![Beneath a Scarlet Sky: A Novel by [Sullivan, Mark]](https://images-fe.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51pcmD%2BvWhL._SY346_.jpg)
An inspiring story based on "the assertion" of true events. I nearly chose it as my Kindle First choice for April, in hindsight I wish I had as it was so utterly unique & unlike anything I have read before. 'Beneath a Scarlet Sky' is engrossing from page one. It is a brilliantly told story about the life of Pino Lella, describing young Pino's heroism in Nazi-occupied Italy. Pino and his brother Mimo devote themselves to the resistance despite their fears. It's truly remarkable how the brothers accomplished so much to thwart the evil that had overtaken their country.
This is one of the few stories that looks at life inside Italy during World War II. From the streets of Milan to the slopes of the Alps and around the villages and country roads of northern Italy, we get to see the Germans in action, the resistance, the partisans, and the advancing Americans. While this is going on there is a heartfelt love story with the beautiful Anna as part of the backdrop.
This book is based on real interviews with the main character. The writing takes a bit of getting used to. That being said once I got going I greatly enjoyed it. If however you are looking for happy endings, I do not recommend it. If you want to learn interesting history and would enjoy a powerful and incredible story of a man's life, then this is a must read. In fact, at times it read like a Hollywood spy story. The fact that this story could happen and then be kept secret for sixty years is quite remarkable. 5 Stars.
What makes a hero? If you are Pino Lella, the protagonist in Mark Sullivan’s riveting Second World War 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, an unsung hero of the Second World War, and felt compelled to publish this one. The tale of a man pushed headlong into the horrors of war at the tender age of seventeen is timeless and inspiring.
I’m not sure I would ever be as brave as Pino, and I’m so honoured 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.
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, an unsung hero of the Second World War, and felt compelled to publish this one. The tale of a man pushed headlong into the horrors of war at the tender age of seventeen is timeless and inspiring.
I’m not sure I would ever be as brave as Pino, and I’m so honoured 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
