By: Mark SullivanPlot: True (mostly?) story of a young man, Pino, in Italy during World War II. He was able to help some Jewish people escape out of Italy and then became a spy by driving car for a high ranking Nazi general.
Thoughts: The story was so interesting but the writing made it so hard to read! I struggled getting through this book at first which was kind of a bummer because I found the story really good. It definitely picked up about the time Pino became a driver for general Leyers, but that was almost 200 pages into the book. The beginning seemed very drawn out. I mean him helping the Jews escape was interesting but I think that whole (almost) 200 pages could have been condensed. Oh, and I hated the Preface for some reason, maybe because the author made it all about himself? I wished I hadn't read it after I did.
I don't know what liberties the author took with the story but he made it sound like it was all a true story. And if that's the case it is one crazy story. Reading about WWII you know it's going to be depressing but there were a lot of light moments in the story too so it didn't feel so heavy all the time. It was a crazy contrast him finding love in such a dark time, but that is probably what got him through it. Even though the writing wasn't great, the plot is what made the book.
*SPOILERS*
Oh man one of the hardest parts to read was Anna dying. I kept thinking why didn't he go to the apartment and check that they made it out safe? I thought she was going to call? Did he not notice she hadn't called? But he really beat himself up over it and I don't blame him at all for not going in front of a firing squad. The vigilantly style justice after the war, where they were just shooting people and leaving them dead in the street, sounds like madness. Just like Pino's cousin, Mario, who was basically murdered for nothing! That was upsetting.
I was glad to read the 'Aftermath' and find out how the rest of Pino's life went. I found random things interesting, like the fact that he got a third of his parent's business even though he had done nothing for it really. I felt bad for his sister, and then I thought "wait, he has a sister?" I don't remember her being mentioned anywhere in the book. I also liked that there was closure for other people in the story. I do wish we had found out exactly was Leyers had done to save his own skin and why he was considered a hero. Talk about a complex individual. Also, did he know Pino was a spy the whole time??
Rating: 3.5/5 Pino's story was so good. I just wish someone else had written it.