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Reviewed by Ravii Graves for Readers' Favorite
I Was Angry & Now I’m At Peace by Ray Toy centers on Tybalt, a Philadelphia-based pharmaceutical journalist and artist who is fighting to stay afloat amid severe emotional dysregulation. Written as a sequence of intimate journal entries, the book tracks Tybalt’s attempts to heal from a toxic family background and an agonizing, cyclical relationship with a former partner overseas. The protagonist balances remote corporate work with gallery events, all while navigating the social and physical realities of detransitioning. By attending CoDA meetings and seeking solace in sacred choral music, Tybalt actively tries to break a lifelong compulsion toward people-pleasing and emotional addiction. The story is a window into a turbulent year of self-preservation, art creation, and recovery. Will Tybalt find a way to let go of the urge to control others and finally discover a sense of calm in a solitary life?
Ray Toy’s autofictional novel, I Was Angry & Now I’m At Peace, is such a special look at identity and getting your life back on track. Toy’s prose captures the erratic rhythms of an anxious mind with authenticity; it reflects Tybalt’s daily habits and internal monologues beautifully. It was truly rewarding to watch Tybalt grow from someone always longing for the past into a person who actually puts physical self-care and emotional boundaries first. All the friction with Tybalt’s mother and different friends adds an element of tension that makes it easy to stay invested in every journal entry. I also loved how art is celebrated as a spiritual anchor, which gives the whole journey a beautifully redemptive quality. If you want a deeply immersive, character-driven journey through the landscape of healing, you’ll find this book to be a comforting and transformative tale.
