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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A fantastic read!
This was an amazing, nearly unbelievable read–to think it’s based on a true story! Strongest elements were the plot and characters, plus the window into what happened in Italy during World War II.
Based on a true story, this book introduced an heroic main character who was young, strong, smart, and charismatic. In one year, he experienced more adventures than most people will have in a lifetime. This story set in Italy during World War II is truly haunting and leaves the reader wondering about the role of the villain/antagonist. Also, there were opportunities to compare similarities between the events and politics leading up to World War II and political events and personalities in today’s world.
WOW! Rich in the kinds of atmosphere-building details that make the most memorable novels, but is never weighed down by them. There is a lyrical flow to this story that, combined with a both incredible yet relatable protagonist, keeps you reading and reading right through to the action-packed end.
Incredible story-telling. I was so swept up in this life story.
On a scale of 1 to 5, I rate this a 10. The incredible tragedies of a war and the loss of human life as well as the cruelties of a madman–many madmen– kept me reading this account of WWII almost without being able to breathe. Not a book to enjoy and relax but one to shake up your inner self to war cruelties only then to realize that it is a true account of a superb human being and all he and his family experienced during the war.
This is my favorite book I have read for a long time. About WWII and what happens to a young teenager during the war. 4 stars.
Continued surprises throughout the book.
This powerfully riveting, true story of a Pino Lella, a young man in Milan during WWII kept me reading well into the early hours, night after night. Following this heroic young man as he finds himself in one life threatening situation after another during the Nazi occupation of Italy is astonishing, heartwarming, and heartbreaking. Mark Sullivan’s brilliant writing succinctly captures Pino’s wide range of emotions as he valiantly helps countless people escape Hitler’s vast reach. The secrets he must keep, the romance he shares, the work he performs while keeping his true motives hidden will captivate any reader. Few books have left me feeling the way I felt after finishing this extremely well researched work. Whether you’re a fiction reader, or a history buff, you will enjoy this novel!
When you think about WW ll you usually hear about the invasion by the Nazis into Poland but this takes place in Italy. It was amazing how devastating and invasive the Germans were starting with the bombing of Milan. The characters are vividly described in their actions against the invasion. The reader gets a look at history and some amazing heroes who were never really pulisized . A wonderful read.
This is a story that will remain with me for the rest of my life.
Whew, this was an interesting book! A true story set during the last two years of WWII Italy, told in story form. I could not put it down!
I just finished this book and was sorry it ended. As a reader of detective type novels I was surprised I would thoroughly enjoy this post war story. Never a great student of history this book taught me so much about WWII and the tragedies of
the Italian people. I had recently visited and toured Milan, Italy which is where this novel is based so it was extremely enlightening.
this book is definitely a must read if you are looking for a book you will not forget for a long time. Not only do you learn historical facts, but you do it in a most beautifully written way. It is a cruel story, but one that longs to be told. Do not miss the chance to absorb yourself in a really good read.
I was completely mesmerized by every page of this book!
This is a exceptionally well-crafted novel focused on one courageous Italian teenager during the final two years of World War II. Based on a true story and constructed from hours of interviews and detailed research by Author Mark Sullivan, this book recounts the truly remarkable story of Pino Lella, coming of age in Milan, just as the tide of the war begins to turn against the Axis powers.
The brutality of Nazi occupation, the declining influence of Mussolini and the Italian Fascists, the random imprisonment and torture by SS agents, and the desperate efforts parents make to save their children– it’s all here. And, sitting in the middle is Pino, just another unremarkable young man, who simply wants his family to survive treacherous times.
Though Pino does not seek out danger, he nevertheless finds himself facing situations that force him to explore what he is capable of. And through this one boy’s eyes and adventures, we get to witness so many of the dismal realities of war — shortages, personal betrayals, random death and destruction, and hidden heroism.
The characters are richly developed, much more than simply good or bad people. They are all three dimensional. Family members, too quick to judge, wind up disowning and endangering their own. Catholic churchmen appear to work alongside Nazis while secretly savings the lives of Jewish refugees. And love blooms in unlikely places. It’s a sobering but realistic glimpse into both the worst and best people are capable of, when desperate to survive.
And somewhat surprisingly it doesn’t end with the ending of the war. Deprived Italian citizens, incoming American soldiers, and Nazis war criminals suddenly eager to collaborate help define a city desperate for revenge.
BENEATH A SCARLET SKY is a true page-turner, all the more because it’s a true story. I found this a gripping, rich and thoughtful read that left me thinking about both the events and people, long after I closed the book. Be sure to read the author’s Afterword to find out what becomes of all the people you have just read about. It makes a delicious finale and helps provide resolution for all the emotions that will get stirred up!
See more of my reviews at http://www.tobyasmith.com
I loved this book. I’ve read it twice now, and I still think about it regularly. It takes place in Milan, Italy towards the end of WWII. Our young hero, who hates the Germans, ends up being a driver for a German General.There are many twists and turns and moments of tension, and there are also some very sweet moments throughout the book. At the very end of the book the General makes a comment that was a bit of a twist and causes the reader to put down the book still wondering about that comment.
I learned so much about WWII in Italy, that I had no idea about.
This thought provoking true tale tells the plights of Italians during WWII…..bravery, love, sacrifice, horror, espionage…..hard to believe how harsh human beings treat each other. Hard to read in many places, however one of the best WWII books I’ve ever read.
It’s been nearly a hundred years since the horrors and wrenching heartbreak of the last world war left its tortured scars on a generation of innocence. Most of us are convinced that everything has been written about the anguish and pain of that period. That may have been true until Mark Sullivan’s explosive story hit the shelves. His book is tragic, haunting, and entertaining. This page-turner goes beyond the norm. You won’t put it down.
Realistic depiction of Italy’s experience in WWII. This book will hold your attention & tug at your heart strings. Highly recommend