Even Though I Knew the End

This book manages to cram an incredible amount of story into a very short space--and it does it well! It's taking liberties with some emotional shorthand, but that's absolutely fine given the end result. This is a story that either had to fit into the space it was given or be allowed to sprawl over 600+ pages. The world building is intriguing, the characters are interesting, and the story gets told.

My only regret is that I want more. I wasn't left wondering about loose ends with regards to the story that we were given, but there's definitely room to keep going should the author desire that. Though some may feel the story ended exactly where it should have--and that's valid too.

Nothing is wasted here. Little details that enrich the environment of the characters are used, called back, or relevant. Each interaction has meaning. Most of the characters have value. It manages to squeeze in biting commentary on how America has historically treated women and the LGBT+ community. "Chicago had loved us once ... But the cops cracked down on the pansy clubs in 1935, and these days, Chicago didn't love our kind at all." Dang!

All this while not losing the thread of the story nor failing to get us invested in its characters? It was as impressive to read as it was enjoyable.

An enjoyable 40s-set noir that mixes the hardboiled detective trope with a sprinkling of the supernatural.

3,5

A novella about a private eye in 1940's Chicago. This era of book rarely works for me, so my lack of love could be that, particularly the lingo. There's a mystery, a queer romance, a deal with a devil, and a complicated sibling relationship - so this should have worked for me, but at the end of the day I felt very blasé around all of it. The angels and demons were my favorite part, but I didn't get as much of them as I would have liked. Ultimately, I feel that this book was just fine and I wish I could have loved it as much as the reviewers I follow.

I liked a lot better than expected. I was expecting to be confused by the fantasy/noir setting. I don't know much about noir so I wasn't really sure what to expect .

This was such a fun, beautiful and heartfelt story and I loved every minute of it.

A sapphic historical fantasy that reminded me of one of my favourite shows Supernatural? I devoured this.

I'm actually sad that this was a novella and not a fully fledged book because I would've loved to continue to venture into the world building of this book.

I immediately fell in love with Helen and Edith and I wanted more of them because I found them so special and endearing.

I am definitely going to need to pick up this author's other works.

A quick little novella that reminded me of American Gods and Good Omens. Good world-building. Not 100% sure why it won / was up for so many awards, but to each their own.

A little preachy on the LGBTQ+ stuff. But maybe that is just me wanting queer relationships to just be okay and not to have to be told as a reader that it is okay. Maybe I am thinking about this wrong, but it just frustrates me. That said, it was nice to see queer love celebrated front and center and not in a trauma-centric way. Also does NOT commit the "bury your gays" trope, so that is refreshing.

Really a 3.5, but rounding up for queer representation.

I don't know if it was because I just came off another romance-focused book that didn't quite satisfy, but I kinda enjoyed this one, despite the chaotic energy. It's a novella that may actually have been served better if it had been a full-length novel. There's so much of this world to explore here, but Polk only dips in and explains just enough for us to get the gist.

Helen is a warlock. I'm not sure if it was explained or if I missed it, but warlocks seem to be magic-doers who gravitate more towards demonic arts and therefore shunned by the Church. She takes on a job by her patron, Marlowe, who also happens to be a demon, to hunt down a serial killer, the White City Vampire. She initially wants to reject the job, but Marlowe dangles a carrot that Helen cannot resist - she'll return her soul if she successfully tracks the Vampire down.

We also meet Helen's partner, Edith, who is harbouring a secret of her own, as well as Helen's estranged brother, Theodore aka Teddy, part of the religious order who shuns Helen and her kind.

Helen and Edith were really sweet, but I did kinda wish we saw more of their origins. At the beginning of the book, they were already an established item. As it was, though, I was at least somewhat invested in them, but I also wished we saw how they built up their chemistry together, instead of simply being told about how in love they already were.

I also wished we saw more of Teddy and the relationship between him and Helen. Without divulging any spoilers, they have a lot of water under that bridge, we only really see a snapshot of their relationship in this book. The rapport between them was sweet though and I appreciate that Helen wasn't solely focused on a romantic partner in the whole book, that she was equally willing to risk her life for her brother as well.

As I said, the world was pretty fascinating. From the angels and demons that we meet, to the “magic system” as it were. I was also pretty interested to know more about this angel-hosting business which we saw a glimpse of with Matilda in the asylum. I wish more was explored there!

So overall, there's a theme to my review here: I wish this book was longer, and I wouldn't even mind a longer sequel. It was a great time.

This book started off really fast, explaining lots of worldbuilding and using lots of new words. I didn't love that and I think it turns people off especially because it's only such a short novel where I don't usually encounter these problems. I have never felt like a short novel like this was going too fast but for this one, I did feel that. 

However, after a couple more chapters I did get into the story and I think Helen's love for Edith is very well written. It is very clear from the beginning that this is a very deep love that has developed over a long time and it didn't feel fake or forced at all. In the last few chapters I thought I wasn't going to cry but then it crept up on me anyways. Loved the ending very much. 

3 stars for the story, 4 stars for the writing. Polk definitely captured the feel of mid 20th century noir, and the world-building was impressive for a novella, but Helen wasn't a very good P.I. Most of the plot momentum took place when other people/beings gave her information, instead of Helen sleuthing it out on her own.

“She had the biggest heart, a tiny bit bruised and full of love. How she wound up with me, I'll never know, but she'd made the last two years an unending song”

An enticing book from start to finish. Even Though I Knew the End is a romantic fantasy noir novella that melds all those genres perfectly. Polk writes in the first person bringing Helen to life and giving the reader a wonderfully painted portrait of a bloomed romance.

I've been making my way through the Nebula finalists and much like the other ones I've read so far, this seems very deserving of a finalist status for the Novella category.

C.L. Polk's lovely Even Though I Knew the End is a beautiful way to spend the afternoon. To describe, Even Though I Knew the End, you take one part supernatural thriller, one part hard-boiled same-spade detective story, and one part queer romance dash in a bit of the late 1930s-1940s in Chicago, and you have it.

“I never told her how she had saved me. I never told her how she became the dearest friend I'd ever had. I told her I loved her, but never enough. My Edith of the sparrows. My heart. My world.”

The main protagonist is an “exiled augur, Helen, who sold her soul to save her brother's life and is offered one last job before serving an eternity in hell.” Because of her choice, she lost everything. Now, she makes ends meet by working various investigative jobs that require her unique skill set. She has found true love in Edith, who softens Helen's rough edges. They fit together like a matched pair. It is charming and authentic, and I loved every moment of it.

The great thing about this story is that Polk has left it open for more books. This book and these stories are not enough for one helping; Polk needs to bring them out again and again.

I wish this was longer. I really would have felt more attached and the stakes would have felt higher and more real. That being said, despite what a cluster this seemed at times, I really enjoyed this novella.

Many thanks to Libro.fm and the publisher for the audio!

This story just grabbed me and didn't let go. I loved the blend of fantasy and noir, the period details and dialogue were well done and very enjoyable. Add in the flawless January LaVoy to narrate? Sold.

I've only read The Midnight Bargain by the author before and I've always wanted to read her Kingston cycle trilogy but haven't managed that yet. However, when I saw this sapphic novella announcement from Tor and then looked at the gorgeous cover, I knew I had to read it. I also managed to get an audiobook of it early, and I had a very enjoyable couple of hours listening to it.

I adored January Levoy's narration and couldn't stop once I started. This is a very intense story right from the get go and because of the short nature of the book as well as the deadline in the plot for our main character, it moves pretty fast without much breathing room. We get enough world building context to make sense of what's happening and nothing more. But I did think it made for a fun little story which had a lot of elements and author does a seamless job integrating them all - serial murder investigation, deals with the devil, fallen angels and their desire to go back to heaven, and all of this set in a world where queer couples are ostracized and sapphic women can find themselves forced in an asylum for conversion therapy.

Ultimately though, this is a story of love. Yes, our protagonist's love for her sibling might have kicked off her journey on this path, but the bond she shares with the love of her life is beautiful and full of yearning and even though we never see them fall in love in the book, every word is full of the love that Helena and Edith feel for each other and what they will do to be together. This is a story of fierce woman and their courage in loving each other when the world doesn't let them; and carve out a corner of the world where they can be happy. Definitely pick this book up if you wanna indulge in some sapphic goodness for a few hours.