Ela Lee
Ela Lee | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1995[1] |
| Alma mater | |
| Years active | 2022–present |
| Website | www |
Ela Lee (born 1995) is a British author and former litigation lawyer. She is known for her debut novel Jaded (2024). In 2025, Lee was named a Forbes 30 Under 30.[2]
Early life
[edit]Lee was born to a Turkish father and a Korean mother who had moved to England in their 20s and 30s respectively[3][4] and grew up in South London. At age nine, she became a British citizen.[5][6] She graduated from the University of Oxford.[7]
Career
[edit]Before becoming a writer, Lee began her career working as a litigator.[8]
In 2022, Lee secured a two-book deal with Harvill Secker.[9] Her debut novel Jaded was published in 2024 to a positive critical reception.[10][11] Written during the COVID-19 lockdowns,[12] the novel is loosely based on her own experiences, with the lead character Jade (Ceyda) Kaya (Kayaoğlu) being a City lawyer of Korean and Turkish descent, as well as the experiences of her friends and colleagues in the workplace.[13][14] Jaded was shortlisted for Amazon Books UK's Fiction Book of the Year.[15]
In 2024, Lee was working on her second novel.[16] Lee reunited with Harvill Secker for the publication of her second novel Minbak in 2026.[17] The novel charts dual timelines between 1985 Incheon and post-2008 financial crash London.[18]
Personal life
[edit]Lee has a husband.[19]
Bibliography
[edit]- Jaded. London: Harvill Secker. 2024.
- Minbak (2026)
References
[edit]- ↑ Hardaker, Alice (18 June 2024). "Ela Lee". Primadonna Festival. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ↑ "Ela Lee". Forbes. Retrieved 6 June 2025.
- ↑ Andrews, Crystal (8 February 2024). "Author Ela Lee on Why We Can't Ignore Race & Class When We Talk About Assault". Z Feed. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ↑ Silvers, Isabella (1 July 2024). "Ela Lee: "Being mixed-race is the beating heart of my identity"". Mixed Messages. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ↑ Lee, Ela. "Writing the Books I Needed When I Was Little". The Halfie Project. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ↑ Lee, Ela (20 March 2024). "Colorism, Code-Switching, and Shapeshifting: Readings on Biracial Identity". Literary Hub. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ↑ "Debut Authors Panel: Ela Lee & Hanako Footman in conversation with Ella King". Waterstones. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ↑ DeMarco-Barrett, Barbara; Stone, Marrie (6 May 2024). "Ela Lee, author of "Jaded"". Writers on Writing. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ↑ Brown, Lauren (9 March 2022). "Harvill Secker pre-empts 'powerful' Lee debut in six-figure deal". The Bookseller. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ↑ Goodman, Allegra (16 March 2024). "Book Review: 'Jaded,' by Ela Lee". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ↑ Jha, Ilina (23 February 2024). "Book Review: Jaded by Ela Lee". Redbrick. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ↑ Stiff, Ellie (11 March 2024). "London Feminist Book Club X Jaded by Ela Lee". Strand Magazine. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ↑ "An interview with Ela Lee about her debut novel, Jaded". Penguin Books. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ↑ Ketcher, Eliza (22 March 2024). "Author Ela Lee: 'We need to take blackout sex more seriously'". The Independent. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
- ↑ "Amazon Books announces You Are Here as the 2024 'Best Book of the Year'". About Amazon. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
- ↑ Adam (29 May 2024). "Author Ela Lee Delves into Identity, Power, and Consent in Debut Novel Jaded". Debutiful. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
- ↑ Bailey, Cassidy (6 October 2024). "Harvill sweeps up Ela Lee's 'heartbreaking' cross-generational novel Minbak". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
- ↑ Jefferys, Kaitlin (13 April 2026). "Book Review: Minbak by Ela Lee". Voice. Retrieved 19 June 2026.
- ↑ Nichols, Claire (4 February 2024). "Program: Hisham Matar and Ela Lee on the friendships that save you". ABC Listen. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
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