Jaded - Ela Lee
Pub. Date: March 19, 2024
She read; he is reading it
The daughter of a Korean mother and Turkish father, Ceyda, known as Jade, spends long hours as an attorney for a London firm that fancies itself pro women and pro diversity. After too much to drink at a firm gala, she wakes up naked with no memory of how she got home. Slowly, she realizes she has been the victim of a sexual attack by a co worker. Struggling to deal with the trauma of the event while balancing career, a boyfriend who seems less than understanding, her traditional parents, and a complicit workplace, her life soon spirals out of control.
This is a skillful debut novel and one I hope will receive a lot of attention. There is much here for reflection and discussion including the treatment of people of color, cultural misunderstandings, cultural identity, racism, consent, the legal system as related to sexual assault, and the misogyny, bias, nepotism and false benevolence of the corporate culture. While difficult topics, they are presented with intelligence, realism, and empathy.
And how beautiful and symbolic is this cover?
Thanks to #netgalley and @simonbooks for the ARC.
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