The Journal of Antonio Montoya

Guadalupe Series #1

by Rick Collignon

Ramona drove through town and took the road behind the village office and pulled up to the front of her house. She shut off the engine and looked at her nephew. She would feed Jose some lunch, and then she would see. Jose looked over at her, and Ramona reached out her hand and brushed lightly at his hair.
"Let's go inside, Jose," she said. "We'll have some lunch and drink something warm."
The two of them climbed out of the truck. A slight breeze blew, and the water from the cottonwoods fell on them in large fat drops. Before they reached the house, the front door swung open and Ramona's grandfather, Epolito Montoya, who had been dead for thirteen years, stood in the doorway.
"Why are you out in the rain?" he said.

Genres: Fiction, Literary Fiction, Fantasy, Magical Realism

217 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Rick Collignon is the author of four novels: The Journal of Antonio Montoya, Perdido, A Santo in the Image of Cristobal Garcia, and Madewell Brown, all set in the town of Guadalupe, NM. Originally from the Chicago area, he has lived in northern New Mexico for over 30 years.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hm. A little New Mexico fable in which Annie Proulx meets magical-realism under the Five People You Meet in Heaven tree.... by which I mean it's a little gritty and quirky, a little magical and a little soppy. It's not without merit but none of these parts are really convincing - definitely it has the potential to be a sharp, meaningful little book about roots, but for me it completely missed the mark. The story, in its large and small detail but especially the small, seems forced and the language is rather flat and stiff. Maybe my complete unfamiliarity with NM is contributing to this detachment but in any case I was not hooked. Three stars is generous.

Also, my edition has a hideous hot pink fiesta-ish cover, completely inappropriate.

And also, librarians, it's Antonio Montoya, not Antonia.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stands with the best novels about life in the magical 'land of enchantment' of Northern New Mexico. A virtually perfect short novel with a magic realist flavor, but perfectly accessible to any reader. Poignant, humorous, charming and beautifully written. Collignon hits the nail on the head.

[Missy Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was very different from any book I've read before. RC did a wonderful job of painting the picture of the village of Guadalupe and its people, past and present.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite novels. Beautifully written, haunting tale, engaging story, characters and writing style.

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I grew up visiting the small town of Mora, New Mexico, where my Grandparents lived in their small cabin tucked away in the mountain. Every summer a festival would be held right in the heart of the town. Santos and art, hand me downs and tamales would be sold throughout every corner. The church bell would ring loudly early Sunday morning as locals gathered for Sunday mass. I remember visiting for funerals most frequently for family members I had not seen since I was a newborn if I had ever met them at all. We’d gather in the town hall office which was just one big metal barn. I’d nod and smile in embarrassment towards family members who spoke to me in Spanish.

This book resonated with me as it brought a strong feeling of nostalgia. As I pass through Mora now as an adult, the streets have changed so much since my childhood. The adobe rooftops of churches now concave inward from years of snow and rain. Weeds invade every corner of every abandoned building in sight. The old Russell’s where I nearly bit my finger off from the excitement of a new sticker machines arrival now sits empty with broken windows. Mora sits more like ghost town.

What really stuck with me was fire mentioned throughout the book. In 2022, the Hermits Peak fire took out my family’s beloved cabin. My Grandma had passed away when I was only 5 and the cabin was one of the strongest memories I had left of her. We would sit on the porch and watch as a mother eagle would soar above us in complete silence carrying food to her baby. She’d pass by about three times until we were struck with the sound of raging thunder. “Hita that’s the sound of God striking the bowling pins” she’d tell me.

Anyway, when we heard the news that the fire jumped the road towards my grandpas side of the mountain, we assumed the worst. There is a small cemetery that sits at the bottom of the mountain along side an old church where the penitentes would stay. We knew when we arrived once the fire eased, there would be nothing but black ash… Instead, when we caught sight on my grandpas side of the mountain, the fire had completely avoided the cemetery.

Just thought I’d share my thoughts and relation to the book.

[Rupert Nacoste · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mysterious, odd, funny, ghostly.

I'm not sure how to think about this small novel. It was quite well written, intriguing. But is it a story, a meditation... okay, it's a meditation on family. And that meditation lives through the return of dead family members in a small village of New Mexico.

The return of these dead relatives creates chaos in the life of Romona, granddaughter whose dead grandparents suddenly return. Is there a reason? Well, in the end the reason is the telling and teaching of the family history.

It is touching, yet still mysterious. Glad I read it. Still...

[Jim Collett · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really strange read. Not sure there was any plot there. Perhaps it is all about the setting and the fantastical events--the dead returning, etc. Read it for that and you will be OK. Unless I missed something.

[Sean Harding · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started with some intrigue and looked promising, but just sort of, for me anyway meandered along and then I had completed it, I never really got into this one. It looks good though, in terms of design.

[Morris Nelms · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming, funny, lovely ending. A delight. Starts slowly, but develops wonderfully.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful, like nothing I have ever read before.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

"...you will see things in the wood that have been there forever. "

[Blaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has completely upended me. I chanced upon it in an old bookstore that smelled of paper, pinon and time itself in Taos, New Mexico. I knew nothing of the author, nor his books - but somehow felt drawn to this little volume, as if perhaps the book chose me, rather than the other way around. And after reading this gem, who’s to say that wasn’t the case? The lines between reality and mysticism, present day and days gone by, indeed the very notion of now-ness blend, sway, and disappear within these pages.

I won’t bother to review the story itself, as other more talented folks have done that elsewhere, but I do want to record its effect on me. From the opening chapter, I knew I was hooked, and I knew I was in for something special. The writing itself is as spare and gritty as the landscape it describes. I’m just astonished that such a small book can contain so much empathy, description and boldness.

Swept away on this fantastic journey, I felt such a closeness to these characters - the dead and the living. I experienced happiness, sadness, beautiful isolation and joyful companionship. Deep emotion ran through me like the tears streaming down my cheeks - hot and immediate. More than once I laughed out loud. I cried many times. I could feel my heart and mind expand to embrace the enormity of lessons taught, and I also felt heart and mind contract and focus, sometimes on a single sentence. Over and over, I meandered through magic, mountains, and meaning.

I will be the first to admit I am a book snob. Having dabbled in writing my own stories, I find I don’t have the patience for what I call “fluff” - meaningless wandering on the page. This book is distilled to the point of being painful - and that, to me, is simply awesome. I have shelves and shelves of books, but this one will easily go on the top shelf. I have a feeling it will soon be well worn.

There are many criteria to use when judging a book, but here is the litmus test for me: I can’t wait to read it, but as I make my way through, I dread coming to the end because I don’t WANT it to end. The Journal of Antonio Montoya accomplished that more than any book I have ever read - and trust me, that is saying a lot.

I know there are other volumes in this series, and I am excited to read them all - but for now, I will savor this one. In nerdy terms, I have downloaded the information, but I am certain there will be a lot of processing going on behind the scenes - behind the mind, and heart, to flesh out the magnitude and significance of this gentle story. I want to just hold this book in my hands - caress the cover, open the pages and wander in and out of place, time and wide open space. Where anything is possible, and everything is fluid.

Finally, a very heart-felt thank you to Rick Collignon for daring to write this book, and for having the faith that it would find it’s audience. I’m right there, Rick. In the very front row. Gracias.

[Adam Stevenson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Journal of Antonio Montoya is a book I’ve had on my shelves for over ten years, I don’t even remember buying it though I imagine it was during my magical-realism phase. Indeed, it’s the ‘my first magical realism’ quality that probably put me off reading the book all this time. I can only say that I’m glad I did.

At first, I was unsure. The book announces that Jose Montoya’s parents were killed by a cow but they weren’t really, they were killed by in a car accident caused by a cow which I found a little disappointing. It wasn’t until Jose went to his aunt Ramona’s house and she started to see the ghosts of her grandparents that I started to warm to the book.

There are a few quirky-quirky moments outside of the central conceit of the people coming from the dead, a selective-mute woman, an argument a blind horse, a family that disappeared - but on the whole, it’s a far less whimsical and tighter novel than I expected. It’s far less lush than a Gabriel Garcia Marquez wannabe tends to be, there’s no proliferation of detail or description, it’s all pared back and simple with the action only lasting a few days

I did find the end a little disappointing, it involved a moments time travel and the saving of little wooden saints but on the whole this was a wonderful little story about connecting with family. It took every element, how family can disappoint us, hurt us, annoy us - but also how they love us, shape us and make us feel like we are home.

Home is a big factor in the book, often represented by food. I got so hungry eating this book, there were hundreds of tortillas, quesadillas, tamales and all other sorts of tasty things. You could almost smell the coriander/ cilantro coming off the page.

All in all, a book that was surprisingly lean and quirk-free and a very pleasant day’s reading.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

From My blog...

An astonishingly brilliant debut novel, The Journal of Antonio Montoya by Rick Collignon portrays the importance of family life and one's roots. After the death of Jose and Loretta Montoya, Ramona finds herself taking in her nephew Jose Jr., something she never envisioned she would be doing, especially since she did not think she would ever return to her hometown of Guadalupe, New Mexico. Caring for a child is not the only change in Ramona's life, she moved into her grandparents home and they too live there, even though they are deceased. Collignon takes an interesting route to show a family what is good and important. This is not a novel about hauntings, rather about life lessons which also come to Romano through a diary Jose Jr. found from 1924, which speaks of the town and the inhabitants of the town, their joys and struggles. The Journal of Antonio Montoya is an extraordinary novel, descriptively rich, splendidly narrated and filled with delightful characters. Collignon's debut novel is a vivid novel of family, life and learning from the past. I strongly recommend The Journal of Antonio Montoya to any and all readers and want to point out this novel is the first in a series that occur in the charming town of Guadalupe.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

From My Blog....[return][return][return]An astonishingly brilliant debut novel, The Journal of Antonio Montoya by Rick Collignon portrays the importance of family life and one's roots. After the death of Jose and Loretta Montoya, Ramona finds herself taking in her nephew Jose Jr., something she never envisioned she would be doing, especially since she did not think she would ever return to her hometown of Guadalupe, New Mexico. Caring for a child is not the only change in Ramona's life, she moved into her grandparents home and they too live there, even though they are deceased. Collignon takes an interesting route to show a family what is good and important. This is not a novel about hauntings, rather about life lessons which also come to Romano through a diary Jose Jr. found from 1924, which speaks of the town and the inhabitants of the town, their joys and struggles. The Journal of Antonio Montoya is an extraordinary novel, descriptively rich, splendidly narrated and filled with delightful characters. Collignon's debut novel is a vivid novel of family, life and learning from the past. I strongly recommend The Journal of Antonio Montoya to any and all readers and want to point out this novel is the first in a series that occur in the charming town of Guadalupe.

[Christy Trever · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Journal of Antonio Montoya by Rick Collignon takes place in the Sangre de Christos mountains but has a sense of timelessness. Ramona has isolated herself in her dusty hometown after returning from several years away trying to find success as an author. She lives alone in her grandparents' house with no sense of purpose or intention until her brother and his wife die, leaving their son an orphan. When the boy's mother sits up in her casket at the graveside and tells Ramona to take care of Jose, Ramona thinks that her mind is starting to slip, but when she takes the boy home, they are greeted by her long dead grandparents who proceed to take care of the pair by cooking and irrigating the fields. Her grandmother gives her an old journal that pulls into the life of the mysterious Antonio Montoya. This book is nearly impossible to summarize. The story quietly unfurls in front of the reader, gently pulling him/her in to Ramona and Antonio's lives. Collignon's quiet prose captures the steady rhythm of small town life and how it can beat down the gentlest of souls. In the end, Ramona is changed by her discoveries in the journal, and the reader may share in her revelation.

[May-Ling · Rating 4 out of 5]

this one was difficult for me to get into - it might not be the writing, but instead because it was my first attempt at reading a novel on a tablet. i'm a sucker for books and libraries, so i don't think i'll fully transition.

the novel starts with a couple dying in a car accident. a sister in law takes the son into her home once her dead sister appears and asks this favor. from that point on, she continues to see dead family members, and so do others. the book resonates with me and its portrayal of death for mexicans. people are at first frightened by the ghosts and they soon accept the presence, slipping back into daily routines. in fact, the dead encourage the family to reconnect with each other and the land.

i'm not quite sure what the journal has to do with the story so much, but i still enjoyed both story lines. somehow there weren't enough connections made for me to "get it." aside from that, i still liked the book.

[Janice · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of now three books that Rick Collignon has written about the little village of Guadalupe in the mountains of New Mexico. The book reads very quickly, telling the story of Ramona Montoya, who has only recently returned to her home village, where she is living in the house that once belonged to her now deceased grandparents. Strange things begin happening; after Ramona's brother and his wife are accidentally killed, her sister-in-law sits up in her coffin to ask Ramona to take care of their 7 year old son--and that is just the beginning. I want to read the other books about this village.

[Bonita · Rating 3 out of 5]

She sat up in her casket & ran her fingers through her wet hair. “It's not a good day to be buried," she said. "In the mud. I hate the mud."

This was a fun little read. A contemporary ghost story with a dash of folklore. I came across the title during a scan of NM authors. I was surprised, when I opened the package and found a cute little book the size of a personal journal. Playfully odd and strikingly familair. You just knew that the author had spent lots of time around the people of New Mexico. Enjoyed it very much, thank you Mr. Collignon. :)

[Lillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a fantastic surprise for me. I picked it up to get familiar with the authors who are coming to the Southwest Festival of the Written Word (swwordfiesta.org). Best book I've read for a year. It's surreal and darkly humorous, but also so very familiar. You can see and feel the characters' surroundings. Many of us have friends or family who will appear clearly among the characters. I recommend it to just about anyone in New Mexico, to Catholics and to former Catholics, and to the curious.

[Sarah Booth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reminded me of Gabriel Garcia Marquez a bit. That addition of the paranormal with real life which is forced on the people in the story to deal with as if it weren't that big a deal and how they deal with it. A sweet story about a family, it's history and then it's future.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! If you liked Bless Mi Ultima, Tortuga or Milagro Bean Field Wars, you'll enjoy this book.

[Eileen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very flat tone, kind of depressing even. Lots of impossible things happen for no apparent reason. Not my cup of tea.

[Pat]

This was an interesting read. I could not tell who was dead and who was alive. Well written and an different concept in plot lines. A new time warp traveler.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

A woman confronts ghosts of dead relatives in a small New Mexican village.

[Víctor Gómez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember have read this book when I was a teenager, and I found it quite interesting and catching, a great story line and an amazing message.