The Sky Beneath Us
This multi-generational tale of women discovering their own strengths interweaves past and present through the stories of Violet Mackenzie-Grant and Daisy Laverock, her great-grandniece. Violet is determined to forge an independent path as a gardener, and Daisy has long been fascinated by the diary Violet kept in 1927. Daisy has been through a painful divorce, so when her daughters head off to begin their own lives, she plans a trip with her mother to retrace Violet’s steps exploring the fauna of Nepal. But it is 2020, and the pandemic strands Daisy alone in Kathmandu. Forced to improvise at every turn, Daisy continues the journey she planned with her mother. In the process she discovers the hidden strengths she inherited from her great-great aunt – as well as secrets about Himalayan plants that promised to shape the future of medicine.
This book will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Even non-gardeners are sure to enjoy both the well-researched details about Himalayan flora and the behind-the-scenes peek at the workings of an early 20th century botanical garden. It is hard to resist Valpy’s evident love for the way family archives forge connections between generations that have never met. And the book paints a convincing portrait of the unique blend of frustration and fear that characterized the 2020 pandemic. Fans of Kate Morton and Julia Kelly will especially enjoy this journey through both time and space.
