Reviews with content warning for Blood - Even Though I Knew the End

I was totally surprised by how good this book was! I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it exceeded all of my expectations. I had not read anything by this author before, but will certainly try more.

This story is set in the nineteen-forties, and has a definite noir feel to it. Helen is detective who has magical abilities. She's working for someone named Marlowe, who has asked her to investigate the murder of Kelly McIntyre, also known as Nightingale. What she finds is disturbing, to say the least. The crime scene is covered in the victim's blood, but magic symbols have been written in it, all over the place. And Helen doesn't recognize the language of the symbols.

The perpetrator of the crimes has come to be known as the White City Vampire. The city is Chicago, 1941.

This story has so much in it. There's murder, magic, demons and angels, even some romantic element between Helen and her girlfriend Edith. The way it flows is remarkable, and everything simply fits together so well. I was enthralled by the story, and by the author's writing. There was never a dull moment. There were quite a few surprising moments, though, some unexpected twists along the way. Things (and people) are not always what they appear to be.

In my opinion, this is a brilliant story, and I've been telling all of my librarian friends that they really need to read it. It's a short book, only 136 pages, and I finished it in one day, which is rare for me. Personally, I think this would make a fantastic movie! I would definitely watch it.

Content Warnings

nunchikoi's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

A gorgeous premise and skillfully executed. You have a real feel for the grim nature of an early 1900s supernatural Chicago setting, and Polk descriptions are fresh and gorgeous.

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abnormal_shadow's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Its a really good book. Its queer its short and its NOT explicit which I really like. I really like when period pieces add magic or fantasy its really fun and I think its nice. The way that the world is established and drawn out is really interesting and the way that the period interacts with the lesbian main characters

they wear rings, so people think they are married, the way that they have to pretend to have husbands to shop at more masculine stores and buy cigs

. Its 1950s its fun its playfully. I fully recommend it.

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val_theburrowofstories's review

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lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I actually liked this book, not as much as I hoped but it was entertaining at least. It’s a shame all my latest sapphic romance readings are 3 ⭐ (which is not bad, just not what I expected from them)

It’s such a short story and yet the pace of the story was a little bit slow, but I listened to this as an audiobook so it helped because the narrator does such a good job.

I did not read the synopsis of this book before starting it (I added it to my TBR a year ago so I didn’t remember) and I did not expect to find fantasy and magic with demons and angels, but I liked that aspect of the book!

This actually reminded me of Supernatural with the whole demon deal thing and an angel controlling a human lol it made me miss the show so much.

This book is divided in 5 acts, and I was invested in the first 3, but by the last 2 I was falling sleep (I was very tired) and I wasn’t paying that much attention, I just know I was mad at the MC’s brother lol men have to ruin everything I swear, honestly I thought this went from being about a warlock woman with her girlfriend trying to solve a crime, to it being about him and what he wanted and he was annoying as fuck and ungrateful. Maybe I missed the point because I was falling sleep, but that’s how it felt.

And that ending… well I’m going to accept it just because I wasn’t that invested in these characters,

I’d like to think that after ten years Edith also makes a deal with the demon so they can have 10 more years together and then they all go to Hell lmaooo

Content Warnings

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

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mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

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amylynn44's review

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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blondieabrams's review

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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pond_newt's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

An enjoyable, if occasionally predictable, story. The world created was very immersive and the magic system was explained well so it never felt like having to learn complex rules. At points plot felt a bit too reliant on twist reveals that were sometimes predictable, but it was still entertaining. The worldbuilding was probably my favourite element of the book, with the relationship between Elena and Edith a close second. They were both very well-written and believe-able and their relationship was very easy to root for. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for books with good wlw representation, especially if you're interested in lgbt historical fiction.

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