I just finished this book and I'm thoroughly impressed. From the start, striking, vivid descriptions make the surroundings of the book undeniable and root the conflict in the land and the protagonist's body. There's a circularity to the narrative, but a real sense of change within the protagonist's thought processes. The intensity of the plot works well with the lushness of the prose.

I enjoyed the unexpected moments of wisdom from Xishi that fleshed her out as a character. Several things that she said or thought lingered in my mind, like her response to what desire is. Her perspective progressively broadens, and it's beautiful to read.

This book has so much heart.

My thanks to St. Martins Press and Ann Liang for the ARC. This is an amazing book. It has everything-romance, amazing world building in that one can see the world that Xishi lives in. The passion and the sense of urgency that compels Xishi to become the lady of the King of her worst enemy is very real. I could not put it down. It’s a great book

I enjoyed the setting and the worldbuilding. It's more cinematic than literary, but that feels appropriate for the retelling of a well-known legend. The writing is descriptive and emulates the colorful poetry of ancient Chinese art.

This is marketed as adult, but it lacks the depth and range to fully make the transition away from older YA/new adult territory (also, every character of significance is in their 20s, which doesn't seem likely). Unfortunately, Xishi's court concubine training is mostly glossed over and she encounters next to no actual challenges once she's at the Wu court. Inexplicably, this second act dials back on the suspense and description that compelled the first. And, not that I needed details, but it's unbelievable that Xishi never actually fulfills the sexual side of her role with Fuchai.

Against my better judgment, I'm choosing to buy the love story between Xishi and Fanli, the king's advisor and her recruiter. It is a very slooow burn, which I like, but there needs to be something more substantial than physical attraction between them to make that surprising ending a true romantic fit for them.

I should have read a little more about it before requesting it. I’m sorry to say, this one just wasn’t for me.

A young woman's undeniable beauty leads her down perilous paths as she as tasked with seducing a rival king, gaining his trust and toppling his kingdom from within, even as she falls for another man.

Ann Liang's writing was really beautiful and I enjoyed reading her work. I finished the book in a day, so it's somewhat of a quick read-especially the beginning.

Xishi and Fanli's relationship is well built from the beginning and I found myself wanting to read more about them than the Wu palace politics, though that isn't to say the book didn't keep my interest.
The end was bittersweet but a bit muddled. I think it tried to encompass too long a stretch of time in only a few pages.

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for this ARC!

The moment I saw this book arrived on NetGalley I rushed to read it, I've been looking forward to it for months! I was wondering if I would enjoy this book as her books have been primarily YA and I have just recently starting delving into adult fiction however, I was not disappointed.
I wasn't too sure what I was diving into as I hadn't read the description in a couple of months, yet truly I was not expecting this. I continue thinking of the last chapter, I'm still in shock. I've barely had the time to read recently yet I read this in two days, I simply could not put it down!

I honestly think Ann Liang is incapable of writing a book under 5 stars!

*Reviews will be posted to Goodreads and Storygraph closer to the release date*

A Song to Drown Rivers is a melancholic read that will have you considering just how far you would go, and what would you risk to save your family and your people. We follow the journey of Xishi, a beautiful girl, chosen by a famous military advisor to help topple the Kingdom of Wu. In exchange for her family’s safety, and the good of her people, she must seduce the Wu leader and kill him. Things become more complicated during Xishi’s training when she falls for Fanli.

The clash of cultures and war takes front and centre in this novel. Yet, the scenes do not unfold on a battlefield. Xishi’s war is fought internally and within the palace, in her interactions with fellow courtesans, amongst political rivals and with the King himself.

Xishi may hold the Wu responsible for her people’s suffering but who does the Wu hold responsible for theirs? Well the story may be told strictly from Xishi’s perspective, we do watch her consider the fickle implications of war and governing. Xishi may hold onto her mission but does she hold on to the rationale?

It’s a tough read. It is poignantly written and left me feeling raw . Xishi is merely a means to a greater good and what she must do to obtain it is often in conflict with what is good for Xishi. With the promise of better things to come Xishi looks to the future. Yet the question remains, is the grass always greener on the other side. I’ll certainly be considering it as I now to make my way through this author’s backlist.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A Song to Drown Rivers
by Ann Liang
Pub Date: 01 Oct 2024


Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.

Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.

Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.

Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.

This book is an emotional roller coaster that will leave your heart in tatters. I will be thinking of Xishi and Fanli for a very long time with reverence. I admire their tenacity, their longing and their heartbreak. I even developed a fondness for Fuchai despite my initial feelings for him.

This was my first time reading Ann Liang's work despite having two of her other novels on my TBR and I was pleasantly surprised. This book has love, heartbreak, espionage, betrayal, revenge and so much more. What a wonderful novel that I will be recommending to everyone. I cannot wait to read more by this author.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Ann Liang for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I just finished reading this book in one sitting.and this book is deviatingly beautiful. I got really involved in the storytelling of the court politics and could just not put the book down. There were times I was yelling at my book (in a good way) and other points that had me in tears. I fell into the book and love the writing style of the author, it made me feel like I was there with the main character. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy political intrigue from a woman’s point of view.

This book is absolutely amazing! I couldn't put it down. It had me losing track of time completely. The world-building and story flow was great. I was utterly captivated by the characters and story. It is a must-read.

A song to drown rivers is a beautifully crafted historical fantasy that covers topics of war and womanhood, and where the two paths cross.

Xishi has been told all her life how beautiful she is, to the point where her mother had to cover her face when in public to avoid unwanted attention.

Everyone seemed to agree that the only use Xishi had would be to use her beauty to marry well to benefit her kingdom, however Fanli seemed to have the opposite opinion and as a military advisor her devised a plan to use Xishis beauty to tempt and seduce a neighbouring kingdom and train her to become a spy for them, using beauty as power and influence.

This book has strong character development, romantic aspects, political intrigue and tragic circumstances. I was unaware before reading that it was somewhat based on true historical events which is pretty cool to know once having read this book.

This book is out of the norm for me so it was fun to delve into a different kind of genre, I enjoyed the read altogether, I liked the poetical writing style giving an artistic feel, I found some areas a little slow burn but I understand that there needed to be a lot of content explained due to the nature of the book.

Thank you to Ann Liana, st martins press and NetGalley for a copy!

I read this book in one sitting -- I could not put it down! Ann Liang's writing pulled me in from the start and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the harrowing story. The end felt a little rushed, but perhaps that was the point of it all. Overall, though, the writing style was lyrical and engaging and the story will surely stay with me for some time.

Wow, it's been a long time that I've read a historical story based on true events and A Song to Drown Rivers was a great way to get back to this genre. I finished this story in one day because yes - it was truly gripping from word to word.
A Song to Drown Rivers is based on the story of Xishi, one of the Four Great Beauties of Ancient China. Part historical, part embellishment, the story itself is akin to watching a heartbreak about to happen and you can't do anything to prevent it. Tragic and beautiful, A Song to Drown Rivers tells the fateful tale of Xishi, the most beautiful woman in the land of China (though it wasn't called China at that time). Hidden from a young age to prevent any undesirable attention, Xishi was naive yet brave and was given a role she put her whole heart into.
The tragedy itself stems from a longing of love and a betrayal that was unexpected. The author's ability to reach into the very depths of your soul and tear it into pieces is something not to be ignored. I will definitely be watching out for this author.
While no one truly knows the stories of historical figures - alas only through tales and legends passed down through generations - Xishi was beautifully written and portrayed. I'd like to think she was exactly as described in A Song to Drown Rivers, and her great love interest - FanLi was ultimately her savior and downfall.
If you get a chance to research Xishi and her story on how she brought down a powerful King and nation, then you'll enjoy reading this story.
Spoiler alert - the ending was tragic but written in a way that you had high hopes for the future of Xishi and FanLi. While the author didn't delve too much into their love story - rather more of the romance between King Fuchai and Xishi, you still feel the angst, the pain, and the heartache that Fanli and Xishi felt for each other.
This is a story for anyone looking to read a bit of historical fiction and non-fiction, tied with a hefty amount of espionage and revenge. Ultimately the book is about Xishi's great accomplishment and the fascinating descriptions with lyrical prose that draws you in from the first sentence.
Thank you to author Ann Liang and Netgalley for this ARC.

“The mind destroys; the heart devours.”

Entrancing and eloquent, Ann Liang draws you into her world with just the first few pages, and you find yourself at the end before you’re ready for it to be over. She truly gives this legend new life and a personal touch.

Our heroine, Xishi, a girl from a small village, finds herself at the heart of political machinations grander than she ever expected, and with help of a young military advisor by the name of Fanli, she is taught to use her beauty to ensnare and captivate. As the novel progresses, Xishi’s fragility and naivety slowly erode through to a backbone of steel she must use to protect herself and those she holds close in a hostile court with a capriciously cruel king she hopes to control.

“But what is desire?” “Absence.…We are most tempted by what we cannot have.“

Ann Liang has a way of conveying incredible weight and complexity of feeling in the smallest of actions and touches as we experience Xishi struggle between what she must sacrifice and the intense longing for what she wishes she could have.

This is a beautiful novel, with engaging characters, a compelling romance and a gripping political court intrigue. As the novel delves into the motivation and desperation of women establishing themselves in a world controlled by the greed of men, we too are forced to confront poignant plays on power dynamics and what the real difference is between a personal sacrifice and a political pawn.

As the novel comes to a close, it ends in the only way I believe this story could. I fully recommend this to anyone who would agree that true beauty is as devastatingly haunting, as it is breathtakingly exquisite.

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

When we first meet Xishi, she is a young girl courageously and compassionately putting her own life at risk to save another. Xishi is discovered in her small village by King Gourjian of Yue's advisor, Fanli, who trains Xishi to be the King's concubine. She is chosen for the role based on her beauty, although in reality she becomes a spy to undermine the King. In A Song to Drown Rivers, we follow her journey and that of Fanli.

I was drawn to this book by its lyrical title and beautiful cover. What I found within was a historical fantasy featuring a strong, smart heroine. The prose has a lovely, poetic quality that is well-suited to the protagonists and tone of the story. I enjoyed A Song to Drown Rivers and plan to seek out other books by this author. I recommend this book to those who enjoy fantasy novels with a strong female lead.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC of A Song to Drown Rivers.

It's worth noting that I don't believe that A Song to Drown Rivers is a bad book by any means, and I've loved all of Ann Liang's previous published works. I also just have to admit that something about A Song to Drown Rivers didn't connect as much as I was hoping it would. Whether it was the length of the book, which I could argue should've been longer, or a romance that didn't feel quite developed, I was left wanting more, and not in the sense that I loved the story that I wanted it to keep going. The ideas were there, and interesting, but they could have been expanded upon in better ways. I also wish that there was more time spent with the female friendships, instead of all of the time being focused on the men in Xishi's life.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for letting me read this to review. Liang's Fantasy debut was gripping but frustrating at times. I found myself feeling like I had skipped pages, wondering how the characters could suddenly have such strong feelings for the other given the lack of conversation or interactions. While the overall plot kept me entertained, I was a bit let down given how strong the first few chapters were.

A Song to Drown Rivers was an incredible book. The author Ann Liang was notorious in the YA lit field, but this book was proof that she can write so many more genres. A Song to Drown Rivers was such a beautiful book with such an intense relationship between the two main leads. The world building and character building made the book feel very whole.

A peasant girl with the help of her advisor is trained and sent to topple a kingdom as a concubine.
Chinese empires, war, espionage, the art of seduction and influence, love vs duty. A really beautiful historical retelling of one of The Four Beauties of China. Women celebrated for weaponising their soft power to break men and win wars. A story where warfare was felt but on the periphery. The bigger focus on the psychological tension of the h’s job. At its core a chaste and tragic romance that seemed to grow stronger where there was absence.

*It was a pleasure to read the ARC for A Song to Drown Rivers, thank you A. Liang and St. Martin's Press.
—Amia Lort on Goodreads