As the two-faced god Janus leads us into another year, it’s time for the annual addendum to my list of The 105 Best Philosophical Novels. This year’s rankings are based on curated lists from The New York Times, The Guardian, Publishers Weekly and more, suggestions from readers on Goodreads, and ratings on Goodreads and Amazon. After running the numbers, these four novels stood out as the best philosophical fiction of 2025.
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4. Katabasis by R.F. Kuang
When her magical professor dies in an accident that could be her fault, Alice Law follows him into Hell, determined to use his influence to save her future. Amazon and The New York Times named Kuang’s blend of dark academia fantasy and Dante’s Inferno one of the best books of the year.
3. Isola by Allegra Goodman
A once-privileged orphaned heiress is forced to fight for her survival after she is abandoned on a desert island in this feminist re-imagination of a real sixteenth-century heroine. Isola was a Goodreads Choice Award finalist in historical fiction, and The New York Times listed it as one of the top books of 2025.
2. Heart the Lover by Lily King
A college love triangle bound by friendship and intellectual ambition resurfaces years after graduation, forcing the three characters to confront their past decisions. King’s decades-spanning ode to literature, forgiveness and the choices that shape lives was named one of the best books of the year by Amazon, The Guardian and The New York Times.
1. My Friends by Fredrik Backman
An aspiring artist seeks to uncover the story behind a famous painting that depicts the dedicated friendship between four teenagers with difficult home lives. Backman’s testament to the power of companionship and creativity won the Goodreads Choice Award for fiction.