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4.26 AVERAGE
4.26 AVERAGE
So very good. Everything is fleshed out in superb detail and told with such heart. I only wish I could know in more detail what parts definitely happened, and which the author filled in for storytelling. Because it was based on real life, some moments felt to be dragged out. Overall a fantastic story, beautifully written.
I have read a few historical novels of the resistance efforts in Italy during WWII but this is an incredible telling of the truth that is stranger than fiction experience of one who encounters a wily Nazi General who was at the elbow of Hitler. There is also a love story that is heart wrenching tragic but following the aftermath of his war experience he survives much success and failures but is able to continue living beneath the scarlet sky of the remaining challenges of life into his declining years which can serve as an inspiration to all who are experiencing grief and attempting to comprehend the meaning, opportunity and challenges of life!
Another telling of Italian Resistance is https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3923512-the-vatican-pimpernel.
Another telling of Italian Resistance is https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3923512-the-vatican-pimpernel.
Outside of my usual wheelhouse, but I still liked it.
Wow. I’ve read a lot of books centered around WWII but this has got to be one of my favorites. It paints the realistic side of war - the randomness of some deaths, the potential for cowardice even after a series of brave acts, the trauma and guilt despite heroic deeds - in such a direct and beautiful way. To think that this story actually took place and would have gone untold had it not been for a chance encounter! Absolutely recommend. This was fantastic.
This book took over my life until I finished it. Such a good story. I put it up there with books like Unbroken and Buried In the Sky (though those both are non-fiction and this one is fiction, it’s a fictional story of really life events). I don’t give 5 stars out very often. I felt this one definitely deserved it.
Pretty exceptional book. It is amazing to think of all these types of stories that have never been told from the wars! I'm glad that this one was finally put to paper. Wow!
4.5 There are so many books written on WWII from the English, French or German perspective but very few written on Italy. The main character is a 17 year old Italian boy who does it all: leads people over the Alps into free Switzerland, is part of the resistance, is a driver for a German general. It has mystery, love interest, history, and it is a true story. I couldn't put it down and loved all the insight into the Italian version of the war in the last 2 yrs. Would highly recommend.
What a saga! I really loved Pino, even after reading the "aftermath." He seemed to have been such a beautiful, tragically flawed human. I think he wanted to escape the war and all of it's painful memories, but was never fully able to do so. The novel was well written with a good technique of storytelling, but the middle sections with him as a driver was my favorite.
It took me some time to get through this book because of the heaviness of the content, but it was a very good story - and based on a real hero. Recommend.