2013...It's going to be a goodun

I know it's mid-January and potentially a bit late for the whole 'yay, it's 2013' deal but there we go, I've never been one to stick to convention. I, myself, am very excited for this year because there are some new releases that I cannot imagine would be anything but exceptionally good reads. In general I think this year will have quite a buzz to it, what with the various anniversaries, like the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice in January and the 50th anniversary of Sylvia Plath's death in February. Also the anniversary of the birth of Albert Camus, the death of Aldous Huxley and the assassination of JFK. Blimey. That's one heck of a year. Along with World Book Night in April, the first Women's Prize for Fiction (woohoo, we love women!) in June and Granta's Best of Young British Novelists 4 issue in April, I don't know how the literary world will cope. 

So, to books. I don't have a long list, just a few that have really stuck out purely because of the authors.

Life After Life by Kate Atkinson
I've always loved Kate Atkinson, both her Brodie and non-Brodie novels. This is a non-Brodie and sounds terribly interesting. Alternative realities, death, life then death again and it's set in 1910...what's not to love?

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
I don't think I need to say anything about this, particularly if you've read either The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns.

Last Friends by Jane Gardam
The third in a very clever trilogy, this novel tells the same story as Old Filth and The Man with the Wooden Hat from the final character's point of view. 

New Bridget Jones by Helen Fielding
Apparently, Bridget is at a different phase in her life. Can't wait to find out what phase. Motherhood, menopause? Likely to be just as funny as the other two.

Untitled Bond by William Boyd
Boyd is the latest to try his hand at writing a James Bond novel. No details have been released as yet but that pretty much just adds to the Bond mystery. I like Boyd's writing though so I'm sure it will be worth the suspense.

For me though, the highlight of this year will be a film I have been eagerly and somewhat desperately awaiting ever since it was announced. They have pushed the release date back and back and back but seem to have finally settled on the 17th May. Yes, of course I'm talking about The Great Gatsby, directed by the absolute babe that is Baz Luhrmann. Hello, Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan in the best roles ever. Ever. Yum and yum.

Anyone else overly excited for anything specific this year?

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