Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan

"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. And we must have faith in God, and in the Universe, and in a better tomorrow, even if that faith is not always deserved."
                     -Pino Lella, looking back on his long life

Being a lover of historical fiction, I have read numerous novels set in WWII Europe, particularly involving the Holocaust and events leading up to it. However this was the first set in Italy which the author admits is known as the "Forgotten Front."

I must confess I might never have discovered this novel except that it was one of several choices for a free book for Kindle. I selected it because the description was intriguing and I am so glad. Not only was it an engrossing page-turner but I learned a great deal about the Nazi presence in Italy. All I had really known about WWII Italy was Mussolini, Fascism and that it was one of the Axis powers---the bad guys!

Beneath a Scarlet Sky tells the story of Giuseppino "Pino" Lella, an unsung hero whom the author met and spent many hours interviewing when he was in his 90's. What an incredible life Pino had led! Starting out at age 17 he was a "conductor" on an underground railroad of sorts leading Jews and downed pilots out of Italy into Switzerland---an extremely treacherous journey, to say the least, and soon after became a driver for Nazi General Hans Leyers. This put him in a position to spy for the Allies at great personal risk.

Early in the story Pino meets race car driver Alberto Ascari and agrees to teach him to ski in return for driving lessons. The driving skills Pino develops serve him well later and end up saving his life and that of others. We are told in the "Aftermath" that Ascari has become known as one of the best Formula One drivers of all time.

As I was nearing the end of the novel, I happened to see a TV documentary on Anne Frank, a graphic reminder of the horrors brought on by the Nazi regime. It is difficult to conceive of such cruelty and violence as depicted there and in Beneath a Scarlet Sky. Such a profoundly heart-breaking time!

The author describes this book as narrative nonfiction but also biographical and historical fiction. Whatever it's classification, I give it a 5. It is thoroughly researched, well-written and presents a story that needed to be told!