Fiona Valpy’s *The Sky Beneath Us* is an audiobook that feels like a tender symphony of love, loss, and resilience, masterfully orchestrated against the backdrop of war and personal transformation. This is not merely a historical fiction piece; it’s a deeply moving exploration of how the past and present intertwine, and how the stories of those who came before us shape our understanding of courage and connection.

At the heart of the narrative is the dual timeline—a hallmark of Valpy’s style—where modern-day protagonist Hope uncovers the story of Ellie, a young woman living through World War II. As Hope searches for clarity in her own life, Ellie’s tale of bravery and heartbreak unfolds, creating a rich tapestry of shared experiences across generations. Valpy handles this structure with grace, seamlessly weaving the two timelines together to highlight their parallels and contrasts. The result is a story that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant.

The narration brings this dual narrative to life with exceptional skill. Each timeline is given its own distinct tone, making it easy to transition between past and present without losing the thread of the story. The narrator’s voice is rich with emotion, capturing Ellie’s strength and vulnerability during the war years, as well as Hope’s modern-day struggles with equal authenticity. Subtle accents and character distinctions enhance the listening experience, adding depth and texture without feeling overly theatrical.

What sets *The Sky Beneath Us* apart is its ability to marry the grand scale of history with the intimate details of individual lives. Valpy doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of war—its grief, its sacrifices, and its lingering shadows—but she balances this with moments of hope and human connection. The descriptions of Ellie’s work as part of the Women’s Timber Corps are vivid and immersive, painting a picture of resilience and camaraderie amidst the challenges of war. Meanwhile, Hope’s contemporary journey of self-discovery feels equally compelling, grounding the story in themes of healing and the search for meaning.

The audiobook’s pacing is beautifully measured, giving listeners the time to fully absorb the emotional weight of the story while keeping the narrative moving. The production quality is flawless, with crisp sound and thoughtful pauses that enhance the emotional resonance of key moments. The atmospheric descriptions—whether it’s the quiet majesty of Scotland’s forests or the poignant silence of a battlefield—are heightened by the narrator’s delivery, making the experience deeply immersive.

Valpy’s writing is lyrical and evocative, and in audio format, it takes on an almost meditative quality. Her ability to convey complex emotions with simplicity and grace is a hallmark of her storytelling, and it shines here. Themes of sacrifice, courage, and the enduring power of love are woven throughout the narrative, leaving listeners with much to reflect on long after the final chapter.

*The Sky Beneath Us* is more than a story—it’s a journey through time, heartache, and hope. It’s for anyone who loves historical fiction, stories of resilience, or simply beautifully told tales that touch the soul. Fiona Valpy has crafted something extraordinary, and the audiobook format only amplifies its emotional impact. A masterpiece of storytelling and narration, it’s a five-star experience that will stay with you long after the last word fades into silence.

I have enjoyed so many books by the author, Fiona Valpy. However, this one left me wanting more. Part of the problem was that I listened to the audiobook version and the narrative was right irritating. Another big issue was that COVID was a major aspect to the plot. I just don’t want to waste my time reading about a time period that I would prefer to forget ever happened. Maybe it’s too soon since the beginning of the pandemic or the fact that we are still being affected by COVID, but this was a major turn off in struggling through the pages. Just because this did not appeal to me, does not mean that you won’t appreciate the book. I would definitely recommend reading the book rather than listening to the audiobook version … and only if reading about COVID is not such a negative factor for you.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

1927 Violet will be studying at the Edinburgh School of Gardening for Women (what a title!) - she happens to fall in love with a wonderful man but he doesn't fit her parents desire of the right kind of husband for her. Violet boldly decides to head to Nepal to study plants that survive in harsh conditions. This image describes both Violet and Daisy.

2020 Daisy finds her great aunt Violet's letters and decides to journey to Kathmandu where Violet lived and learn more about her life there. She ended up spending more time there than she had planned because of the worldwide pandemic. But she found a family she had never known that ended up being a blessing for her.

Both were very strong women who faced some daunting challenges.

I read and listened to this book and the narrator had a halting way of speaking that was distracting, so reading would be better. There is a good bit of the book that talks about the pandemic and climate change, which took away from my interest in Violet and Daisy .

My thanks to Net Galley, Lake Union Publishing and Brilliance Audio for an advanced copy of this e-book and audiobook.

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.

This book is awesome! Highly recommend,
The characters are very well written.
This is a dual timeline, which I love.

May thanks to Net Galley and Brilliane Publlishing for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house, the narrator and the author for the opportunity to listen to a complimentary copy of this audiobook.

This was such a lovely book. I really enjoyed the weaving of the story around the events of Covid and the difference that it made in these characters lives. Daisy and her mother plan to head to Nepal to a small village to follow in their ancestor Violet’s footsteps, when Daisy arrives, she discovers that her mother has not been able to make the flight as the Covid crisis begins. Daisy is determined after speaking with her mother to take the trip for the two of them as we listen to Daisy try to follow in Violet’s footsteps and discover herself as well as family she never knew existed , it was so enjoyable. I loved the description of the flowers and the countryside. I enjoyed learning about some of the Nepalese customs.

All in all, this was a great book and I recommend it. This author always writes such interesting books that take you to their location.

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.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. Bronwen Price and Mhairi Morrison do a fantastic job narrating this story and make it such an enjoyable read!

I have enjoyed other books by this author but this one was honestly a let down. This is the story of two distantly related women, separated by almost 100 years, as they journey through Nepal. While the writing was exceptional and very descriptive, I had a hard time getting invested in the story of a woman traveling to Nepal 100 years ago and what happens on her journey...not really believable which I need. This one unfortunately fell short for me.

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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I tried so hard to get into this book but I constantly found my mind drifting. Ended up having to stop partway though.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.