I’m Booked: “Beneath a Scarlet Sky”

[Published in SCAD District] 

https://scaddistrict.com/im-booked-beneath-a-scarlet-sky/ 

Hello, and welcome to another book review! After looking at Goodreads, I discovered that “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” by Mark Sullivan had mixed reviews. Although it was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award in the Best Historical Fiction Category, some people question its popularity.

I am not one of those people. 

“Beneath a Scarlet Sky” is based on the true story of a young man’s experience in Italy during World War II. Pino Lella’s story was remarkable and constantly surprising. Considering Italy is often forgotten during retellings of WWII, it was fascinating to hear from that perspective. Even though Pino was a teenager, he was a hero in many ways. From helping Jewish people escape through the Alps to spying on a German soldier, Pino was a significant help in the effort to end the war. It is astonishing how much Pino discovered and was involved with at such a young age.

However, this is a historical fiction book, and many parts were likely embellished. While I felt the story was gripping and entertaining, the writing was not as captivating. It seems like Sullivan relied on the story’s intensity to bring his novel success, rather than strong prose. Still, this did not keep me from loving the book. 

At times, “Beneath a Scarlet Sky” seemed like a commentary on the concept of war. Revenge and destruction are called into question, leaving the reader with some interesting questions. One of my favorite examples of this was the quote, “Nature didn’t care a bit about men and their need to kill and conquer.” 

Although I see the possible issues with Sullivan’s writing, I hardly think that “Beneath a Scarlett Sky” deserves a poor rating because of it. Instead, I found the book to be informative and entertaining. Therefore, I recommend giving it a read, although it is a bit lengthy. I’ll be back soon with another book review, but until then, I’m Booked.