Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk

Imagine, if you will, 1930s Chicago. Sapphic romance. An exiled augur who must find a vampiric serial killer to save her soul. Angels and demonic possession. If this doesn't excite you, Even Though I Knew the End by C.L. Polk might not be for you. But if you're in for noir without a male gaze, a sweet love story, family ties, and a mystery introduced and solved, this could be great for you. It's also only 133 pages, so you can get through it in one sitting with a cat on your lap (ahem).  

It's obviously not a book for everyone, but it somehow hit me right in the feelings spot. Polk's ability to create a world, develop multiple characters with interconnected relationships I care about, and do it all with humor and grace and a historical world that is realistic is something to be deeply admired. I've never read Polk before, but I'm excited to see what they can do with more longform writing. They have a trilogy called The Kingston Cycle that I'm going to try and get my hands on because if this brief 133 page book was so enthralling, I can't imagine what they can do with three full-length novels.

4/5 stars