A beautifully written and heartfelt novel, A Song to Drown Rivers is an insightful read for those interested in stories of cultural identity and personal growth. Liang’s writing is beautiful and immersive, skillfully blending moments of lyrical prose with raw emotional depth. The novel explores themes of cultural displacement, generational conflict, and the quest for personal freedom with sensitivity and nuance. Lira’s internal journey is relatable, especially for readers familiar with the immigrant experience, as she contends with the weight of her family's past while trying to carve out her own future.

One of the book’s strengths is its rich character development. Lira is a fully realized, multidimensional character whose growth feels authentic and earned. The pacing of the novel is well-balanced, keeping the reader engaged throughout, though some readers may find the slower, introspective sections a bit drawn out.

It took me some time to get into this one. The small details of the world building eventually sucked me in and I loved it! Surprises at every turn that kept me guessing.

The cover of this one drew me to this book and I ended up enjoying it more than I thought I would! This story is the retelling of the myth of Xishi and how she works to aid in the downfall of the Wu kingdom with her beauty. I was completely captivated. I wanted to know if Xishi would be successful, if she would get the love she deserved and the revenge she so desperately wanted. This was a good book that left me reeling at the end. This touches on the topics of war, womanhood, survival, and friendship. This is not in my usual genre, but I am glad I read it!

2.75/5

This was my least favorite book from Ann Liang. I was expecting the fantasy part of the story to be more prominent than just the small bit in the end. It felt like it was just thrown in there to draw the fantasy readers, but she just ended up leaving us high and dry. I love Ann's writing style so that was enjoyable. I did not like that the story felt rushed. I felt like there was so much missing. I rarely complain about missing details because I'm usually able to fill in the gaps myself based on the many books I read and it would not be an issue. However, this type of story is very new to me and I just couldn't fill in those gaps like I wanted to. I loved the fact the Xishi was at war with her feelings for Fuchai. You spend so much time with a person who worships you, you can't help but be confused with your feelings. I also felt like Fuchai's arc could have been more fleshed out. I felt for him until the end. I was disappointed that her feelings for Fanli evolved so quickly in 13 weeks and then nothing. And we are supposed to believe that was enough time for her to never stop having feelings for him. puhhhlease. This book can be done better. I would like to find another rendition of Xishi and Fanli somewhere in this universe and hope it is a better story.

Brilliant. Breathtaking. Poignant in a way that much of contemporary literature attempts to evoke but cannot. Absolutely one of the best reads of the year, and I will be looking forward to anything Ann Liang publishes in the future!

***Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book to review.***

This was not a romantasy. This was a tragedy. The premise of this novel started out so interesting but it got murky in the middle with the drawn out court intrigue. The action was too little, too late. Our main male love interest was also absent for most of the novel. And that ending? Ugggg. This was not for me. This story should have been promoted entirely differently. Don’t get me wrong, there are some books that do tragedy well. This one did not stick the landing for me.

A Song to Drown Rivers is a beautifully written book filled with revenge, espionage and even romance. A retelling, of the Chinese legend Xishi, the author pulls together effortlessly pulls together pieces of the myth and inserts imaginative storytelling elements to create a story I absolutely loved. The characters are really well written and have their own independent voice. I enjoyed the complexities of the characters that matched the story. The telling is fully engaging. I loved how the story unfolded leading to an ending that was earned instead of conveniently created. There is also a sense of yearning and urgency in the story that grabs and pulls the reader through the story. Overall, a wonderful read and one I would highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley & St Martin's Press for the eARC
I read this eARC in tandem with an advanced copy of the audiobook.
Narrator- Natalie Naudus

I think this book wasn't for me. I struggled to get through it (picking it up and putting it down for MONTHS), even with the audiobook.
A Song to Drown Rivers felt more like historical fiction than anything, which often is a miss for me. There was also a lot of "telling" vs. "showing" when it came to any potential action. Everything felt very melodramatic, too. Everything was an emergency or breathy monologue. Naudus did a great job bringing the melodrama to life it just simply wasn't for me.

Loved. LOVED this novel. I am a glutton for mythical stories full of danger and revenge — this books delivered.

This definitely did come off a little more historical fiction but this one still just hit just right somehow where I usually don’t go after that genre.

I felt like this book was well fleshed out with memorable characters that had their flaws, but were strong and also had incredible depth. The chemistry was fantastic and you could almost feel it yourself.

With twists and turns around the corner consistently this book kept me hooked and i could not for the life of me put it down.

Revenge. Espionage. Romance. Sign me up! I am a sucker for a retelling of old mythology every time.
I enjoyed the characters a lot. Xishi was a strong & brave and flawed in ways I love & appreciate. I mostly just was hoping for my fantastical fantasy elements. This was much more historical fiction.

*I love Liang's books, and this departure from her romantic comedies is inspired by the Chinese legend of Xishi. It's full of danger, deceit, noble sacrifice, bravery, and love.*

<blockquote>I would light the fire. I would heat up this whole room. And when that didn't work--I would burn this kingdom down to ashes, turn all its men into smoke. I would, I would.</blockquote>
Xishi is a beautiful young woman who makes her village in the region of Yue proud, for she will almost certainly make a good marriage match.

But she catches the eye of the well-known young military advisor Fanli, and as she becomes trained in playing music and hiding her emotions, she becomes the key to an elaborate, traitorous plan: to overturn the kingdom of Wu, empower her own people, and avenge her sister's death.

She rises through the ranks of palace concubines and gains almost unfettered access to the king, all the while well aware that if she is revealed to be a traitor, not only she and Fanli but their homeland will be destroyed.

<blockquote>"The men will fight for their thrones and their power and their legacies, but to them we are nothing more than crickets and ants,

insignificant, expendable. We will continue to worry over the rice and soy sauce and oil, three meals a day, how to escape the cold in the winter and the heat in the high summer, the holes in the roof and the bedding and the taxes. What does it matter, who wears the crown, if they will not change any of this for us?"</blockquote>
This story ticked so many of my boxes--a strong, young, underestimated female; an important quest; forbidden love; great dialogue; heart-stopping tension; and fierce revenge. The Eastern mythology, Xishi's deep link to her heritage, and her reluctant moments of affection for her enemy, who is foolish but vulnerable, added depth to the heart of the story.

I love Liang's characters and their voices, and I was intrigued that A Song to Drown Rivers was a reworking of an early writing piece of hers.

The ending is fanciful and strange; the tone of the book doesn't seem to be leading to a too-convenient happy ending, and as expected, Liang provides a complex set of conflicts to consider at the story's close: duty, corrupt power, the suffering of the common people, regret after retribution, and life-and-death struggles that don't always end well.

I received a prepublication edition of this title, which was published earlier this fall, courtesy of NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

Check out my Bossy Ann Liang love!

I fell in love with Ann Liang's fake-dating young adult novel This Time It's Real, read it in one rainy afternoon, and included it in my Greedy Reading Lists Six of My Favorite Light Fiction Reads from the Past Year, Six Rom-Coms Perfect for Summer Reading, and My Bossy Favorite Reads of Summer the year I read it.

And you can find my review of her great young-adult rom-com I Hope This Doesn't Find You here.

Was a lovely read, and the premise of this book was something I truly enjoyed! Took awhile for me to get hooked, but was worth it in the end!

I wasn’t able to read and review this book before the publish date but now that I have I gave it 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed the yearning in this one, it was great, I feel like fantasy authors don’t write this type of thing in their books anymore so it was super refreshing to read a story like this one. The characters were well-fleshed out and their chemistry was there, nothing felt awkward in terms of the characterization or writing style. The storyline was fascinating, I enjoy books that encompass the use of mythology in their plot. The author really did a good job of evoking such a distinct feeling in the writing, I was captivated at multiple instances and wanted to know what would happen next! However, I did find some issues with the pacing, more so near the ending of the book. I wish this had been a duology rather than a single novel!
(Unless I’m wrong and the author will write more within this world?) Nevertheless, I’m interested in reading their other books now, this book truly had me hooked from start to end!

THIS. WAS. AMAZING!!!
The characters were relatable and they had so much chemistry with each other.
The storyline was incredibly unique and exciting. I didn't want to put this book down because there was so much action and so much going on.
Ann Liang is really an amazing author who knows how to write amazing books. This book was very different from what she typically writes but I'm so happy she ventured out because this book was a real masterpiece.

This book was a beautiful story, but also tragic at the same time. This book was truly about love and sacrifice and how the enemy is sometimes not a complete monster. This book emphasizes the humanity in all but also the inhumanity of war. This book is truly such an emotional journey full of deceit and loss. This was beautifully written, but the ending kept me from rating it higher. I know the ending makes sense for this story, but I still just wanted it to end differently.

I was willing to give A Song to Drown Rivers a chance because I’ve been a fan of Ann Liang’s writing since This Time It’s Real, plus the cover and all the promotional material drew me in as they have been exceptionally gorgeous. Alas, it pains me to admit that A Song to Drown Rivers is my least favourite Ann Liang book. The pacing of the story was slow, and the plot doesn’t pick up until the characters get to the Wu palace. The story had potential, but unfortunately, most of the political intrigue and espionage that could have made it compelling happened off-screen. I realize that A Song to Drown Rivers is a retelling of Xishi, which emphasizes dynasty politics. Yet, I was left feeling disappointed because the marketing emphasized a “love story” that ultimately lacked the romance I anticipated. Sure, there is some UST between Xishi and Fan Li, but they were barely together, and Fan Li was an enigma of a character, so I didn’t care much about the relationship between the two. As for the other key relationship in the book, I found it refreshing that Xishi didn’t fall for the enemy. Yes, she does gain a better understanding of the king, to the point that she feels a bit bad for him but unlike most other characters in her situation, Xishi doesn’t fall in love with him. I also appreciate the fact that Xishi’s story showed how difficult and restrictive it was for women in ancient China as well as how very few truly benefit from war. Ultimately, I admired how A Song to Drown Rivers highlighted the tragic bloodshed that often accompanies war, illustrating that those who ascend to power through violence are frequently no better than the leaders they replace, even if they profess to be different.

I was so hyped for this book. The premise sounded so good. But after finishing it, I’m left feeling…underwhelmed and slightly disappointed. I really wanted to love this, but it just didn’t hit the way I wanted it to. The potential was absolutely there but it didn’t come together the way I hoped.

Based on the premise, I was ready for amazing chemistry, slow-burn tension, and some top-tier found family vibes. Instead? Insta-love. (Yeah…that trope T_T) I can’t express how much I wanted a gradual build-up, where I could feel the romance simmering under the surface. But it was nowhere to be found as our leads are already pining for each other by the 20% mark. And let me tell you, it’s hard to root for a story when the FMC, who’s supposed to be a spy in enemy territory, and she spends most of her time pining over a man she barely knows. Like…girl…Priorities?!

If this had been a duology instead of a standalone, I think it could have worked better for me. There just wasn’t enough time to really develop the characters, and I felt so disconnected from everyone. The main love interest? Practically a ghost for most of the book, only popping up in the beginning and near the end. And when the big emotional finale finally came…yeah, I felt nothing.

Now, I was prepared for the ending since I knew this was inspired by the legend of Xishi. But even though I saw it coming, it didn’t wreck me like it should have. Why? Because the characters just weren’t fleshed out enough. If I don’t feel for them, how can I be devastated by their story? I wanted my heart to break, but instead, I was just…underwhelmed…

That said, let’s talk about the things I did like. The setting? STUNNING. Ancient China came alive on the page, I could visually picture it. The atmosphere gave me major C-drama vibes, which I ate up. And Ann Liang’s writing? Gorgeous, vivid, and absolutely amazing. I kept turning pages just for the prose alone.

Overall, I think this was just an okay read for me, but it didn’t live up to my expectations. If it had more time to development on the characters and their relationships more, it could’ve been incredible. As it is, it’s a decent read with a beautiful setting and great writing, but the emotional impact just wasn’t there for me. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye on Ann Liang’s future work.

Thank you @St. Martin's Press for the ARC and the beautiful, finished copy.

oh, the YEARNING.

i was hesitant to pick this one up after seeing mixed reviews, but a song to drown rivers left me in tears. it’s a lovely, lyrical retelling of the legend of xishi, one of the four beauties of ancient china. plucked from her small village and trained to seduce an enemy king and spy for her people, xishi’s renowned beauty becomes her weapon to avenge her sister’s murder and better her people’s lives—at any cost.

i loved so much about this book: the yearning, the angst, the court politics, the commentary on womanhood and war, xishi as a character. i could read an entire series about her.

if you, too, think about the “name one hero who was happy” scene from the song of achilles at least once a week, a song to drown rivers is for you.

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is a beautifully written story that grabs you by the heart. It’s about the messy, complicated journey of figuring out who you are while juggling expectations and doubts. Liang captures this struggle with raw honesty, reminding us that identity isn’t just found; it’s created.

Liang’s exploration of memory and storytelling adds another layer of depth, reminding us how much our lives are shaped by the stories we believe. It’s a moving, unforgettable story that lingers long after the final page.