Even Though I Knew the End
In a magic-soaked, crime-haunted Chicago of the 1940s, Helen Brandt takes one last case before the devil comes to collect her soul. The novella uses its narrow time frame to sharpen the story's focus on love, redemption, and the future she may never keep.
Work Information
Before her time runs out, Helen has one last night to walk the city.
Published by Tordotcom, this novella layers detective-story tension over a Chicago shaped by the supernatural. The investigation and Helen's desire to build a future with the woman she loves unfold in the same narrow window of time.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Tor.Com
- Published
- 2022-11-08
- Pages
- 136 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 14.22 x 1.65 x 21.72 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9781250849458
- ISBN-10
- 1250849454
- Price
- 3665 JPY
- Category
- 洋書/Gay & Lesbian/Literature & Fiction/Fiction/Lesbian
Winner of the Nebula Award! Finalist for the Hugo Award! Finalist for the World Fantasy Award! A New York Times Best Romance of 2022! C. L. Polk turns their considerable powers to a fantastical noir with Even Though I Knew the End . “Eerie, sharp and fiercely bittersweet.” — The New York Times A magical detective dives into the affairs of Chicago's divine monsters to secure a future with the love of her life. This sapphic period piece will dazzle anyone looking for mystery, intrigue, romance, magic, or all of the above. An exiled augur who sold her soul to save her brother's life is offered one last job before serving an eternity in hell. When she turns it down, her client sweetens the pot by offering up the one payment she can't resist—the chance to have a future where she grows old with the woman she loves. To succeed, she is given three days to track down the White City Vampire, Chicago's most notorious serial killer. If she fails, only hell and heartbreak await.
C. L. Polk is the author of the World Fantasy Award winning novel Witchmark , the first novel of the Kingston Cycle. After leaving high school early, they have worked as a film extra, sold vegetables on the street, and identified exotic insect species for a vast collection of lepidoptera before settling down to write silver fork fantasy novels. Polk lives near the Bow River in Calgary, Alberta, in a tiny apartment with too many books and a yarn stash that could last a decade. They ride a green bicycle with a basket on the front. They spend too much time on Twitter.
Reviews
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A stylish noir with magic, angels, and demons
This fast-pace tale jumps out of the blocks on page one and doesn't stop until it blows through the finish line. You feel the clock ticking as Helen/Elena, the magical gumshoe, races to figure out who the White City Vampire is and what their ritualized killings mean before she herself runs out of time. With a 1930-40's atmosphere; fashion, music, and dialogue, this story has twists and turns, grit and action, but also heart and soul. You love the characters, even the bad ones! That dame Marlowe... What a dish! Yes, this is a novella, so it's a quick read. But it has everything a book 3x its length would have. Do yourself a favor and read it, savor it. It is that good! You will want more. Keywords: Sapphic, Supernatural, Urban Fantasy, Noir, Magic, Mystery, Mythology, Angels, Demons
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Mystical, Gay Noire
This was a quick read but so cute and interesting. Loved the characters and magic system and plot that was delivered in such a short story. Loved it!
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A delightful and romantic sapphic noir
Despite its short length, this novella took me by surprise so many times. The noir plot and theme blended with the <em>Supernatural</em> urban fantasy seamlessly and the pre-Stonewall queerness reminded me pleasingly of both <em>Last Night at the Telegraph Club</em> and <em>Out of Time, Into You</em>. Clearly I need to read a lot more of Mx Polk.
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Nice short story
Nice short story. I finished in a day. Had an interesting premise and storyline.
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A fantastic and different mashup on genres I didn't know I needed!
I've had this on my TBR for ages and after failing to find it everywhere in person, I finally ordered a copy. The book is gorgeous and I'm so glad I own it. Honestly the setting of this was fantastic. It really umbrellas into several genres and doesn't take anything about itself too seriously. I also just love the language of this era when it does its job of setting the tone of the characters. It was a short, fun, and best of all, sapphic read. I had a good time and read it in like two sittings!
Related Literary Awards
- Nebula Award Edition 58 (2023) ・Winner