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.

A Song to Drown Rivers.

All can say is whoa, what a wild ride this was. I think this was the fastest I have read a book.

✨Highlights ✨

I read this so fast I could not put it down.

I had a favourite character from the very first few pages.

The writing is flowery and beautiful.

Ripped my heart out, threw it out the window, then brought it back to me with a singular bandaid to fix it.

✨Thoughts ✨

I cannot say much without spoiling it but you have our main character, Xishi, she basically gains and loses everything. She is betrayed and becomes the betrayer, she loves and loses, she does everything for her kingdom but in the end what does it matter?

The more i think about this book the sadder I feel. This one hits you right in the heart. This poor girl was set up to fail from the start. Paired with Ann Liang absolutely gorgeous writing you have a heroine that suffers, and it is devastating.

I am trying to separate my feelings and how to rate this book because the ending is very hit or miss and I cannot decide if I like it or not. It left me emotionally devastated but I’m left pondering, is that a good thing? Sometimes I try to imagine myself writing an ending like that and asking myself why? what was the point of it, what was message? I honestly feel that I’ll be thinking about it for a long time, I definitely recommend it if you like beautiful writing, but I mostly want to recommend it because the journey was pretty incredible.

My head is telling me yes you enjoyed this book, but my heart wants to have special words with Ann Liang.

Once I’m my coherent I will revisit this review with a definitive answer, I definitely loved the journey but not completely sold on the conclusion

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This book is bueatifully written story. This sotry is about the beuatul Xishi as she trains and becomes a spy to overthow the tryant that has taken control of her country. I love the main character who learns to find strength through her trials. If you enjoy historical fatanasy novels, then this book is a must read.

I loved the plot of the book. Xishi becoming a spy by seducing the enemy king to fall in love with her and simultaneously getting revenge for the death of not only her little sister but Zhengdan’s father. Xishi spends 10 weeks training with Fanli to prepare her to infiltrate the Wu Kingdom. While training together closely she discovers that she’s fallen for Fanli. What we didn’t get to read about was how they fell for each other. There was no detailed interactions between Fanli and Xishi were I could see how they could’ve fallen for each other. Once Xishi is handed over to the Wu Kingdom she’s faced with the task of seducing Fuchai the “tyrant” King. I ended up really liking Fuchai out of all the characters he had the most growth. While Xishi is in the Wu Kingdom there’s absolutely no time line. I had NO idea that Xishi is in the WU kingdom for Years let alone months. It’s briefly mentioned I would have loved dates or times etc.. The genre of the book also doesn’t fall into the “Fantasy” category. There was no fantasy in the book until the very end and I don’t know if it would even count as a fantasy scene it would be more supernatural? Overall I gave it a 4.5. Because of the twists and turns at the end were so unexpected I was at a loss for words. It broke my heart and did not put the pieces back together.

4.25 stars
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review:
Inspired by the Chinese Legend of Xi Shi, this novel tells the story of a young girl turned spy, set to topple the Wu kingdom from within. I’m not familiar with the original tale, but the premise intrigued me and I’ve been trying to learn more about stories from different cultures.

Overall: GORGEOUS writing, a strong and vibrant main character, and fast pacing made this a thoroughly enjoyable read. It’s been marketed as a fantasy, but I would classify it much more as a period piece, there really isn’t any fantasy elements at all (not a bad thing just a note). The ending was utterly perfect.

The only reason this wasn’t 5 stars for me is that most of the relationships between characters were built and developed off-page. Whilst this helped the pacing remain fast, it left the relationships (especially the romance) feeling incomplete and as though they lacked substance.

I love Ann Liang's writing style. Her books always have a C-drama worthy plot. A Song to Drown Rivers is no different. If you love historical romance dramas, you'll love this book.

This was such a well-executed retelling on the story of Xishi. This book felt enchanting, addicting, heartbreaking, and all of the above. I loved all the characters and absolutely adored the story, but I think with this being my first dive into this genre, it was a bit hard for me to connect with the story the same way so many other people did. Overall, Ann really takes you on a roller coaster of emotions with this story and I wish I could experience the ride for the first time again. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy in October and re-experience this story!

A Song to Drown Rivers is a lovely retelling of the legend of Xi Shi. A bit slow to start, once the story picked up I was fully engaged. The politics and intrigue were the highlight. My main critique that keeps it from being a 5 star read is the target audience. This is marketed as an adult fantasy, however it read very young adult. I don't mind it and do read young adult books, but wasn't expecting it for this book and believe it took away from the story a bit. Writing about a courtesan without delving into the very adult themes around their role felt off and I would have loved to explore the implications more fully. But overall this is a well done story that touches on great themes! I was just hoping for a more compete vision

First and foremost, thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an eARC for an honest review!

I have nothing but good things to say about A Song to Drown Rivers. It is a beautifully written story that manages to cover patriarchy, womanhood, power, war, grief, love, loyalty, and family at the same time. None of these topics feel forced or strained, which is a credit to Liang's prose and ability to create a world that you can fold yourself into. While the journey of Xishi draws on some well-known tropes, Liang brings new and refreshing light to these tropes, and again, makes them feel as natural as the world that she has created. Xishi is a character that is written with such care and nuance, providing readers with the ability to feel what she feels along her journey. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a beautiful historical fantasy that will allow them to fully hear the song that drowns rivers.

This novel about a commoner-turned-spy and the spymaster with whom she falls in love is full of lovely imagery, but too often coy and vague on details. Xishi and another young woman are trained to infiltrate the court of their country's enemy oppressor, where Xishi is to seduce him and convince him to weaken his country's defenses without him knowing. It's a dangerous undertaking: Xishi's companion loses her cool and dies horribly as a consequence; Xishi herself deliberately wounds herself and is hunted by a court official. She begins to feel sympathy towards her mark, but in the end, reveals all to him when her country attacks his. In the end, she dies before being reunited with her putative lover, but they meet again in the afterlife. Xishi isn't a very strong character, and she rarely feels much inner turmoil or has much character development--as though the training she undertakes to hide her true expressions was adopted by the author as well.

This was my initial venture into historical fiction with minimal fantasy elements, A Song to Drown Rivers draws inspiration from the legend of Xishi, exploring themes of womanhood, sacrifice, revenge, and love.

Despite my unfamiliarity with the legend, the story captivated me, weaving a compelling yet heartrending narrative. I particularly resonated with the exploration of revenge.
Ann Liang's prose is undeniably beautiful, though at times, it tended to be overly wordy for my taste.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to enthusiasts of Chinese-inspired historical fiction seeking a tragic love story intertwined with a cautionary tale of revenge.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Publishing for giving me e-arc and the opportunity to review this early.

ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

<b>4.5 ☆</b>

I ended the book with a weeping heart- grief, especially when it’s well written, hits hard. I’ll be honest, in the beginning, I wasn’t as into the story as I wanted to be. Certain parts made me feel disinterested with the addition of a ‘love at first sight’ trope as well as the plot felt like something I had read before. But knowing that it was inspired by a legend really helped me fall in love. It’s a story of morals meant to teach readers- and I was sucked in after a few chapters. A show of how gray humanity it- those seen as heroes and villains aren’t really one sided- and a story of how not everything has the happy ending one wants.

This imaginative retelling of the legend of Xishi was both stunning and devastating in the most beautiful sense of the word. It's impossible to put down.

The explorations of the themes of revenge, beauty, war, and power were moving and thoughtful, well worth taking the time to digest after you've been swept away with the narrative. The author captures the elements of Chinese culture and the legends well, immersing the reader in the ancient land and its customs. It's an excellent and entertaining introduction to heroic Xishi.

This is a great tandem read or book for group discussion. It would also make an excellent read for anyone looking for an accessible window to Chinese classics.

4.5 heartbreaking stars

This story is breathtakingly beautiful. From the beginning you’re captivated by Ann Liang storytelling. You cannot put it down, you find yourself yearning for the main characters.

Before reading I wasn’t aware of ‘The Legend of Xi Shi’ one of the renowned ‘Four Beauties’ of ancient China. I did do my research after finishing this story and i have to say Ann Liang did an amazing job in bringing this story to life. Ann Liang’s writing is so beautiful and lyrical that you’re immediately transported into this story.

My heart is completely and utterly heartbroken after reading this. I’m not a fan of love triangles but this story did an amazing job that you didn’t know who to root for at the end. Everyone in this story deserved better 💔 I wish I could read this again for the first time. I cannot wait for the physical copy to come out so I can be heartbroken all over again.

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

This book is beautifully written. You can see and feel the tension and drama surrounding the main characters. and their heroism. While I wished for a disney-esque happily ever after, I think that the author delivered a true, difficult, and poignant ending. This book is a great choice for followers of Elizabeth Lim and Sue Lynn Tan (two authors I enjoy!).

Thanks you Netgalley and publishers for the free e-arc.

I was so excited for this one because the legend of Xi Shi is a banger and it's great to see an English language retelling of it, but I am BEGGING publishers to please stop publishing YA manuscripts as supposedly adult titles! There doesn't need to be a ton of explicit content on the page, but I simply can't anymore with sanitized stories about virgin courtesan spies who somehow manage to never have sex with the target they're meant to seduce in what is supposed to be an ADULT book (and the existence of much better YA novels like IRON WIDOW and GIRLS OF PAPER AND FIRE, which despite supposedly being for a teen audience don't gloss over the realities of being a concubine, make this even more annoying). The writing isn't awful and if this book had been published as the YA it actually is, I would have been less disappointed by it, but despite the beautiful package--which I predict BookTok will eat up!--unfortunately A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS is just okay, and doesn't otherwise stand out from the glut of historical and mythological retellings still saturating the marketplace.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I love when I pick up a book thinking it will be good, just to find out that it’s actually excellent.

Xishi’s story is extraordinary, thrilling, and heartbreaking. I couldn’t put this one down and was so sad when it ended. It’s not often that I say a book is too short but I gladly could have spent an extra 100 pages with this story and still not had enough.

This was genuinely one of the best and most beautiful books i have ever read, I am still shaking over the fact that I even got an ARC for it!! This is also quite possibly the most emotionally devastating book I've read in a long while, I was truly fighting for my life not to cry on my plane while reading the last 20%, despite expecting a tragic ending.

My one comment is that I wish we had just a little bit more time with Xishi and Fanli being happy, but I also feel like the fact that they never truly got to be happy together, and were separated for so long, makes the ending all the more tragic and impactful. I still absolutely loved the book and characters though -- genuinely if a book can make me cry it's a really good book to me.