I throughly enjoyed this short, but impactful story, so much so, that I bought a physical copy for my personal library.

I really enjoyed this short novel. I hope that maybe we will see more from this world and character!

It’s paced well, giving just enough of this world without bogging down into unnecessary detail, with very monochrome shrouded-in-cigarette-smoke feel, it reads easily. And even if you can guess where it’s headed pretty early on, it doesn’t detract from overall enjoyment.

It's a good historical fantasy with a great paranormal twist and sapphic romance. C.L. Polk writes a compact story with great worldbuilding. It was a fun read in the moment but not entirely memorable.

Wow. This novella was able to pack so much into such a short amount of space. The world was so intricate, I wished we could've delved deeper and explore more. The story was amazing and didn't need anything extra, but the idea of more stories set in this world, a novel that could explore more would be mind blowing.

3.5 stars

This was an interesting noir style mystery with a Sapphic twist. I enjoyed the writing in this one and watching the mystery unfold. The characters were fun to read about although not especially memorable. I would recommend this if you like cosy mysteries and are wanting to try something with a fun magical twist!

This book broke my heart in all the best ways. As the title says, even though you knew at the end, the author manages to give you hope then beautifully crushes that hope by the end of this beautifully written novel. This is my first time reading Polk but it will not be my last. This book would be great for fans of This Is How You Lose the Time War.

thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan-Tor/Forge for the e-ARC.

"bittersweet time travelling sapphics going against the laws of the universe to stay together" is my new favorite trope.

Absolutely adored this noir fantasy novella - immersive, enchanting, atmospheric, heartwrenching. A delightful few hours.

This is the perfect mix of queer lit, fantasy, and film noir mystery. It’s tragic and beautiful. A must read.

I just love C.L. Polk. I think they are one of the most inventive SFF writers working today and I would read their grocery list. I have a hard time with novellas in general because I find they often leave me wanting more (that I'm NEVER GONNA GET) and/or they feel half-fleshed. I admit I did struggle with tracking the beginning of this one. It is a historical fantasy set in Chicago in the 1920s but with magic and intersections with biblical beings (angels, demons, etc.) It is sapphic and Elena and Edith were a beautiful couple to follow as they went through family drama, a crossroads deal, and a fight for a soul. With a beautiful, dramatic, and ultimately (in my mind) hopeful ending, this was just another fabulous piece of writing from Polk.

This was a very enjoyable novella. CL Polk really created a great period atmosphere and I enjoyed the characters. I don't always enjoy romances but this sapphic romance was done so beautifully and I really cared about the characters and their relationship.

So this is basically a lesbian noir fantasy with a serial killer. It's a very moody story to the perfect read for Fall. We’re following Helen and she is a mystic private eye living in 1930s Chicago. In the past, she did something desperate and her time is running out before she has to pay so she spends her final weekend with her girlfriend but one last very dangerous job drops into her lap. This one is full of secret societies, magic, and angels and demons.

I did not know the end, unlike the title of this book, and that was a good thing! It was a very unique and interesting world to inhabit, with some sadness but also joy in that in happened.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me free access to the digital advanced copy of this book.

I was absolutely OBSESSED with this book, queer noir fantasy was not something I thought that I needed in my life, but I wish this was a series because the layers of what could have been in this story run DEEP

A delightfully atmospheric sapphic historical fantasy. However, while I was interested in the story, it kind of felt like I was just watching things happen and never felt fully invested nor understood the world building.

Noir set in the 40s with a queer romance at the heart, featuring a DETECTIVE warlock?!?! What!!! I saw this and immediately hit the request button, and my biggest regret is that I didn't have a working Kindle for a bit and wasn't able to read it sooner. I LOVED THIS and will be buying a physical copy ASAP!!

This one ended up being shorter than I thought it was, but no less great. I didn’t realize it was a novella until I started listening to the audiobook, which ultimately shows how much I pay attention.

Even Though I Knew the End is the story of Helen, who is a warlock in 1940s Chicago. Once upon a time she made a deal, and that deal is about to come to its term, when suddenly someone says they can change the terms, if only Helen will do them the big favor of finding out who is roaming around Chicago killing people. The shenanigans start here and they don’t stop.

First of all, I really liked how Helen and Edith were in an established relationship already here. I do love a romance novel where we get to see the lovers fall for each other, but there is something to be said about having the lovers already in a relationship and having the shenanigans going on while supporting each other.

This was a lovely novella, well written and certainly engaging enough that I listened to it in one afternoon and enjoyed every bit of it. January LaVoy did a fantastic job with the narration, and made it so hard to put this one down. Luckily, I do chores while I’m listening. ^_^

All told, if you’re looking for something a little noir, but with angels and demons and magic and… magical lesbians, then you would love this novella, I should think. I certainly enjoyed myself with it!

“I would do anything for you. And I did.”

EVEN THOUGH I KNEW THE END is a chilling, captivating noir novella that follows a magical detective through 1940s Chicago as she solves a string of bloody murders. It's chock-full of mystical powers, angels and demons, possession, a vampiric serial killer, bargains with the devil, a secretive brotherhood, blood magic and sacrifices, clues hidden in photographs, and centuries-old celestial conflicts. There's a tender, sexy sapphic love story at the heart; I liked that it was an established relationship, marked with secrets held and affections given. It’s a beautiful and gutting look at the life of a queer woman in that time, sneaking kisses behind closed doors and slipping passwords for entry to underground queer clubs. Polk’s writing fits the historical era and the noir genre brilliantly and evokes such a strong mood, by turns sinister and hopeful. The twists in the narrative were always a surprise, and I loved how the action unfolded. A gem of a story, one that’s made me excited to read Polk’s other work. Thanks to Tordotcom and RB Media for the review copies! This book is out 11/8.

Content warnings: sexism, homophobia, institutionalization, conversion therapy, violence/gun violence, murder, ritual sacrifice, gore