Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel by Mark Sullivan (Epub)

Description

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 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.

User’s Reviews

Review A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist, Historical FictionA 2017 Goodreads Top 20 Most-Read BookA Goodreads Best Book of the Month“Exciting…taut thriller…Beneath a Scarlet Sky tells the true story of one young Italian’s efforts to thwart the Nazis.” —Shelf Awareness“Meticulous research highlights this World War II novel of a youth growing into manhood…a captivating read…” —RT Book Reviews“An incredible story, beautifully written, and a fine and noble book.” —James Patterson, New York Times bestselling author“Sprawling, stirring, like the richest of stories, and played out on a canvas of heroism and tragedy, Beneath a Scarlet Sky is like one of those iconic World War II black and white photos: a face of hope and tears, the story of a small life that ended up mattering in a big way.” —Andrew Gross, New York Times bestselling author of The One Man“Action, adventure, love, war, and an epic hero—all set against the backdrop of one of history’s darkest moment—Mark Sullivan’s Beneath a Scarlet Sky has everything one can ask for in an exceptional World War II novel.” —Tess Gerritsen, New York Times bestselling author of Playing with Fire“This is full-force Mark Sullivan—muscular, soulful prose evincing an artist’s touch and a journalist’s eye. Beneath a Scarlet Sky conjures an era with a magician’s ease, weaving the rich tapestry of a wartime epic. World War II Italy has never been more alive to me.” —Gregg Hurwitz, New York Times bestselling author of The Nowhere Man“Beneath a Scarlet Sky has everything—heroism, courage, terror, true love, revenge, compassion in the face of the worst human evils. Sullivan shows us war as it really is, with all its complexities, conflicting loyalties, and unresolved questions, but most of all, he brings us the extraordinary figure of Pino Lella, whose determination to live con smania—with passion—saved him.” —Joseph Finder, New York Times bestselling author of Suspicion and The Switch From the Publisher What makes a hero? If you are Pino Lella, the protagonist in Mark Sullivan’s riveting World War II thriller, you risk everything to save as many souls as you can by sneaking them over the Swiss Alps to safety. You put yourself in harm’s way, enlisting as a German soldier and becoming an Allied spy inside the German High Command. And you forgo the life you thought you’d have to do whatever you can to stop the madness. It’s not often I get to publish true stories, especially ones that have been crafted into page-turning fiction. But after I picked up Beneath a Scarlet Sky and read into the wee hours, I was absorbed and amazed by the story of Italy’s Pino Lella, a real-life unsung hero of World War II, and felt compelled to publish this one. The tale of a young man, at the tender age of seventeen, pushed headlong into the horrors of war is timeless, relevant, and inspiring. I’m not sure I would ever be as brave as Pino, and I’m so honored to share his story with you. But ultimately my feelings are superseded by my hope that Beneath a Scarlet Sky will be a “stay up all night to read” book that you will not soon forget. – Danielle Marshall, Editor

Reviews from Amazon users, collected at the time the book is getting published on UniedVRG. It can be related to shiping or paper quality instead of the book content:

⭐ Maybe I’m being too critical, but I have been struggling with this story for a while now. Originally I was attracted to this novel by its never-before-told aspect along with its emphasis on Italy and the often-overlooked heroes within that country. I had previously read “From Sand and Ash” which first introduced me to this branch of WW2 history even though it was a completely fictitious story. I expected “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” to provide a more accurate account of a real-life person who had been involved in these events. Unfortunately, I have been incredibly disappointed.First, let me say that regardless of how much of this is actually true (and I have my doubts), this fictionalized version of Pino Lella is so unrealistic. Essentially, he’s a seventeen-year-old prodigy who can do no wrong. He is strong, clever, exceptionally skilled at pretty much anything he attempts, and he doesn’t seem to have any real conflict with or animosity toward anyone (well, except the Nazis). He is quite possibly one of the most unrelatable characters that I’ve ever come across in a literary work. Just as ONE example, here is a future race car driver complimenting Pino on what a gifted driver he is, because of course he is:”Pino allowed a mild smile. “You catch on fast. I wish I could have finished my driving lessons.” “You are already very, very good, Pino,” Ascari said. “You have the touch, the feel for the car that is rare.” Pino basked in the praise.” p. 163 (Kindle edition)Since all the attention is given to Pino and his amazing accomplishments, the supporting characters are extremely bland and indistinguishable. The only thing I really knew about each character was if they were “good” or “bad” (and this was primarily based on whether or not they were German).Second, I was surprised by the simplicity of the writing. At times, the text reads like a middle-grade textbook as it lists off names, facts, and dates. The dialogues felt very stilted and occasionally only consisted of a couple of lines before ending abruptly. If it was going to be so concise, did there really need to be a dialogue at all?While I normally get frustrated with authors who insist on including excessively detailed descriptions of the characters and their surroundings, this book had almost none. This made it hard for me to immerse myself in 1940s Italy. At first, I assumed that perhaps this author just doesn’t care to spend a lot of time on superfluous descriptions. However, the passages about Pino hiking went on and on FOREVER! Here were the descriptions I wanted back when I was first introduced to the characters in Milan, but now they were unnecessarily lengthy and only focused on a single character and his “treacherous” hikes through the Alps.Third, precious little in this book actually feels plausible or authentic. There are so many instances of characters (especially Pino) who just happen to be in the right place at the right time. The moment where this novel lost ALL credibility was when Pino, after almost single-handedly digging out from an avalanche, goes skiing with a pregnant woman clutching onto his back. This woman, who had been spotting blood only moments before and felt so weak she couldn’t go on, lets out a “Wheeeeeeee” as they race downhill and then plays her violin for him after they reach safety. Ummmm, no. I’ve read historical fiction with completely fabricated characters and situations that have felt less fictional than this.It grieves me so much – especially considering this is based upon real heroes – but I can neither continue this nor recommend it to others. If you’ve read it and know that it gets better, let me know and I may give it another shot. But for now, I’m done.

⭐ Very poorly written with countless impossible and eyeroll-worthy sequences of events. I was tempted to give it 3 stars only in the hope that someone on the fence would come across my review and treat it as more valid. Absolutely no character development and minimal association with actual history. I don’t typically take the time to review anything but given the billions of 5-star reviews this book somehow has, I felt the need. I’m stopping a third of the way through and going back to non-fiction.

⭐ The front and back cover are lovely. The blurb is fantastic but that is where it ends. Boring beginning, stilted dialogue, a hero who is too good to be true contributed to my not finishing this book. I think book quality has spiraled down recently and this is a prime example. Some sentences were incomplete, not grammatically correct and read like middle grade adolescent fiction. I could not get interested enough to read it after perhaps 25%. When I want to read entertaining World War 2 fiction I’ll take out my old Ken Follett books. One thing he always did which makes his books believable is he made his characters human, even the bad ones.

⭐ I’m flummoxed to see so large a population of 4 and 5 star reviews. I have the audio book and I have to say the story seems written by about a 16-year-old for an 8-year-old audience. The storytelling and the dialog between characters is sophomoric; the characters are mere cutouts with no texture, rhyme or reason.I finished about a third of the story and don’t plan to listen to it further. Boring and simplistic, not literature at all.And, to be clear, this is a work of fiction. Pure and simple. It is fiction. “Based in a true story” perhaps, but since the author invented events and dialogue we will never know how much of it is fact-based.

⭐ After chapter 4 I quit reading. I thought perhaps I was missing something or that maybe I needed an attitude adjustment considering the book is based on a true story. The reviews are exceptional, what’s wrong with me that I can’t get into it? Than I read some of the negative reviews and realized I felt much like others did about this book. I will not continue to read.

⭐ I simply don’t understand all the 4- and 5-star ratings for this book. The overall arc of the story is compelling. Pino definitely seems courageous. Leading Jewish refugees from Italy to Switzerland through the mountains is impressive and brave. But too much of his story seems highly dubious. Consider:1. A very high ranking German general in a war zone uses an Italian boy (sorry… 18 YO makes you a boy) as a personal chauffeur without ongoing checks of his background and activities? What kind of OPSEC is that?2. An 18 YO who’s never left Milan knows French and English well enough that he can serve as a translator for high level wartime and diplomatic discussions?3. An 18 YO who’s had a few driving lessons and he’s somehow able to dodge a strafing Spitfire in a Daimler G4?4. An 18 YO who hasn’t played the drums in a year and he’s able to play like Gene Krupa at a GI party?Aside from the mostly compelling story line, the writing is terrible. The whole book comes across as a cartoon or comic book. I found the relationship between Anna and Pino to be described at a chaste, high-school level. I give the book 2-stars because it held my interest to the end and it did give me a good sense of what wartime Italy must have been like. But the wooden prose and “Forrest Gump” coincidences significantly detracted from my enjoyment. Recommended with a lot of reservations. (For poor writing and unbelievable exploits by an 18 YO boy.)

⭐ I love historical fiction. I have been reading a lot of WWII historical books lately. I was not really wanting to read ‘another’ one. But, we were traveling to Milan, and this true story took place in Milan. So, I bought it, and started reading it a few days before the trip. Once we were in our hotel on the street Corso Matteotti, I was amazed to find out that Pino Lella grew up in that area and at onetime lived on that very street! A very well written book. A very amazing life Pino lived. I did not know that Milan was affected so much by WWII. I definitely recommend it. Pictures are of the church San Bbila – the neighborhood where Pino grew up, and of where his parent’s purse shop and his uncle’s leather shop used to be.

⭐ Sometimes reviews can be deceiving. 5 star reviews are for books of “All the Light We Cannot See” caliber, not this book, which bored me instantly. I couldn’t get past the first few pages, literally. Off it went to Goodwill. To each their own, but it would help if reviewers would give their age and other books they’ve liked to give prospective purchasers some context.

⭐ I ordered this book more than a year ago but didn’t pick it up because i’ve read many WWII books in recent months and wasn’t up to another one.WWII Italy is often a neglected subject because for many authors it is easier to write about WWII in France or England.I think this is due to the fact that the Italian people sided with evil in the begining and only became victims much later.When Italy surrendered to the allies, England and France were at war with Nazi Germany for four long and punishing years.Naturally, because of the raving reviewes i knew i’d pick this book sooner than later.I have several issues with this book:1. It reads more like a newspaper article (a long one at that- it is a 526 pages book). There are dates, events, descriptions, but not enough prose. It gives a good chronological sense, but remains wooden.2. The main character, Pino Lella, comes across as a man who always thinks about god’s plan for him, looking for god’s sign for him. For me, his theologic thoughts were tedious. It read a bit like a missionary book.3. Other characters were one dimensional as well. There is no character development. Only events are described one after the other.4. Some coincidences are too unbelivable. Everywhere he goes, he meets someone crucial to the story. He experiences all the events first hand, which is kinda incredible…All in all, it is recommeded for a history student. It reads like a YA novel.For a more serious read about WWII Italy, i would recommed:The Light in the Ruins by Chris BohjalianA Thread of Grace by Mary Doria RussellVilla Triste by Lucretia Grindle

⭐ This was a rare instance of giving up on a book before finishing it. I was bored to tears by the repetition.

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