Tomas Trujillo has written a gritty, graphic drama about a displaced and angry veteran. Abused and neglected as a foster child, he turns to the armed forces for a place where he will be appreciated. Learned in the martial arts, he is a fierce warrior and once captured, he waits for the opportunity to use his deadly skills.
Even though he is weakened with a life threatening wound, he rescues two weaker comrades and is hailed a hero. He is troubled, though. In earning his freedom, Johnny turns his anger into an uncontrollable rage and in doing so, does unspeakable things to his enemy.
He returns to the states and finds himself isolated as well as depressed. Shunning the "hero worship", he hides himself from society, feeling undeserving of the accolades. His life has become as ugly as the reflection he sees of himself.
Anora, is his salvation. She is a woman who sees something in Johnny and refuses to abandon or let him slide into the terrible hell he has created. Looking past the labels society has hung on what they fear, she rescues the devastated shell of a man and shows everyone that you cannot let fear drive your emotions.
Anora is a book about fear. It is also a book about courage and redemption. We must all learn to dig deep and find the courage to react not in fear, but love. Fear brings hate, ignorance and anger. When Johnny learns that fear drives anger and builds hate, he learns that by replacing it with love, he has the confidence to trust not only the people around him, but himself as well.
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