Beneath a Scarlet Sky

by Mark T Sullivan

[Leigha]

Pino Lella spies on the German army during World War II in this utterly captivating historical fiction based on true events.

I picked this up during a two for one sale at Audible (my first pick was The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski). Tom Holland is expected to star in the film adaptation, which peaked my curiosity. I tried the Audible sample, discovering the story and narrator to completely capture my attention.

While the story is based off true events, the author made a conscious decision to label this book historical fiction. Not enough historical documents survived in order to claim its validity. The story begins slow as Pino describes the wars gradual move into Milan and Pino’s life. He doesn’t actually become a spy until midway through the book, but all of the events leading up to his decision show the toll the war took on him.

I expected to love the romance between Pino and Anna, but it was Pino’s relationship with his faith that truly made the novel special. (Honestly, his undying love for Anna grated on my nerves as their relationship never takes off until the last third of the novel). Pino’s faith is tested over and over again as he witnesses vicious acts of violence. His struggles felt realistic and honest, a struggle many probably felt during the war.

tl;dr A captivating story focused on a courageous young man faced with impossible odds that tests his faith in God and humankind.