Most Anticipated and/or Best 2023 Literary Fiction

Created on 10-27-2023

Creator's Notes:
-- Based on dates listed for first USA publication as displayed here or on a bookseller/publisher website
--I enjoy editing -- and often wholly recreating -- new personally ranked list(s) covering annual releases in this category as I learn of more works as the titular year progresses and in years beyond when I have actually fully read and considered many more relevant titles. You may think this worth doing, too, fellow reader. I sometimes get the impression these lists -- IMHO, somewhat unfairly -- preference titles released earlier in the year and am personally of the view that it would be cool if I and/or more users tried to balance that effect in how/when they post/edit rankings like this. Just a thought I presently have -- please don't let me impose requirements on your use of this and other fun lists!

--I think fiction can be both decidedly within a particular genre -- mystery, science fiction, historical, etc. -- and be literary fiction as well based primarily on the ambition and achievement in the form and content of the work. Sometimes I get loose in my own definition of literary fiction and include works that seem particularly meritorious exemplars of genre fiction even if the sort of attention to form and theme characteristic of literary fiction may be relatively lacking. I have fellow readers comments about some of my more questionable choices for inclusion instructive and will try to be a little stricter about basis for categorization as literary fiction. Thanks for your feedback!