Even Though I Knew the End

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.

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 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.