A Line Above the Sky by Helen Mort

 

I have read a lot of books that I feel have been written from the heart but this book is more than that. Helen Mort has spilled her heart right out onto the page and has done so using elegant, emotive, almost perfect prose. What a fabulous writer! 

The book is a memoir that weaves the author’s dual experiences of climbing and motherhood and their impact on each other, as well as the story of two other climbers: Alison Hargreaves, who tragically lost her life while descending K2 in 1995, and her son Tom Ballard.

You do not have to be interested in climbing to enjoy this book. In fact, I would argue that it is better if you aren’t because you get to experience it through her words, living an experience that perhaps, like me, you would never have otherwise. Climbing has never been on my radar, yet, after reading this book, I feel that, for a short while at least, I got to partake in this exhilarating sport and find out what it really feels like to navigate rocky crags with just a rope to save me if I should fall. That is the power of beautiful writing.

Helen Mort has a talent for describing her inner emotions in a way that speaks to me and mirrors how I have felt in the past, such as feeling happier around men and insecure around women, and her descriptions of motherhood are so close to what I have felt but been unable to articulate, it is scary! In fact, I found myself nodding in agreement with a lot of the things she writes, realising that yes, I feel that, but have never tried or indeed had the ability to express my thoughts in such a way. The parts about being an only child and how that felt for her really resonated with me because I, too, have no siblings but could never really articulate how that made me feel. Then I read Helen’s perspective and thought, yes, that’s exactly how it feels. 

Although this book talks a lot about climbing, sometimes it is used as a metaphor to underlie the author’s emotions and experiences, which is why you don’t need to be a climber to enjoy this book. It is a truly fascinating read and I recommend it if you like to read about another person’s experiences and thoughts and lives. This book certainly took me to places I had never been before!

Overall, this is an emotional, beautifully written book about the author’s experiences of climbing and motherhood, with the story of another climber and her fate woven throughout. It is fascinating, eye opening, compelling and thoroughly recommended. I absolutely loved reading it.

With thanks to Netgalley and Ebury Publishing for providing an advance review copy. All opinions in this review are my own.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐