ann liang ate and left no crumbs with this one!!
a beautiful yet tragic story, had my jaw dropped countless times. while i personally don't see how this is fantasy, it's best described as a historical fiction. i loved xishi and how she used her beauty as a weapon, she really had him walking like a dog!
i did find slight issues, such as i didn't really feel any character between the mc's, i wanted yearning but it felt like insta-love sadly. overall, this was such an amazing read and im so excited to get my hands on the physical copy! i love you ann liang <3
4.5 stars
thank you to netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Song to Drown Rivers is Ann Liang's adult debut novel and a retelling of the story of Xishi, one of the four beauties of China.The book revolves around war between the Yue and Wu kingdoms in China around 492 BCE. If you’ve read about Xishi you’ll probably have an idea on how the story ends but if not be forewarned this book is not a cute romance, it's a TRAGEDY. Although this novel is considered adult there are no strong adult topics and it could be considered upper YA. It is a completely different genre from Ann Liangs usual YA romcoms but her writing still has beautiful imagery and is easy to read.

Plot - It follows Xishi, who grew up in a small village in the Yue kingdom, but has always been known for her beauty. One day the king's military advisor, Fanli, seeks Xishi and her friend Zhengdan to convince them to become spies to work to overthrow the Wu. Fanli oversees Xishi’s training where she is then gifted to the Wu as a concubine for King Fuchai, with Zhengdan as her palace lady. Xishi must seduce the king in order give her kingdom a chance for revenge.

Characters:

Xishi - A legendary beauty who will go to great lengths to exact revenge on the Wu who harmed her family.

Zhengan - Xishi’s childhood friend who wished to defeat General Ma of the Wu, who killed her father. She is a very strong willed, free spirited girl. She assists Xishi as a palace lady but did not have enough development or page time to meaningfully affect the plot.

Fanli - The main love interest that Xishi somehow stayed in love with for over 2 years despite only knowing him for about 10 weeks

Fuchai - the king of Wu who is seduced by Xishi. He hates his job and is very naive and gets drunk a lot.

While the plot was interesting I didn’t feel like the characters had enough depth and as a result I don’t think I had such an emotional reaction about the ending like others. None of the characters had much backstory. Xishi and Fanlis relationship wasn’t the most realistic to me and we never truly got to know Fanli. I also believe Fuchai could have been a really good second love interest if he was less childish or if we knew more about him. Although these were not my favorite characters written by Ann Liang, A Song to Drown Rivers is still a intriguing historical fiction novel. I would definitely recommend it to those who love strong female protagonists, forbidden romance, and C-Drama fans.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martins press for providing an ARC

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Haunting and beautiful this story is inspired by the Chinese legend of Xishi. A young woman renowned for her beauty is tasked with infiltrating an enemy kingdom and weaken it from the inside, while loving another from her home kingdom.

This one is going to stick with me for a while. In less than 300 pages you will be transported to another time, and another kingdom.

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Underdeveloped and contrived characterization, lackluster romance, and unintriguing prose. Inconsistent pacing matches insignificant characters. Non-existent relationships feel forced and unbelievable. Passive worldbuilding oversimplifies the already low-stakes plot. Skips over vital scenes that would've made characters relatable. Exposition heavy with unrealistic dialogue. Premise had potential as it was intriguing in the beginning and instead the execution was mediocre at best. Perpetuates an annoyance from repetitive and unimportant points of focus. Recommended for those into generic stories and tropes. Overall, a bad read. "The moon rises white illuminating your beauty, your shadow which wounds me until my heart's devoured."

I was lucky enough to receive a digital arc copy of this book and still bought a physical copy! well this is not a very complex read i still ate it up. Very addictive plot line and writing style!

A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS is a highly captivating and beautiful novel. While this book wasn't what I thought it was going to be, it was one that caught my attention and held it. A loose retelling of the Chinese legend of Xishi, this book was well done and worth the read.

What I really enjoyed about this novel is the story and the characters. The author takes the ideas of sacrifice, revenge, duty, and honor and transforms it through the characters and the story they tell. What seems like simply a spy and revenge story becomes more complex and nuanced, while still furthering the plot and the overall story.

The characters are fully fleshed out and realized, with wants, desires, hopes, dreams, and fears. At a 336 page novel, I wasn't expecting that. However, the author does a great job realizing these characters and making us remember that even those that are seen as villains in one story may be different in another. This duplicity almost, this sympathizing with all characters is masterfully done. This author could do a master class on character writing honestly.

Lastly, and I think this is where some people were a bit disappointed, is the ending. I won't spoil it, but I thought this book might be a duology or that this is a romance. It is not. It seems like it is a singular book and I would argue that it is not a romance. It has elements of romance, the yearning, the desire, and that tension, but once you let go of those notions, I think the end makes more sense and is less jarring as a reader.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and have become a fan of the author. I am excited to read more of their books and think that this book is one that should be read and soon.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

My thanks for the eARC in exchange for a review. This caught my interest because of what I thought was wuxia or xianxia genre, and while it does have some of what might be that at the very end I enjoyed it mostly because I don't know the stories of the Four Great Beauties, of which Xishi is the first.

Her story starts in a small village, plucked from obscurity for her beauty and along with a childhood friend Zhengdan, sent into the court of a enemy king Fuchai by the king Goujian and his minister Fanli who she's fallen in love with. Yet despite herself, her heart finds in Fuchai a source of security and comfort, despite her being from the beginning a enemy spy.

Beautiful imagery chases scenes full of suspense and intrigue, but be warned this is a tragedy, not a slow burn romance!

(Wishing there's a follow up with modern-day reincarnation and a thruple, but I think I am too much a romantic.)

When I pick up a retelling of an Asian myth with roots in history, I expect it to reflect its culture and time. It's the most basic requirement I have, and not one this book meets. Full review in link!

I wanted to like this book so much, but it just didn't quite work for me.

This is a retelling of the story of Xi Shi, one of the Four Beauties of China. Xi Shi lived in the 7th-6th century BCE, and was pulled into a sexspionage scheme on behalf of her kingdom. She is recruited to become a concubine for a neighboring king and act as a spy, and eventually helps topple that kingdom.

The language was lovely, but it still read very much like young-adult instead of adult. The characters were young, and they felt young. And the romance was honestly nothing to write home about. And considering Xi Shi was meant to be a seductress, there's very little seducing going on in the book.

That being said, it was sad and beautiful and if you're interested in Chinese history, I do recommend the book.

3/5 stars

A Song to Drown Rivers is a vividly written book with complex characters. The book, which is loosely based on a Chinese legend, captured my attention from the beginning and didn't let it go. Xishi's thirst for revenge was palpable, as was her passion for Fanil. There were some parts of the book that did put me off (there is a lot of violence) but it didn't detract from how much I enjoyed reading this book. While I should have expected the ending of A Song to Drown Rivers, it still took me by surprise. It also broke my heart.

If you liked The Bridge Kingdom, but wanted something more devastating, pick this book up. We follow Xishi, who agrees to marry the king of the enemy kingdom in hopes of helping her kingdom to regain control by sabotaging them from the inside.

I could not put this book down from the start and loved every minute of it, even the ones where I was crying. While being very captivating, this is also one of the most impactful books I have read this year and really shows us the true cost of power and war. So often in these types of novels, one side is clearly evil and one clearly good - but what happens when both are in the gray area?

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This is textbook yearning and I am HERE FOR IT. A gentle and beautiful tale based loosely on ancient Chinese folklore

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

4.75/5 stars

This book broke my heart in the best way - I love and hate the ending. It was beautiful and poetic and fitting, and I love that Liang didn't shy away from the difficult choice....but god my heart hurts. I'm not crying, you're crying...

The writing was stunning, the voice was clear and positioned perfectly, and the story was wonderful. I loved the characters, even when I hated what they were doing. It didn't dive too deep into every detail but I could still picture what was happening and feel fully invested in every aspect. If I had a complaint, it would have been that I wish the 10 weeks she spends in training could have had a little more time to see her changes, and the romance, blossom a bit more in real-time....but even that is not a big complaint.

I love that she made mistakes and then had to find ways around them - I love that characters died (I mean, I hate it but...) and faced real consequ4eneces for their actions....I love the lyrical writing and the beauty and pain laced together in an elegant and heart-wrenching story. I just loved it, truly.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this story in exchange for an honest review!

5 stars overall - this book was so beautifully done: intense, captivating and heartbreaking. It makes me both want more and need a bit of an emotional break.

The story starts out very quickly, Xishi is thrown into her training with Fanli from the start, and their relationship builds beautifully. Xishi becomes a master manipulator and seductress, and is able to use these powers to her advantage, except with Fanli. Which starts our story off, with loads of intrigue and court politics.

Xishi’s growth in both character and skill set is very impressive & truly very fun to read. We go from her more sheltered personality to a master seductress and political spy. The complexities and dangers of navigating court politics and personal loyalties definitely sparked emotion in me and also rendered me very invested in the story, and specifically Xishi’s story.
As a character, Fanli is said to be extremely stoic, and it’s the moments where he cracks only slightly around and/or with Xishi that are the best for me.

I will say that the fantasy aspect of this story, in terms of fantasy and magic was sorely lacking for me, which i didn’t mind too much as the story, characters and atmosphere were interesting enough. It wasn’t until the very end until the fantasy/magical elements started to surface and it makes me wonder if the rest of the series will show much more fantasy and magic.

The worldbuilding is not too in depth, but we do understand the main elements to drive the plot, which is just enough without being too much. It leaves me to wonder if the rest of the series will have more specific world building - but I enjoyed the world and the politics quite a lot in this one, even though it was more character focused.


I really loved the writing, it was accessible without being too descriptive for me. The tension and subtleties were outlined clearly without being too overt and obvious.

This is definitely a series I will continue, and the ending is a real twist, of which I didn’t even see, and will make for a really interesting second book!

I really loved the premise of this book and there were a lot of elements that gave this story promise. I had high hopes. Unfortunately, there was more I didn't like about A Song to Drown Rivers than I did like.

***There will be spoilers in my review***

A big turn-off for me was the past-tense story telling. I felt detached from the story as a whole and especially detached from the characters. It ended up being much more of a tell instead of show kind of story.

Another issue was that the total time this story is supposed to be taking place is over 2 years. Xishi receives 10 weeks of training in which we experience none of it. We're just told she's a master by the end of it as she displays her skills on a man in order to prove she is ready.

This was marketed as an epic historical fantasy, but I didn't feel any fantasy elements, however, there was nothing that made me consider this fantasy besides the legend it is inspired from.

Xishi and Fanli didn't get near enough page time for me to believe they were actually in love. Her training time would have been a perfect opportunity to explore this.

I was unenthused with the side characters and their plot lines. Xishi's heart defect was also lost in the plot.

I honestly believed this was a YA book and was shocked to learn it was adult. For a story about a concubine and a king I expected for a lot more steamy things to happen (even if they were off page) but that was never implied and I found it incredibly hard to believe that Xishi could seduce the king into doing the things she was or getting the things she wanted without using her body as a concubine would.

And even in the end Xishi and Fanli still don't get any page time. It just ends. That's it.

Lots of people love this story, so please if you are on the fence about reading it please do and decide for yourself.
These are my personal opinions on why I did not enjoy the story.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of A Song to Drown Rivers.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is a retelling of the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China. I didn’t know anything about this tale going in, but I really admired a lot of the themes. It reminded me of the story of Esther, which I looked up to as a child - a young woman using beauty and elegance as a weapon to save her people.

The first 60% was extremely fast-paced. It really drew me in and I felt invested. However, there were several decisions and actions the main character made in the second half that I found extremely frustrating and unrealistic. This really pulled me out of the story.

I also wish we could’ve spent more time with the main love interest. We barely get to know him and so it made some of the emotional beats and big moments fall flat.

The ending felt too rushed and leaned into a trope that I don’t enjoy - switching POVs for the very last chapter.

Overall, I don’t think this retelling introduced any noteworthy or unique ideas, but I mostly enjoyed the journey. It felt pretty consistent with its other contemporaries of historical fiction/mythical retellings.

Note about the audiobook - I think Natalie Naudus brought a lot of feeling and emotion to the character with her voice.

3.5 stars / 7 out of 10

A historical fantasy retelling with an ending that will leave you with all the feels.

So this book is inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, which I am not familiar with. But I love that the story centres on Xishi, an uncommonly beautiful young woman who is selected to be a spy to get revenge for her sister's murder.

This book follows similar beats to other YA/new adult fantasy adventure stories. We have the training montage, the almost getting caught, the supportive side characters, the love interest she needs to deny in order to fulfil her plan. I'm not taking away from the story with this comment at all. These beats are used for a reason, because they create a compelling and fast-paced storyline.

Where the book really hits is at the end. I won't spoil anything, but I'd say the ending really elevates the impact of the book and I'm so glad Ann Liang took the story there.

So the first run of this book will feature a gold foiled cover, gorgeous sprayed edges with stenciled artwork, as well as exclusive metallic ink patterned endpapers and unique foiled front and back case stamps. And I think this absolutely fits the vibes of the book. It is ethereal and beautiful.

This book is best read by a river, while your lover watches from the opposite side.

Okay. This book started out with so much suspense! I really enjoyed meeting the characters and learning more about the world Xishi came from and lived in. The people she met along her quest were interesting and supported the story.

I got a bit lost as the story progressed (about 33% into the book). I felt like the story was so strong at the beginning but certain characters that were introduced later just weren’t strong enough and took away from the writing style, storyline and main characters. This said, the ending was well written and powerful. It brought me to tears and had a beautiful conclusion.

A Song to Drown Rivers was an excellent standalone fantasy novel. My only complaint is that it wasn’t at least 100 pages longer because I desperately needed more. Beautiful writing, strong heroine, forbidden romance, and a smitten villain. The true villain here though is not a rival king, but the devastation of war. I loved the themes of womanhood and sacrifice. Talk about the most heartbreaking ending ever. I might never survive the pain Liang handed on a silver platter. I was tearing up. For being on the shorter side, this impressed me with how powerful it was.

I really can’t recommend this book enough, it was fantastic. Highly recommend to fans of The Celestial Kingdom series and The Night Ends in Fire.

🪷 Book Review 🪷

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for an arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Publication: October 1, 2024

Rating: It was okay!

I think this would have been an amazing read if there was more beef added. More fleshed out characters, more depth to the war issues, more romance or none at all. This is also advertised as a fantasy read. However, it should be classified as historical fiction.

For fans of:
🪷 First person
🌸 Ancient China
🪷 Chinese folklore
🌸 Historical fiction
🪷 Kingdoms at war
🌸 Insta love
🪷 Sprinkles of romance