Beneath a Scarlet Sky

Beneath a Scarlet Sky (2017) is a coming-of-age historical fiction novel by Mark Sullivan. It follows Pino Lella, a 17-year-old Milanese boy, as he navigates the dangers of Nazi-occupied Italy during World War II. The novel is largely based on the real-life account of Pino Lella, who was an old man by the time he decided to share his story. While writing, Sullivan drew upon Pino’s memories, research from war archives, and interviews with Holocaust historians, Italian Catholic priests, and members of the partisan resistance. His other works include The Last Green Valley (2021).

Plot Summary

The novel begins on the first night of the Allied bombing of Milan, Italy: June 9, 1943. Pino Lella and his family leave the city at night and return in the morning to increased destruction as Milan is bombed. Pino’s mother, Porzia, and sister, Cicci, have evacuated to another city. Pino’s father, Michele, has sent Pino’s brother, Mimo, to Casa Alpina, a boarding school north of Milan near the Alps. When Pino and his father return to Milan one morning after a night of bombing, their apartment is reduced to rubble.