Subversive identities in the rural space of the Canary Islands: a reading of Dogs of Summer

The purpose of this article is to argue that Dogs of Summer, Andrea Abreu's first novel, represents a profound change in the representation of gender stereotypes in the literary and rural imaginary of the Canary Islands. To this end, I will first outline a brief context of the history of the islands, marked by colonization and migration, which make them a culturally rich and fragmented territory. This diversity contrasts with the gender binarism and statism that has been reflected in some Canarian literary works. Therefore, secondly, I will delve into certain key features by which Dogs of Summer constitutes an alternate representation of the subjects and spaces of the rural Canary Islands, particularly Tenerife. Abreu's debut book constructs characters that escape heteronormativity and identify with natural spaces in a fluid and non -essentialist way, as is often the case with the woman/territory/nature/nation ensemble. Finally, I will draw some brief conclusions in which I will delve into the importance of literature, and of this novel in particular, in making underrepresented identities visible.