I have been drawn to the beautiful legends and retellings found in more cultures outside of my usual wheelhouse, and I am so happy this one came across my dashboard. This beautiful novel is described to be inspired by one of the four beauties of Ancient China, Xishi, which is also the name of the main character of the book.

Xishi is a girl whose family has known great heart ache after the loss of her younger sister, and she blames herself for not being able to keep the young girl quiet when the soldiers invaded her home. Though no one would blame her for this, he blames herself and she carries this guilt with her but also a quest for vengeance against the invading forces which destroyed her family and life.

As Xishi is washing silks by the river one day, she stands up for a young girl being pursued, and is then, in returned saved by a man who turns out to be a military member of her own army. He devises a plan which would put her neck on the line and into the current ruling emperors bed, but she would have the opportunity to have her vengeance should the plan pay off.

This book was so incredibly good. It was beautifully written and Xishi was a force to be reckon with.

A historical fantasy retelling with an ending that will leave you with all the feels.

So this book is inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, which I am not familiar with. But I love that the story centres on Xishi, an uncommonly beautiful young woman who is selected to be a spy to get revenge for her sister's murder.

This book follows similar beats to other YA/new adult fantasy adventure stories. We have the training montage, the almost getting caught, the supportive side characters, the love interest she needs to deny in order to fulfil her plan. I'm not taking away from the story with this comment at all. These beats are used for a reason, because they create a compelling and fast-paced storyline.

Where the book really hits is at the end. I won't spoil anything, but I'd say the ending really elevates the impact of the book and I'm so glad Ann Liang took the story there.

Natalie Naudus is one of my absolute favourite narrators. She brings such a depth and soul to this book that I don't think I would have gotten had I just read it. If you love audiobooks, definitely opt for the audio version of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

This book is best read by a river, while your lover watches from the opposite side.

I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did! I went into it expecting a romantasy, and I feel like it kind of read as a romantasy, but much more as an epic fantasy with heavy political intrigue - which is much more up my alley! Don’t go into this one expecting the romance or fantasy to be front and center, because they’re not. There is also not really any spice. I also went into this not realizing how closely it was based on Chinese legends - and again, I’m glad - I avoided a lot of spoilers that way!

I really enjoyed the main character, Xishi. I felt like she was very flawed but also a very strong FMC. I thought her relationships with a lot of the other characters were incredibly interesting. Because she spent a large portion of the book among people she considered to be enemies or untrustworthy, I really appreciated how nuanced her views of them became. Despite not being aware of the legends, I did see the ending coming…but it still hit me in ways I wasn’t prepared for!

I also really enjoyed the audio narration, especially as someone who would not have known how to pronounce any of the character names.

I would highly recommend this epic historical fantasy. I’m always looking for great fantasy stand-alone books, and this was one of my favorites so far this year!

Okay, that’s it. Natalie Naudus is absolutely my favorite narrator. She kills it every single time. And I’m genuinely attracted to her male voice. I could not even like a book and she’ll still make it a 5 star experience. Thankfully, not liking the book was not the case here.

A Song to Drown Rivers was an excellent standalone fantasy novel. My only complaint is that it wasn’t at least 100 pages longer because I desperately needed more. Talk about the most heartbreaking ending ever. I might never survive the pain Liang handed on a silver platter. Beautiful writing, strong heroine, forbidden romance, and a smitten villain. The true villain here though is not a rival king, but the devastation of war. I really can’t recommend this book enough, it was fantastic.

This is a hard one to review because another reviewer ruined the ending for me (and I will never forgive your for that, NT!) So I wonder how much of this is the result of my tainted feelings while reading and how much comes from my true impressions of the book. There is another issue for me that comes in the form of a Chekhov's Gun. I cannot explain that further without going into spoilers myself, so I will have to just say that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it should also hide during hunting season.
Anyway. A Song to Drown Rivers is a retelling of the Chinese myth of The Four Beauties, with the focus on Xishi. It is a complicated story of love and betrayal. It is relatively short in length, and the characterization misses some marks because of this. Still, the story is interesting and tragic.
This book would be great for fans of Nataly Gruender's Medusa, which came out earlier this year.
I also listened to the audiobook, and Natalie Naudus did an amazing job narrating.
True 3.5, rounding up to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy to review!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advanced audio copy of “A Song to Drown Rivers” by Ann Liang in exchange for a review.

When I saw Book of the Month released this in September, I was intrigued but hesitant, so I was thrilled I got the chance to experience it on NetGalley. I shouldn’t have hesitated. This has potential to be in my Top 5 books of 2024! It had a little bit of everything…love, mystery, strong women, suspense. The author did such a good job with character development and story.

You won’t want to miss this one! I’m planning to preorder a physical copy to have on my shelves.

The first book I ever read by Ann Liang was A Song to Drown Rivers. I didn't realize I had read it until halfway through the first chapter on audio, but I'm happy to report the narrator added something new by giving the characters a vivid voice, which made me even more of a fan of the story on my second reading. Even though I was aware of most of the plot's turns and turns, I still thought the story flowed nicely. I adore the story's femme fatale and forbidden romance elements. I love reading historical fiction, and this one captivated me from the beginning and kept me reading nonstop.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc to listen to!
First off I was hoping for a bit more from the author who normally writes rom-coms, debuting her new adult fantasy novel. I felt it was still quite YA with a lackluster romance in my opinion.
However, it was heart-wrenching and kept me wanting to listen more!

I love a great retelling, and I can never pass up a good femme fatal trope. This had both. While, my biggest complaint with this book is that I simply wish it were longer, I also have to say that there are things that weren't as fleshed out as I would have liked.

Our MC has a great backstory, yet we only see glimpses of it, as we are told, not shown. Also, with her beauty, we are told and not shown many times over the course of the book. I would have liked to see some of that in the beginning of the book, for sure.

This also felt like a tale you'd hear from a folkloreist. There wasn't a lot of meat to the story.

All that said, I still really enjoyed it. I just wish that parts of it were a bit more fleshed out.

This book was long and a bit slow to start, but the writing and the setting were both beautiful, so it encouraged me to push through. It is definitely not a fast read, but it is one that I enjoyed and will add to my shelf for years to come.

🌊Mini Review🌊
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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My thoughts- New fantasy alert 🤩 this beaut is out October 3rd and let me be the first to tell you it is FANTASTIC! This one will make you laugh and cry, break your heart, and put it back together again. ❤️ I loved this one SO much. Gorgeous character and setting. The more I think about this one, the more I love it. Xishi was such a dynamic well rounded character who just felt so real! This is a beautiful Chinese mythology. Really unique and unlike anything ive yet read!
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QOTD- what are you up to this weekend ? We are going to a fall festival near us and catching up on some much needed rest 😴
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I would like to thank the publisher for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

This book was beautiful! And I don't just mean the cover.

Xishi is woman of great beauty who runs into Fanli, the military advisor who is working with his king to take down the Wu king, and the plan? Use her beauty to make the king fall in love with her while she works as a spy.

There's a lot of layers to this book. You have her romance with Fanli that is doomed from the get-go. You have the Wu king who has this range of emotions that are so crazy opposite that it really gets you questioning her orders. And we have all the tension that comes with being a royal concubine to a king and all the politics and rivalries that comes with it. There's a lot of emotion in this, a lot of heartbreak and betrayal, tension, action, and of course, THAT ENDING.

I won't ruin it for anyone, but like, ugh those last few chapters RUINED ME.

I definitely recommend this, especially the audiobook that was done with the amazing Natalie Naudus.

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

4.5 ⭐️

This is a powerful story of determination, sacrifice, love, and betrayal. An emotionally driven tale of imperial intrigue, the power of one to change an empire without ever using a sword. This was a beautiful read. The narration was captivating. for fantasy readers, this is light on the fantasy aspect (read: I didn’t find it to be fantasy much at all). It’s based on folklore and is presented in an historic, realistic world. I absolutely recommend this read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ann Liang, Macmillan audio, and St. Martian’s press for ARC copies of this book.

Overall: 3.5 rounded down because I think categorizing this as adult fantasy is misleading.

Story: 3.5/5
This was an enjoyable and perfectly-paced story that blends political intrigue, romance, and Chinese mythology. It reads much more like a YA historical romance with only a whisper of fantasy towards the end. The romance side of the story was not as developed as I had hoped and felt a bit rushed/unconvincing. It was a fun, but somewhat bland read for me. However, the ending was beautiful, emotional, and was my favorite part of the entire story.

Audiobook/Narration: 4.5/5
Natalie Naudus does a wonderful job on this solo narration, and really keeps you engaged in the story. She provides distinct voices to the characters all while giving the story the gravitas it deserves.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an ALC.

[alc review]
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
A Song to Drown Rivers releases October 1, 2024

3.5

<i>“The mind destroys; the heart devours.”</I>

Xishi is sought out by the Yue kingdom’s political advisor as a potential bride of unmatched beauty — a tribute given to their rival kingdom, Wu.
To the public eye, Xishi would be one of Fuchai’s concubines, but her true purpose would be acting as a spy for Yue and becoming the mastermind behind their revenge plan.
She has no qualms with this since her younger sister was killed by the hands of a Wu soldier.

Ann Liang is a skillful writer, but at times while reading this, it almost came across as too perfect; too safe. Ultimately, I was left wanting <u>so much more</u>.
I wanted more complexity, more angsty scenes between Xishi and Fanli, and for her chronic illness/chest pains to be explained.
Including even just a handful of chapters from Fanli’s pov over the course of the two years would have aided in developing the dynamic between him and Xishi and lead to a better understanding as to why they yearned so deeply for each other since most of their connection during the ten weeks of training was left off-page.

The stakes were rather low amidst a war between two kingdoms and Fuchai surrendered too easily at the hands of Xishi during the conflict.
I get that the whole purpose of this retelling hinged upon Xishi’s ability to use her beauty to her advantage, but I have a hard time believing she was <I> so</I> beautiful that the extent of pleasuring a king as his concubine only ever amounted to kissing… for <u>years</u>…

While this might be marketed as Liang’s adult debut, I have to be honest in saying it reads very YA.

You’ll likely love this if you’re a beginner fantasy reader as it’s not overly complex in its world building, plot, or cast of characters.
If you tend to shy away from the “I’m not like other girls” trope, you might have some reservations as it’s made evident by the first paragraph and continues to be the main driving force of the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook!

I admittedly tend to struggle with single narrator audiobooks. This one, however, didn’t give me any trouble! The emotion the narrator is able to convey for the entire cast of characters is extremely impressive and engaging. The pace is great as well.

Plot wise, oh my GOSH! I haven’t had my heart stomped on like this in a while in the best way possible. I cried through the last like 45 minutes of the audiobook. It’s a really great, quick, self contained story full of triumph and heartbreak. I did see that it is categorized as Romantasy, but I am failing to see the fantasy aspect of this at all. I enjoyed it nonetheless!

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the early listen! Also received an e-arc
Solid 5 star read! Loved the way the author wove a tale of love and loss from old folklore.
Hope to read more by this author. This story will make you cry, get angry and smile.
Narrator was amazing.

I received an audio ARC from the publisher and am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to listen to A Song to Drown Rivers and the narrator.

I found the narration to be very well done and easy to listen to. I would recommend the audiobook and narrator to anyone that might be curious.

The story itself...I found to be a bit dull. At times I enjoyed it but for the majority I was more bored than engaged. Xishi is annoying and naïve. She only pretends to be sharp as she is constantly making stupid decisions. CONSTANTLY!

I did not find the romance between her and Fan Li to be convincing whatsoever so when she was pining for him...I couldn't stop rolling my eyes. If there had been more detail on said romance I might have been invested. As is, I don't understand her infatuation at all. He didn't make an impression and the whole thing felt forced.

I know we are supposed to hate Fuchai because he is the villain, but I didn't. If anything, the author made me like him...a lot! He was my favorite character. He is the reason I've rated this book 3 starts instead of 2. We are told he did all of these bad things but we never actually see proof of it. Constantly Xishi makes comments such as "I thought he would" or "I was surprised when he" etc because we see his poor actions on page, in my opinion it was all hearsay and he wasn't as bad as Yue made him out to be. I wish we had seen some things so I could have been convinced (and don't tell me about Fan Li's scars. I know about those but I wanted our FMC to witness something for herself.)

I was constantly irritated Xishi described Fuchai's actions as "childlike" whenever he tried to lay with, cuddle, or lay his head against Xishi. It has always irked me when women describe these very human, very normal reactions as childish or sensitive in men. Men can have feelings too. Men can be held and want to be held or consoled. Men are allowed to be. "He was no longer a king but a boy" she says as he bleeds against her robes. It was ridiculous.

It was clear he loved Xishi, truly loved her, and that she had affection for him. I know this story is a retelling but my gosh it would have been so much more interesting if the author had made it her own and allowed Xishi accept her love for Fuchai, realized that what she felt for Fan Li was just a crush and nothing more.

The "fantasy" element of this book is left until the very end. I wouldn't market this book as fantasy (as I have seen) since it is not a main element. This is general fiction.

I wasn't expecting her death, but honestly it was the only scene where I actually liked Fan Li. When he felt remorse that she died because he was the one that put her in the position she had been in the last couple of years.

I would happily listen to this narrator again but as this was my first read by this author, I don't think Liang's work is for me. Maybe that will change down the road.

The book "Xishi" by Ann Liang completely shattered my emotions and left me in pieces. Ann Liang demonstrated her mastery as a storyteller, and I'm eagerly looking forward to delving into more of her literary works. The narrative of Xishi delves into profound themes such as love, war, sacrifice, and betrayal, woven around the life of a remarkable young woman. The characters in the book are so compelling that they draw me into their world, making it hard to put the book down. As I concluded, I found myself in tears, which was inevitable given the story's emotional depth. The journey I underwent while reading this book was incredibly moving. Few books have managed to evoke such intense emotions within me. Finishing the book left me with a sense of loss as if a piece of my heart had been taken away. Xishi, the protagonist, is portrayed as a resilient woman who navigates the complexities of another dynasty, captivating readers with her strength and determination.

This captivating book showcases a remarkable female protagonist, making it a compelling read for young adults. It skillfully weaves together themes of love, betrayal, and war and delves into the complexities of sacrifice. It encourages every young woman to immerse herself in the narrative and find inspiration in the protagonist's journey, ultimately questioning the sacrifices' worth.

I want to express my heartfelt thanks to NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing and reading Ann Liang's A Song to Drown Rivers.

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is the first book I have read by this author, I forgot I read this back in June until I listened halfway into the first chapter and I am happy to say the narrator added something new to the story through the way they brought the characters to life which made me love my second experience with this story even more. The story still flowed well and even though I remembered most of the twists and turns I still found them enjoyable. I love the forbidden romance and femme fatale aspects of the story. I was intrigued from the very start, and I couldn't put it down which is what I love when reading historical fiction. I ordered my pre-order copy for my shelf and will watch out for more from Ann Liang in the future.