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The Sharing Economy
Three Women meets Crudo : a frank and fresh literary debut about the dawn of dating apps in Amsterdam.‘Sexual infidelity is unavoidable, for whatever reasons, in long monogamous relationships, so why not give the other sexual freedom, as a gesture of love, of communication maybe?’Amsterdam in 2014 is an historic city situated at the heart of the future. One of the biggest hubs for internet traffic in the world, it has become a favourite testing-ground for the new internet platforms that form the vanguard of what has been coined ‘the sharing economy’.Gabrielle Bloom is a woman in her mid-40s, working as an exhibition curator. She is happily married to Anton and loves her son Victor. They have a circle of sophisticated friends and enjoy the life of two successful and respectable professionals living in one of the world’s most beautiful and culturally rich cities.There is, though, one crucial difference between their relationship and those of their friends. Gabrielle and Anton enjoy an open marriage.When Gabrielle is introduced, during a visit to a feminist art collective, to a new dating app that has recently launched in the city, fresh horizons open up. With an almost unlimited number of potential partners suddenly available to her, she quickly develops a taste for the thrill of a brief sexual encounter. Moving from one assignation to the next, things at first seem exhilarating and uncomplicated. But the human heart has not evolved at the same rate as the silicon chip and when attachments start to form things rapidly become less simple.Set during one intense and transformative year, and suffused with art, sex and philosophy, The Sharing Economy is at once a uniquely radical reappraisal of the way we view relationships and a tender and moving depiction of the many ways in which the human heart is capable of love.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published June 21, 2023
6 people are currently reading
205 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Berrebi
7 books6 followersSophie Berrebi is a writer, art historian and exhibitions curator specialised in modern and contemporary art. She is the author of The Shape of Evidence, Contemporary art and the Document, (Valiz, 2015) and of Dubuffet and the City: People, Place and Urban Space (Hauser & Wirth Publishers, 2018), which received the 2019 Richard Schlagman award for best book of art history. The Sharing Economy is her first novel.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 20, 2024
If the cover doesn't capture your attention, the opening line is sure to: "There's an art to undressing and there's an art to getting dressed again. Usually, I want my clothes to be taken off slowly."
These are the words of Gabrielle Bloom, as she contemplates her reinvigorated sex life, thanks to her obsession with a recently launched online dating app.
It's 2014, and Amsterdam is the hub of all things cultural and avant-garde, as well as the testing ground for new online platforms which are now well and truly ingrained in modern society. But back then it was being trialled, to see how popular it would be.
Told from the first person perspective, we learn that she's an exhibitions curator for various museums and galleries. In her mid-forties, she has a solid, open marriage with her husband Anton, with whom she has a son. Both are completely upfront about any relationship they have outside of the marriage. However the dating app Gabrielle is introduced to at an Art exhibition soon begins to become more real to her than her actual life, as she encounters one casual hookup after another, with no strings - or feelings - attached.
This is a fascinating insight into the psychology of why some people are drawn to the chase of the next endorphin hit, as Gabrielle cycles across Amsterdam from one assignation to another, returning home in the wee small hours, to the quiet of a sleeping household, with only the hum of the refrigerator to greet her.
This is a novel that blends Art, architecture, food and culture into a beautiful sensual and tactile blend of words where descriptions of the changing seasons, the touch of someone's skin, the view from a window or the aroma from brewing coffee are vivid.
There's politics, of not only love and sex, but actual geographical politics when Gabrielle (finally) falls for an artist in the later stages of the book.
The characters are well defined, despite some of them being fleeting, as seeing them so clearly from Gabrielle's perspective you get a bird's eye view of their interactions with her and others. A sense of what makes them tick. And there a lot of interesting discussions, quite philosophical about relationships, and how messy life is.
I couldn't help but think that Gabrielle was quite a bit of a trendsetter with being so willing to try a (then unknown) dating app. That there wasn't the fear of who she might meet, the potential for danger, as she was purely in it for the pleasure and to fulfil her lustful urges.
It's actually the cover of the book which caught my eye, which is a photographic close up of sea anemones, in various shades of pink, from pastel to watermelon to rouge. You'll need to read the book to understand the significance. It's actually very clever. And rather cheeky.
This is an impressive dèbut from Sophie Berrebi, who is herself an Art historian and curator. Her knowledge and confidence in putting forward ideas of Art and how exhibitions reflect our world back at us is fascinating. I'd be curious to read what she writes next, as this was such an interesting, introspective novel. I read this across the course of a rainy Sunday afternoon and evening. The perfect aural accompaniment to a book filled with push and pull of human entanglements.
4 🌟 pulsing, sensual stars.
These are the words of Gabrielle Bloom, as she contemplates her reinvigorated sex life, thanks to her obsession with a recently launched online dating app.
It's 2014, and Amsterdam is the hub of all things cultural and avant-garde, as well as the testing ground for new online platforms which are now well and truly ingrained in modern society. But back then it was being trialled, to see how popular it would be.
Told from the first person perspective, we learn that she's an exhibitions curator for various museums and galleries. In her mid-forties, she has a solid, open marriage with her husband Anton, with whom she has a son. Both are completely upfront about any relationship they have outside of the marriage. However the dating app Gabrielle is introduced to at an Art exhibition soon begins to become more real to her than her actual life, as she encounters one casual hookup after another, with no strings - or feelings - attached.
This is a fascinating insight into the psychology of why some people are drawn to the chase of the next endorphin hit, as Gabrielle cycles across Amsterdam from one assignation to another, returning home in the wee small hours, to the quiet of a sleeping household, with only the hum of the refrigerator to greet her.
This is a novel that blends Art, architecture, food and culture into a beautiful sensual and tactile blend of words where descriptions of the changing seasons, the touch of someone's skin, the view from a window or the aroma from brewing coffee are vivid.
There's politics, of not only love and sex, but actual geographical politics when Gabrielle (finally) falls for an artist in the later stages of the book.
The characters are well defined, despite some of them being fleeting, as seeing them so clearly from Gabrielle's perspective you get a bird's eye view of their interactions with her and others. A sense of what makes them tick. And there a lot of interesting discussions, quite philosophical about relationships, and how messy life is.
I couldn't help but think that Gabrielle was quite a bit of a trendsetter with being so willing to try a (then unknown) dating app. That there wasn't the fear of who she might meet, the potential for danger, as she was purely in it for the pleasure and to fulfil her lustful urges.
It's actually the cover of the book which caught my eye, which is a photographic close up of sea anemones, in various shades of pink, from pastel to watermelon to rouge. You'll need to read the book to understand the significance. It's actually very clever. And rather cheeky.
This is an impressive dèbut from Sophie Berrebi, who is herself an Art historian and curator. Her knowledge and confidence in putting forward ideas of Art and how exhibitions reflect our world back at us is fascinating. I'd be curious to read what she writes next, as this was such an interesting, introspective novel. I read this across the course of a rainy Sunday afternoon and evening. The perfect aural accompaniment to a book filled with push and pull of human entanglements.
4 🌟 pulsing, sensual stars.
August 6, 2023
Het is op zich wel interessant om in het leven te stappen van Gabrielle, een curator in de kunstwereld en een vrouw in een open huwelijk. Ik vind de bruisende Amsterdamse stad met alle leuke cafés, musea en tentoonstellingen wel een leuk decor. Maar toch spreekt het verhaal me niet zo aan. Alle personages blijven zo oppervlakkig, geen enkele ontmoeting lijkt veel te betekenen, de gesprekken met haar vrienden vind ik onrealistisch en zelfs haar man en zoon zijn niet goed uitgelicht in het verhaal. Ze zegt te twijfelen tussen twee werelden, die als vrouw en moeder en die als minnaar van duizend verschillende mensen, maar ze praat bijvoorbeeld maar op één punt in het verhaal met haar zoon, als hij in het ziekenhuis terecht komt. Ik vond het allemaal niet zo goed uitgewerkt eerlijk gezegd.
March 9, 2023
Gabrielle Bloom leads an appealing life in Amsterdam. She is affluent and cultured, moving between her job liaising with artists at a foundation, to dinner parties with her international community of friends, to meetings at beautiful cafes and restaurants across the city. She and her husband Anton have a happy marriage, a young son and a comfortable home.
They also have an open relationship and Gabrielle takes the opportunity offered by a new dating app to have a number of sexual encounters.
The Sharing Economy avoids the obvious tropes – stories of danger, thwarted passion and jealousy – and takes Gabrielle on a more nuanced journey from casual hook-ups to emotionally entangled relationships.
Alongside Gabrielle’s sexual experiences are her musings on the dating app as a medium and how it changes behaviour. There’s a lovely scene where Gabrielle is travelling on a tram, enclosed by the rain. At each stop she looks up, sees the faces of the people who board, has a momentary impression of who they are and looks away. Meanwhile she is doing the same on the screen – as she swipes right or left on the dating app based on a fleeting glimpse.
These thoughts are counterpointed with her work on an exhibition which interrogates the role of technology and its relationship to the body. This provides an opportunity for some exposition which I felt was not needed (and the arguments are quite well worn, given the book is set in 2014).
The Sharing Economy is beautifully written, sensual and sensuous, interweaving Gabrielle’s intense sexual experiences with her painterly observations of a body, a room, a view of the canal. I love some of the small details — her cooking, the nuggets of history of the city, the way she and Anton cycle home together from a dinner party. Her lifestyle is very aspirational if you’re into arts and culture (though I’m at the stage of life where all those hook-ups sound more exhausting than erotic).
I was intrigued by the fact that Gabrielle had never bothered to learn Dutch, despite having a Dutch husband and son, so when she goes to her child’s school she struggles to communicate with the staff. At times her fixation on the app leads her to neglect other key commitments, and she articulates her resentment at being judged as a mother rather than a woman after her son’s birth.
I did wonder at times if everyone was a bit too reasonable. Anton adopts an almost godlike position – not only husband but best friend, father and psychotherapist, as he observes her behaviour, available but never interfering. You could argue that this benevolent oversight becomes a form of control.
There are no dramatic plot twists in The Sharing Economy but there is a sense that something is gained and learnt. It highlights how it’s not just relationships that are unique, but the self we become when we are with another person. It tells a story of how casual sex can be profound and revealing and complicated, as well as hot.
*
I received a copy of The Sharing Economy from the publisher via NetGalley.
They also have an open relationship and Gabrielle takes the opportunity offered by a new dating app to have a number of sexual encounters.
The Sharing Economy avoids the obvious tropes – stories of danger, thwarted passion and jealousy – and takes Gabrielle on a more nuanced journey from casual hook-ups to emotionally entangled relationships.
Alongside Gabrielle’s sexual experiences are her musings on the dating app as a medium and how it changes behaviour. There’s a lovely scene where Gabrielle is travelling on a tram, enclosed by the rain. At each stop she looks up, sees the faces of the people who board, has a momentary impression of who they are and looks away. Meanwhile she is doing the same on the screen – as she swipes right or left on the dating app based on a fleeting glimpse.
These thoughts are counterpointed with her work on an exhibition which interrogates the role of technology and its relationship to the body. This provides an opportunity for some exposition which I felt was not needed (and the arguments are quite well worn, given the book is set in 2014).
The Sharing Economy is beautifully written, sensual and sensuous, interweaving Gabrielle’s intense sexual experiences with her painterly observations of a body, a room, a view of the canal. I love some of the small details — her cooking, the nuggets of history of the city, the way she and Anton cycle home together from a dinner party. Her lifestyle is very aspirational if you’re into arts and culture (though I’m at the stage of life where all those hook-ups sound more exhausting than erotic).
I was intrigued by the fact that Gabrielle had never bothered to learn Dutch, despite having a Dutch husband and son, so when she goes to her child’s school she struggles to communicate with the staff. At times her fixation on the app leads her to neglect other key commitments, and she articulates her resentment at being judged as a mother rather than a woman after her son’s birth.
I did wonder at times if everyone was a bit too reasonable. Anton adopts an almost godlike position – not only husband but best friend, father and psychotherapist, as he observes her behaviour, available but never interfering. You could argue that this benevolent oversight becomes a form of control.
There are no dramatic plot twists in The Sharing Economy but there is a sense that something is gained and learnt. It highlights how it’s not just relationships that are unique, but the self we become when we are with another person. It tells a story of how casual sex can be profound and revealing and complicated, as well as hot.
*
I received a copy of The Sharing Economy from the publisher via NetGalley.
August 30, 2023
I enjoyed this a lot more than I initially expected I would! I've read a few books this year that explore the emotional life of a woman exploring sexual pleasure and the possibilities of sex outside of conventional expectations. This one, follows the experiences of a married woman, in an open marriage, as she navigates online dating. I think the reason I enjoyed The Sharing Economy is because it deals with sex, ennui, and other social realities of the digital age without a fixation on sexual violence.
Many books concerned with casual dating and online dating take on sexual violence and the power dynamics of physical and emotional safety as the main themes but this book allows the lead to have a range of (non-violent) experiences while still having a supportive, committed romantic partnership. Some readers may interpret the lack of violence as a lack of central conflict. I think the book could hold a lot of interest for people curious about online dating, open relationships, sexual desire, and romance. It is not filled with a lot of melodrama or devastating consequences visited upon the protagonist for wanting and enjoying sex with other people. The sex scenes are descriptive and fascinating because they do not present an overly lewd picture; they have novelty and visceral lyrical beauty but are not exploitative.
Many books concerned with casual dating and online dating take on sexual violence and the power dynamics of physical and emotional safety as the main themes but this book allows the lead to have a range of (non-violent) experiences while still having a supportive, committed romantic partnership. Some readers may interpret the lack of violence as a lack of central conflict. I think the book could hold a lot of interest for people curious about online dating, open relationships, sexual desire, and romance. It is not filled with a lot of melodrama or devastating consequences visited upon the protagonist for wanting and enjoying sex with other people. The sex scenes are descriptive and fascinating because they do not present an overly lewd picture; they have novelty and visceral lyrical beauty but are not exploitative.
March 27, 2023
⭐️ 3/5
📚 31
📍 🇳🇱
📖 Gabrielle is a 45 year old art curator. She is married and has a 9 year old son. After his birth, she found it important to find herself again and reconnect with the woman she was. When Anton agrees to an open marriage, a work acquaintance suggests she tries a dating app, where she finds plenty of people to match with that she wouldn’t have met in the art world. Tasked with a work project on exploring the impact of digital technology on our everyday lives, Gabrielle sees first hand how it can both free up time and make us waste time. Will she find herself after all?
🌶️🌶️ Explicit rather than steamy
😉 Is Heiko available for lessons? #ifkyk
✅ Set in Amsterdam - I recognised a few places!
✅ It was thought and discussion provoking
✅ Short read
🥺 I was concerned about the amount of time she spent away from her child
🎨 Lots of art references, in keeping with the authors background
💬 “Opening and closing like a sea anemone”
💬 “It’s about pleasure, lots of it, pure shared pleasure, with no accountability”
📆 27th February 2023
📚 31
📍 🇳🇱
📖 Gabrielle is a 45 year old art curator. She is married and has a 9 year old son. After his birth, she found it important to find herself again and reconnect with the woman she was. When Anton agrees to an open marriage, a work acquaintance suggests she tries a dating app, where she finds plenty of people to match with that she wouldn’t have met in the art world. Tasked with a work project on exploring the impact of digital technology on our everyday lives, Gabrielle sees first hand how it can both free up time and make us waste time. Will she find herself after all?
🌶️🌶️ Explicit rather than steamy
😉 Is Heiko available for lessons? #ifkyk
✅ Set in Amsterdam - I recognised a few places!
✅ It was thought and discussion provoking
✅ Short read
🥺 I was concerned about the amount of time she spent away from her child
🎨 Lots of art references, in keeping with the authors background
💬 “Opening and closing like a sea anemone”
💬 “It’s about pleasure, lots of it, pure shared pleasure, with no accountability”
📆 27th February 2023
October 28, 2022
The debuts this year have been astonishingly good. Beautiful, beautiful book. So tender. Sophie's writing is out of this world. Such elegant prose. Art, sex, philosophy. And Mrs Gabrielle Bloom. I am in love with this book! Full review to come once I’ve fully processed my thoughts and feelings.
February 28, 2023
3.5/4
The bookseller in me just kept thinking ‘this is perfect for fans of Lisa Taddeo, or readers who loved ‘you made a fool of death with your beauty’
The bookseller in me just kept thinking ‘this is perfect for fans of Lisa Taddeo, or readers who loved ‘you made a fool of death with your beauty’
March 4, 2024
2,5 ster
June 15, 2024
3.5 stars
February 20, 2023
The Sharing Economy
by Sophie Berrebi
I have to begin by saying that I am totally envious of anyone who gets to read this for the first time. It is an achingly beautiful story, a bildungsroman, if that term can be applied to a novel concerning a woman in her 40s, but it is definitely a novel of formation.
Gabrielle and her husband Anton live in Amsterdam, and have a very happy and stable, but open marriage. They are both professionals in the art world and enjoy a culturally sophisticated lifestyle. When Gabrielle discovers the delights of dating apps, she speeds her way through dozens of one night stands and discovers things about herself and her sexuality that have been long subdued.
I loved every single thing about this novel; the glimpse into the arty world, the tour of Amsterdam (I have many pitstops added to my upcoming visit of this most beautiful city), Gabrielle's inner narrative as she navigates her way through her middle aged awakening of her desirability and sensuality, and what the novel is ultimately about, the way the move to an online life has changed our lives so profoundly.
The writing is straightforward and chapters are not overly long making this a very easy and engaging read. At only 240 pages it was all over too soon, because despite the absence of a plot, I couldn't put this book down. It is erotic and compulsive and I wouldn't recommend reading it on the bus or at your kid's swimming session!!!
I have a strong feeling that this will be high on the list of favourites of 2023. I badly want to read more by this author, but she has only published non-fiction prior to this, so I have to wait and hope for more.
Publication date: 2nd March 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and #simonandschusteruk for the ARC
by Sophie Berrebi
I have to begin by saying that I am totally envious of anyone who gets to read this for the first time. It is an achingly beautiful story, a bildungsroman, if that term can be applied to a novel concerning a woman in her 40s, but it is definitely a novel of formation.
Gabrielle and her husband Anton live in Amsterdam, and have a very happy and stable, but open marriage. They are both professionals in the art world and enjoy a culturally sophisticated lifestyle. When Gabrielle discovers the delights of dating apps, she speeds her way through dozens of one night stands and discovers things about herself and her sexuality that have been long subdued.
I loved every single thing about this novel; the glimpse into the arty world, the tour of Amsterdam (I have many pitstops added to my upcoming visit of this most beautiful city), Gabrielle's inner narrative as she navigates her way through her middle aged awakening of her desirability and sensuality, and what the novel is ultimately about, the way the move to an online life has changed our lives so profoundly.
The writing is straightforward and chapters are not overly long making this a very easy and engaging read. At only 240 pages it was all over too soon, because despite the absence of a plot, I couldn't put this book down. It is erotic and compulsive and I wouldn't recommend reading it on the bus or at your kid's swimming session!!!
I have a strong feeling that this will be high on the list of favourites of 2023. I badly want to read more by this author, but she has only published non-fiction prior to this, so I have to wait and hope for more.
Publication date: 2nd March 2023
Thanks to #netgalley and #simonandschusteruk for the ARC
January 19, 2023
The Sharing Economy follows Gabrielle, as she embarks on the online dating scene in Amsterdam. In an open marriage, her husband Anton prefers to meet people by chance, in bars or at a bookstore. Gabrielle, however, relies on an app to find her dates.
Although I tend to stay away from novels that centre themselves in the digital sphere, The Sharing Economywas a pleasant surprise. I also appreciate that I could still connect to Gabrielle despite being far apart in age, as I didn’t feel alienated as a reader. I am not a mother or a wife, nor have I ever been to Amsterdam, but The Sharing Economy transported me there and painted a vivid portrait of the life Gabrielle was living.
For lovers of somewhat unlikeable characters, Sophie Berrebi’s novel might just be the ticket. I feel The Sharing Economy nestles itself neatly somewhere between Coco Mellors’ Cleopatra and Frankenstein, Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends and Julia May Jonas’ Vladimir.
I don’t think this is explicitly a criticism of the book, but beware that as is the nature of online dating, it can be a little repetitive at times. I was always anticipating a big climactic moment, but The Sharing Economy is more on the ‘no plot just vibes’ part of the spectrum.
Overall, The Sharing Economy was a thoroughly enjoyable read with great commentary on online dating and open marriages. I will be sure to pick up whatever Sophie Berrebi releases next.
Although I tend to stay away from novels that centre themselves in the digital sphere, The Sharing Economywas a pleasant surprise. I also appreciate that I could still connect to Gabrielle despite being far apart in age, as I didn’t feel alienated as a reader. I am not a mother or a wife, nor have I ever been to Amsterdam, but The Sharing Economy transported me there and painted a vivid portrait of the life Gabrielle was living.
For lovers of somewhat unlikeable characters, Sophie Berrebi’s novel might just be the ticket. I feel The Sharing Economy nestles itself neatly somewhere between Coco Mellors’ Cleopatra and Frankenstein, Sally Rooney’s Conversations with Friends and Julia May Jonas’ Vladimir.
I don’t think this is explicitly a criticism of the book, but beware that as is the nature of online dating, it can be a little repetitive at times. I was always anticipating a big climactic moment, but The Sharing Economy is more on the ‘no plot just vibes’ part of the spectrum.
Overall, The Sharing Economy was a thoroughly enjoyable read with great commentary on online dating and open marriages. I will be sure to pick up whatever Sophie Berrebi releases next.
January 26, 2023
This book is a spiralling, complex, beautiful delight!
Set in Amsterdam 2014, we follow Gabrielle, a married woman in her 40's with a son as she discovers a new dating app storming the city. While her and her husband Anton have a open marriage, this new dating appAs you fall into this world of the app consuming Gabrielle's life, you feel as adrift as she does throughout. This book sends you on the same emotional rollercoaster of dizzying highs and spiralling lows as Gabrielle experiences in the book, and by the end you feel as though you have been on the same journey. This world is consuming and glorious and shiny and unknown.
Berrebi does a wonderful job of making her central character, Gabrielle, immediately understandable and link her with the audience, even if they share little in common. She makes her relatable in complex small ways that tune into your mind as you create your vision of this book world. She is not the perfect character, but she brings to mind real characters with flaws, that somehow feel more real than perfect people illusions.
A book that flows with story rather than structure, I can't wait to see what the author writes next.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
Set in Amsterdam 2014, we follow Gabrielle, a married woman in her 40's with a son as she discovers a new dating app storming the city. While her and her husband Anton have a open marriage, this new dating appAs you fall into this world of the app consuming Gabrielle's life, you feel as adrift as she does throughout. This book sends you on the same emotional rollercoaster of dizzying highs and spiralling lows as Gabrielle experiences in the book, and by the end you feel as though you have been on the same journey. This world is consuming and glorious and shiny and unknown.
Berrebi does a wonderful job of making her central character, Gabrielle, immediately understandable and link her with the audience, even if they share little in common. She makes her relatable in complex small ways that tune into your mind as you create your vision of this book world. She is not the perfect character, but she brings to mind real characters with flaws, that somehow feel more real than perfect people illusions.
A book that flows with story rather than structure, I can't wait to see what the author writes next.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
February 21, 2023
A sensual debut novel - I loved reading about a woman in her mid 40s navigating the world of dating apps and experimenting with sex and sexuality.
Gabrielle and her husband Anton are in an open relationship. They both share a love for the art world and indulge in sophisticated conversations with their friends. Each chapter was infused with art, philosophy and sex.
While Gabrielle has an unlimited supply of sexual partners, she learns that the world of relationships and hookups isn’t always exhilarating and exciting. There’s obsession, emotion, feelings that complicate things.
A fascinating read and look into open relationships and polyamory and what it means to love.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Simon & Schuster UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Gabrielle and her husband Anton are in an open relationship. They both share a love for the art world and indulge in sophisticated conversations with their friends. Each chapter was infused with art, philosophy and sex.
While Gabrielle has an unlimited supply of sexual partners, she learns that the world of relationships and hookups isn’t always exhilarating and exciting. There’s obsession, emotion, feelings that complicate things.
A fascinating read and look into open relationships and polyamory and what it means to love.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Simon & Schuster UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 6, 2023
Quite bad. A novel needs to have conflict and stakes. This was pointless pretentious meandering.
August 15, 2023
Op meerdere levels nee
March 5, 2023
Published last week, The Sharing Economy is Berrebi’s debut novel exploring the dawn of dating apps in Amsterdam. The sharing economy references the concept of individuals borrowing or sharing goods rather than buying them, the title cleverly reflecting the protagonist’s desire to explore and satisfy her sexual appetite outside of her marriage.
Gabrielle is in her early forties, married to Anton, with a son Victor. They both work in Amsterdam’s art world and are, by mutual consent, in an open/polyamorous relationship. This is Gabrielle’s story of her at times voracious sexual appetite and her encounters with men and women she meets mainly through apps.
It’s interspersed with chapters on art and the interplay between art and desire and human connection, and while the writing is nice, well, in truth I began to find Gabrielle’s multitudinous sexual encounters and desires a bit of a bore. There’s so much sex in it, it becomes rather mundane. Gabrielle doesn’t come across as particularly likeable, interesting or sympathetic as a character. If art or polyamory (or both!) are your thing though, you might enjoy it more. 2/5 ⭐️
*The Sharing Economy was published on 2 March 2023. Many thanks to the author, the publisher @scribneruk @simonschusteruk and @netgalley for the arc. As always, this is an honest review.*
Gabrielle is in her early forties, married to Anton, with a son Victor. They both work in Amsterdam’s art world and are, by mutual consent, in an open/polyamorous relationship. This is Gabrielle’s story of her at times voracious sexual appetite and her encounters with men and women she meets mainly through apps.
It’s interspersed with chapters on art and the interplay between art and desire and human connection, and while the writing is nice, well, in truth I began to find Gabrielle’s multitudinous sexual encounters and desires a bit of a bore. There’s so much sex in it, it becomes rather mundane. Gabrielle doesn’t come across as particularly likeable, interesting or sympathetic as a character. If art or polyamory (or both!) are your thing though, you might enjoy it more. 2/5 ⭐️
*The Sharing Economy was published on 2 March 2023. Many thanks to the author, the publisher @scribneruk @simonschusteruk and @netgalley for the arc. As always, this is an honest review.*
November 1, 2023
I wish that this book was not categorized by the publisher as a romance--I can imagine that this would be a huge disappointment to most romance readers, because it is really anything but.
Instead, happily, the novel is a thoughtful, sophisticated work of literary fiction set in Amsterdam that looks at an intelligent woman who seeks sexual relationships outside of her (open) marriage. It is an intellectual and experiential exploration of sexuality and desire. I found reading it both fascinating and, at times, excruciating. Much as Annie Ernaux drills down, wielding extremes of minute detail to create an almost clinical, cold atmosphere, this author too is all about the intensely examined moment. Here, the practice creates something of a hothouse atmosphere, which can feel quite claustrophobic.
I listened to a library audiobook and recommend the narrator.
Instead, happily, the novel is a thoughtful, sophisticated work of literary fiction set in Amsterdam that looks at an intelligent woman who seeks sexual relationships outside of her (open) marriage. It is an intellectual and experiential exploration of sexuality and desire. I found reading it both fascinating and, at times, excruciating. Much as Annie Ernaux drills down, wielding extremes of minute detail to create an almost clinical, cold atmosphere, this author too is all about the intensely examined moment. Here, the practice creates something of a hothouse atmosphere, which can feel quite claustrophobic.
I listened to a library audiobook and recommend the narrator.
December 30, 2023
a very cerebral read. clearly berrebi can write very well, and has crafted a smart and sensual story about a woman’s relationship with the newly introduced “dating app” taking over amsterdam in 2014. i did like this but there were a few passages here and there that felt a little bit niche and wouldn’t be particularly comprehensible to people not familiar with the art world - here the author’s background as an art historian shines through. nonetheless, this short read was entertaining and in my opinion somewhat in the same vein as the fantastic ‘my husband’ by maud ventura.
June 25, 2024
Very personal, interesting and at times touching and funny account of a female sexual journey and self-discovery in ‘ethical non monogamy’.
Francophone English too clunky at times and a few words recur too often. Many details about Amsterdam (I live there and they didn’t add much; landing in a city ≈ landing in a new life phase ≈ getting to know yourself?) and many sensory & food details could have been left out. Just as some of the art descriptions, all referencing something of a sublime embodied experience. That does resonate in the end.
Francophone English too clunky at times and a few words recur too often. Many details about Amsterdam (I live there and they didn’t add much; landing in a city ≈ landing in a new life phase ≈ getting to know yourself?) and many sensory & food details could have been left out. Just as some of the art descriptions, all referencing something of a sublime embodied experience. That does resonate in the end.
July 23, 2023
In this book, we follow our main protagonist, whose initial ventures into more casual sex quickly becomes a deeper meditation on intimacy and desire, and I appreciated how this book avoided basic and tired tropes about things like open relationships and polyamory, positioning the reader's perspective and gaze as something more even-handed- not blindly accepting or critical of anything.
She floats through life, occasionally making decisions guided by love and lust, and occasionally in a more clear-headed way, but the book itself also doesn't treat these moments of lucidity as these 'lightbulb' breakthroughts per se- instead, we are invited to sit in the discomfort of uncertainty, which I think is this book's real strength.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
She floats through life, occasionally making decisions guided by love and lust, and occasionally in a more clear-headed way, but the book itself also doesn't treat these moments of lucidity as these 'lightbulb' breakthroughts per se- instead, we are invited to sit in the discomfort of uncertainty, which I think is this book's real strength.
I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2026
Easy reading, somewhat amusing that somehow every man she sleeps with is a good shag (lol), but if you’re looking to open your parents’ eyes to the possibilities of polyamory then look no further, I guess?
May 25, 2023
very i’m a fan style of writing. introspective and a lot about sex
July 24, 2023
not my cup of tea
October 22, 2023
Painfully pretentious and boring. Stuffy and performative.
August 31, 2024
Het bleef bij mij aan de oppervlakte, deze dwaaltocht langs tinderbelevenissen, ondanks de pogingen om via kunst er toch een diepere betekenis aan te geven.
May 11, 2025
Is this book about sexual self-discovery, or is it something else entirely?
💭 Why this book stays with you:
... This book made me think - a lot. On surface, it is a woman's journey of sexual self-discovery through a dating app. But beneath that, it explores how online dating shapes our interactions and perceptions of intimacy. Can encounters remain fleeting and detached, or do they inevitably leave a mark?
💥 Ideas that make you think:
... Amsterdam's cosmopolitan life, river cafes, and bicycle commutes set the backdrop of Gabrielle's experiences. The dating app gives her the illusion of control - the ability to reset and restart at will. But can relationships, no matter how brief, ever be so easily erased?
... Is online dating now the norm, making spontaneous real-life connections obsolete?
... Would approaching someone in public seem strange today?
🖋️ Who will love this book:
... If you are intrigued by modern relationships, the psychology of dating apps, and stories that leave you questioning human connection, this book is for you
❓A question to make you curious :
... Are we truly in control of our relationships, or does every encounter change us in ways we don't realize?
💭 Why this book stays with you:
... This book made me think - a lot. On surface, it is a woman's journey of sexual self-discovery through a dating app. But beneath that, it explores how online dating shapes our interactions and perceptions of intimacy. Can encounters remain fleeting and detached, or do they inevitably leave a mark?
💥 Ideas that make you think:
... Amsterdam's cosmopolitan life, river cafes, and bicycle commutes set the backdrop of Gabrielle's experiences. The dating app gives her the illusion of control - the ability to reset and restart at will. But can relationships, no matter how brief, ever be so easily erased?
... Is online dating now the norm, making spontaneous real-life connections obsolete?
... Would approaching someone in public seem strange today?
🖋️ Who will love this book:
... If you are intrigued by modern relationships, the psychology of dating apps, and stories that leave you questioning human connection, this book is for you
❓A question to make you curious :
... Are we truly in control of our relationships, or does every encounter change us in ways we don't realize?
April 30, 2024
Ik wist waar ik aan begon hoor. De auteur las voor op Saint Amour en ik was gecharmeerd. Ze las de scène over de eerste date van Gabrielle Bloom via de datingapp. Spannend!
Veel sneller dan gedacht is haar doel, een sexdate, bereikt. In een onbekende kamer in een niet gekende straat concentreert ze zich tijdens het vrijen op voorwerpen in de kamer: een potplant, een keyboard en een racefiets. Als een soort houvast, zo las ik het, statische dingen in het zich wel heel rap ontwikkelende nieuwe.
Ik kocht het boek.
Beschreven wordt een overdosis orgasmes. Een optocht van dates. Ik miste ongemak, afknappers, vieze luchtjes en vreemde snuiters. Als een tegenwicht voor de immer geslaagde seks. Het verhaal speelt zich af in 2014. De niet nader bij naam genoemde datingapp, iets nieuws. Het filosoferen over het nieuwe digitale leven komt gedateerd over.
Beschrijvingen van kunsttentoonstellingen lijken uit een prospectus te komen. Maaltijden in restaurants worden beschreven zoals de chef ze zou verkopen.
Uit feministisch oogpunt, een geslaagd verhaal De schrijfstijl kon mij niet verleiden. Te beschrijvend, nooit subtiel. Behalve de scène met de potplant het keyboard en de racefiets.
2,5
August 10, 2023
Interesting read, but think it would've worked better as an essay or a short story.
As an exploration of sex, intimacy, marriage, and the way these things exist in 2023 it does a good job. There are no grand revelations or deeply thought-provoking moments but it's at least an opportunity to think about these things. However, as a novel, it falls short. The characters are one-dimensional, I don't think I got to know a single person in this book, not really even our protagonist. The book lacks a narrative (aside from the upcoming exhibition) but even this ends on a moot point and doesn't satisfy. There are no lessons learnt, things realised and changed, or people moved or compelled to any kind of action.
There are sections I found interesting in the moment but they didn't leave me with much to dwell on. I do think the author is a very intelligent woman with a lot to say about the intersection between womanhood, sex and technology, but I don't think they're thoughts best expressed as a novel.
As an exploration of sex, intimacy, marriage, and the way these things exist in 2023 it does a good job. There are no grand revelations or deeply thought-provoking moments but it's at least an opportunity to think about these things. However, as a novel, it falls short. The characters are one-dimensional, I don't think I got to know a single person in this book, not really even our protagonist. The book lacks a narrative (aside from the upcoming exhibition) but even this ends on a moot point and doesn't satisfy. There are no lessons learnt, things realised and changed, or people moved or compelled to any kind of action.
There are sections I found interesting in the moment but they didn't leave me with much to dwell on. I do think the author is a very intelligent woman with a lot to say about the intersection between womanhood, sex and technology, but I don't think they're thoughts best expressed as a novel.
October 1, 2023
Intelligent, gorgeous writing.
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