A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is a story inspired by the legend of Xishi. I'm not familiar with the legend it's inspired by so I can't say much about how accurately the legend was portrayed here. But what I can tell you was I had mixed feelings but still overall enjoyed the book. My first problem was I went into this expecting fantasy because that's how it's marketed but there's not a single fantasy element in the entire book. The romance was very insta lust / love which didn't really work for me in this situation. This definitely felt more like a historical fictional novel to me. That and the rather bland plot really took away from my enjoyment. With a theme like becoming a spy to take down a kingdom for the book, I definitely expected a lot more action. But the writing was beautiful. The author had a way of being able to grab into the smallest emotions and really bring them out.

The audiobook was fantastic. Natalie Naudus did a wonderful job bringing so much emotion and life to the story. Her voice was perfect for this role.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 ⭐️ young adult fantasy romance standalone with no spice, just a few kissing scenes.
I actually really enjoyed this! if you are looking for a fast paced fantasy standalone with subplots of romance, lots of scheming and ploys, morally grey(ish) main characters, warring kingdoms, revenge, and tragedy that takes place in an Asia setting I would definitely recommend this! It was very bingeable and finished it within 24 hours! I also recommend the audiobook, the narrator was great. Might bump it up to a 4.5 if i keep thinking about it

Thank you Netgalley for this audio ARC for review!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

Good read overall but not quite what I was expecting. I did enjoy it and do not have any previous experience with the myth it is a retelling of so it was a nice change. The narrator did a good job.

I enjoyed this book. It was not quite as good as I had hoped. But I do think that a lot of people will enjoy it a lot more than I did.

👉🏻 For my friends who want a lightweight espionage story inspired by Chinese legend.

A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS by Ann Liang

Thanks, @stmartinspress and @Macmillan.audio, for the review copies of the book and audiobook. (Available now)

Inspired by an Ancient Chinese legend, this felt like young YA with little emotional depth, character development, or plot. The premise was great: a country beauty is trained to become a concubine for a rival king to spy on and attempt to overthrow him. Unfortunately, the story skims where it could have been great and ultimately left me wanting more. I’m fine suspending disbelief for a story, but the author never made me believe in the crash course into court intrigue or the intimacy between Xishi and the king. They seemed more friends than lovers.

The audiobook narrator was excellent.

This novel was beautifully written, but the overall storyline fell flat for me. The romance seemed rushed, and then they had no time together. I would also categorize this as a tragedy more so than a romance. I had a hard time focusing, as I would find my mind wondering more times than not. I did not feel a need to keep reading.

The narration was good, but did not do much to keep me listening.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for an advanced reading and listening copies of this book.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

This review is just for the audiobook quality. My review for the book will be on the actual book page. I absolutely love this author. I think she does an amazing job at differentiating the characters. I find her enjoyable to read and I think her portrayals of the characters' voices match the descriptions of the characters really well. I always look forward to this narrator when I search for audiobooks to read.

Thanks to NetGalley & Macmillan for an advanced copy of the audiobook
I listened to this audiobook in tandem with an an eARC.
Narrator- Natalie Naudus

I think this book wasn't for me. I struggled to get through it (picking it up and putting it down for MONTHS), even with the audiobook.
A Song to Drown Rivers felt more like historical fiction than anything, which often is a miss for me. There was also a lot of "telling" vs. "showing" when it came to any potential action. Everything felt very melodramatic, too. Everything was an emergency or breathy monologue. Naudus did a great job bringing the melodrama to life, it just simply wasn't for me.

Using her beauty as a weapon to improve her people's lives, Xishi gains the affection of the enemy king and plots from within to bring him down. Xishi falls for the military advisor, Fanli, who trains her to enter the enemy court. Fanli also falls for her leaving them both vulnerable behind enemy lines. Sad ending.

I was willing to give A Song to Drown Rivers a chance because I’ve been a fan of Ann Liang’s writing since This Time It’s Real, plus the cover and all the promotional material drew me in as they have been exceptionally gorgeous. Alas, it pains me to admit that A Song to Drown Rivers is my least favourite Ann Liang book. The pacing of the story was slow, and the plot doesn’t pick up until the characters get to the Wu palace. The story had potential, but unfortunately, most of the political intrigue and espionage that could have made it compelling happened off-screen. I realize that A Song to Drown Rivers is a retelling of Xishi, which emphasizes dynasty politics. Yet, I was left feeling disappointed because the marketing emphasized a “love story” that ultimately lacked the romance I anticipated. Sure, there is some UST between Xishi and Fan Li, but they were barely together, and Fan Li was an enigma of a character, so I didn’t care much about the relationship between the two. As for the other key relationship in the book, I found it refreshing that Xishi didn’t fall for the enemy. Yes, she does gain a better understanding of the king, to the point that she feels a bit bad for him but unlike most other characters in her situation, Xishi doesn’t fall in love with him. I also appreciate the fact that Xishi’s story showed how difficult and restrictive it was for women in ancient China as well as how very few truly benefit from war. Ultimately, I admired how A Song to Drown Rivers highlighted the tragic bloodshed that often accompanies war, illustrating that those who ascend to power through violence are frequently no better than the leaders they replace, even if they profess to be different.

3.75/5

A Song to Drown Rivers is a story with adventure, heartbreak, and love that I found engaging and stunning in many aspects but in other parts fell a bit flat.

I wish there was more character development or backstory behind a few of the characters, specifically Zhengdan. We needed far more! I also felt that the pacing was off at times but for fear of spoilers I won’t give specifics.

Overall, I enjoyed the newest novel from Ann Liang and look forward to what comes next!

I LOVED this book. The audio is phenomenal. Natalie Naudus adds so much to the story, she is truly a brilliant narrator. The tension throughout the story had me wondering what was going to happen the whole time. It's such a heartbreaking book. I wanted more from the very end (Xishi and Fanli's story). I wish Xishi got justice. I need to read the myth this book is based off of. Highly recommend listening to this book!

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this ALC!

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang was a fascinating yet devastatingly tragic tale of love, betrayal, and sacrifice. The plot is well thought out, and the characters are well developed. You not only see the development of the characters and their feelings, but you FEEL it. I listened to the audiobook version and was memorized by the narrator's (Natalie Naudus) voice! Perfect choice for this story.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for an advanced copy of this audiobook. I adored it!

Wow! I was pleasantly loved this book! And the audio was the way to go! It was a little slow at times, which is why I found audio worked best. I kept waiting for the love scenes, but found none. Xinshi was a great character and I think thats why I pushed thru.

I honestly thought I was going to give this book 5 stars up until the end. A thrilling story of a woman who uses her beauty to get revenge for her family and kingdom, who have suffered greatly at the hands of their rival neighboring kingdom.

Xishi was a great character, and I really loved her story. She was very believable on her journey, as she shows rage towards those who caused her family/kingdom suffering, but also struggles to keep that same rage when it comes down to the more human elements of her rivals (namely, the neighboring king).

My only real grievances with the books are twofold: first, I wish we saw more of her time training, It felt as though it passed very VERY quickly, which was slightly unbelievable and took me out of it for a minute, My second complaint is my biggest, and what made me take off a full star, which is WHAT WAS THAT ENDING??? I was so mad. I won't spoil anything but I do think that some people will appreciate the ending, but just as many will hate it the way I did. TRULY SO DUMB!! Overall though, this was a really good book and I enjoyed it!

I enjoyed this story a lot. I've been on a fantasy kick and this book was exactly what I wanted. It was fast-paced and full of different characters and action. The audiobook was really enjoyable too and the narrator was amazing. I believe this story is a standalone and the way the author wrapped everything up was perfect. I felt like there were no plot holes left unfinished and the ending was really sweet.

I was drawn to this book because I’ve enjoyed the author’s YA novels and was intrigued by its inspiration from the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China. Having never heard of these legends before, I found it fascinating to explore a story rooted in such a rich historical and cultural backdrop. The narrative pulled me in immediately, and the romance completely hooked me. This retelling of an ancient tale felt fresh, captivating, and wonderfully unique!

I enjoyed the audiobook. I recognized the narrator and I like her story telling style. It worked well with this tale.

Thank you to Ann Liang, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Xishi is an easy heroine to root for. Her journey from poor peasant girl to spy trainee to glamorous royal concubine had so much strife and growth, and all I wanted was for something to finally go her way. This book is so beautifully written, which makes the numerous gut punches all the more devastating. I love novels based on folklore, and this particular legend wasn't one I was familiar with so the plot was all new to me and kept me on my toes. The story continuously surprised me and there were multiple times I thought I'd predicted a twist only to be thrown in the opposite direction. This one is a heartbreaker, in the most beautiful and satisfying of ways.

The narration of the audiobook is also wonderful, and I would love to listen to more audiobooks narrated by Natalie Naudus.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this one.

3.5 stars rounded down.
This book was okay but had a few problems, as much with marketing as it did with the story. First, this is not a fantasy book. Though it is technically speaking the reimagining of a myth, its really more of a historical fiction extrapolated on real characters from real history. Even if the characters were fictional, there is not one shred of otherworldly, fantastical, or magical existence in the book. There is also virtually zero romance in the story, which is fine, but manage your expectations accordingly.
Breaking down the plot further, Xishi was a difficult heroine for me to love. In most of the major plot developments, Xishi is a character whom things happen to, not one that takes control of her environment and destiny. She does have some moments of cleverness and quick thinking, but for the most part, she is along for the ride in her own story. When makes some grave mistakes along the way that cost her and her loved ones dearly, I was frustrated with her instead of sympathetic.
Some parts of the story were faster paced than others, so the pace was a little disjointed overall. I was surprised by the ending. The audio was well done with a great performance from the narrator. All in all, this is not a book I wouldn’t rush to recommend to most readers, but I wouldn’t discourage anyone interested from reading it either. Thank you to MacMillan audio for the ARC in exchange for my honest review of A Song to Drown Rivers, which is available now.