Thank you to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read the ARC to A Song to Drown Rivers. I LOVED this book. I definitely think this will be one of my top if not my top book of the year. I loved the plot, the setting, and the characters so much. The relationship between Fanli and Xishi alongside the relationship of Xishi and Fuchai had me literally bawling and fully engaged literally all of the book. My only complaint was the last 10 percent of the book. It ended differently than I would have hoped, but nonetheless I LOVED this book. I will definitely be recommending this book to other readers!

A Song to Drown Rivers captivated me from the start and held my attention (for the most part) until the last few words. It is SO beautifully written and I wish I had not finished it so quickly. I would have liked it to be longer and the politics to be more complex. However, I still can't wait to add the physical book to my collection once it is out!.

my rating= 4.45/5 (rounded down to a 4) <-- this may change upon a re-read+ further rumination

5 STAR READ!

This book completely swept me away! It's an absolutely beautiful, enchanting, heartbreaking story that made me cry and actually hurt me so much... in a good way!

Xishi finds herself in a precarious position when a prominent military strategist recognizes her beauty and offers her a unique opportunity: infiltrate the enemy palace, captivate their morally questionable king, and weaken them from within. Being trained, Xishi hones her allure into a deadly weapon, but complications arise as she is drawn to her target. The narrative is filled with tension as danger looms and betrayal threatens to undo everything.

Liang's writing is both eloquent and immersive, transporting readers to a captivating world where love and loyalty collide. Each page is a vivid tapestry of detail, bringing the story's settings to life. The characters are expertly crafted, making the novel a sensory delight. The worldbuilding in this novel is simply breathtaking. Liang has created a richly imagined world that is both enchanting and thought-provoking.

I am someone who tends to enjoy love triangles, BUT they have to really be done right, or they are awful. Liang executed this trope flawlessly. The perspectives of the three main characters unfold in a way that defies conventional romance, with each embodying different facets of sacrifice and moral complexity. The evolving dynamics between them are tender yet fraught with tension, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. At the heart of the story is the forbidden romance between Xishi and Fanli, which adds an extra layer of intensity to the narrative. Liang expertly navigates themes of courtly intrigue and emotional concealment, crafting a gripping and emotionally resonant story.

Overall, "A Song to Drown Rivers" is a fantastic read. The ending, though heartbreaking, feels true to the storyline and leaves a lasting impact. I really can't wait for everyone to get their hands on this book. It really is just so absolutely breathtaking and I loved it so darn much.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars

I finished this this afternoon, and I am still processing. The world building was extremely rich, and the characters well developed. They all had so many facets, strengths, and flaws. Which made them oddly relatable despite being in a completely unrelatable setting.

Without giving any spoilers, the ending caught me off guard. Bring tissues.

Recommended.

4.5 ⭐️

Omg this book was soooo good and heartbreaking!

I didn’t know anything about Xishi and the legend surrounding her. I just knew my heart would be torn in shreds because chinese mythology stories are always so tragic.

There is a forbidden romance in this with lots of angst and tension.

I loved Fanli and how much he loved her. I can’t say too much without giving anything away but this was such a good story.

I was immersed in the very beginning. I literally didn’t want to out it down because I had to know what was going to happen.

I honestly didn’t expect to like a certain character.. actually, I can’t even say I like that character but I felt sympathy towards them.

There was a scene that made me cry! Omg.. I was not expecting it.. but then again I kindof did due to an incident prior.

I’ve never red any of Ann Liang’s books but this is her debut adult fantasy and I am here for it! I planned on reading her YA contemporary romances but I hope she writes more fantasy because she is talented and I will read them all!

My first ARC from Netgalley!

This is probably Ann Liang's best work right now. The complexity of her characters and their rude awakening to the cost of war is tragic and powerful and beautiful.

This was truly a magical and compelling read and it's so hard not to dive into the spoilers on here about how I feel about so many different little details, but oh gosh, this book was so worth it.

Ann Liang is an insanely talented writer. I have so much admiration for her work. Because I've only read her YA romance before this, I wasn't sure what to expect out of A Song to Drown Rivers - but I am once again in awe by what Ann Liang can do. This is a whole nother realm to what she is capable of and I would love to see more!

This book is what I mean when I say I love political intrigue in fantasy/historical fiction books. I mostly requested this book because the cover is gorgeous, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I became so attached to all of the characters, and completely drawn in by the complex and layered characterization, rich descriptions, and political suspense. All of the characters felt like real people, and that made the story even more heart-wrenching. I sat down planning to read for an hour or so, and I ended up reading the book in one sitting. I was completely transported into the world Liang has crafted. This book deserves so much more attention than it's getting as a future release, and I really hope that as more early reviewers get to it, it's going to get the credit it deserves. I think this book has the potential to draw in a lot of different kinds of readers. I see that Liang has written some young adult romance and magical realism, which I'm definitely interested in picking up now, but I think she's potentially found her niche in this type of book, and I would love to experience her take on other elements of mythology and history.

trying to write this review and currently holding back tears. wow. what a magnificent book this is. a song to drown rivers is the type of literature that is transcendent… art in its purest form. i can’t describe the way my heart was touched by this story. i was so invested in xishi and fanli and fuchai and zhendang. i really don’t have words right now because the last 75 pages of this book shattered me. i think that there is so much to take away from this book, and perhaps i will have more to say later, but for now i am just in awe.

when i say the SECOND i finished paper 2 (thats a lie, i have more exams coming up) i started fully devouring the arc.

this is, without hesitation, ann's best book to date. one of the best journeys i've had is reading miss ann's book children from if you could see the sun to a song to drown rivers and its been amazing to see ann settle into her voice of writing (if that makes sense LMAO). it's the way ann somehow crafted this story where you root for all three leads (xishi, fanli, AND fuchai). wow what a surprise, i'm rooting for the enemy? but no by the end, i didn't even hate him. i just felt so bad for the king he deserved sm better. not to say that xishi and fanli didn't (THEY DO BECAUSE I SAW THE ENDING COMING A MILE AWAY I GUESSED IT RIGHT AND MY HEART STILL HURTS.)

the risky mission that xishi has to carry out will have you on edge for the entire story. where the enemy could discover the truth of why she's in the wu kingdom at any time. when you think xishi has succeeded in some component, something else happens to completely throw you off balance along with her. i truly wish zhengdan and luyi had more time in the spotlight because they, along with the main cast, were my favorites. zhengdan was the little sister that xishi could have again, and luyi was the elder brother neither of them had but did. the time spent training before heading off into the wu kingdom was such a comfort to me because of how their dynamic was, despite how it wasn't as touched on as the tension between xishi and fanli (for obvious reasons)

on the bright side, i am quite glad that [redacted] was not the traitor. the person that xishi was warned to look out for. i was so scared the final like 10% of the book BECAUSE WHAT IF, YOU KNOW? it didn't seem likely, but that's what everyone would say about most plot twists. im very thankful it wasn't [redacted] if it was i fear my heart has gone through too much for it to recover again.

i will in fact be recommending this book to all of my friends. and if they wont read it, i will buy it for them and annotate the book to gift them because this is just THAT book. it deserves over 5 stars, it deserves more than 10 it deserves the whole world.

to be honest, though, you know who else deserves the whole world? xishi, fanli, fuchai, zhengdan, and luyi. <3

tysm to netgalley for letting me have a DRC !

This retelling of the Chinese legend of Xishi is cinematic, suspenseful, immersive, and romantic.

Xishi was born a rare beauty, her looks unparalleled in the Yue kingdom and beyond. Hidden away from the world by parents who hoped to protect her, gossip of her looks still spread far and wide -- bringing a mysterious stranger to her door and setting her off on a journey to infiltrate an enemy kingdom and topple an empire. Trained by military mastermind Fanli, who happens to be as handsome as he is intelligent, she prepares to seduce the enemy king and gain his trust as a spy. If she fails, both her life and her people are on the line.

The writing in this was extremely cinematic, with immersive settings and scenes that paint vivid pictures in your mind. I imagine this must have taken a heck of a lot of research to build such an intricate historical setting with so much vibrant detail.

I also really liked the characters, who felt well developed and each had their own motivations and complexities.

The "chess game" of Xishi infiltrating the Wu kingdom was very well done, and made for a riveting read to see how well she would hold her own against kings and military experts. I also like the message that the book has in the end about war, and about who suffers most when kings and armies clash.

There was a big romance element that I wasn't expecting. Romance usually isn't my thing (I'm heartless, I know!) But I think for lots of readers that'll be a value add. I can definitely say that the romantic tension was tied into the plot well and drove the story forward in a key way.

4.25 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this ARC to read and review.

I enjoyed this book. This book is fast paced and the storyline is interesting- I couldn’t put it down. I liked the main characters Xishi and Franli. A must read!

Truly an addictive read that left a lasting impression the size of a crater on my heart. I will spoil nothing; just go read this one ASAP!

This book was unexpected. I quickly became immersed in the story, not quite knowing exactly where it was heading and I have to say I did NOT expect that ending. But what a beautiful way to end this book! Really enjoyed this one and look forward to more from this author..

My very first novel by Ann Liang, and oh did I enjoy this one! "A Song to Drown Rivers" tells the story of one of the Four Beauties of Ancient China, Xishi. Trained to become the perfect spy, she is sent as a concubine to a rival king with orders to seduce him and manipulate him into the eventual destruction of his own kingdom. I was immediately absorbed in her story, which was aided by Liang's gorgeous prose. Xishi is a complex, wonderful protagonist with flaws and insecurities, and I was worried for her the entire time. I also really enjoyed the romance in this one, as it's beautifully slow-burn and the love interest - strategist Fanli, the one who trains her to become a spy - is just as complex and fascinating as she is. While we don't learn much about any of the side characters, I still felt especially for Xishi's closest friend and was intrigued by the Wu king Fuchai- and wow am I grateful that Liang managed to make him feel both rotten and despicable but also sweet and gentle, and she never shied away from showing us how conflicted Xishi is about this duality while never venturing into the dreaded 'woobifying the villain for love triangle reasons' territory. Yes this happens way too often, yes I am so grateful it doesn't happen here. Honestly, the way Liang writes the relationship between the two of them is masterful.

The novel is well-crafted and evenly paced, full of adventure and tragedy and several shades of grey. The ending hit hard, and after my follow-up wiki binge a part of me does wish that one of the other ending versions of the tale had been chosen, but another part still thought that the ending we got is kind of perfect and tonally fits the novel best. My only minor grievances would be that the way Xishi accomplishes her goals is at times a little too easy and that some of the minor characters could have been more fleshed out, especially on the Wu side.

All in all, loved it, will definitely look into Liang's previous work. As far as I know she's usually more a YA contemporary author which is not really my genre anymore, but her writing style is just amazing and I do hope she'll try her hand at yet another historical fiction piece at some point.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Song to Drown Rivers is as beautiful as Lady Xishi was. Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic historical fantasy that will transport you to the kingdoms of Yue and Wu and fully immerse you into that time and place.

I am still utterly stunned by this novel. Everything about it is just so beautiful. The prose is brilliant and transcendental, emotional and immersive, but my favorite part is how poetically and brutally honest this book is. It tells the tale of Xishi, a girl from a small village still mourning the loss of her sister who was killed by enemy soldiers, a girl who decides to be a hero for her people, and a girl who transcends everyone's expectations and society norms. I love how the author portrayed Xishi: smart and resourceful, but also painstakingly self-aware. I loved that the author delved into Xishi's character so deeply that we could see how overwhelmed she felt by how others viewed her.

"I had always enjoyed the sound of my solitude, the quiet of my oen breathing. Often, when I was around other people and felt their gazes on me, I had the strange, encroaching sense that my face and body did not belong to me. As if I had been designed purely for the pleasure of their viewing."

"All my life, the very same people had told me time and time again how gorgeous I was. How could I not know it? That was like growing up not knowing you were tall."

And I loved how she wanted more. Not just more wealth or noble titles, but she wanted more out of life when she realized that it was possible.

Fanli is the famous young military advisor to the King of Yue. Famous for his intellect, his unyielding loyalty, and for his divine beauty. He's simply put brilliant in everything he does, and he's one of the few characters I've ever met who is good. He only truly has the best of the kingdom at heart. He wants to help his people and make the world a better place. I have a thing for intelligent characters, and Fanli with his brilliance and unflinching morals is everything I've ever wanted.

However, I also loved all the side characters. Zhengdan is Xishi's companion during her mission, and I loved how she wasn't afraid to show her true self, how she abhorred the society's norms and how she trained swordsmanship. Luyi is a guard under Fanli, who is fiercely dedicated to Fanli, and whose endearing and funny personality brightened the atmosphere from all its seriousness. Even the two kings were great characters. They weren't great people, but they were great villains and great antagonists.

I think of A Song to Drown Rivers as a stunning story that speaks about the consequences and sacrifices of war, about the destructive will of kings who only think about their fortune and ambition, and about the value of morals and intelligence. It's one of the most beautiful books I have ever read, and one that has resonated me to my core.

A Song to Drown Rivers isn't just a book for all c-drama lovers; it's a book for storytelling lovers.

It’s hard to write a review when you can’t stop sobbing about the book.

Absolutely amazing storyline, and I loved this take on the Legend of Xishi.

If you love epic historical fiction, strong FMC, love conquers all, and war storylines, this book is perfect for you!

A song to drown rivers by Ann Liang is now one of my favorite books. I loved it and it made me feel so much for the characters emotionally. I was crying at parts. I understood by the end that Fuchai was just a boy born into a horrible position that shaped him into the King that the Yue seemed to hate. In the end, who was supposed to be the good guy ended up being the bad one in my opinion. Fuchai would have never done that to her I honestly felt bad for the fate he was dealt. What happened to Xishi in the end was not fair after everything she did they just backstab her in the end. That's not ok. If you love historical fiction and the legends of China's four beauties, definitely read this you won't regret it. I'm blown away it's a book I'd read again. Ann Liang is also a great writer. Keep up the great work when reading this I felt like I was transported into the book and living it myself. That's what I call a great book and now plan to read any future books by them because I'm sure they'll be great too.

In the wake of the Wu's defeat of the Yue the King of Yue is desperate for vengeance and with the help of his brilliant Minister Fanli sets a deadly plan in motion that sends two young girls into the very heart of enemy territory. Their job is simple: make the King of Wu fall so deeply in love that he'd be willing to lay the world at their feet and as one of them, Xishi realizes she may just accomplish that she also realizes that she is just a pawn in a game between kings, a game where no one truly ever wins.

This isn't exactly what I was expecting it to be based on the synopsis I read, but, I'm not disappointed. It was well timed with cookie cutter but likable characters. And even though it is extremely predictable, especially if you watch and/or read as much Chinese tv/books as I do. However, I found that to be nice because after finishing The Light of All that Falls last night my brain needed a bit of a break. Sometimes you just need a book that's entertaining and doesn't make you think too much ya know?

Overall, I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a quick uncomplicated politcal court drama.

Hauntingly beautiful, this 5-star read captivated me from the first page. This story was beautifully written, leaving a lasting impression. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

I will give my thoughts once SMP addresses their readers with an explanation. Until then, all my reviews will be withheld.