I absolutely love this book and am constantly recommending it. I was blown away to learn it was based on a true story. A must read for anyone, regardless of preferred genre!

Beneath a Scarlet Sky is a book that I had sitting on my Kindle for a long time, unsure if I wanted to dive in or not. On the one hand, I was curious. On the other hand, I was unsure if I would be hooked. This was mostly because I’m not usually a big fan of fiction/non-fiction hybrids. When Beneath a Scarlet Sky became our book club read, however, I soon found myself powering through the story.

I’ll be honest and say that some of the details in this story need to be taken cum grano salis. There was a bit too much in this one that felt like drama intended for the masses, events that required more suspension of belief than I expected. The way it is written leans toward the impression that all the information is true, but it is a hybrid of fact and fiction – a fact needs to be remembered. When that is kept in mind, the story is gripping. It is far from perfect, but it certainly kept me hooked and eager to see how everything played out in the end. I just wish there had been more information about what was true and what was twisted to make for a great story.

All in all, Beneath a Scarlet Sky ended up being a pleasant surprise.

Beneath the Scarlet Sky is an extensively researched novel of biographical and historical fiction that reads much like a work of narrative nonfiction. Even though the book is based on a true story and is a "lightly fictionalized" version of Pino Lella’s story, the author spent a decade researching and writing. The author conducted lengthy interviews with Pino Lella and toured many of the landmarks of Lella's life in Milan and the surrounding areas.

The story itself is fascinating and informative with historical facts. I may not know how much of it is true, but it was still an entertaining read. I especially liked how the author wraps up Pino’s story by bringing it back to present time, closing up old wounds and granting the old man peace.

Looking forward to seeing this story on the big screen.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Mark T. Sullivan for a copy of "Beneath a Scarlet Sky" in exchange of an honest review.

This was very much just ok for me. I almost put it down, but I do like to know the ending, and this was worth at least reading through. No quite sure if it was the story or the style, perhaps a bit of both. Two stars because I slugged through, but no more because I can't see,myself reading more from this author, or recommending it.

There have been an incredible number of reviews of this well written novel so far be it from me to find something different to say. For fans of historical history.

I am a WWII fan. There are not many books about WWII or that era that I do not want to read. Beneath a Scarlet Sky is one of my top 5 favorites.

I was so invested in Pino and his travels during WWII and all that he was doing to help the Jews. He was young, yet he did so much to fight against the Germans and help innocent people stay alive. There were times that he was pushed to do things against his conscience. These were the times that I really admired Pino. Working for the Nazi’s had to be the scariest, most intimidating, heroic act that Pino ever did.

The fact that this is based on true story only enhanced the book. The heroes of WWII are dying fast and their lives need to be celebrated with the stories they can share. I am so very proud of the veterans of this era and all that they gave up for their countries.

What a powerful and interesting book! I was completely enthralled in this book and plan on recommending it to everyone who will listen! :)

Somehow I didn't realize Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan was based on a true story. My surprise at learning that fact at the end of the book only added to my enjoyment of it. Pino Lello was an average Italian teenager when war came to town. His journey toward adulthood - with a little help from the lovely Anna - during such perilous times is told in fascinating detail. His varied experiences during the war would be a hard to believe if they weren't absolutely the truth. Highly recommended.

Beneath a Scarlet Sky
I received a copy of this book courtesy of the publicist, and unfortunately due to some technological issues, I actually thought I wasn’t going to be able to read it at all. Luckily, when I went to collect another book from NetGalley, I saw that it was available again and I pounced on it. This book was actually a nominee in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2017 for best historical fiction so I was even more excited to read it.

“Beneath a Scarlet Sky” by Mark Sullivan is a historical fiction novel which is heavily inspired by true events experienced by a real person in Milan, Italy during World War II. Pino Lella, a happy-go-lucky 17 year old boy, is sent to live in the Alps after his hometown of Milan is bombed by the Allies. Staying in a Catholic boys’ school, he is enlisted by the priest to assist Jewish people escaping Italy via an underground railroad by guiding them through the treacherous winter mountains. However, despite the heroism of his early involvement, when Pino comes of age his parents insist for his safety that he enlists with the German forces. Disgusted by having to swap sides, Pino jumps at the chance to work for Hitler’s “left hand” and spy for the Allies. This new role is fraught with danger and Pino finds himself risking many important relationships, including his blossoming love with the beautiful Anna.

As the saying goes, “never let the truth get in the way of a good story”, and this is, without a doubt a good story. I felt haunted by this book for a good week after I read it. I found myself going back to it to reread certain passages trying to find answers and going over and over the events in my mind. Sullivan makes it abundantly clear at the beginning of this book that this book is not intended to be a biography, and that much of the story has been heavily fictionalised, speculated upon and perhaps even embellished. I don’t even care. It’s a fast-paced, exhilarating read and I got much more out of this book set in Italy during the war than I did out of “My Brilliant Friend” set only a short time afterwards.

Probably the biggest criticism some may have of this book is that the writing, while perfectly serviceable, is not especially literary in tone. Some may find it a bit simplistic but I personally found the tone perfectly in keeping with Pino’s youth and naivete. Even though he is involved in very serious and adult issues, ultimately Pino is still a very young man and I think that the writing style actually suits the narrative.

This is an emotionally charged, exciting and intriguing book and if even half of it is true it’s an absolutely incredible story. A solid story that still makes my heart wrench thinking about it.

Interesting story that takes place in Italy during WW2. An Italian struggles with fighting for his country and trying to stay alive. Staying alive sometimes means going against what you believe in.

A powerful perspective for all ages to read.

Beneath a Scarlet Sky is a fresh take on the WWII historical drama. The characters are richly detailed and the plot is well-paced. It is based on the true story of a young Italian man who finds himself swept into Nazi service, where he becomes essentially a spy. It offers an interesting perspective into Italy during the war, one that is not explored as much as other places (France, England, Germany, etc).

Beneath a Scarlet Sky languished on my TBR pile for months and now I have to wonder why I ignored this gem for so long. If you are a fan of fact-based historical fiction from the WWII period, THIS is a book you should read.

Most of the previous faction I’ve read from the period takes place in England, France and, occasionally, Germany. This one takes place in Italy and gives a somewhat different perspective on the war. After all, the “bad guys” are not Hitler and the Nazis, but Mussolini and his Fascists, which sounds flippant but really does cast events in a different light. But this story goes beyond that and tells the story of the war in Italy about which not much is told in general history. The hero, Pino Lella, is a reluctant participant in the war when his family’s home in Milan is bombed by the Allied forces. After that he has remarkable war experiences both in dealing with Jewish refugees and being near the center of power in the Italian military.

Mark Sullivan’s writing is fluid and very readable. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thanks to NetGallery, Lake Union Publishing and Mark Sullivan for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is a bit strange for me since it has the underlying truth of it being a fictionalised story of a real person and his real experiences on and in WW2, so it is a bit strange for me to criticise specific moments of the book now really knowing if those moments actually happened exactly as described in the book or if those moments where fiction.
But since this book was not marketed as nonfiction, i am going to do exactly that!

overall this is a nice book about a different view on WW2 and if you have not yet read a lot of that part of history it is defiantly a good one to try.

What i personally didn't enjoy about it was the writing itself, since it sometimes felt as if it was purposefully dragging the story along to make it a longer book - but at the same time real life is not always one action packed moment after the other so it fells a bit strange saying that as already mentioned - and some moments just feel rather unrealistic and overly set up and "perfect" in the way they were happening, be it in a positive or negative way. but once again sometimes those moments do actually happen in real life.

All in all its a good book but i think it could have been better if the writing style itself would have been more compelling overall!

What an amazing book. I love historical stories and I have to say this one is in my top five. I really enjoyed it, it just flowed and I almost felt I was there. To me that makes a great book, when you put it down and it takes a few minutes to acclimate. I look forward to reading more by this author

This book is based on an amazing true story which makes "Beneath a Scarlet Sky" even more amazing.
Pino Lella and his family reside in Milan, Italy, and during World War II are subjected to the constant, no-holds-barred bombing of the city. Through an intricate series of events, Pino is recruited to become the driver for Hans Leyer, one of Hitler's top henchmen in furthering his horrific Nazi ideology. The intricacies of Lella's story will keep the reader unable to put this down.
What's also mindboggling is what prompted the author, Mark Sullivan, to discover and write this story.

What a beautiful cover, lovely story, wonderful characters, magnificent writing. Seriously, I cannot think of one negative thing to say about this book. Often historical fiction is a little slow for me, but this was great. The characters were real and interesting. I was excited to read it. The story was WWII from the perspective of an Italian and I've never read a book based in Italy during the second World War. This book was absolutely phenomenal and I highly recommend it to anyone, especially lovers of historical fiction and WWII. Yes, this was based on actual historical events, but it was written as a narrative and totally fun and entertaining. Please give this book a shot.

Well, if you know me, you know I love a good WWII story. Believe me when I say that this story is so incredible that it’s hard to believe it’s based on true events (but it is!). Pino is just an average young man in Italy, but circumstances force him to become a hero. Yet, through it all, Pino remains very human. He is not superhuman, or perfect, and he sometimes even does the “non-hero” type thing, but overall this is an incredible story of the power of resiliency and courage in a world at war.

Now when I read this – and thank you for my e-copy which I got from the publisher through Net Galley – I thought, “hmmm…this reminds less of historical fiction and more like a John Grisham or a James Patterson novel in terms of the writing style”. After I was finished, I saw this:

A Note From the Publisher

Mark Sullivan is the acclaimed author of eighteen novels, including the #1 New York Times bestselling Private series, which he writes with James Patterson. Mark has received numerous awards for his writing, including the WHSmith Fresh Talent Award, and his works have been named a New York Times Notable Book and a Los Angeles Times Best Book of the Year. He grew up in Medfield, Massachusetts, and graduated from Hamilton College with a BA in English before working as a volunteer in the Peace Corps in Niger, West Africa. Upon his return to the United States, he earned a graduate degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and began a career in investigative journalism. An avid skier and adventurer, he lives with his wife in Bozeman, Montana, where he remains grateful for the miracle of every moment.
So – now I think: “this reminds me of a Mark Sullivan novel!”
I think this novel would appeal to many, and I particularly liked the afterword where Sullivan follows up on Pino and the other characters in how they lived the rest of their lives.

I am going to officially put this one on the DNF list. I have tried on 3 separate occasions to read this book and for whatever reason, I can't get into it. Which is quite odd because I typically love WWII Historical Fiction.

Reading through the other reviews, I am clearly in the minority here. But I just can't seem to connect to the story and get invested, so it is time for me to move on. Just because this book didn't work for me doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a chance! There are tons of 4 & 5 star reviews out there and you just may love it.

This is a poignant tale about a young man who is close to the elite of Hitler's regime. He is a spy for the allied forces. This book is unlike any other WWII book I have read. It is filled with suspense and I highly recommend it.

This book ranks right up there with "The Nightingale," and "All the Light We Can Not See." I think it surpasses them. The book is about Pino, a 17 year-old boy in Italy during the German War. This book will make you love and hate the characters. You will fall in love with Pino and his family. He lives through things no 17 year-old boy should have to witness. The characters will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Well done Mr. Sullivan. Buy this book.