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  • Published: 24 June 2025
  • ISBN: 9781529933635
  • Imprint: Vintage
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $24.99

Jaded




For fans of Queenie, The List and I May Destroy You, this razor sharp debut novel will capture your heart, make you laugh and sob, and will leave you asking yourself: what would you have done in Jade’s situation?

For fans of The List, Prima Facie, Queenie and I May Destroy You, discover the debut novel that readers describe as a timely, must-read novel.

‘Jade isn't even my real name. Jade began as my Starbucks name, because all children of immigrants have a Starbucks name.'

Jade has become everything she ever wanted to be.

Successful lawyer. Dutiful daughter. Beloved girlfriend. Loyal friend.

Until one night, something terrible happens after a work event, and she starts to wonder if she really wants to be the person she’s become.

She’s learned to laugh when she’s felt like crying, opted to be invisible when she wanted to speak up and changed her identity to please people. But now Jade has to make a decision for herself. The question is, which is the right one?

This searing novel explores the strength we find in female friendship, the hope that lights up the dark moments and recovery that’s far from linear, and will leave you asking yourself: what would you have done in Jade’s situation?

  • Published: 24 June 2025
  • ISBN: 9781529933635
  • Imprint: Vintage
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 384
  • RRP: $24.99

About the author

Ela Lee

Ela Lee was born in 1995 and is a British-Korean-Turkish writer. She studied Law at the University of Oxford and went on to practise as a City lawyer. In 2021, during the global pandemic, Ela began work on her debut novel, JADED, which explores themes of consent, race, and identity. She lives in London, with her partner and their mini Aussie Shepherd.

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Article
An interview with Ela Lee about her debut novel, Jaded

We caught up with debut author Ela Lee to learn about how she made time for writing while working full-time, her ‘big break’ into publishing and more.