“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 :)

Loved this unique fantasy/historical read. It took me a bit to get sucked into this story, but the last 30% had me completely hooked. That ending… 😭 The only thing keeping it from 5 stars is i wish there was a bit more actual romance in the pages.

Thank you so much to the author & publisher for this ARC!

I loved everything about this book. Including the fact that it made me cry which is extremely rare.
Nothing happened like I thought it would and my feelings for the characters were so mixed up it made for an emotional rollercoaster. The ending was absolutely perfection.

What can I say, other than A Song to Drown Rivers was absolutely tragic and oh so beautiful.

Without giving away any spoilers, my thoughts:

Fuchai’s story ultimately broke my heart. Then Xishi and Fanli - just ugh - the injustice of war, and ultimately fear, is truly cruel.

I couldn’t stop listening. I have not been this invested in two characters in quite some time. The writing was *chefs kiss*

Wow! Just, read it!

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the advance copy.

I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO TELL Y’ALL.

I am sitting here to write this review after finishing it the previous day and I still haven’t figured out how I feel about it and what I want to do about it. I DID enjoy the audiobook. If you want to read ASTDR I would definitely recommend that avenue. Loved the narrator, no issues on that front.

My main issue stems from how short this book felt. It is barely over 300 pages and for a standalone fantasy that can be hit or miss. I thought things were moving TOO FAST and I couldn’t keep up with the speed of the timeline. It also made the main romance line feel off-kilter. I would have loved more connection and time between them.

I didn’t mind the plot. It’s one I’ve read before, but do enjoy often. But, as the story went one it took some final turns that have me in a befuddled state. I think it boils down to this not being the style of fantasy romance I personally like.

I’ve enjoyed Ann Liang’s previous books in the YA Contemporary Romance category, and I would still read her next book.

Overall audience notes:

Historical fantasy romance
Language: low
Romance: make-outs; low innuendo
Violence: moderate-high
Content Warnings: weapons violence, poisoning, attempted murder, actual murder, loss of life, war themes

Had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook and it was wonderful. The narrator kept me engaged and gave a strong voice to Xishi.

This book is full of emotion. You gotta go into this one knowing there are some heartbreaking moments that will have you fighting back tears. There is some romance which was enjoyable but felt a little rushed as falling for each other mostly happens off page.

The political points were the best part. I felt like you really got to see both sides and the tension between them. This book highlights the idea that people can be both good and bad. That war can complicate people and their ideas, emotions and actions. I felt my heart pulling for characters on both sides. Absolutely a beautiful read!

I was intrigued that this story was inspired by the legend of a renowned beauty from ancient China.
But I think the YA lens of this story held it back a bit - it’s difficult to believe that an extremely accomplished and trusted military/political advisor, who is also a master of instruments and etiquette, is only 22 years old. I think it would’ve given Fanli’s character more credence if he was in his late 20s at least. I enjoyed the slow build of tension between Xishi and Fanli, but it was disappointing that they were physically together for so little of the book.
I also felt like several plot points had potential, but fell flat: Xishi’s mysterious heart problem (not sure what purpose this served), the instrument she was apparently a prodigy at (but never seemed to play again), and poor Zhengdan who hadso much promise for an epic revenge side plot.
Fuchai also seemed so easily manipulated by Xishi… it felt like she was able to accomplish her mission ‘to-do list’ way too easily once he liked her, some political machinations would’ve really added intrigue to court life. But the emotional turmoil that Xishi experienced with Fuchai’s demise felt raw and real.
The ending was quite beautiful and my favourite part, full of sorrow and longing, and some paranormal revenge.