LitPick Review
The Ghost of the Rio Grande by Gilberto Beto Garcia Jr. and Don A. Holbrook is a historical fiction book occurring between the years 1915 and 1919. Fabriciano Garcia, the Ghost of the Rio Grande, after killing a Texas Ranger who was threatening his family, inadvertently then becomes involved in an international plot by Germany to get the U.S. involved in a war with Mexico, thereby distracting the U.S. from entering the war in Europe on the side of England and France.
At the start of the story, Fabriciano’s great grandson visits the family’s old, desert, southern Texas home over one hundred years after his great grandfather passed away. He discovers his great grandfather’s journal which chronicles his adventures just prior to his death, and thus, the story unfolds as the great grandson starts reading through the journal. Hunted by the Texas Rangers in 1915 for killing one of their own, Fabriciano disappears like a ghost and repeatedly escapes attempts on his life and capture. Eventually Fabriciano meets Mr. Francois LaBorde, a Frenchman living in Texas with a lot of secrets of his own. After Fabriciano saves Francois from an assassination attempt, the two become very close and trusted friends. Together, they gradually are entwined in breaking up Germany’s plot to involve Mexico in a war with the U.S.
Famous people of the time are met or heard from in the story, with cameo appearances of General Pershing, Lieutenant Patton, Pancho Villa, Mata Hara, and even President Wilson. These historical figures add to the setting of the book and provide clarity to the time-period and what was occurring during and just following WW I.
Although we know that at that time Mexico never did enter into a war with the U.S., the authors present their own version of how The Ghost of the Rio Grande repeatedly risked his life and was finally able to help foil this plan.
Opinion:
Historical fiction titles, like The Ghost of the Rio Grande by Gilberto Beto Garcia Jr. and Don A. Holbrook, provide not just entertainment but information about history to make us appreciate our past. These authors achieve both with this title. The background of this story takes place during an interesting time in American and Mexican history, a time when our southern border was also a problem like it is today. The authors do a very nice job helping the reader feel the tension which existed around 1915 to 1918 between Mexico and America, and among the people settled on each side of the Mexico-Texas border and who were caught up in the political and territorial tensions. Additionally, the authors have skillfully presented the clandestine role of Germany, France, and other countries involved in WW I. They were also able to creatively intertwine fiction with the facts known about the covert manipulation by Germany to ignite a conflict between Mexico and the US which could have kept the latter from sending troops to Europe to fight. Although, I was disappointed that the famous Zimmermann telegram, a pivotal revelation which probably did change the course of history, was not at all mentioned in the book.
The character development was interesting. Fabriciano, The Ghost of the Rio Grande, was portrayed as a unlikely hero who gradually becomes a bit of a swash-buckling figure (I kept thinking of Zorro). His adventures and the pace of the story steadily pick up as the book progressed. The plot is weaved nicely into the historical background of the story, and at times, I felt that I could easily see this book being made into a movie, as both the time period and characters are very colorful. The ending of the book came as a complete surprise. Overall, I enjoyed this book and feel that it is appropriate for mature young adults and adults looking for a good read, and who at the same time, would like to learn about WW I and North American history.
