Ann Liang has been on my to-read list for quite some time, as several friends have recommended her novels to me, so I didn't think twice when I saw that her new book, which is a historical retelling of a Chinese legend, was coming out this year. I knew I had to read it.

The first thing I want to highlight is the good character construction, and the wonderful narration of the author. The story flowed in my mind like river water. I could easily visualize the different scenes that the author presented to us, which made the reading much more agile.

The tension between Xishi and Fanli kept me entertained during my reading. The intentions of both characters were very clear and evident, but it was funny to see how they would end up expressing them to each other.

Overall, this has been a very entertaining story, I want to read more Ann Liang novels, I hope to do so in the next couple of months. Highly recommended for romance readers!

A Song to Drown Rivers did something to me. And I think I'm changed forever.

Rating: 4 ⭐️

"So long as we continue to put mortal men on thrones and hail them as gods, sacrifice our lives to their legacies, history will repeat itself. Just as the oceans tides ebb and flow beneath the moon, empires will rise and collapse, wars will start and cease, and the rest of use will be left to struggle against the currents."

This book broke my heart. It was not at all what I thought it would be. But, honestly, I think it was better. The characters felt so real. The conflicts felt real. Even the politics felt real.

I have read many books with this premise before: a beautiful girl tries to seduce the king in order to take down his kingdom. However, this one felt very different. It was not so much a romance as an exploration of the will of kings.

I loved Xishi. I felt so connected to her struggles. Her guilt, her rage, and her compassion felt human and relatable to me. Her relationship to Fuchai was one of the highlights of the book. It was so complicated, sweet one second, frightening the next.

This book was paced so well. We never stayed in one location or conflict too long and were moving through time at a realistic pace. This felt like a normal timeline, unlike some fantasy novels that take place over two weeks.

I will say, even though I understood the ending and its importance to the book, a part of me hated it as much as I loved it.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It is Ann Liang at her finest. If you're in need of a bit of a cry about the unfairness of the world, this one's for you.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me A Song to Drown Rivers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This is a hard one to review because another reviewer ruined the ending for me (and I will never forgive your for that, NT!) So I wonder how much of this is the result of my tainted feelings while reading and how much comes from my true impressions of the book. There is another issue for me that comes in the form of a Chekhov's Gun. I cannot explain that further without going into spoilers myself, so I will have to just say that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it should also hide during hunting season.
Anyway. A Song to Drown Rivers is a retelling of the Chinese myth of The Four Beauties, with the focus on Xishi. It is a complicated story of love and betrayal. It is relatively short in length, and the characterization misses some marks because of this. Still, the story is interesting and tragic.
This book would be great for fans of Nataly Gruender's Medusa, which came out earlier this year.
I also listened to the audiobook, and Natalie Naudus did an amazing job narrating.
True 3.5, rounding up to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy to review!

4.5⭐️
Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the ARC of this book.
Honestly I went into reading this book not really sure what to expect. It was my first Chinese historical fantasy I’ve ever read. However, I was SO pleasantly surprised by it. I loved the complexity of Xishi’s character and the ongoing journey of emotions she felt throughout the book. The one thing I didn’t expect was the last few chapters. The ending was so emotional and devastating for Fuchai, Fanli, and Xishi. If you love romantasy books with forbidden love, unexpected love, bravery, betrayal, grief, and so much more I highly recommend reading this one. But beware to have you heart ripped out more than once 😭

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book as much as I had anticipated. Although, I do think part of the issue might have the way I was reading it. Recently, the only time I've had to read books is during my 15 minute break at work. I wasn't able to sit down for a good chunk of time to immerse myself in the story, which I think is necessary for this book. Because of this I couldn't really get to a point where I cared about the characters either, apart from Zhengdan. Which was strange, because usually I'm invested in the relationship between the characters in Ann Liang's books. But, I just couldn't get there with Xishi and Fanli. However, I do think that the plot itself is an intriguing idea. I plan to reread this after official release, and hope to enjoy it more the second time around despite the lack of the element of surprise. And all of these things being said, I still believe Ann is an extremely talented writer who deserves all the recognition she gets and more!! I hope any of you who are intrigued by the plot of this book are able to enjoy it, I just encourage you to set enough time aside so you can truly follow the story! Thank you to both Ann Liang and Harper Collins Teen for my ARC 💙💛

4.5 stars and my eternal thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Xishi, my love. Fanli, my dumbass.

Xishi is plucked from her small village to be a spy for her king to topple a rival kingdom, while also trying not to fall for the king's advisor, Fanli. With only her training and her wits, Xishi has to survive her new role as a rival king's concubine long enough for the job to be done.

I loved this book so much more than I was expecting. Xishi and Fanli's love grew so slowly and was so quiet and sweet. I understand why he kept her at arms length for the majority of the novel, but goddamn was I U.P.S.E.T.

A Song to Drown Rivers was absolutely captivating. I loved seeing the tragic story of XiShi play out especially since I’ve never heard of the original tales.

The way Liang wrong about XiShi’s relationship with the King, it gives a lot of conflicting emotions to the point you flip sides and want to root for the King instead. It was hard to root for FanLi because I felt like we didn’t get to really dive deep enough in to their relationship to the point it didn’t make sense how attached the two of them were.

Overall, this is an absolutely amazing adult fantasy debut from Liang where her writing really shines.

I really didn’t like this very much. For me it was hard to follow and the characters were a bit bland.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was a *powerful* story that has stayed with me long after I finished it. I waited to write the review until I had a moment to reflect, and I'm still thinking about this book nearly two weeks after consuming it. Ann Liang is a gifted author, and I've loved absolutely everything she's written, but this was her first foray into historical fiction, so I didn't know what to expect. The world-building is well-done and authentic, the romance is heartbreaking, and the pacing is great (though the beginning is a bit slower than the rest of the story).

I highly recommend, and only wish this was the first in a series. My hope is that Ann Liang does more in the historical fiction genre.

This book was amazing! It had intrigue, pining, philosophies about war/innocent civilians, and beautiful writing. I cried during this book and the ending is a bit more bitter than sweet. This is a powerful book that people interested in historical fantasy that's a little bit darker will enjoy! The characters caught and held my attention, as did the writing itself, and the setting. The plot is less important to me as a reader, but if you'r okay with a slower build-up it is also a strong contender.

Xishi is the most beautiful woman in Yue. Fanli,the aide to the king has been looking for someone to present to the enemy king of Wu as a gift of friendship to end the war. In truth, Fanli wants a beautiful woman to spy on the enemy kingdom and offer a swift defeat.

This book was marketed as a romantasy and therefore my expectations were different when I started it. However, Xishi and Fanli’s chaste forbidden romance drew me in. This is a sad story about what one will do for their country, the sacrfices they are willing to make and coming into your own as a woman. If strong female characters and sad forbidden love stores are something you enjoy, this may be for you.

This book is absolutely amazing! I don’t think any review I can write will do it justice. I read this slowly because I wanted to savor every second of it.

This isn’t my typical genre, but it sounded intriguing so I decided to give it a go. I am so glad I did! I would have missed out on what easily became one of my favorite books of the year. I am jealous of anyone who gets to read this for the first time.

The story pulled me in from the beginning. The main plot is interesting and suspenseful. There are a few love stories going on and it’s heart wrenching. The MC is definitely placed in a tough position. This book has it all: suspense, thrill, fantasy, myth, and romance. It is a very moving and thought-provoking story.

This book better be one of the most popular and talked about books of 2024 as it deserves to be! Due to release in October.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an electronic advanced readers copy of this novel.

Xishi is seen as the most beautiful girl in her hometown of Yue, a place ravaged by war with its inhabitants struggling to get by. One day, she attracts the attention of war advisor Fanli, who explains that he is looking for a beauty to tempt the King who conquered their kingdom and caused so much destruction to her people, including the death of her beloved sister. A Trojan horse disguised as a pretty woman.

Bent on revenge, Xishi agrees to the plan and trains to be the most successful concubine in the kingdom. But she is also attracted to stoic Fanli, but knows that her duty is to avenge her people.

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang was an intriguing tale which is based on the legend of Xishi. I hadn't heard about it at all, even with my Chinese heritage, so it was nice to read about it. It is pretty long so be prepared for this.

Beware this is not a fast read and you need to push through the beginning. If you are a fan of ACOTAR, you know this all too well. The good news, is this is just one book and not a series! But it was really good, the storyline was incredible and I really really enjoyed it!

I was so excited to see Ann Liang dive into the historical fiction genre, so this was a must-read for me.

The story was straightforward and easy to follow. I was intrigued from beginning to end but I felt like this would've been perfect as a series instead. I would've loved if we had more time to develop Xishi and Fanli's relationship because even though he was the MMC, I wasn't attached to him at all. Their story was definitely beautiful and tragic but I found myself rooting for Fuchai since he was the main focus for about 70% of the book. (He deserved better too!) This also applies to the side characters (Zhengdan and Zixu) as they were severely underdeveloped. It was still an enjoyable read and it left me wanting to learn more about the Legend of Xishi.

If you love Ann Liang's writing, I would recommend it and give it a try!

Thank you so much NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

WELL… I’ve had almost 24 hours to digest this novel, so I’ll do my best to put my thoughts into spoiler-free words.

I’ll start by saying I LOVED this book: an incomparable beauty infiltrates a rival kingdom, posing as a concubine to the enemy king but acting as a spy for her home kingdom.

I typically gravitate towards the books that are faster paced, with big stop-your-heart plot twists and lively, sassy characters. If those books are like a river full of white water rapids - heart-pounding, edge-of-your-seat, a bit chaotic - this book was like the picturesque ocean with quiet, soothing waves but a vicious undertow you don’t even realize is there until it’s too late.

I was quietly addicted to this story from the start. It is very, very different from the books I normally read: it’s technically fantasy but reads like historical fiction, it has a very strong romantic plot line with no spice, and it leaves me with a strong desire to reflect on the story and the messages rather than just consume for entertainment.

Overall - highly recommend!

This book was long and a bit slow to start, but the writing and the setting were both beautiful, so it encouraged me to push through. It is definitely not a fast read, but it is one that I enjoyed and will add to my shelf for years to come.

In ancient China, there existed two kingdoms. The Wu and Yue. The Wu kingdom, known for their savagery and ruthlessness wanted nothing more than to conquer everything and everyone. But unbeknownst to them, a silent storm was brewing from their rival, the Yues.

Under the rule of King Goujian of the Yues, minister Fanli is tasked with infiltrating the Wu kingdom and conquering King Fuchai, thus recovering their rightful place and rule.

The Yue’s secret weapon — Xishi, the most beautiful woman in the land with “a face that could launch a thousand ships.” Under the tutelage of Fanli, Xishi is trained to go undercover as King Fuchai’s concubine. During the training process, Xishi becomes a courtesan worthy of many kings. At the same time, Xishi comes to admire her trainer, Fanli. And likewise, Fanli comes to admire Xishi. A magical, but forbidden bond that is sure to test each of their loyalties.

I was skeptical at first blush. But after reading a few chapters, I was hooked. I loved the world building, the magical realism, and the character development. All of those characteristics kept me turning the pages. But what made the novel so memorable was the plot. There were several plot twists that kept me on edge and sometimes in tears. The novel is more than a historical fantasy. It is also a heartfelt romance reminiscent of House of Flying Daggers and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

A Song to Drown Rivers is my first Ann Liang novel. It certainly won’t be my last. Five outstanding stars.

I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. This review is completely my own and reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

“The mind destroys; the heart devours.”

This is an incredibly written story. I could not put it down.

Xishi is a warrior and she, Fanli, and Fuchai will take you on an emotional journey of heartbreak, war, self-sacrifice, and betrayal.
Filled with great twists and turns. As the story kept developing, I kept anticipating how it was going to end. It was not at all the ending I was expecting, but wow!

“When the hares have all been caught, the hunting dogs are cooked.”

This was a light fun ¬read, some action, adventure and love?
Without spoiling the story, there were so many moments/characters that were rich and had such great potential, but I always wanted more. Here are some examples of what I mean:

The romance between the Xishi (mc) and Fanli (Yue king’s advisor). I needed so much more of this couple just because the timing of them being together was not well executed. I did not believe in their romance as much as I wanted to. I do not understand why Fanli even cared about Xishi as much as he did. Someone help me understand!

The Wu King. A character written as a ruthless person but with miniscule gray variation. I could understand why he liked Xishi, she did her best to stand out, she was actually different than the other girls in a non-cliché way. But the choices he made at the end did not match his character.

The “minor” characters. There were some wonderful characters that deserved more than what they got. Even towards the end it appeared as if they were forgotten and never existed, which was sad to see!


Overall, despite these challenges I loved this story. The beginning had me hooked which I believe was due to Liang’s writing and the way she brings the reader into a new world. The interaction between the characters and supporting cast made me love it even more and I wish I had seen more of that throughout the entirety of the novel.