8 Best Books With Multiple Endings In 2025

In the ever-evolving world of literature, books with multiple endings offer an unparalleled reading experience that challenges conventional storytelling. These innovative narratives empower readers to explore different outcomes, question fate, and immerse themselves in alternative realities. Whether it’s through choose-your-own-adventure structures or subtly varied conclusions, these books redefine the relationship between author, story, and reader. Below is a list of 8 best books with multiple endings in 2025.

1. Life After Life by Kate Atkinson

In Life After Life, Kate Atkinson crafts a stunningly intricate novel where the protagonist, Ursula Todd, dies and is reborn again and again. Each life plays out differently, impacted by minor decisions and uncontrollable events. Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century Europe, the novel explores themes of fate, resilience, and moral responsibility. The multiple narrative threads allow readers to witness contrasting outcomes—from ordinary domesticity to heroic wartime bravery. Atkinson’s prose is both elegant and thought-provoking, making Life After Life a profound meditation on the idea of second chances and the interconnectedness of every moment and decision in life.

2. Only Revolutions by Mark Z. Danielewski

Mark Z. Danielewski’s Only Revolutions is an experimental novel featuring two protagonists—Sam and Hailey—whose narratives must be read from opposite ends of the book, meeting in the middle. This nonlinear structure creates dual perspectives and a looping effect, with readers choosing where to begin and how to interpret the narrative convergence. Each reading path reveals new insights and can result in entirely different emotional and philosophical takeaways. Danielewski’s intricate formatting and poetic prose make this an ambitious and deeply personal book where the ending shifts with each reading experience.

3. The French Lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles

John Fowles' The French Lieutenant’s Woman is a metafictional masterpiece that offers three different endings. Set in Victorian England, it follows the story of Charles Smithson and Sarah Woodruff in a complex dance of societal expectations and personal desire. What sets it apart is Fowles’ narrative intervention—he steps into the text to present multiple outcomes, inviting the reader to question determinism and authorial authority. The novel is both a compelling romance and a philosophical exploration of freedom and morality. With its layered storytelling and postmodern structure, this book challenges readers to consider whether any ending can truly be definitive.

4. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

House of Leaves is a postmodern horror novel that challenges readers with its complex narrative layers and typographical experimentation. The central story is about a family discovering that their house is bigger on the inside than the outside. Surrounding this are layers of commentary and footnotes by unreliable narrators, including a troubled tattoo artist and an academic editor. Depending on how deeply readers dive into these annotations and whose perspective they trust, they may interpret different endings or meanings. The story’s conclusion remains open-ended, haunting, and deeply unsettling, making House of Leaves a literary puzzle with multiple possible resolutions.

5. The Unfortunates by B.S. Johnson

The Unfortunates is a groundbreaking experimental novel composed of 27 unbound chapters in a box, which the reader is instructed to shuffle and read in any order (except the first and last). B.S. Johnson uses this form to reflect the randomness of memory, especially in the context of grief. The book recounts the narrator’s visit to a city that evokes memories of a friend lost to cancer. Its structure results in countless narrative permutations, offering a new experience with each read. The novel’s emotional core remains intact, but the varied sequences mimic the way memory and trauma truly unfold—unpredictably.

6. Meanwhile by Jason Shiga

The book follows a boy named Jimmy who must make choices involving time travel, mind-reading, and doomsday devices. Tabs and tubes guide readers through a branching labyrinth of possibilities, making the reading experience interactive and mentally engaging. Each path leads to dramatically different outcomes, many of which explore philosophical questions about ethics, logic, and free will. Shiga combines sharp storytelling with intricate puzzle design, creating a unique reading experience that is as entertaining as it is intellectually stimulating. No two readings are alike.

7. The Raw Shark Texts by Steven Hall

Steven Hall’s The Raw Shark Texts is a genre-defying novel that blends psychological thriller, romance, and metaphysical science fiction. The book contains hidden codes, typographical experiments, and conceptual creatures—along with multiple interpretations and potential endings. Some editions include fragments and alternate versions that readers can piece together for different conclusions. Hall's work is a literary puzzle box that rewards curiosity, making it an exemplary addition to the list of books with layered, multiple endings.

8. The Red Tree by Shaun Tan

Shaun Tan’s The Red Tree is an illustrated journey through the emotions of a girl facing a dark and disorienting world. While not offering multiple endings in a traditional sense, its ambiguous and highly interpretive conclusion functions as such. The final image—a glowing red tree—can represent hope, renewal, or illusion, depending on the reader's perspective. Each page is a standalone metaphor, resonating with feelings of despair, confusion, and eventual light. Tan’s haunting artwork and minimal text encourage reflection and emotional engagement. Readers bring their own meaning to the ending, making it a deeply personal and variable reading experience.

Final Thoughts

From literary experiments to graphic puzzles, each title offers a unique way to explore the art of storytelling. Whether you’re a fan of postmodern fiction, philosophical inquiry, or just looking for something different, these books with multiple endings will expand your mind and leave you questioning not just the story—but your role in shaping it.