Ann Liang’s A Song to Drown Rivers is an ambitious historical fantasy that reimagines the legend of Xishi, blending poetic prose with themes of war, sacrifice, and the cost of power. Set in the tumultuous landscape of ancient China, the novel follows Xishi, a young woman whose beauty is both her weapon and her curse. Trained to infiltrate the enemy kingdom and seduce its ruler, she becomes a pawn in a larger battle—one that forces her to question loyalty, morality, and her own agency.

Liang’s writing is stunning, laced with lyrical descriptions that make every scene feel immersive. The novel’s commentary on how women’s bodies and choices are often used as tools for political gain is especially powerful, drawing clear parallels to real-world histories. However, despite its strong thematic foundation, I felt that the execution falters. Many storylines feel abandoned halfway through, and several secondary characters who could have added depth and emotional stakes are underdeveloped or wasted entirely. Fanli, Xishi’s complex counterpart, is compelling in theory, but their relationship never quite reaches the emotional intensity it promises.

In summary, while A Song to Drown Rivers delivers thought-provoking insights on war and power, the lack of consistent character development and dropped plotlines made it feel incomplete to me.

I ended up reading the legend of Xishi immediately after finishing this and it made me even more amazed with how the author beautiful wove this story from start to finish. And wow, what a beautifully, heartbreaking story to tell.

If you’re familiar with Xishi’s story- A Song to Drown Rivers doesn’t stray from the original tale but rather tells it in such an immersive and engaging way, diving deep into the political struggles between the Wu and Yue Kingdoms and all those caught in the middle of them. What I found most profound was the emotional and devastating resonance of not only Xishi’s story but all the other characters as well. And that is a testament to how phenomenally the author has portrayed them. They continue to linger in my head long after finishing the story.

While the beginning did take a bit to get into, the overall story was so riveting from start to finish I couldn’t put it down until I’d finished it. I can’t say I’m too keen on the ending (for obvious reasons) but the impact it has had and continues to have on me is an experience so emotionally charged and compelling I can’t help but wish to see more of these legends told from Ann Liang.

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang reimagines the legend of Xishi, one of Ancient China's renowned Four Beauties, weaving a tale of espionage, sacrifice, and the complexities of wielding beauty as power. The novel follows Xishi, a young woman from the Yue Kingdom, who is recruited by the strategist Fanli to infiltrate the rival Wu Kingdom as a concubine, aiming to destabilize it from within and avenge her sister's death.

Liang's portrayal of Xishi's transformation—from a village girl to a poised infiltrator in a foreign court—is compelling. The narrative delves into themes of womanhood and the burdens placed upon those deemed beautiful, offering readers a nuanced perspective on Xishi's internal and external struggles.

However, the novel's pacing presents challenges. The initial training sequences are extensive, yet the subsequent two-year span in the Wu court feels rushed, with significant events glossed over or omitted. This uneven pacing hampers character development and diminishes the impact of court intrigues that could have enriched the plot.

The romantic subplot between Xishi and Fanli lacks depth, with their connection feeling more like a narrative necessity than an organic development. Fanli's character remains underdeveloped, serving more as a catalyst for Xishi's actions than a fully realized individual.

While the novel aspires to blend historical fiction with personal drama, it occasionally falls short in balancing these elements, leading to a story that, despite its potential, doesn't fully resonate.

In summary, A Song to Drown Rivers offers an intriguing premise and sheds light on a lesser-known legend, but its execution leaves room for improvement. Readers interested in historical retellings may find value in its unique perspective, though they might also crave a more cohesive narrative and richer character development.

A Song to Drown River by Ann Liang
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An epic historical fantast inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of China.
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I wanted to love this book.

Xishi is a stunningly beautiful girl who is noticed by a military advisor and asked to pose as a concubine to the king to spy on him.

I was here for the spying and revenge. Let’s take down a corrupt king, bestie!

But, alas, this book ended very flat for me.
I loved seeing Xishi see the viewpoint of the otherside of the kingdom and realize that her enemies may not be truly evil.

What I didn’t like was that there was no great resolution at the end of this book. It was tragic and sad and just left me feeling really awful.

In theory, I should have liked this book a lot, but in practice the narrative distance was too far away. None of the stakes felt real, none of the emotional beats hit. It felt more like the narrator was telling events that had happened to someone else rather than something she actually cared about.

That said I did tear through it in two days, so I still found it enjoyable enough.

Thank you to the pubilshers and netgalley for the early copy of this title. This book was OK, I was happy to continue reading it and wanted to see it through till the end. It had a lot of potential, but i feel that it was a little wasted. There wasn't enough character development and I foudn that I just wasn't very interested in their story, I was more intrigued by the world the story was set in. There were some issues with pacing, definitely ebbs and flows in the writing. I'm not upset that I read it, I just wish there was more to it.

This is a beautifully written and emotional story by Ann Liang. I have had this author's books on my TBR for so long, and I will definitely be reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the author and St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

What a stunningly beautiful book. It is a truly breathtaking book. I was instantly captivated with the immersive storytelling. I truly felt this book in my soul. The yearning, desire, romantic chemistry, ugh it was just so perfect. I devoured it in one sitting, it was that good. The twists and turns were done so well, at times I had to keep reminding myself who the antagonist was in this story. If you love Chinese and Japanese historical dramatic fantasies, you will love this book! I highly recommend picking it up.

✷ updated review 03/03/25

u do not understand how excited i was to get this arc. ihtdfy was life changing & yk i see ann liang appreciation everywhere these days, i think this might have been my 4th ann liang book i've read! i rated it lower than it might have been for a few reasons 😓

⤷ <u>characterization & writing</u>:

i wasn't a giant fan of xishi or fuchai or fanli 😢 i will say the writing might have been a reason why, i thought that the dialogue wasn't exactly clever at times & the first-person pov rly took me out of it. i thought that the language used sometimes felt more ya-leaning or immature especially as firstperson.

⤷ <u>general</u>:

if ur a fan of ann liang i would say go for it! it's definitely a different style than the rest of her books & filled with new tropes (think love triangle, much more morally grey mcs, & a lot more historical fs) but still w some of the things u'll always see in her writing (okay distinguished style who 👸) .

thank you to netgalley for the chance to review!

this was a beautifully tragic story and made me felt like I was watching a fantasy c-drama. i loved seeing the MC transform from her backstory in a poor raided village to training to infiltrating the palace as a spy. she was not only beautiful, but resiliant and so intelligent, and i really enjoyed her story overall but i do wish the book was longer so we could get more character development and relationship building. i didn’t feel as invested in the romance as i hoped i would (i honestly was confused if the first romance was the one i was supposed to be shipping or not cause it was so shortlived and he was gone for so much of the book) but i love ann liang's writing and will read anything she creates. i hope she writes more fantasy!!

A Song to Drown Rivers follows Xishi, who is known in her small village for her exceptional beauty. When she’s approached to go on a mission to seduce the king of an enemy kingdom, she can’t refuse the opportunity to get revenge for the death of her little sister.

The setup of this book felt unique and I enjoyed Xishi’s training sequences and her skills once she entered the Wu palace. Her frustration and anger were so palpable throughout the book and I was always rooting for her to come out on top. I wish the fantasy element of the story had been more prevalent, but I enjoyed the court politics and how the author showcased the costs of war on everyday communities.

This is my favorite kind of romance: heartbreaking, star-crossed lovers who are kept apart before their romance can truly take flight by circumstances.

Xishi, renowned for her beauty, is recruited by Fanli, the king's top advisor, to become a spy. She's to be offered as a concubine in tribute to the conquering neighbor kingdom, whose warriors killed Xishi's sister. But as Fanli gives her the training she'll need to enter court and captivate the king, he may find himself captivated, too. And Xishi finds her heart torn between desire for Fanli and desire for revenge.

Xishi must summon all her cunning to enchant the young, handsome, and spoiled King Fuchai—each step into his heart pulling her further from Fanli. Determined to use her beauty to topple a kingdom, she risks everything. This captivating tale will keep you turning the pages to see if Xishi and Fanli can find their way back to each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Holy crap…I’m not ok. This book has ripped my heart out in the best way possible. I can count the number of times I’ve cried because of a book on my hands. This books has so much beauty to it. It really highlights the horrors of war and that no country really wins. No side is ever truly evil and wrong. It was a masterpiece and I loved it so much. Please please read. And be prepared to cry.

I love anything that is of a mythological persuasion, and this one did not disappoint. It at times breaks you heart, and makes you have all the feels (anger, longing, hope). It was a great read.

I loved Ann Liang's venture into adult fantasy! When I heard that this book was a retelling of a Chinese myth/legend, I was immediately interested and it did not disappoint. I was already intrigued by the concept of wielding beauty as power, and I thought Ann did a great job of weaving that into the plot. I loved the development of Xishi's character and her relationship with Fanli, and I thought the pacing was really well done!

I really wish that Liang had gone deeper into this story - it was good, but overall, it felt a little surface-level and shallow. It also felt pretty juvenile - for being an adult novel, it didn't have the bite or spice I was hoping it would have. I'll definitely read more from Ann Liang, but won't go out of my way to get it early again.

This book was unbelievably addictive. From the very beginning, I adored the MC. And from the very first interaction with the love interest, I was completely hooked by the tension and chemistry they had, he was an amazing character.
The world, the set up for the plot... amazing.
The pacing and the writing got an A+ from me.
I loved the set up for the villain and the grey areas we got to explore with him.

However....
first of all, the love interest felt all talk and no action at times... I get this was his job and the mission but he literally was the least protective/possesive hero I've read and I didn't like that, especially when then he'd try to play it as if he was.
The MC falling for the hero and having such devotion to him felt a bit... unfair and slighty one sided, even though I know it wasn't. It just felt like it went from 0 to a hundred way too quickly and without much lovey moments from them. Which brought me to think this was more about the Kingdoms, and politics. And that's what would be developed... but....
Everything in this story kept pointing towards the MC realizing that both sides had good and the other Kingdom weren't all monsters... and yet she kind of did a little, but completed her mission as if there was nothing wrong with that, abadoning everyone she met there in the blink of an eye. It was extremely disppointing and underwhelming. At times it felt like she wasnt reacting to things, or took to long to feel things in response to events. And not just because she was faking it, it felt like her development was stunted or came too late.
Her ending in a way felt deserved because of all she did and didn't do, how late it all came to her head.

And now, the ending.... I don't think it was a bad ending, I actually think it was a GREAT ending. It's just not my personal preference. Definitely not a romance/romantasy. But still good!

I adored this story. It was incredibly grounded and I loved the ability to explore the human side of villains. The desperation to free themselves of the horror that was the Wu court truly came out. While it was painful, the ending was exactly what the story needed. The women in this story feel like they are alive and living today and the story maintains realistic beats throughout. I've being able to learn more about legends and myths that I did not grow up hearing.

Reviewed February 17, 2025;

I hadn't read anything by Ann Liang before but the description and cover caught my eye. The story is inspired by the legend of the four beauties of ancient China.

The story follows Xishi, a young peasant woman from an outskirt Yue village, described as a beauty with the power to topple kingdoms and overturn cities. A famous Yue military advisor, Fanli, visits her village and presents Xishi with an opportunity to use her beauty to bring down the Wu kingdom, as a concubine to the Wu King, Fuchai. Xishi begins training as a spy with Fanli. At the end of her training, she is presented as a gift to the Wu King, Fuchai. Several themes include power, war, trust, friendship, violence, love, beauty, sacrifice, and betrayal. The plot will keep you invested from beginning to end.

Towards the end, I had mixed feelings about the female main character, Xishi, although, I believe you were meant to question her choices. It felt like she started developing real feelings for Fuchai since his feelings were ultimately genuine. Admittedly, I enjoy the enemies-to-lovers troupe, and I thought that's where this plot was headed. It wasn't and I didn't feel there was enough relationship building between Xishi and Fanli to believe their love story. Overall, I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to others to read.

A special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang!