This novel highlights the power of self-acceptance and letting go of those who have caused harm. I highly recommend this book and was touched by its message. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance reading copy.

3.5 rounded up

I love a mountaineering/climbing book however I haven't read too many by female authors (except for the amazing A Line Above the Sky: On Mountains and Motherhood by Helen Mort), so this stood out to me as a new perspective on the genre.

Vasquez-Lovado's book is ostensibly about her Everest climb in 2016, but interwoven into this is her own life story which helps to explain what has brought her to climb the world's highest mountain. I should warn that some of the themes (addiction, suicide and abuse) are pretty heavy at times.

I wanted a bit more introspection at times and some parts of the author's backstory felt kind of skirted over but this was a largely satisfying read, and I found the climbing sections to be the most engaging - so if that is what brings you to this book too then hopefully you won't be disappointed.

A thoroughly emotional read, I could not stop myself from feeling these intense emotions while reading. I must warn you this book is triggering because the author talks about the abuse she went through. So proceed with caution. Overall a very intense read.

Silvia Vasquez-Lavado has written such an incredible memoir of power, vulnerability and resilience. She is the most incredible Latina warrior woman. I’m in awe of her strength, courage and determination.⁣
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In the Shadow of the Mountain, Silvia travels to Everest, The Mother of the World, to make an attempt to reach the summit. But this isn’t just a summit attempt and climbing diary. ⁣
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After suffering sexual abuse as a child in Peru, Silvia repressed her trauma through alcoholism but after landing at rock bottom she knew she had to find a way out. So she began to climb. ⁣
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Silvia finds other women who have also suffered, creating Corageous Girls, a nonprofit company to help survivors of sexual abuse and trafficking find their strength. She treks to Base Camp with five young women, each confronting their past and finding their power as they are tested by the elements. She then goes on to make her summit attempt and eventually becomes the first openly gay woman to complete the ‘Seven Summits’. ⁣
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Silvia heroically places herself into typically male dominated spaces, from the corporate world of Silicon Valley where she has a high flying career to the mountain peaks which men feel they need to conquer. She finds that Everest and trauma cannot be conquered but something one must yield to; the bravest acts are facing our fears and embracing our inner child. ⁣
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This memoir is beautifully written, totally inspiring, brutally honest and is in my top 5 memoirs of all time. An extraordinary story of an extraordinary woman. Just GO READ IT NOW.⁣
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CW: graphic descriptions of sexual abuse, alcoholism, suicide ⁣
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Thank you to @octopusbooks for sending me a copy.

‘In the Shadow of the Mountain’, is a beautiful memoir by Silvia Vasquez-Lavado detailing her bid to summit Everest. But it is so much more than a mountaineering account. This memoir details her life from a young child and the traumatic events that led her to the mountains and to working with trafficking victims. It was hard and beautiful to read, as she shared her life story so honestly. I found her vulnerability and bravery in sharing the abuse she suffered and laying out the impact it had on her as an adult, deeply moving. The writing style was also a joy to read for me.

I wished it had another chapter, although I understand why it ended where it did. I wanted to know more about what she did next having learnt so much from the mountain.

Trigger warning to any future readers that she details her abuse as a very young girl vividly.

This emotional read will be with me for a while. Thank you to NetGalley and the Publishers for gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.