I loved this book and finished listening to it in less than a day. I could not put it down! The story is a suspensful, romantic, and captivating fictionalized retelling of a 7th century BCE story. The main character is relatable while still being noble, driven, self-sacrificing, and flawed. The story tells of beautiful Xishi (one of the four mythic beauties of Ancient China) from a Yue village who agrees to marry the king of the Wu (the king of her people's rival state). Xishi is a believed to have been a real woman who lived sometime between 7th/6th centuries BCE who's story has become a folk legend. The story itself is beautifully written. The author vividly described silken robes with intricate embroideries, grand palaces, endless jewels, and 7th century BCE court politics. The ending was not what I expected but highlights the tragedies of the continuing war between the Yue and Wu States. The ending is bittersweet, yet realistic.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via Netgalley for review purposes; this in no way influences my review.

Before starting A Song to Drown Rivers, I wasn’t familiar with the Four Great Beauties of China beyond a vague recollection of the phrase. As I started, I did a quick google of Xishi and her story, which has two possible endings - one where the king she served has her assassinated for fear the skills she used to topple the Wu kingdom may be turned on him, and another where she and Fanli are able to live out in freedom and happiness. The execution of the ending of A Song to Drown Rivers gives me a lot of feelings, but overall I really like what Ann Liang did.

In a lot of ways this feels like a slow, quiet story because it’s the quiet political intrigues of the women’s spaces, the power of concubines and beautiful women. I’m glad I read it via audio as it helped things progress for me, and by the end I really loved Xishi and her story. There’s also so many excellent lines throughout that just made my brain buzz in delight. One scene, Xishi is talking about how those in the palace think she’s a fox spirit or a witch, so she is going to use that perception to further her deceptions and goals. There’s also a realization about how everything she did was for the glory of kings, but where does that leave her and other regular folk in the tales? There were also several scenes that broke my heart, even some that I didn’t expect to hurt that way. It really delved in the complexity of people and how there is no one right and true understanding of someone.

This was a really fascinating book and beautifully told, and I loved the narration (Natalie Naudus also narrates Lin’s chapters in Andrea Stewart’s Drowning Empire trilogy, which I adore). This was such an emotional journey on multiple levels, and an absolutely epic love story alongside the struggles of war and political machinations. This did a lot of things I absolutely loved, and definitely recommend people give it a chance.

I’m unsure exactly how I feel about this book. The story was beautifully written, and I find that’s a trend with this author in particular. However, the first 70% of the story was so interesting and cohesive, and only toward the end did I start to feel confused about the exact direction we were heading. I wish we delved a little more into some of the relationships so they could be more impactful when impactful things happened in the book. Overall would recommend people give it a try if it’s a genre they love but may not recommend to people looking to get into the genre.

Novel Concept: 5/5
Novel Execution: 5/5

Title: 5/5
Characterization: 5/5
Dialogue: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Theme: 5/5
Prose: 5/5

Does this pass the Bechdel Test: Yes

Title
A Song to Drown Rivers is such an eye catching title and I'm a sucker for thematic water which is what attracted me to the novel. What makes this title enchanting is the foreshadowing it generates that is ever present in the novel but really only noticable once it is too late. The song is referencing the story itself in the same vein of "The Song of Achilles." The River is not it's own character, but in a thematic way a character becomes the river.

Characterization
What I love about Xi Shi the most is that she doesn't feel anachronistic. It can be easy to fall into the trap of creating strong women in older timer periods as being really forward thinker to such that it's nearly unbelievable but Xi Shi's opinions fit the times and her most progressive stance, her opinions about kings, fits the narrative.

Zheng Dan, the Lady's Maid, is the woman secretly a soldier and I also think that this version of strength was also executed fairly well and seemed fitting for the times. She plays a minimal role in the story but every scene she is in, she delivers.

In a more general sense, I liked the complicated personalities all clashing with each other. No one is wholely good or bad, and it muddies the waters of duty and righteousness as Xi Shi attempts to do the right thing. It created a lot of natural tension.

Dialogue
The dialogue felt natural--I never felt like it had gotten over expository. It also matched the time period--I never felt like I was taken out of the narrative because something sounded too modern.

Plot
So this is technically historical fiction because Xi Shi is believed to be a historical figure in ancient China, but Ancient history is infamously scarce on primary sources and heavy on oral story traditions, leading to variance and embellishment. That being said, this plot was good. Something was always happening and the tension was well balanced and engaging. I never felt board and I was always wanting to know more.

This book is about Xi Shi being recruited by her king to help take out the enemy using her feminine guile. She has to learn to pass as a concubine, and then seduce the enemy king in order to weaken the enemy for an attack. It's very dramatic and engaging.

I did also like that this book answered questions as to perhaps why there's two well known different endings to the story--that was cool.

Atmosphere
Xi Shi's world comes to life under this author's pen. There is a clear love that's poured into the pages to tell this story in an engaging way that also holds a level of accuracy despite the scarcity of primary sources. The struggles between rivaling nations and it's people is deeply felt, and the locations were vivid and descriptive.

Theme
This book is less about physical desire and more about emotional desire. Sex, admittedly, holds almost no presence in this story. This book explores the lengths of people's emotional connections to one another. There is a deep running idea that the heart devours, to use the book's own words, that it is the thing we crave yet the thing that kill us. It stays our hand, but it also can be the same thing that pushes us over the edge.

Another theme which sneaks its way in right at the end is how little the kings matter to the peasant, because all of them hold the same apathy towards those they deem beneath them. Zheng Dan loves her father and is so wreaked with heartbreak over his death that it pushes her to revenge. But it is her mother who almost doesn't care about what Zheng Dan has done for her country, because to her mother, it does not matter. Her husband was killed. Her daughter's accomplishments did not help anyone except a king. And what good is that? It is an open discussion about the general apathy of the elite towards the poor and working class.

Prose
The prose was beautiful and evocative. There is something clever about the last leg of the novel, this sort of shift from participant to observer that I found really interesting. Xi Shi's personality is on every page--her internal monologues deeply entrenched in her desires to save her people but also the complicated nature of kings and battles and who really stands to gain and who suffers in the end.

Conclusion
This was an amazing novel.

What a beautifully written work of storytelling. I was instantly drawn into the story and enjoyed every bit of my journey with this book. Beautiful writing with vivid descriptions and a great retelling of a Chinese folklore legend that I knew nothing about. I found myself riveted to the main character's story and my heart broke with hers as I read. Though it may not have been the conclusion I was hoping for, I was left satisfied and content at the closing of the story. Thank you, NetGalley and McMillan Audio for the ARC of this audiobook.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

A Song to Drown Rivers is an immersive, beautiful, and entertaining historical fantasy that hooked me from the first page.

This story was amazing. I loved the fantastic characters and gorgeous development. The world-building, romance, and adventure were spectacular, and the ending was beautifully painful. The prose was lyrical and lovely, complimenting the tender story and delightful action. The incorporations of mythology and fantasy were seamless. I highly recommend AStDR!

Natalie Naudus is one of my favorite audiobook narrators, and her performance of A Song to Drown Rivers may be her best yet. The tones, power, and feeling she gave the story made it even more magical. AStDR is a fantastic audiobook listen!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

Thank you Saint Martin Press and Macmillan for my EARC💙

4.5 ✨

This Retelling of The Legend of XhiShi, this was beautifully written I went between my EARC and my Macmillan Audio. Both did not disappoint at all.

My attention never really faltered I enjoyed how we watched her take down a kingdom in years we would skip ahead a few months every few chapters. I really enjoy a fast paced fantasy so this can definitely be a book for you!

Fanli finds the most beautiful girl Xhishi and she must bring down the Wu kingdom by infiltrating its king and making him fall fully in love with her!

From start to finish I was so connected to Xhishi. She had such a welcoming presence of trying to find her self but also growing to take down a kingdom that killed her sister and took everything from her people.

The story had a very bitter sweet ending I was definitely stunned but overall this was beautiful and i think a lot of people will absolutely love this retelling fantasy💙

This book was perfect! I loved the complex relationships between everyone. You both love and hate the emperor, and the final scene with him made me sob. The outcome of Xishi's actions are so beautifully described, and I love the relationship between her and Faglin. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time worried that they would be discovered. The ending though, I am still angry about that.

If you like Daughter of the Moon Goddess, A Crane Among Wolves, or Woven Song I believe that you will like this book. But grab tissues.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC!

⊹ ࣪ ˖ 3.5 stars! ⊹ ࣪ ˖

This was my first Ann Liang book and it was really good!

This book was really slow at some parts and really fast paced at others and I liked that! This was a really good fantasy book with a great plot!

Ann Liang’s writing was amazing! I loved how she described things in this book, it felt very visual to me!

the little bits of romance that you get are a <i>Chefs kiss!<i>

And the plot twist at the end had me <i>SHOOK<i>
It was a sad and bittersweet ending but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I would totally recommend this if you like Ann Liang or a good fantasy book! 💕

4 Stars Thank you to netgalley for this audio arc
Let me start this off by saying this is not a happy ending in the sense that I would consider and if you've seen a lot of ancient Chinese dramas you probably know what I mean.

I am pretty sure the reason this was named A Song To Drown Rivers was due to the fact that the last two hours of this book will be spent drowning yourself in tears. I mean really they should offer a free box of tissues with purchase of this.

My issues with this book are mostly the plot felt like it was missing a bit and it was mostly telling vs showing. I also felt let down about how a certain scenario played out that I really didn't agree with. But this book was something I couldn't put down I listened all yesterday and today because it was so good. In the end I highly recommend this book and you should probably order two editions since one copy will be covered in tears. I for one can't wait to read the physical edition while my playlist of cdrama Ost's plays in the background.

This book was absolutely captivating! It was fantasy and a bit of romance rolled up to form a beautiful story of Xishi. The FMC is scouted by Fanli, a military advisor, to use her beauty to overthrow the rival kingdom's king. Fanli trains Xishi in order to be a spy and entice the rival king. This story had me crying in some parts, which is a testament to the author's ability to get us as readers invested in their characters. I could not stop thinking about this book after I had finished!

A Song to Drown Rivers is an excellent historical fantasy. I was a bit skeptical about the plot - really our main character is so BEAUTIFUL it’s to her detriment? However, when she is presented with an opportunity to use her beauty as a weapon and avenge her sister’s death she jumps at the chance. Okay, so I definitely felt like I knew where this story was going, and while there were certain things I knew were going to happen, I was also pleasantly surprised by where the book ended up.

The pacing was really strong and the world building was very well done. More importantly, I was super invested by the plot AND the writing itself was really well done. I have not read anything else by this author, but apparently she also writes YA rom coms and I love those so I will have to check them out!

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Lived this book, listening added a diffrent level to the experiance. It felt immersion and thrilling . Lived the narration

I AM UNWELL! SCREAMING, CRYING, THROWING UP.

This ripped my heart out and shredded it. But it did it so beautifully. This story is so well-written, and Natalie Naudus' narration is absolute perfection. Truly one of the best books I've read all year. I will never recover.

Many thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the preview. All opinions are my own.

A Song To Drown Rivers
By: Ann Liang

A Song to Drown Rivers is a beautiful heartbreaking story of war. Xishi is a beautiful young woman who has experienced the worst of war. After losing her little sister to the kingdom of Wu, Xishi picks up the pieces of her family and takes care of her parents. Xishis’ beauty is known throughout her small village, which is brought to the attention of a Military Advisor ,Fanli. Fanli gives Xishi an offer she cannot refuse, become a spy and get revenge against the Wu. While Fanli trains Xishi to use her beauty to break down the Wu King, Xishi starts to fall for Fanli. Before Xishi is able to share her feelings for Fanli it is time to be taken to the King of the Wu. There in court Xishi uses her training to scale the ranks and gain the Kings’ trust.

I listened to A Song to Drown Rivers on Audio and the pacing of the book was great. The story feels very immersive. A Song to Drown Rivers is a thought-provoking story about the tides of war.

I rate A Song to Drown Rivers 5/5 stars. This book is an adult book, it contains violence and death. Truly heartbreaking, bring the tissues while you read.

I’m not normally that into romance novels, but I find them greatly enhanced when they are propelled by a plot beyond the love of the protagonists. I find this to be a book with a compelling narrative with emotional weight and depth given by the romance.

In a time when women are pretty much property, not politically valuable beyond their use as pawns to be traded, Xishi is still a significant agent of her own, using her position to change the world in subtle but significant ways. While I enjoy and see value in stories like Mulan in which a woman of these times is powerful by way of reaching for masculinity, Xishi’s story is really meaningful to me as one in which she derives her power from her femininity, and not in spite of it.

Without wishing to spoil the ending, I will simply say that the fate of our protagonists left me absolutely reeling and a little bit in awe. I don’t think many authors would be brave enough to that strongly shirk the conventions of the romance genre.

Also, I listened to the audiobook narrated by Natalie Naudus and I can’t recommend it strongly enough. The performance really brings you into Xishi’s head and the world in an amazing way.

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is supposed to be a romantic fantasy. The fantasy element is only at the end? And the romance was really more of longing since they spend the majority of the book apart. That being said, it is an interesting story and I like Ann Liang’s writing but I feel a bit betrayed, not gonna lie. 3.5 stars. Thank you to Net Galley #netgalley and Macmillan Audio for my advance copy.

In ancient China, where a beautiful woman becomes a formidable weapon in an espionage and political vengeance tale. Xishi's beauty is celebrated in her village. Fan Li, a brilliant military advisor, recognizes her potential as a spy. She must infiltrate the rival kingdom, seduce its corrupt king, and dismantle their power from within. Xishi struggles with the idea of one's gifts, her beauty, for noble purposes, and the personal and emotional cost of it. Her evolution from a village girl to a possible queen reflects the strength of her character and her internal conflict and resilience. Fan Li falls in love with Xishi, which adds a layer of tension and complexity to her current mission.

The author captures the nuances of Xishi's world with lyrical grace. The atmosphere is rich with historical detail, where intrigue and danger lurk behind every corner. The pacing is well-crafted, maintaining a steady build-up of tension until the last page. The fact that the book is based on the legends of the Four Beauties of China makes this a thrilling tale of a strong historic heroine. The audiobook narration brings to life the struggles of the characters' and their duties, making an immersive experience for the reader.

I received an ARC audiobook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

This was a really beautiful retelling of a Chinese myth. I was not familiar with the original myth, but this retelling is stunning. Xishi is brave and clever, and I rooted for her from page one. The story is heartbreaking and poignantly illustrates the problems with putting men in positions of ultimate power. The writing is almost musical, and the entire reading experience felt almost trancelike for me. Really stunning.