Jaded: Ela Lee in conversation with Eliza Filby

Join us in welcoming Ela Lee in conversation with Eliza Filby to celebrate the paperback release of her debut, Jaded, a multi-faceted, darkly funny and relatable novel set against the cutthroat world of corporate law. Exploring love, power and identity, Jaded finds a once-successful young woman's life irrevocably changed, sending her down a path of self-revelation and confrontation with the crumbling world she has constructed.

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?

The event will be followed by an audience Q&A and book signing.

Ela Lee was born in 1995 and is a British-Korean-Turkish writer. She grew up in London, studied Law at the University of Oxford and went on to practise as a City lawyer, before turning to writing during the pandemic. Her debut novel, Jaded, has been described as ‘powerful [and] smart’ by the New York Times, and was an Amazon Best Book of 2024. She still lives in London, with her partner and their mini-Aussie Shepherd, Bo.

Dr Eliza Filby is an award winning speaker, broadcaster, and author of Generation Shift: How Generational Evolution is changing the way we think, live and work and the bestselling Inheritocracy: It’s time to talk about the Bank of Mum and Dad. She has written for numerous publications including The Times, the Telegraph, the Guardian, and also regularly appears in the media as a commentator.  She is the author of the popular #majorrelate newsletter on substack and has a monthly column in CityAM where she dissects the latest trends in work.

For tickets or more info please visit Waterstones