Dogs Of Summer is that perfect alternative #HotBookSummer read: gritty, unflinching and tender in the way it explores the gross reality of girlhood and sexual awakening. It's a literary Sapphic romance (or should I say obsession?) and queer coming-of-age story that will get you thinking.

Under the baking sun of Northern Tenerife, two nine-year-old girls spend their summer together inseparable. There is the beautiful and ballsy Isora and her loyal shadow, our narrator, who she affectionally names ‘Shit.’
From the very start, we join the girls in the midst of a toxic friendship. Shit’s drowning desire and admiration for Isora means she will do anything for her best friend’s approval: shovel down cake for her satisfaction, spend time with boys she finds gross and annoying, play dirty and suggestive children’s games, attend IT classes to send dodgy messages to strangers… Their summer seems to stretch out forever, but as the days fly by their friendship is pulled taut.

Through stream-of -consciousness, interlaced with Canary dialect and childish misspellings, we’re taken on a tour of a poverty-stricken neighbourhood overshadowed by cloying humidity, the dark shadow of a volcano, suffocating religious villagers and tourists who hide from the rougher side of town in their pristine holiday homes.

Everything is visceral: there’s the itchiness of lust, the whiff of weed on the streets, the stickiness of sun cream. As we enter the mind of Shit, we see how this one friendship has become her universe: Isora is her centripetal force, her gravity. Abreu captures the blinding rush of a childhood crush, the claustrophobic hold of toxic friendships and the messy process by which we discover our sexuality in all its intensity.

Dogs Of Summer is a fleeting read that is over quickly but lingers on you like a sunburn. With a particular sharpness, Abreu offers a doorway into these girls’ murky world, simmering with equal helpings of erotic desire and jealousy. Her writing is witty, transfixing, disgusting and even shocking at times. Fans of Melissa Broder, Otessa Moshfegh, Marieke Lucas Rijeneveld and, maybe Tice Cin would eat this book up.

The translation is also impeccable: some interesting choices were made to portray class, regional dialect and the girls’ disparate identities – Shit’s uniquely young voice and Isora’s potty-mouth are jarring. And Shit’s aggressive envy paints a clear portrait of that sapphic dilemma: do I want to be her, or do I want to be with her?

The one thing holding me back from rating the book more highly was its ending which fell into a trope I dislike – but I won’t spoil that here. I would also suggest looking up a list of content warnings before diving in; a lot of the narrative is uncomfortable, graphic and touching on heavy themes.

3.5 /5 ⭐

Wow, wow, WOOOW
Dogs of summer by Andrea Abreu is fast past little novel that chronicles a friendship between 9 and 10 year old "Shit" and Isora over one summer in the early 2000s. The writing style is indicative of Elena Ferrante's "My Brilliant Friend," with a Moshfegh-ien amount of poo in it. This novel is as advertised, it shows these kids experiment and discover their bodies with each other which at times felt illegal to read as they are 10 year old girls.... and I for one wasn't chatting with men online and getting dick picks as a 10 year old but time move faster in the Canary Islands i guess. But with that said, the gay yearning was spot on and kinda nostalgic in many ways for me. All the while everyone in town is on edge because the active Volcano in their town is said to erupt at any moment which puts these girls under some gay panic energy y'all.

All in all this novel was a queer sapphic romp and worth the read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Astra House Publishing for the ARC

Set to release, August 2, 2022

The plot was slow or more like not going anywhere, there was no build-up whatsoever. I didn’t like the degree of sexual content, considering that the girls were ten. It was just weird all over and at times disgusted me. There were also many errors which I couldn't tell whether were done consciously or were mistakes. This writing is not for everyone.

This follows two young teen girls figuring out sexuality, growing up in a bad environment, and the importance female friendships have on a person. The two friends often blur the line between friends and something more as they try to figure out who they are as people and what feels most comfortable. The narrator, throughout the story, has a problem with becoming obsessed with her best friend, making her feelings come across as claustrophobic at times. Abreu uses an Ottessa Moshfegh style of writing, using bodily functions to connect each character's emotions, often giving "disgusting" imagery to get the point across.

I didn't have a problem with the subject matter of this book, being a fan of Moshfegh and darker reads, but this felt too forced. I found the book trying to have a more poetic and lyrically writing style that didn't fit the subject matter. I thought it needed to be blunter and to the point even more, rather than a broken-up storyline. With that being said, I still enjoyed Abreu's ability to write feelings of a young girl differently, not shying away from these confusing feelings one might experience growing up.

I loved the narrator's voice, It reminded me of "True Grit" in many ways. The prose is beautiful, even in translation, I enjoyed the authenticity of the friendship between the two girls and all the details of their friendship. I felt a lot of the details were done for shock factor rather than character development. It felt like "Jackass" for books in many ways. The plot felt more like a scene arc, rather than a story plot. I do not understand the hype of this book as a whole though I do think the writer is very talented.
There are a ton of typos in the ARC so I hope those are fixed before it goes to print.

I really enjoyed this one. It captures the magic of intense female friendships in childhood and adolescence, and the magic and danger of summer independence.

Shit, our narrator, is both jealous and hopelessly enamored with Isora, a troubled girl who lost her parents and lives with her emotionally abusive grandmother. But Isora’s rebelliousness soon starts to spiral, and Shit’s infatuation causes her to go along with things she doesn’t really want to.

This really reminded me of my own friendships as a girl, though thankfully less violent than some of the scenes in this book. Those intense, all-encompassing relationships that felt they would never end, that you are uncovering something new to the human experience, that you will live together forever even after marrying other people… it’s a unique kind of madness, and Abreu captures it perfectly.

Endless thanks to Astra House for the eARC.

'Dogs of Summer' is a different read from what I'm used to, the characters are rough around the edges and the writing is blunt, but in a good way. There were a lot of scenes that weren't my favorite, but there's no doubt that Andrea Abreu did an amazing job at portraying two young girls stuck in between stages of adolescence. Both Isora and Shit are in a complicated friendship, Isora is rude and foul mouthed while Shit is envious yet obsessed with Isora. Reading from Shit's point of view made me empathize with her in a lot of ways, she's becoming more aware of her feelings for Isora, is she just jealous or are these feelings stemming from something else entirely? The way Abreu writes Shit's character makes this story a very honest and raw form of portraying what it can be like as a queer adolescent.

Abreu's writing style is comparable to Ottessa Moshfegh and Elena Ferrante (specifically 'Lapvona' and 'My Brilliant Friend'), she's able to put the monotonous days of two young girls and turn it into something that's detailed and raw; it almost looks easy when you read how well she's able to write a story like this. But despite the amazing writing, there were still a few aspects that fell short for me. I couldn't get past how some scenes still seemed to drag on, even with writing as good as Abreu's. Along with the graphic way this story was told, I can appreciate the rawness in the point view of a young pre-teen girl who's trying to understand her own body and feelings in the midst of puberty, but there were some scenes that were just not quite my vibe.

This queer, graphic, bodily coming of age story was a fascinating exploration of what it feels like to teeter on the edge of puberty, longing for adulthood while fearing it equally. Abreu does an excellent job conjuring a complicated friendship and the community that surrounds it. The details of Isadora’s supposed “superiority” to the narrator— from pubic hair to getting along with grandmothers— makes the reader lover her too.

That being said, I think some of the detailed descriptions of bodily functions and casual depiction of eating disorders were a bit much for me, personally, as a reader. This does not in any way diminish the quality of the book, but if those factors are uncomfortable for other readers, I might recommend some caution.

However, if you’re looking for a funny, clever coming of age story about queer love and a wonderfully varied community, Dogs of Summer is a well written, lovely read.

A perfect queer book just in time for summer.

The language in DOGS OF SUMMER is so lovely; this is where the novel shines. Though thin in terms of plot, the central relationship between two girls coming into a sexual consciousness is so well rendered. A gem of a coming age. 

Thanks so much to the publisher for the e-galley!

This is actually a 3.5. I found this story to be extremely captivating, and I’m going to be thinking about the characters for a while. Isora was so intriguing to me, and I could definitely relate to having a friend like her in the past. She’s bossy and can be rude, but she also has to deal with constant negative talk about her body from her grandmother. Their friendship was ferocious, and I found it very interesting how the author explored their relationship. The prose was really beautiful, yet also funny at times. I also appreciated the exploration of wealth and class. Reading about the Canary Islands opened my eyes to a way of life that I have not previously read about. Finally, the way that female sexuality and discovering one’s body was written was intensely realistic and surreal. I am definitely going to be thinking about this one for a while.

A young girl comes of age on the island of Tenerife in the 90s, exploring her friendship, envy and sexuality. Clouds hang low overhead, at times obscuring the island’s volcano, or the fumbling of its young residents. The writing is part poetry, part prose, at times stream on consciousness full of bold, specific details.

The author ties together jealously and desire without shyness. Throughout the book the narrator repeats her hatred for her town’s summer festival. But when she sees the colorful paper flags aren’t going as far as her street, will only be strung in the central, affluent area, she’s disappointed. She has disdain for the tourists, but she seeks out one of their young daughters. Most importantly, she’s jealous of Isora, her best friend and obsession. The narrator wants to be like Isora, to be with Isora- grown up and brave and liked by people who matter. At times the narrator wants to hurt Isora, but more than anything she wants to be near her.

This was moving and at times funny. A great read for pride month and beyond.

Dogs of Summer is a quick story packed with emotion and vulnerability. I read the entire thing in a sitting and loved the expansive friendship that bloomed within the short novel. Our narrator, known only as "Shit" as she's affectionately called by her best friend Isora, takes us through her life in a mountain village. She's absolutely obsessed and entirely adoring of Isora--a feeling clearly conveyed to the reader, and one that hits hard. Their friendship is intense, passionate, loving, and toxic in the way that many young girls know, especially as it pushes past the boundaries of typical adolescent friends. I was completed enthralled by this aspect of the book but found the story itself to become a bit repetitive, which felt particularly tough due to the short length. I wanted to feel more impacted by the ending, and instead just found myself wanting more. However, I really enjoyed the actual reading experience of the story, and the friendship contained within it will stick with me for a long time.

A captivating coming-of-age story that will captivate you with the entrancing dialog and eccentric flair of locals through the unfiltered lens of girlhood. I was transported by the vivid sense of place and rhythm of the poetic dialog.

Dogs of Summer was an interesting read. I really enjoyed the concept of the story and found the outcome of Isora and Shit’s relationship genuinely moving - the unexplained and abrupt death is intense and very appropriate for the novels culmination. As someone who visited Tenerife a lot when they were younger, I enjoyed hearing about the island from a non-tourist perspective. I think it’s often all too easy to render these places as ‘holidays’ and simply bereft of a people, however Abreu’s narrative brings the island and it’s people to life. It has really striking similarities to Elena Ferrante’s ‘My Brilliant Friend’, yet with the grotesque dialogue perhaps of a Mosfegh novel - admittedly I think I prefer this over Ferrante’s novel due it it’s more consumable size. However, the grotesque and extreme language fell apart for me a little and wasn’t as poignant and captivating as I think it was intended to be - possibly Abreu relies on the impact of this a little too much. I would’ve appreciated a little more character building around the girls families and the community, but overall it was a really enjoyable read and something new for me. I enjoyed reading about an underrepresented community too, of which I had some limited experience in the country. Enlightening and a very moving finale, overall.

Set over the torridly hot summer of 2005 on Tenerife, “Dogs of Summer” shows a tale of female friendship and queer awakening, following the actions of the unnamed teenage narrator (though her friend nicknames her “shit”) and her friend Isora. The narrator’s admiration for Isora is clear throughout, swinging between fawning admiration, intense jealousy and obsession, which complicates and colours her navigation through bodily changes and growing up.

If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be “visceral”. Quite apart from the narrator being named for a bodily secretion, there are constant references to blood, dirt, sweat, vomit, all the unmentionable things of growing up. There are real issues displayed in this book, such as female relationships, class divisions, the effects of tourism on the island, eating disorders and psychological abuse – a lot is covered in a very short space of time, and the book has a great pace throughout, though it may be too intense for some.

I also think that the characters are excellently formed – both felt entirely real and relatable, and even their most unjustifiable actions seem to come with a veneer of intelligibility. Isora in particular clearly lacks the right models in life, giving off an air of maturity to the narrator whilst appearing incredibly naïve to the reader.

However, I have to say that I felt the ending was rushed and incomplete, and I also felt a bit distanced at times. How much of that is due to being a straight man reading it, I can’t say, but I think it will be LOVED by quite a lot of people out there who want a story of growing up with the warts of the narrative remaining. Worth seeking out when it comes out.

AHHHH i loved it… visceral, epic, sweaty, new. ❤️❤️❤️ + beautiful translation by julia sanches too. Longer review TK!

Two of my favourite books I read last year (‘Reasons She Goes To The Woods’ and ‘The Discomfort of Evening’) were books with young female narrators coming of age and the struggle and oddities that come with it, and Dogs of Summer is a brilliant new addition to that kind of sub category of books.

Set in 2005 in a working class neighbourhood in the shadow of a volcano, it follows two young girls, Shit and Isora, and gives us insight into their complicated friendship as they deal with their bodies changing and growing up. This relationship is laced with intensity, jealousy, admiration, obsession, love, power and submission, and portrayed in a way that I found extremely realistic to many young girls experiences of these intense bonds we make and learn to navigate growing up.

The narrator Shit, a pet name given to her by her best friend Isora, lives in Isora’s shadow and is constantly seeking her approval and happiness above her own. We watch as she gorges herself on cakes so Isora can watch, logs into dirty chat rooms with her despite being uncomfortable and follows her every time she goes to the toilet. But despite being seemingly in control, Isora’s life isn’t perfect and she has struggles of her own, including her foul mouthed grandmother who constantly puts her on different diets and the death of her mother. As Shit begins to struggle to keep up with Isora and the girls begin to mature at different rates, the book builds to an act of violence that changes the relationship and the way Shit sees Isora.

The writing of this book was incredible and really compelling to the point I finished it in one sitting. Abreu’s style reminds me of authors like K Ming Chang, Ottessa Moshfegh, Marieke Lucas Rijneveld and Melissa Broder in the way it’s raw and unafraid to hone in on the weird and often gross female experience and bodily functions we all relate to while also centring female friendship and family relationships heavily in the narrative. She creates a vivid neighbourhood setting stifled by heat and endless cloud, and vivid, relatable characters that jump off the page.

Highly recommend this book for any fans of the authors mentioned above as well as anyone looking for a short, interesting read centred around intense female friendship. 4/5 ⭐️

“Isora was somewhere else, I realized, somewhere I couldn’t even see the beginning of, and for a second I felt scared. Scared she’d realize how innocent I was or that she’d get tired of me nodding my head and keeping my mouth shut.”

Dogs of Summer is a book to look out for for all Ottessa Moshfegh's and Melissa Broder fans—gruesome, disgusting and sadly relatable. There were some very impactful quotes but Abreu relied too much on the emotional punch of the prose, which I disliked, hence the slightly lower rating.