Mesmerizing is the only word I can think of to describe this book. The writing is exquisite, the story pulls you in as you are drawn into the world of the Wu and the Yue. Peasants and royalty alike have characters you need to learn about. Descriptions of lands, people and occasions in war and supposed peace leave you wanting to learn more. Your emotions go on a roller coaster ride as you move through time. I highly recommend.
Thanks to #NetGalley#ASongToDrownRivers#St.MartinsBooks for the eARC.

★★★★★ - 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
Book 1
༘Spoiler free ༘
⭐️4.925/5
🌶️
Romantic, Fantasy, Historical Fiction
➳ Espionage & Infiltration
➳ Beauty as a Weapon
➳ Forbidden Romance
➳ Revenge
➳ Political/Court Intrigue
➳ Based on Legend
➳ Red Thread of Fate Theory

✨ “beauty is not so different from destruction“ ✨
Ann Liang brings the ancient legend of Xishi to life in a dance between truth and illusion, loyalty and betrayal, selfish desires and self sacrifice.

📚📚📚
Detailed Review:
Xishi is recruited from her small village to infiltrate enemy realms. Her King’s Advisor, Fanli, trains her in the art of espionage and court protocols. What begins as a mentorship sparks an inferno of desire which threatens to derail her mission to save the kingdom. I found my heart aching for Fanli and could feel his suffering as he prepared the woman he was falling in love with to marry another man.

Liang’s ability to write complex and moving characters shone when Xishi arrived in her enemy’s court to woo the king. A number moments I had to remind myself King Fuchai was the enemy, and her mission was to destroy him. I found that this is where the story soared above traditional legend, the characters truly came to life in a way that made it impossible not to empathise with the events that so clearly shaped their lives.

Amidst the whispers of intrigue and haunting echoes of forbidden desire, “A Song to Drown Rivers” lures you into a realm where deception wears a beautiful mask, and the fate of nations hangs in the balance.

Who is the true enemy? Does duty to one’s country outweigh the duty to one’s heart? Beauty is a double edged sword, and Ann Liang’s writing will cut you to your core.

I completed this in one sitting, i found it that difficult to put down. While previously family with the tale of Xishi, i could never anticipate how moving i would find this book. I found myself in tears, longing for a reread of this beautiful masterpiece.

❧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*❦*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧❧l

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LIKES:
⋆ This should be a blueprint for how to write yearning/desire/romantic chemistry without including any sort of explicit descriptions. You could cut the romantic tension with a knife in this book.
⋆ Complex and relatable characters, even the antagonists.
⋆ despite being based on a traditional legend, the story was revived and revived margined in a way that allowed me to feel surprised
⋆ eloquent and immersive prose, Liang’s writing brought the pages to life.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

**Fantasy Scoring**
Worldbuilding ➷ ✅ 5.0/5.0
Foreshadowing ➷ ✅ 4.8/5.0
Plot ➷ ✅ 4.9/5.0
Relationships ➷ ✅ 5.0/5.0

Thank you to the Ann Liang, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest opinion on the ARC of this book.

“I’m afraid of what comes over me when I’m around you. I’m afraid of how tempting it is, to ignore my own rationale, of how many excuses I can invent just to be closer to you. I’m afraid of how much—how much I want. Of what I want.

Ann Liang’s adult debut is a hauntingly, beautiful tale of forbidden romance. Every page is a piece of the author’s soul recaptured in the most devastating of words. Fanli and Xishi’s love affair is a tale written in the stars, a story that lives in all our hearts, and never lets go.

If I had a choice of three adjectives to describe this book they would be: devotion, forevermore, and echoes.

The author has created a devouring fantasy that pulls you in from the first sentence. I spent the entirety of my time reading utterly enthralled. “Sad, Beautiful, Tragic” (Taylor’s Version) by Taylor Swift is in the playlist for this novel, and the entire tale is bittersweet and soul-wrenching.

A Song to Drown Rivers made me believe in love. I felt the absence of air from the breath this book stole from my lungs. While my heart beat to the rhythms of romance throughout.

After finishing, I laid down, closed my eyes, and simply felt.

I cannot describe how acutely this book made me feel, except for the lasting impression it still holds. I feel a devastation within, one that only comes from true expression and longing.

I am honored to have been chosen to receive a free, digital galley of A Song to Drown Rivers.

A thank you is in order to the publisher, Macmillan; the platform, NetGalley; and the author, Ann Liang. All thoughts are my own and have not been influenced by any compensation.

- Lauren of bookisherondale reviews

oh my god. slow burn supremacy.

i’ve been a fan of ann liang’s since her debut and have been following her progress from there on out. i knew whatever she put out was going to absolutely enrapture me, and that holds true even after this novel.

this story was so beautiful— it really showcases how relationships do not need to be “spicy” to have impact. the subtle, yet very nuanced moments between them is all that i needed to know their chemistry extends beyond physicality and touches more on emotional intimacy. the tension was scorching, seriously. so intense and invoked all the feels!

do yourselves the honor and buy this book.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin's Press for inviting me to read and review this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Song to Drown Rivers is a breathtaking masterpiece that left me wrecked afterwards. I was instantly captivated and transported by Ann Liang's storytelling. The character development is spot on, and the world-building is strong. I fell in love with Xishi, her story and perseverance, and the people around her.

The romantic tension between Xishi and Fanli is chef's kiss. The secret hand brushes, the forbidden stolen moments, and the chemistry showcase that you don't need to have a sex scene for some spice. I had to fan myself a couple of times.

Ann Liang's writing is immersive and enthralling. I was hooked from the very first word to the very last heartbreaking page. I will forever recommend A Song to Drown Rivers.

If you enjoy reading Chinese and Japanese historical fantasies and watching dramas on Netflix, you will love this bittersweet and heart pounding story.

This was my first Ann Liang read- and I was sent the book directly by St. Martins press! I am a big lover of Chinese/Japanese fantasy, and this did not disappoint. At first I was like okay…this is going to be a horrible story line, like who the heck can be too beautiful it is to her detriment, but whoa. Ann threw me for a loop- I ate this book up in like two days and it was NOT predictable like I thought it was going to be. Well written, romance, excitement, and curve balls- kept me flying through this book. Don’t doubt the story line- it’s worth it. I am definitely going to look into Ann’s other books- thank you St. Martins Press for the ARC read!

A Song to Drown Rivers proved to be a captivating read that effortlessly delivered everything. The storyline flowed smoothly, with well-crafted characters and a plot that kept me hooked from beginning to end.Overall, I think Ann Liang presents a mesmerizing tale of resilience, sacrifice, and the enduring power of love.

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

Stunningly beautiful and emotional. Spent the last fifiteen minutes of the book m crying while on a plane. Ann Liang has mastered the YA Romcom but she’s also showing she has mastery in other genres too. If you’ve enjoyed Ann Liang’s other books (This time it’s real, if you could see the sun) you’ll see some of the charm of those books here but really the his book is in the upper echelon of fiction based on Chinese history and legend.
Also a bonus for all the titanic girlies out there. There’s one scene that…well, you’ll know it when you get to it