A solid historical fantasy with a strong FMC. Can’t resist a heroine with some feminine rage, and whose outward beauty is superseded by her inner beauty, strength, and determination. Audio was very well done.

A Song to Drown Rivers is based on a retelling of the Four Great Beauties from Chinese lore. This story focuses on one, Xi Shi, in a kingdom that has been at war with the state of Wu. Xi Shi is a commoner who is found by Fan Li, one her kingdom's highly revered military advisors. Fanli recruits Xishi and her childhood friend in going undercover as a gifted bride and lady in waiting to the Wu Emperor. The plan is for Fanli to infiltrate the enemy and weaken the emperor by any means necessary. One thing that Xishi and Fanli did not realize would happen, are the feelings that develop between them (*shocked sarcasm*). Both Xishi and her friend both agree to risking their lives and being caught in this lie because of vengeance. For it was the Wu kindgom that killed their loved ones.

My apologies for the sarcasm. As someone who reads quite of books, it's hard not to see the fated lover plot line developing. I mean FMC NOT falling in love with broody, strong, and mysterious military advisor, that would be borderline sinful. Regardless. I do not necessarily agree with Fantasy being the first genre listed for this book on Goodreads. A Song to Drown Rivers definitely plays more into the romance, historical fiction than fantasy. There really is only one part of this story that would fall into fantasy, and is towards the very end. If other reads think otherwise, please show me where there were other fantasy elements that I missed.

Besides all the above, Xishi turns from an unexposed commoner into a graceful bride of an emperor, with all the skills, wits, and cunning brains that are expected of a lady. Her friend conveniently has the background of some martial arts skills, and only increases during their training period before entering the Wu Kingdom. There are plot twists (of course), simple political warfare and scheming, some death, betrayal, fated lovers and minimal romance/spice, The characters do lack a bit of depth, that's an understatement (especially Fanli, though I know this was written of the FMC POV). There could have been more world building, more fantasy elements, sort of not original, A Song To Drown Rivers is definitely a book outside of the normal fantasy vein I tend to run in. However, I will say that I did enjoy this ALC, and I can see others enjoying it as well (with the understanding that this really is not a fantasy book, and is more YA versus adult). 3.5 stars rounded to 4.

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillian Audio and the author for this opportunity in exchange for an honest review.

I will be posting to Instagram, Goodreads, and Storygraph.

This was so good. I was desperately hoping this would turn into an enemies to lovers type situation because Fuchai deserved so much better. The chemistry between Xishi and Fanli felt nonexistent whereas her banter and comfort with Fuchai felt so real at times. The ending absolutely gutted me that I honestly don’t know if I consider it an HEA 😂

Thank you NetGalley, Ann Liang, St. Martins's Press, AND Macmillan Audio for granting me access to this book and the audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Natalie Naudus' narration was sheer perfection, enchanting my love for the story even more. Her performance breathed life into the characters, making the experience so vivid and real.

What an emotionally mesmerizing, tragically heartbreaking, and utterly addictive historical fantasy, exquisitely written with stunning prose. This epic narrative intricately weaves mythology and romance, unfolding a captivating tale of womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love that defies all odds. Devastatingly beautiful and unforgettable! I wholeheartedly recommend this novel and cannot wait to add this gorgeous book to my physical collection. Additionally, I can confidently declare that this book has secured its place among my top favorites for the year 2024!!! 💙💙💙💙💙💫💫💫💫💫

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

I adore Natalie Naudus as a narrator, so knew I had to listen to A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS on audio... while also preordering a copy with the pretty edges as a shelf trophy.

This book is inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China. She draws the attention of a military advisor named Fanli and is presented with an opportunity to use her beauty as a weapon to topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, and avenge her sister's murder.

Boy do I love a story with some good strong heroines, female rage, and revenge. Xishi's character is phenomenal and while her outside beauty is unmatched, it's her inward strength and determination that really shine through in this story. I loved the romance, betrayal, sacrifice, blurred lines, and politics. The ending really drove the whole story home to make this an incredibly powerful story.

I’m drafting a petition for Natalie Naudus to narrate all audiobooks.

There’s no better feeling than reading a book you were hoping would be five stars and rating it five stars. Everyone has been raving about this book, so I shouldn’t be surprised, but I was still holding my breath, hoping.

Xishi is known for her beauty, so when a military advisor, Fanli, suggests she use that beauty to infiltrate an enemy king’s court as a spy, she agrees. What follows is a tale of court intrigue, machinations, and such a swoony romance!

This book has so many of my favorite fantasy tropes: political intrigue, love triangles, espionage, revenge, I could go on and on. I’m sure I would have loved it even if I had read it with my eyeballs, but Natalie Naudus’ narration really took the reading experience up a notch. This is absolutely one of my favorite books of 2024, and I’m so excited it’s getting special edition first print run!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and to Netgalley for granting me an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“A Song to Drown Rivers” by Ann Liang is a gorgeous atmospheric that tossed me into a rich and beautiful world. I enjoyed this retelling of the traditional legend of Xishi and liked learning her story.
That said, this is a solid 3 star read for me. The romance between Xishi and Fanli feels sudden and unconvincing, and I had a hard time getting on board with their insta-love. It felt like we were missing a chapter or two of their story after she met Fu Chai. In general, I thought the character development fell short, and I didn’t have a ton of emotional connections with either the main or supporting characters.
I also saw this marketed as an adult fantasy romance book, but apart from a whisper at the end, there were really no fantasy elements. This also read strongly as a YA novel, and I think it would be better classified as a historical young adult romance.
In the end, did I enjoy this audiobook (with a stellar narration from Natalie Naudus)? I did, but I would have enjoyed it much more if I had been expecting a YA historical romance.
*I received an ARC copy of this audiobook through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Absolutely loved my heart being smashed to bits by this incredible story. I loved the character progression and the concept. It was so hard to know where it would end and honestly, that was incredibly hard to predict! The depth in such a short time is incredible. I enjoyed the pace of the story. This will be one that stays with me for a while. Now I need to preorder it!! Do not sleep on this book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review!

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio, author Ann Liang, and NetGalley for providing me this ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Publication Date: October 1, 2024

5 STARS

The fmc is forced into a political arranged marriage with the “horrible” king of the Wu Kingdom. In truth, she is infiltrating the enemy kingdom as a spy. One woman becomes the hero of her nation, not with a sword but with her survival instincts in a palatial prison and a life she did not choose.

This is lyrical, elegant historical fiction. There’s no magic. The only reason it might be shelved as fantasy is because it’s mythology retelling. It's also adult. There's no explicit content but themes, emotional nuance, and maturity of the characters seem like they'd land better with adults.

Reasons I Loved the Book:
1. THE AUDIOBOOK: No complaints regarding sound production and quality. Also, Natalie Naudus is an expert narrator of whom I’ve long been a fan. Her performance is versatile and natural, not overly dramatic and she uses subtle voice changes to cue different characters. She articulates the words clearly; I was easily able to listen at 2.5-3x speed and not miss a thing.
2. THE WRITING: The prose style falls in between simplistic workman’s style and purple/embellished prose. The flow is smooth and readable. Imagery is present and enhances the setting and vibes of the book but is not overly detailed.
3. THE ROMANCE: ohhhh my heart💗 This book has such a pure, slow burn love. The mutual longing is so beautifully angsty! You also get the forbidden trope—because the fmc and her trainer/spy handler indicate mutual attraction early on, even though she’s about to enter an arranged marriage with high stakes in a dangerous environment. They love each other more than anything else yet do their best to be honorable.

The story is deceptively simple. It is devastatingly beautiful.

I 100% recommend this title as one of my favorite reads of 2024.

Natalie Naudus is probably my favourite audiobook narrators. Loved her narration in this one.

The story was beautifully written, but with a heartbreaking ending. Looking forward to reading/listening more from this author.

I absolute loved the pace of this story and felt engaged throughout. It was a beautiful story with nuanced characters. There was no black and white characters; everyone had good and bad elements and it was interesting to see the main character struggle with that throughout her journey.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for the ARC of this fantastic audio book.

4.25/5 stars

I have really been enjoying retellings of legends and histories (She Who Became the Sun, Circe, Stone Blind) lately and I absolutely loved this re-imagining of the legend of Xishi.

Xishi, the most beautiful woman in her village, works washing silks with her mother to supplement their meager income. The only child of her parents after younger sister was murdered by the Wu army, she is haunted by the loss and guilt of being left behind. One day at the river she sees a girl running from the trees, bruised and being followed by a soldier. Xishi, possessed by the ghost of not being able to protect her sister, throws stones at the soldier to distract him. Finally, when death seems all but certain, she is saved by Fanli, a famous young military advisor.

This chance meeting leads to Fanli offering Xishi an opportunity to avenge her sister by infiltrating the Wu kingdom in the form of a beautiful new gift to the Wu king. Xishi accepts the offer and begins training as a spy with the hopes of bringing down the entire kingdom.

So much happens in this one-shot fantasy and I'm still destroyed by the ending. Not a full 5 star rating at this point because I do much prefer for a happy or a sad but hopeful ending where this book straight up ended super sad. I reserve the right to change my mind once I have a little distance from finishing.

Anna Liang has written an incredibly lush historical fantasy novel that retells the myth of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China. Driven by her own personal vendetta against the Wu Kingdom, Xishi is recruited by Fanli, the Yue King's brilliant and enigmatic advisor to become a spy in the vise of a concubine for the Wu Kingdom. Renkowned for her beauty, loyalty and sacrifice, Xishi has become a legend and this story has done her justice.

Liang has created complex characters who become alive on the page. No one is who they seem from the "villains" to the "heroes". There was plenty of court intrigue to kept me listening to this fabulous audiobook narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Natalie Naudus. Naudus presents Xishi's conflicted feelings so acutely as she navigates the Wu court and learns how far she's willing to go for revenge. Her relationship with Fanli is bursting with yearning and desire through furitive glances and light touches that will make readers scream (in a good way) and will appeal to fans of forbidden love. While some readers might complain about the bittersweet ending, I found it fitting for the characters and the story. The story reminds us of the costs of war and what we lose in our tunnel vision of attaining power.

4.5 stars...first off thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this audioARC of the book. It was a beautiful story about love,loss,war, scemes, betrayal, and honor. I really enjoyed the whole thing. The characters were easy to fall in love with and the plot was intriguing. The narrator was enjoyable also. Loved the mythical/Asian culture dynamic. I would definitely recommend this book and will be reading more from this author in the future.

I was really invested in this book, but I had some problems with it. I debated between four and three stars, but I decided how much fun I had reading it probably made it four stars for me.


So, let's get into what I liked! I really enjoyed the main character. She had a good motive, and I was interested in her growth. The other characters were also written very well, and they felt unique. The storyline was super fun, and I needed to know what would happen! The audio narration was so good. I would recommend it to people. The pacing was good, the narrator had a very nice voice, and she did such a good job with the book, it may be a big reason I was invested in what was happening.

But, there were some cons. This is not a fantasy novel in my mind. The fantasy aspect was very small, and only at the very end of the book. So, fantasy readers beware. I'll be honest, I got it as an arc and forgot what genre it was, so it didn't bother me till I noticed the tags later. And, then there is the romance. I don't feel like we got a lot of descriptions of it, and so I didn't understand why the characters liked each other <i>so</i> much. Like, the two of them had not known each other for very long. It felt forced. I also didn't feel like we got a lot of descriptions of her spying, but we did get to see her making the king fall for her, so, yeah.

Overall, I would recommend the book if you're looking for an exciting and engaging historical fiction, and don't mind a slightly unbelievable romance. And, I would recommend that if you pick it up, you do so in audiobook format because it was such a fun audiobook.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is a gorgeous story that keeps the listener on the edge of their seat. Spies, intrigue, love, and the downfall of kingdoms are off-set by the rich inner life of a woman struggling with her own trauma. The pain of war by those not involved is a central theme and is enough to make anyone a pacifist!

I did not expect this book to be as impactful but I wish I could read it again for the first time!

The narrator was excellent and was a great choice to understand the pronunciation, even going so far as using proper tones.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the audioARC!

I loved this book! Xishi is an awesome heroine, strong, complex and clever. The writing is beautiful and very cinematic. I didn't know any of the legends of the Four Beauties of China - though I looked them up after I was finished with this book. In the legends there are two different fates for Xishi. I think Liang chose well for this retelling. I loved that the story and the characters were layered. There are some scenes where I for sure could have used some tissue for my crying eyes! Maybe Liang will write the other three Beauties' stories. I would read them! The narrator for the audio was also really good. I was completely transported.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this advance copy for review.

This novel is an absolute masterpiece! I can easily see it becoming a bestseller and even having a movie made based on it. It made me both laugh and cry.

Xishi is the most beautiful girl in her village. She is recruited before the king's minister Fanli to enter the enemy's court as a secret agent, under the guise of being a concubine, to help bring end the enemy King's reign. While there is instant attraction between the two, they grow to love each other over the course of Xishi's 10 week training period. However, they must continue with the mission for the good of their kingdom.

Ann Liang is a masterful writer. Her characters have such realism and depth. Every interaction, even with townspeople and servants is full of meaning and emotion. She portrays the court politics in a way that is understandable, wile still conveying their complexity.

This was an amazing read. While it is inspired by Chinese history and mythology, I believe this book would appeal to a wide audience.

This is one of those books that you can't quite put down once you start, the kind of book that in the moments where you have to stop reading, you find your mind drifting back to it. Liang has done a fantastic job in weaving together a familiar plot (even if you aren't familiar with Xishi's tale specifically, the story beats should still feel familiar) and infusing it with the humanity and context each of the characters needs to really bring the tale to life. It's much more a historical fiction retelling than anything fantasy (there's a very small bit at the end, and even that is less fantasy and more just slightly fantastical/romantic), and it's interesting to get that balance between an ancient setting and timeless human conditions.

As a narrator, Natalie Naudus does such a good job with each of the characters, really bringing the listener in and wrapping them up in the world that Liang has painted. The emotions that Xishi goes through are all so clear, and I would find myself taking moments more to stop what I was doing and just listen.

I loved getting Xishi's context and side on her part in spying and bringing down the Wu, but while we get very brief flashes of "everyday people getting ignored by the big political moves", I wish there were more done with it. There's a poignant scene at the end with Zhengdan's mother and then from Xishi's realizations, but it's a brief observation for what feels like it could be much more of a theme of the novel, especially given the ends of so many of the characters, dead for someone else's political aims or pride. I do love how Xishi starts to confront the status her beauty gives her, at odds with the lack of status she has by being a woman, and how she can use that to her advantage, but again I wish it were woven a little more strongly into the novel as a whole, rather than being touched upon briefly before going back.

I think the best thing about this is just how multi-faceted all of the characters are; we get to see so many sides of all of them, and while I know a lot of people are going to be mad at the ending, I think it's honestly perfect. I think the last few chapters are the strongest in the book, a true culmination of everything set up leading up to them; I'll be thinking about the last quarter for a long while.

Thank you Netgalley & Macmillan Audio for the ARC.....

Spoiler Alert.....

This was a truly beautiful and heartbreaking read.

Xishi's beauty is both her power and her curse. She is trained to use her beauty as a weapon for vengeance and espionage but it's her beauty that becomes her biggest threat. Her journey is as heartbreaking as is empowering.

I was fine when she relives her little sister's death, when she has to leave her love behind to fulfill her duty but when she looses her friend I lost it. It was at that point that I knew its the end of her innocence.

this was a truly incredible book.

"mind destroys but the heart devours" ......

I am glad I had the audio book, else I would have forever misread the names :)