SALT IN THE FIFTH HOUSE

Virzo offers a novel that celebrated queer joy, resilience and creativity.

Thirty-something chef Luca’s mental health is in shambles after he finds out that his personal life has been made public in an art exhibition by his former boyfriend, Bjorn. This betrayal takes him on a journey of self-acceptance that involves attending rehab for recovery from addiction to drugs and sex, embracing art therapy, and finding a support group. He also goes to culinary school, reinvents his relationship with Christianity, and finds meaning in cooking at a café called Pan y Paz. Luca’s sister, Annie, narrates the story and offers her own insights: “A perfect dish was something he could control in a world where he often couldn’t control himself. His recovery journal became a food journal, and his emotions became recipes.” This book reminds readers that there’s no standard path to healing, and that people must explore what resonates with them and helps them take charge of their own narrative. Along the way, Virzo offers a gut-wrenching examination of what violation of consent can look like in a queer relationship in which only one partner is a member of another marginalized group. Luca is a Latine person of Argentinian descent while Bjorn, “a walking, talking Viking statue,” presents as white; what transpires between them is a scathing commentary on racism in LGBTQ+ communities. The book captures the frustrating nature of online dating forums that offer easy access to sex without the promise of care and companionship, and it paints a moving portrait of love anchored in kindness and mutual respect. Luca, who takes on a new name—Gabriel—as he forges a new identity, welcomes another person into his heart, and monogamy and polyamory are not presented in a way that extols the virtues of one and discredits the other. When asked about his views on monogamy, for instance, the new person in Gabriel’s life tell him: “I believe in honesty more than rules…But with you? I want the kind of love that looks no further.” What happens when Bjorn has another exhibition? Read to find out.  

A tearjerker that effectively explores how shame can transform into pride.