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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/41801
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I think your instincts are correct. This structure isn't going to work as is. But that doesn't mean you can't build a great novel out of these pieces. I'd suggest one of three paths:

1) **Drop the ending entirely** : Does the book work as a psychological piece about people finding the meaning of their lives? If so, why do you need the ending? It might be important for you, the author, to know that it was all an experiment, but the reader _doesn't necessarily need to know._ I've encountered any number of books and movies that would have been much stronger if someone had just cut off the last chapter or last fifteen minutes.

2) **Forget about making it a surprise** : If the experiment narrative is an important one, don't try to shove it all into the last few pages. Develop it over the course of the book, in parallel to the main narrative. If you still want a twist, maybe you can withhold the information about how the two narratives intersect. For comparison, consider the first episode of _This Is Us_ where we view several seemingly unrelated plotlines, only to see in the last few minutes how they all connect.

3) **Make the ending minimal** : This is kind of a combination of options 1 & 2, and essentially the same as @DPT's answer. Write the story in such a way that the twist ending can be explained in a couple sentences, rather than over the course of an extended chapter. "As John and Mable embraced, Dr. Von Brun turned to his assistant. 'Well, that experiment turned out well.'" FADE TO BLACK

Original score: 4