In ANONYMOUS, Brandon Lee Proctor shares the horrific and painful account of his traumatic childhood. The blurb barely covers the surface of the monstrosities that he was forced to suffer growing up, starting from his earliest memories and continuing all the way to adulthood. For many, the mere mention of childhood abuse, molestation, and cannibalism is likely to cause them to run in the other direction—and for good reason. Such topics aren’t discussed or brought to mind in regular circumstances. Yet, for those who choose to read this book, Brandon delivers a powerful read that highlights his deep desire to offer hope to those who have faced similar depravity and survived them: “To burn away the lies. To light the path for those still trapped in darkness.”
While filled with harrowing displays of grotesque behavior, ANONYMOUS primarily focuses on Proctor's ability to remain strong by clinging to the hope that he would one day be free. The author speaks of his childhood in jagged pieces and sharp reminders of the time he spent growing up surrounded by violence. From being brutally beaten, manipulated, and repeatedly raped, he was betrayed and abused by both family and strangers in every way possible. These events build upon each other, leaving lasting scars in their wake.
This is by no means an easy read. Important, yes, but not one that many would dare to brave. Proctor does a good job of pulling back the curtain, giving readers a glimpse of this dark and twisted lifestyle, and presenting a voice that seeks to maintain the precarious balance of wickedness and innocence—of hope and despair. His compassion and desire to help others is evident throughout the memoir, strengthening his writing and helping make this difficult read one worth considering.
The overall narrative makes sense, but it does suffer from uneven pacing and formatting issues. The prose switches between short, stilted sentences and run-ons: “It wasn’t long until those actions shifted. The touch on my shoulder lingered too long. The smile sharpened, becoming sly and conspiratorial. She started keeping me after class for small reasons, which sounded legit rather than excuses, like checking my homework, asking about my family, and offering me 'extra help'.” This can make the timeline a little difficult to follow. One inconsistency that stands out is found toward the end: he mentions his siblings silently watching him, but we were never told he had siblings—only a younger sister who died earlier in the book. Small things like this are even more apparent when surrounded by the heavy topics covered in the narrative.
Despite its dark content and occasional pacing issues, ANONYMOUS still shares an inspiring story of hope and resilience that deserves to be heard.
While shaky and uncertain at times, ANONYMOUS by Brandon Lee Proctor is more than just another memoir. It’s a powerful read that seeks to offer a message of hope to others in similar situations—reminding them that they're not alone, and that there are people seeking to end these horrific crimes.
~ Stephanie Lynn for IndieReader