This was really interesting book about jade. Her parents were immigrants.Her mother was from Korea.Her father was from turkey. They met when the mother was a young girl in london from seoul korea and she fell for this man from turkey who was also an immigrant. They tried to build a life together because she became pregnant with jade. It had a lot of hardships but they always stuck by themselves and they tried to get their daughter.Everything she wanted.Her mother used to make her special foods and stuff like that. Jade was working in a fancy lawyer office. S a lawyer. She had a boyfriend named kit who came from a very wealthy background. His parents were not very happily.Married and got divorced because his father had a second family. Kid had a lot of trust issues too. Jade was trying to fit in with this new upwards in mobile society and she found it sometimes difficult to navigate. She went to a fancy party on her lawyer firm. Things started to go south from that point on. Jade ended up being taken advantage because she was drunk.And this guy took her home named josh. She couldn't recall the night because she was blocked out and she did not know what to tell kip. Eventually she told him but was a sore subject in their relationship. She tried.
To get over it with her friends and stuff and went home for a while. She moved in with kit but this wasn't a really good idea because they had a lot of issues to air out. They talked about the rape and this book.It was interesting how everybody looked at it differently. Especially like the mother's take on it. Because she knew what happened in Korea when the Japanese took advantage of these woman. I think it's a really good book for women to see how it's such a struggle to be in a man's world. Everybody everybody, she thought was her friends.Ome of them turned against her. It has a very different type of ending and I think you're like it

Jaded
By Ela Lee

Jade is a young lawyer in London, in a long term relationship with Kit. She is of Korean-Turkish extraction. Her story is multi-faceted.

This is a book about a woman trying to "make it" in a man's world. But it is much more than that: it is about racial bias, both covert and overt; it is about rape and its consequences for the victim, the perpetrator, and others in their lives; it is about gender identity. Ultimately it is about love, family, friendship, loyalty and betrayal.

Obviously, Ms. Lee has much to say here. It is depressing to think that society has not made the strides in the areas of racism and sexism which we like to think we have made. The author has pulled back the curtain and shown us just how much further we have to go.

Such a heartbreaking but beautiful story of trauma and the healing that took place afterwards. In the process of the healing, Ceyda found herself. Written with so much truth it felt like nonfiction. It is difficult to read in spots, especially if you have been a victim of sexual assault and/or racism. It explores office politics with the normalization of unwanted sexual behavior and how the "system" is so frustrating for victims.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for my ARC!
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Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the copy! Ela Lee delivers a painstaking, profound debut with a sheer excellence in both narrative and thematic complexity. Jaded outstretches to many social aspects through its protagonist, Jade (Ceyda): surviving sexual assault, enduring workplace retaliation after reporting, operating in coexistence with guilt as the child of immigrant parents, and essentially the dissolution of her entire life, once treasured in earnest and adorned by its togetherness, but thereupon ruptured one revelation at a time.

Living as a survivor of sexual assault is a particular, inexplicable agony — one that hollows out the body into some deep well, where the pangs echo through this chasm and never seem to end. There's a certain intricacy in the experience of not recognizing what happened to our bodies until much after, which I fear is something that many survivors have had to (or perhaps even not yet) come to terms with. That said, I thought Lee depicted this experience with grace and accuracy. From the moment it happens, Ceyda's body and mind know that something deeply wrong has happened to her, even when her memory of the night eludes her. What unfolds upon her realization is nothing short of infuriating, reprehensible, and yet all too common in our current society.

I want to point out specifically the social significance and moral decline in the character of Kit. There are truly horrendous people who are aggressors, abusers, and rapists, but our scope of disgust should extend to those who stand by and defend them. What allows these assailants to continue their terror are those who enable them — men (and women as well) who hide behind the exterior of "good guys" and self-proclaimed "feminists" are often those apologists that tee these perpetrators up. Lee exhibited this perfectly: a boyfriend who upon learning of his girlfriend's rape can only see her as ruined, a man who inevitably centralizes himself inside a woman's suffering, an abuser apologist who believes they know the abuser better than the victim.

Typically when a book tackles a variety of issues, the writing can come off as weakened / unfleshed out in some areas and consequently seem like the writer bit off more than they could chew. Lee, however, has an evident understanding of how to conjoin complex storylines without compromising the raw emotion in the narrative and the depth of each character. With our protagonist's family background for example, I really loved how Lee illustrated the dynamics between Ceyda's parents as a couple as well as the differing relationships that each of them have with her. With her mother being Korean and her father Egyptian, Lee hashes out the cultural contrast in how each parent approaches their relationship with Ceyda as their daughter while illuminating their individual histories as immigrants.

Overall, what an incredible debut. Ela Lee is sure to be a rising star in the literary world and we're lucky to hear what she has to say.

What a great book! I’m always looking for books that do a good job of detailing the experiences of immigrating to America, whether in the past or present, and this is one I’d recommend. There’s a lot of trauma addressed here so reader know yourself.

I really enjoyed this one! Super thought provoking, with a prose that will suck you right in. I really, really enjoyed this and now need more from this author.

4.5, but worthy of being rounded up. Ceyda, who has taken to calling herself Jade for the ease of the British people around her, is a Korean-Turkish-Brit living in London and working at a high profile law firm. We get to follow her as she navigates through worlds that were not built for her. Weather it is her demanding job, her unsympathetic boyfriend, her parents who lover her but don't understand her life, or the book's inciting incident, we see Ceyda's spirit and growth as she deals with the world she inhabits. Definitely read the trigger warnings first, but if you are up for, this book has a lot to say and has a beautiful new voice saying it.

Highly recommended for fans of The Boys Club.

Thank you to the author, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the ARC.

A powerful and thought provoking novel that plunges into the complexities of consent, identity and resilience in a broken society. The story explores race, power, and sexism in the corporate world.
Many thanks to Simon & Schuster and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Jaded is a coming to age story that everyone needs to read. It has many heavy themes like sexual assault, racism, sexism, and how the main character deals with power dynamics in each of these matters.

The protagonist, Jade has always done the right thing and sought out the right opportunities. Along with being a dutiful daughter to her immigrant parents and a loving girlfriend to her rich, proper boyfriend, she is also a successful and industrious corporate lawyer who works nonstop hours at her prestigious law firm. After a company work party, she wakes up naked, with a killer hangover and complete confusion about how she got home. As the weeks go on, she encounters nightmares and flashes of obscurity from that evening. After some office politics conversations, and rumors, she discovers she was sexually assaulted by a trusting colleague.

The struggle of this story and Jade was immense, as it is anytime with sexual assault. She finds herself unreliable, and continues to battle herself, others around her, and the system just to be seen and heard. In this story, the lines are blurred, and the story and confusion have many nuances.

Lee does an incredible job in this area where there is no certainty. MOST sexual assault cases do have no guarantees for any victim, either in healing or justice. Her social commentary of how we deal with sexual assault as a society (in the US and the UK) is absolutely infuriating., but it’s true, we often tamper the victim’s voice in order to suffice everyone else—like Jade finding herself having to assure and support her loved ones after hearing the news of HER sexual assault.

What I loved most was Jade’s absolute need to have a voice for herself and her struggle to find a more authentic self. I find a lot of hope in her need to be seen and heard. This was a very special book!

Jaded by Ela Lee
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Jaded is an emotional and honest account of the realities women face when reporting rape and the trauma that comes with this. It is shocking to witness the judgment that can occur when reporting a rape, not only from strangers but also from loved ones.

This book is so well written and is such a powerful story. It is rare to find a book that tackles multiple difficult topics and does it so well.

I look forward to reading future books by Ela Lee.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

AMAZING. Was up until nearly 5am reading this, Such a timely story, Lots of trigger warnings but a great read for those that can safely handle the content.

Gripping, haunting, and incredibly real. There is so much in this book--the pain and betrayal of sexual assault, the microaggressions--reading it is like holding onto a piece of someone's soul. It feels like walking a mile in the shoes of someone who's been there.

Thank you Simon & Schuster for allowing me to read and review Jaded on NetGalley.

Published: 03/19/24

Stars: 4

Tough one. This story is a never-ending thinker: a young lady who is educated, oriental, and an attorney is raped. The book is centered around cultural beliefs. She is in this alone. Her mother won't speak of such things. She can't quit her job and bring shame on her father.

The story is beautifully written. It is so well done and I found it respectful. My heart broke for her.

I'm left exhausted mentally. A lot of women are raped, and facing the trauma as well as the stigma alone is gut-wrenching.

This is for adult readers. It's smart. So worth the time reading, and after reading I'm still thinking about it. There is some profanity.

This book is fantastic. Definitely one of my top reads of the year so far! The content matter is heavy and often times I had to take a step back but that just attests to the importance and power behind these words.

This book deals with sexual assault and racism so trigger warnings are important to look up if needed.

I will definitely be thinking about this one for a while. The story was raw and one of the most realistic portrayals of assault that I’ve read. The ending was perfect and powerful and answered so many of my thoughts and feelings that I felt throughout.

A wonderful debut! This was a very tough read. You know when a book makes you feel everything? That’s what this book was.

Jade’s story, unfortunately, is not a new one. The way this author presented it, made me feel all the anxiety and the grief that Jade was going through after her sexual assault and the repercussions it had on her life, relationships and career.

TW: Rape

This was a powerful read. I commend the author for speaking up about her trauma. Rape is not an easy thing to talk about but I admire Jade for using her voice to bring awareness of just how much the trauma can seep into every aspect of your life, including the relationships with those closest to you. This book was raw and heartbreaking. I truly felt for the author the entire time. I wish the author the best in her journey to healing and thank her again for sharing her story.

This book is heartbreaking. It’s too familiar and too close to reality. A reality women all over know. The balancing act we play between being offended and laughing it off or making a seen. How women are often punished for the man’s wandering hand. Women have to make the choice between safety and career. The places we are supposed to find peace, comfort and safety are rarely those. Constantly having are guards up. For Jade it is doubly exhausting since she also juggles the racist comments from “friends”. Trying to find her place in between her parent’s heritage and Americas, being a first generation.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Jaded by Ela Lee.

First off, trigger warning, this book has fairly graphic depictions of SA.

Jade is a young, successful lawyer in a loving relationship, she's at the top of her game. But after the night of a gala, her world is turned on it's axis when she wakes up undressed, alone, and in pain. What happened the night, and is there any way to prove it?

This is a story that probably way too many women can tell, a story about sexual assault, race, sexism, and how far people will go to protect the assaulter. It's full of rage, softness, humor, and frustrating injustice. However, the author will take care of you throughout, making this a very worthy read.

In Jaded, Ela Lee weaves a compelling narrative that delves into the complexities of consent, power dynamics, race, sexism, and identity within a broken society. The novel follows Jade, a young lawyer who seemingly has it all: success, a loving family, and a devoted boyfriend. But her carefully constructed world shatters when she wakes up after a work event, disoriented and with no memory of how she got home.

As Jade grapples with the aftermath, she faces conflicting pressures—from her parents who struggle to understand, her betrayed boyfriend, and a job that demands silence. Ela Lee masterfully explores the gray areas between complicity and compromise, exposing the high cost of survival in cutthroat corporate environments.

The writing is sharp, the pacing relentless, and the themes resonate deeply. Lee’s portrayal of Jade’s internal struggle is both raw and darkly funny. Readers will find themselves questioning societal norms and rooting for Jade as she navigates a world where justice hangs in the balance.

“They could have brought in experts, designed to find solutions for this viral epidemic of men thinking women existed for their taking.
They could have.
They could have.
They could have.
But they hadn’t.”

I will let you judge my feelings based on these two things..
1. I read this in a day
2. As a woman I am PISSED

This book is heavy. And also very eye opening. I know what the feeling and look of sexual harassment is from a woman’s perspective. But a man’s reaction via the woman? Genius and..wow..so much more annoying and ridiculous than I could have even imagined. How a partner can make an assault that happened to YOU about THEM!! Ugh.

“How can something I don’t properly remember hurt this much?” 💔

This is a tough read but an important one. I feel like this should be high school required reading so that everyone understands that this happens, how it happens, why it happens, and why it NEVER should.

Thank you so much @SimonBooks #SimonBooksBuddy #FreeGift and thanks to the author also.