Soon to be a major television event from Pascal Pictures, starring Tom Holland.
Based on the true story of a forgotten hero, the USA Today and #1 Amazon Charts bestseller Beneath a Scarlet Sky is the triumphant, epic tale of one young man’s incredible courage and resilience during one of history’s darkest hours. Pino Lella wants nothing to do with the war or the Nazis. He’s a normal Italian … the Nazis. He’s a normal Italian teenager—obsessed with music, food, and girls—but his days of innocence are numbered. When his family home in Milan is destroyed by Allied bombs, Pino joins an underground railroad helping Jews escape over the Alps, and falls for Anna, a beautiful widow six years his senior.
In an attempt to protect him, Pino’s parents force him to enlist as a German soldier—a move they think will keep him out of combat. But after Pino is injured, he is recruited at the tender age of eighteen to become the personal driver for Adolf Hitler’s left hand in Italy, General Hans Leyers, one of the Third Reich’s most mysterious and powerful commanders.
Now, with the opportunity to spy for the Allies inside the German High Command, Pino endures the horrors of the war and the Nazi occupation by fighting in secret, his courage bolstered by his love for Anna and for the life he dreams they will one day share.
Fans of All the Light We Cannot See, The Nightingale, and Unbroken will enjoy this riveting saga of history, suspense, and love.
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Fabulous read… a real page turner and stay-up-all-night-reading book! I learned a lot about WWII and how it affected Italy that I never knew. Heartily recommended with profound story line based in truth!
Incredible!
Amazing true story of one man in Italy during the 2nd world war. Besides being exciting, I learned a lot about history.
One of the most memorable books I have read in a long time
As an author, I understand creative license. The author does divulge this in the beginning. However, this does not change the fact that it is an epic tale written about one of the grittiest times in World History from a viewpoint rarely told. These are the stories that shape war, seen from the eyes of us, the small people. Those whose battlefront could be their own childhood homes. As far as the writing, there is a misconception that, in order for a work to be highly-regarded, it must be written with bombast. Yet, there is simplicity in life and death. There is simplicity in images. There is simplicity in great love. And, in my opinion, that was weaved through a loom of realism, of relating to the common man, and to a focus on what moves and drives a story in this novel. I will never forget about Pino Lella, Mimo’s anger, Father Re’s faith, Gen. Leyers’ deception. I believe in the pendulous swing of life and how much more evident it is during war. I loved it, plain and simple, and I am grateful for Mr. Sullivan for writing it.
Wonderful book! Based on a real person and why and how he became a spy/ helped rescue some trying to escape Hitler’s web/ and how he had to grow up so fast to do all this. I had trouble putting it down to do the mundane things we all do each day.
This book made me very grateful for the gift of life. It made me reflect on all of the human experiences that we have that make us alive. In my mind’s eye, the book took me away from where I was and my heart felt each of the emotions the characters went through. This book really sheds light on the phrase “I have lived a thousand lives” which book lovers often use. So very glad I spent time reading this beautifully-written book.
Reminiscent of the book Unbroken
Mark Sullivan’s World War II coming of age novel based on the real life character Giuseppe “Pino” Lella was a joy to read. The story begins with Pino as a seventeen year-old adolescent whose primary interests are music and girls even as the city where he lives, Milan, begins to feel the effects of allied bombing. His transformation into a young man who leads jewish refugees to freedom and who spies for the Italian resistance is inspirational. I’ve read many books about World War II, both fiction and non-fiction, and the story of Italians who fought against the Nazis (whom their government was allied with) is one you don’t hear much about. The scenes with Mussolini and other historical figures were fascinating. I was impressed with the seamless interweaving of Pino’s love story with Anna and these events. The book is very well written and researched and reminded me of a similar story, “The Nightingale”, by Kristin Hannah, written from the French perspective. I found myself thinking of Herman Wouk’s epic, “The Winds of War.” Although Sullivan’s work is more focused I found it equally entertaining and informative. I highly recommend this book. Great job Mark Sullivan.
Very good book! It’s a true story but very unbelievable things happen to the main character. I truly loved it and would read it again.
Historical fiction I never knew about.
A highly entertaining page-turner, based on a true story of a forgotten hero.
Unbelievable true story about WWII.
No matter which genre you think is your favorite READ THIS BOOK. If you appreciate excellent writing READ THIS BOOK. Yes there are some disturbing passages but they are absolutely necessary; allow your heart to ache for humanity. If you want a page-turner including thrills, romance, comedy, horror and to be truly uplifted READ THIS BOOK!
This book is so well written. The time frame is during WWII and takes place in Italy. A young, courageous boy is trained by Catholic priest and others to climb a dangerous route through the Alps to take Jews to safety in Switzerland. But it’s much more than just the saving of Jews. It’s about his growth, courage, faith and love for family and friends.
As an early baby boomer I grew up reading/listening to stories about WWII. This book brought back memories of those days and the many stories of those involved in that last “world” war. The atrocities of the Nazis to the day-to-day struggles of those living in occupied Italy, the book reawakens memories long forgotten which should not be. A wonderful telling of a story made even better with the knowledge that it’s based on fact.
Good read. Would have given it 5 stars, but the book dragged in too many places. Could have been about 150 pages shorter.
I loved this book. Great historical fiction that takes you back to World War II in Italy. Great characters and lots of ups and downs. I also loved the fact that it is memoir in genre. One of my favourites. Highly recommended. In my Top 10 fiction novels of the last decade.
Amazing true life story – more incredible than fiction – of a young Italian man during WWII.
A wonderful, relatively unknown story, beautifully told.