When the Angels Came: A Novel

I grew up in this part of the country, so I was especially interested in reading this book. The story is told in an interesting style. In the book’s Prologue, Jamie, a young man is making a first journal entry about a man in his early 80s that by happenstance became a mentor when he was only a boy of 12. This man Santiago would have a lifetime impact on his life. The story then moves into the life of Santiago from the age of 6 when he lived in a small dusty town of Socorro, Texas, a village near El Paso, Texas. After his parents die in a tragic accident, his uncle Ben takes over as his caregiver.Soon thereafter, they move to San Miguel, NM, a tiny village south of Las Cruces. In the telling of the story of Santiago, the author effectively uses first person dialogues with all the people in his life. The story takes us though his schooling and his completion of high school. Santiago is a hard-working honest young man who contributes to the household income by learning a welding trade from his uncle Ben. After some time spent pondering his next step, Santiago decides to join the Marines. He joined at a time that would take him into the Korean War. The author does an excellent job of taking us though his time in the Marines, meeting many good friends and some not so good. Through Santiago’s words, the author does a great job of describing many details of the war…his arrival in Korea, the severe terrain, the horrific weather, and the climactic battle scene. He is seriously wounded, and his rehab is slow. His injuries in the war left him with a permanent limp.Santiago returns to San Miquel where he lives the rest of his life in solitude, in part because of his war experiences. He has a number of good friends in the village who are kind to him, but he prefers his solitude. This changes when he meets Jaime in the village store. Jaime has just moved into the village as a young 12-year-old boy. They strike up a friendship despite the big age difference. The friendship develops quickly, and this friendship also helps Santiago come out of his shell. And again, using first person dialogues, this time through Jamie’s eyes, the book embarks on Jamie’s life in the short time he gets to know Santiago.Jamie very effectively makes many friends, both school friends and adults. Jamie is bright and honest, so goodness follows him throughout his story, now aided substantially by his friendship with Santiago. Santiago has been a lifelong Catholic and he often reminds Jamie of the power of prayer, especially during a time that his mother is sick. In this relatively short period of time in Jamie’s life, the author again effectively uses first person dialogues throughout. This keeps the reader totally engaged in what is almost a daily account of Jamie’s life to include relationships with parents, school friends, shopkeepers, and even a local pecan farmer. One cannot put the book down at this point. And since Jamie is bright, perceptive, and honest, the reader is right there with him. The book ends with Santiago’s sudden death of a heart attack. No one knew he had heart problems. In his safe deposit box, Santiago had left a letter addressed to Jaime. It is a poignant letter which outlines all the life lessons that Santiago has sought to teach Jaime, a fitting end to a wonderful story.

I am very excited to share and recommend the book “When the Angels Came” by Rudy Apodaca. A sensitive, emotional, interesting, and fascinating read which I thoroughly enjoyed and could not put down.My thoughts are that anyone reading the book will be able to identify with the many experiences that the main characters Jaime Almaguer and Don Santiago Dominguez encounter as they bond in an intertwining relationship benefiting both in a setting in Southern New Mexico in the the United States along with the culture and traditions of Mexico. There is a symbiosis of the new generation of Mexican Americans each confronting challenges of blatant racism and prejudices along with other issues which unfortunately persist to this day.Beautifully narrated with the underlying theme of believing in oneself, the reader takes away the significance of what living is all about, and how a mentor can make a difference in the life of an individual.

This coming of age story is set in a small town on the NM -TX southern border. Twelve-year-old Jamie Almaguer befriends the local hermit Don Santiago who becomes his mentor and cherished role model. The reader already knows Don Santiago's history from earlier in the book, so it becomes a story within a story. Lessons about love and loyalty in the face of racial prejudice shape Jamie's life to come.After you have enjoyed When Angels Came, you will want to read Rudy's earlier book Pursuit which is broader in scope (read my review) and equally well written. I gave it one more star, but Angels warmed my heart!

If a reader wishes to find a well-written, unhurried novel, particularly about the Southwest, then Judge Rudy Apodaca’s When the Angels Came should fill the bill. The novel tells of a Latino boy’s early life and his relationship with a Marine combat veteran of the Korean War once awarded the Silver Star for heroism.One thing for sure the reader will experience once he or she reads the Judge’s book is that the reader will better appreciate all the more his or her friends and family, particularly the ones who have significantly influenced the reader’s life as it unfolded over time. A person cannot simply read this novel without thinking about them, especially those who either are no more or are beyond reach. As Apodaca’s lead character observes in his final journal, “No one realizes what he has until he has lost it.” That includes friends and family.I close this review with some other words attributed to the lead character in his final journal. The thought they express apply to us all and are worth our remembering as we undertake our own life journey. The words? "I’ve come to accept that the uniqueness of a moment is experienced but once then is gone forever.” I would add, however, that often the memory thereof may linger for a lifetime.Thank you, Rudy, for the lesson your novel offers.Bert Goolsby

This novel describes with great insight the marvels—and traumas—of being a Hispanic in the beautiful state of New Mexico. The author writes with obvious personal experience and reminds us of the numerous special people in our own lives who made the world—and each of us-- better. His is indeed a “civil” voice full of wisdom—and hope.

I liked the portrayal of border life

Have not been able to engage in this story.

An excellent novel, beautifully written by an author who clearly understands life in the small border towns and villages of southern New Mexico, and who knows the history, culture and hearts of the people who have lived in these distinctive rural communities for generations. The story is composed with creativity and patience, building the personalities of the characters with care and charisma.