Ann Liang’s A Song to Drown Rivers is a lyrical and emotionally charged retelling of the legend of Xi Shi, following a young woman whose beauty and intelligence make her both a weapon and a prisoner of her own destiny. The novel blends court intrigue, espionage, and star-crossed longing with rich, atmospheric writing that brings ancient China vividly to life. At its heart, it’s a story about sacrifice and the price of power, where every choice carries the weight of betrayal and loss. Though some romantic threads feel brief, the overall impact is poignant and unforgettable—a tale that resonates long after the final page.

Thank you for the early copy for review

Thank you Netgalley for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish this book, though I really liked the premise. The author’s writing style shows a lot of promise, but it just didn’t quite click with me at this time. I can see this appealing to readers who connect more strongly with the characters and pacing than I did.

I love stories inspired by legend. It has romantasy vibes but at a much shorter link the books in a similar genre - only 325 pages. However, that does impact the world building and character development. The book reads somewhere between YA and New Adult. The author and legend were new to me so I enjoyed getting a glimpse at this tale. Spoiler - insta love trope is not for me. I really like a slow burn.

I truly enjoyed the story in "A Song to Drown Rivers."

It was beautiful, heartbreaking, and addicting. I definitely ignored some responsibilities to keep turning those pages.

Ann Liang created such an amazing story and I can't wait to get my hands on her backlist.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for selecting me for this ARC.

Xishi's whole life revolved around her looks. She constantly heard praises about her beauty. She knew that in the world of men, she had one advantage. When Fanli, the military advisor, meets her, he also sees this as an advantage—one that can bring the enemy kingdom down. With this plan in action, everything in Xishi's life changes. She becomes a spy who will alter history.

The story, inspired by one of the Four Famous Beauties of Ancient China, touched my heart in a special way. This is not a simple, cookie-cutter love story. It is a tale of love for one's country and what is decent. It is a story of duty and loyalty above all, even in the face of the enemy's humanity. This complex layering of motives and moral conflicts is what makes A Song to Drown Rivers so special and, above all, so engaging.

We follow Xishi through her training and through her mission. We see her struggles and her line of thinking. She is a character that is not easy to like. Many times, I caught myself disagreeing with her choices. Yet, she brought about an internal conflict in me: What would I really do if I were in her shoes? Is there truly one good way to solve everything? What about the consequences of those choices? These are questions I still find myself asking long after finishing this book. I can only hope that this was a purposeful torment by Ann Liang, and a much-welcomed one at that. Ever since finishing this book, I have had a hard time finding anything that would match the energy, complexity, and flow for me to truly enjoy.

The review on GR: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6586311422

A Song to Drown a River is one of those rare books that lingers with you long after you’ve closed the final page.the story unfolds, it slowly reveals a haunting undertone: the unsettling sense that she is fighting for the wrong side. That quiet betrayal creeps in, little by little, like shadows lengthening at dusk.The prose is rich, almost poetic, and the author paints every moment with vivid imagery that feels alive. Yet beneath the beauty, there’s an ache—an emotional pull that makes you question motives, choices, and loyalty. It’s the kind of storytelling that doesn’t give you easy answers but instead asks you to sit with the discomfort.Days after finishing, I still catch myself thinking about it—the atmosphere, the moral grayness, the sadness it left behind. That, to me, is the mark of a good book: it doesn’t fade away when you put it back on the shelf; it stays with you, echoing like the last note of a song that refuses to end.

If you’re looking for a book that is not only well-crafted but also emotionally thought-provoking, A Song to Drown a River is absolutely worth the read. Just be prepared, it will leave you moved, haunted, and perhaps even a little heartbroken.

Honestly, this one wrecked me—in the best way. Xishi’s beauty is her weapon, and watching her train to infiltrate the enemy court to avenge her sister? Utterly compelling. The court intrigue, the weight of her sacrifice, and how much she has to give up…it all hit so hard. The writing is elegant, and I was glued to every word…until the ending smashed my heart.

I'm being a bit generous with this rating. It more like 2 1/2 stars.

I really wanted to love this. The premise is incredibly compelling, and I went in with high expectations, but the execution didn’t quite meet them. The story, inspired by the legend of Xishi, had all the right elements; political intrigue, high stakes, and emotional complexity, but it struggled to deliver on them in a way that felt fully developed or immersive.

The pacing was uneven, especially in the first half. While it seemed like the goal was to build up the relationship between Xishi and Fanli before the central conflict began, I never really felt the chemistry between them. The romance felt rushed, and as the story unfolded, their connection didn’t feel strong enough to justify some of the major decisions they made. The spy element, which should have been a gripping part of the plot, was mostly told rather than shown, and I found myself wishing for more depth in both character development and worldbuilding.

The narration was good, though. The audiobook added emotion and clarity that helped bring the story to life, even when the writing didn’t fully land for me. I appreciated the themes around beauty, duty, and sacrifice, and I could see what the book was aiming for, but ultimately it didn’t resonate the way I’d hoped. Still, it might connect more with readers who enjoy historical retellings with a softer, more poetic lens.

Thank you to Macmillan and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very interesting novel and I really enjoyed how beautiful and poetic it ended up being. The love in this book was so deep and beautiful. I enjoyed this reading experience and was in awe of all the twists in this book.

Overall, a well written and light book! I loved the characters and the plot especially! The world building felt a little flat, but the historical vibes were definitely there.

⌗ plot
I would say that the plot was very well paced and well structured. The story never dragged on or rush and it was engaging throughout. The story was unique in that it was told in premises I've never read before and it executed the unique themes well. However, the events themselves were quite very predictable. I still thoroughly enjoyed the story though!

⌗ characters
I enjoyed getting to know all the characters in this book! I liked Xishi, her independent strength that made her feel like a solid shiny pebble paired with impeccable beauty and humane empathetic nature was really interesting! I would say Fanli's character felt a bit flat and very cliché, but Fuchai's interesting personality made up for it on the male leads' part! I also liked the side characters. Liang does a really good job at making complex side characters without actually going into the overpowering complexities.

⌗ setting
Unlike most of Liang's books, all of which I have read now, this one was set in a historical background rather than contemporary. While I enjoyed the way characters' roles were filled based on the time period, I don't actually think the old Chinese setting added that much to the atmosphere. I think the background could have been used more and better.

⌗ writing style
The writing style in this book definitely felt more atmosphere and poetic the way I love! It was still Liang's easily read, simple structure while being suited to the setting and the mood of the story! I loved how well this read.

⌗ personal enjoyment
I really enjoyed this book! I would recommend it to any romance and even fantasy fans! The romance between Fanli and Xishi weren't too interesting for me, but the tension between Xishi and Fuchai felt a lot more real and I loved reading into here guilt rather than love. I also loved the ending, it was abrupt in the best way.

This was a tragic love story for me but its more than that. I enjoyed the portrayal of ancient China and also the political concept.

So, while this book was for the most part enjoyable, I do have to start out by saying that it was overall a disappointment because I love Ann Liang's YA romances so much and this just didn't compare. That out of the way, I still cannot say this was a bad book, just more so not what I was expecting. I believe it was pitched as an adult fantasy, but it didn't really feel like either to me. Sure, there were some darker themes in here, but it read more like a YA book and I was not impressed by the "fantasy" elements. With a word like that, I have certain expectations, but this kind of reimagined historical setting didn't quite feel fantastic. The romance, too, did not hit hard for me, in part for how absent the MMC was for much of the story. Overall, I liked the plot of the flawed main character attempting to make good and save her sister, and I definitely didn't hate reading this, but I still wanted a bit *more* from this one. On the bright side, it won't stop me from reading more from Ann Liang in the future. I'd even give any more adult books she writes a try.

This book wrecked me. It started off exactly like watching a Chinese drama where I felt I could be immersed in it. But how tragic. This is subjective of course, because I find that life is often so hard as it is, that I was hoping for something that was more hopeful in my fictional stories. Unfortunately, I couldn't finish this in its entirety and skipped around until I could find out what happened at the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction by Ann Liang inspired by the Chinese legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of ancient China. The story is an epic tale of one young woman's sacrifice to protect her family and the country she loves. Xishi's beauty sets her apart from the day of her birth but her quiet childhood working alongside her parents after her younger sister is killed by a war party from the neighboring country of Wu does not prepare her for the role she will play in the history of her country, Yue. A chance encounter by the river that runs through her village with the chief advisor of the king of Yue changes everything she has known about life.

Xishi is asked to train to become a skilled spy, hiding as a concubine, to be gifted to the king of Wu and infiltrate his court. Xishi bargains for a better life for her parents and her small village in exchange for her youth and beauty. While training with the advisor on court etiquette and espionage, she and the advisor fall in love, but know they must stay true to their mission to bring down the court of Wu. Xishi is able to find a place in the Wu court and sets about making the young Wu king fall in love with her, while she plots ways to ensure his downfall.

This book had all the things I love in historical fiction: A new-to-me story that was entertaining and engaging, a strong central female character who fights for the things she loves, and beautifully written prose. Liang brings the court of the Wu to life in wonderful detail, and her characters are well-written and believeable. Xishi grows from an uncertain young girl into a strong, powerful, smart woman who you believe is entirely capable of taking down a government from within. Supporting characters are also well-written, and I loved the feel of a legend brought back to life as the story progressed.

Eminently readable, I stayed up far too late reading the final chapters to learn what Xishi's final fate is. A recommended read for any historical fiction fan with 4-1/4 stars rating.

Generally I enjoyed this and it was well written, I’m not familiar with the legend it was based on but I enjoyed it anyway

An intriguing story! I received a copy of the earc from the publisher via netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t really know much about this book going into it, and I think that actually helped hold my interest throughout the story. Our FMC has a rich background and her emotions and desire for revenge flew off the page. The relationship between her and Fanli was beautifully portrayed, and had me questioning how things would come together. I was on the edge of my seat at times as Xishi wove her way through the king’s world and her battled her growing feelings. With gorgeous writing and fleshed out characters, this was a decent read and I look forward to more from the author.

This was a really compelling narrative. It was great to have a story like this told when so many infiltration and war stories are told from a male perspective. I loved the relationship between Xishi and her friend. The complexity of Xishi's relationship with the enemy king was addressed well without being repetitive or causing the story to drag. The ending was a surprise to me and while my heart wanted a different ending from a pure story standpoint it was a fantastic choice.

This was beautifully written and I hope there is a sequel. I feel like Xishi and Fanli ‘s story isn’t over . I also feel like Xishi and the Wu King had more to show.

I went into this book not knowing anything about this Ancient Chinese legend, but wow did it encourage me to read up on it upon finishing the story! This is so emotional — it really grabbed me from the first page and I felt so invested in Xishi’s story. This is a great read for anyone interested in the history/legends of Ancient China, but also anyone who understands that women have been used as political pawns since the beginning of time. Definitely recommend.

Ann Liang's versatility and ability to write books so fast should be studied. The writing was lyrical and the story bittersweet. However, that's where the positive side ends for me. I tried so hard to immerse myself into the historical world of the novel but felt it so short and hard to. The romance left me confused and at one point I was hoping for a redemption arc for the main antagonist. The ending did leave me slightly sad and shocked but beyond that this book has little for me to reminisce about unlike Liang's other novels. As much as I love her young-adult and contemporary books, I don't think historical fiction is a genre that suits her (so far).