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celeste_milani's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Graphic: Classism, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Police brutality, Slavery, Suicide attempt, Violence, War, Antisemitism, Child death, Grief, Hate crime, Torture, Vomit, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Murder, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
katelyn_vince's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Grief, Murder, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death, War, Genocide, and Blood
tomellibee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Slavery, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death, War, Gore, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, and Gun violence
kelly_e's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Author: Mark T. Sullivan
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: May 1, 2017
T H R E E • W O R D S
Rich • Detailed • Triumphant
📖 S Y N O P S I S
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.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I was originally drawn to Beneath a Scarlet Sky thanks to the stunning cover, and I was hooked by the synopsis. I continued to be hesitant because of the page count, however, when a fellow lover of historical fiction recommended it to me, I knew I had to give it a go.
It was certainly refreshing to get a different WWII angle, where this book focuses on what was happening in Italy and the war's impact there, which is a perspective I haven't come across too often. And even though I'd consider this to be a 'big' book, the writing is accessible and flows nicely, making it an easy read despite some of the horrifying depictions of war.
I typically love historical fiction for the rich historical detail and learning about parts of history I may not know about, but with that being said, this novel gets bogged down at times with too much geographical and historical detail. Some of which could have easily been edited out.
Underlying the horrors of the war is Anna and Pino's love story. And of course, I couldn't help put root for them. While I figured put Anna's significance to the story quite early on given the foreshadowing, I continued to enjoy their developing love story.
Overall, I enjoyed this historical fiction novel for a new perspective, a realistic portrayal of wartime love, and the effortless writing. It is quite long, but in my opinion it's worth the investment of time because it is so well researched and informative despite there being some unnecessary details. For fans of books that combine history, suspense and love.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• WWII historical fiction enthusiasts
• fans of richly detailed historical fiction
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"The distance doesn't matter. Just think about your next step."
"'You never want to be the absolute leader in the game of life, the man our front, the one everyone sees and looks to,' Leyers said. 'That's where my poor Willy made his mistake. He got out front, right there in the light. You see, Vorarbeiter, in the game of life, it is always preferable to be a man of the shadows, and even the darkness, if necessary. In this way, you run things, but you are never, ever seen. You are like a... phantom of the opera.'"
"'You know, my young friend, I will be ninety years old next year, and life is still a constant surprise to me. We never know what will happen next, what we will see, and what important person will come into our life, or what important person we will lose. Life is change, constant change, and unless we are lucky enough to find comedy in it, change is nearly always a drama, if not a tragedy. But after everything, and even when the skies turn scarlet and threatening, I still believe that if we are lucky enough to be alive, we must give thanks for the miracle of every moment of every day, no matter how flawed.'"
Graphic: Death, Murder, Antisemitism, War, Hate crime, Genocide, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Violence, Gun violence, Child death, and Gore
Moderate: Car accident, Suicide attempt, Slavery, and Grief
tmidge22's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Murder, Death, Body horror, Genocide, Grief, and Violence
Moderate: Antisemitism, Car accident, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Drug use, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Suicide attempt, and Racism
jelenabts7's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Bullying, Colonisation, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Hate crime, Murder, Suicide attempt, Torture, Violence, Vomit, and War
aylaravenstar's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Death and Child death
Moderate: Antisemitism, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Genocide and Gore