I wasn’t familiar with the legend of Xishi before and I wish I still wasn’t so I could’ve saved myself a lot of tears. I feel personally obligated to rate any book that made me cry this much 5 stars; however, I do believe that there are a few elements to this story that should have been further developed:

Xishi’s heart pain– happens at significant times (and eases when Fanli is near), but we never really know why, nor does it reach any sort of culmination.
The red string of fate bracelets– never reappear for some reason. This is a Chekov’s gun situation for sure, because how do these characters really give each other a fate bracelet and then never wear them or bring them out again??
What happens at Fuchai’s palace– almost right after Xishi arrives, we skip forward a whole year. Like…is she okay? Is the plan working? Has the king done anything to her? I definitely would have liked to see how she settled in and began applying her training during this time (and more of her training in general, honestly).

Looking back through the quotes I highlighted, Xishi sure does think about rivers…a lot…which is fine…and not deeply upsetting at all!! I really did love this story, and everything Xishi shows us about the cruel nature of fate, how nobody truly wins in war, and how the power and love of one woman can affect the destiny of an entire nation. A Song to Drown Rivers is the ultimate romantic tragedy.

This is a beautiful story about a young lady whose beauty could bring about the end of a king. During her training she finds that the person she truly wants to be with is Fanli, yet she knows that she still needs to go through with her mission. This book is beautiful, tragic, and powerful. I think readers will be swept up in the world that Xishi weaves. I love how she wraps the king around her fingers.
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

This book was really good, I loved the historical fiction and mythology. I felt at times I could not put this down and really felt the tension, when those moments happened I loved Xishie and rose the highs and lows of this story. But at times I felt it was difficult to connect and the story felt a little slow. I think it’s a good book and worth the read but it’s definitely more historical than fantasy. I give it 4/4.5 stars.

“𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔—𝒕𝒐 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒐 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇.”

ARC Review
Rating: 4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I feel sick and I feel like I’m going to puke. This was the most hauntingly beautiful and the most heartbreaking book I’ve ever read. I devoured this book in one sitting. When Ann Liang writes something then I will absolutely binge read it in one day. I took my time with this arc because I wanted to devote my full attention and time to anything she writes so after exams were over I binged this. Let me tell you I went into this fully knowing that it will break my heart, gut me, and wreck my entire emotional and physical state. I could not breathe and I could not fully function and string together a thought after finishing this. I needed a few hours to recover from what I just read and let me tell you I already want to reread this even though I just finished it today.
This felt like the cdramas “My Journey to You” and “Till the End of the Moon” came together and created this masterpiece. Ann Liang’s ability to story tell, world build, and string together a story of events that flowed together so well truly managed to captivate me over and over again every time she wrote her books. I loved each and every one of her characters, Fanli and Xishi you will forever be loved by me and Fuchai you will always be adored by me. The characters were flawed and had their own share of problems but I couldn’t help but love them after everything they’ve been through. The tragic love story and the fates that were bestowed upon them I couldn’t help but love each and every one of them despite everything that went down between all of them. The villain became my favorite in this book and yes I need to seek help but I just couldn’t help but adore him because he was so precious. He would do anything for her, and even go to great lengths to sacrifice everything in his life for her. This truly felt like I was watching a cdrama and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Xishi is the most beautiful woman in the Yue kingdom, but even beauty can destroy. When Fanli - the Yue King's most dutiful minister - finds her and recruits her as a double agent to bring down the Wu kingdom, Xishi can't deny her own needs for revenge. With Fanli's training, Xishi hones her beauty into the most deadly weapon.

I will always fall for plot lines that involve women taking advantage of men and their tendency to underestimate beautiful women while also coveting it the most. However, there's a line where beauty becomes one-dimensional and leave the characters and their motives unquestioned. I would say A Song to Drown Rivers comes very close to walking that line. While Xishi herself is an interesting character and the situation she's in definitely makes for an intriguing story, there's something lacking in the underlying storytelling that left everything feeling vague and unfulfilled.

I will say, this story held my attention from beginning to end, and I think Ann Liang displays great artistry and understanding in how to build a burn. The slow burn in the first 20% was so well-written, and then it's ripped away from Xishi and instead she's thrown into a very sociopolitical world herself, and throughout her time behind enemy lines, her personality comes through a bit more. A big conflict throughout the storyline is between duty and desire, and it plays out differently for each of the characters we meet, Xishi most of all. There are layers of complexity when she's constantly teased by desire, and then forced to draw back into duty, all of which is further complicated the longer she spends in Fuchai's bed.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read. There were parts/characters I would've wanted more from to feel like a more complete story, but I think the bones were good.

Firstly, I would just like to say that this is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a romance. No, I will not take any alternative opinions at this time. The two MCs barely get any time together, the FMC spends years wooing the enemy but never has a physical or emotional relationship with him (so we don't even get an inkling of enemies to lovers on that side of things), and the ending...I wanted to throw the dang book. While NetGalley did its job by not labeling it as a romance, all the hype I was seeing was how amazing this author's YA romance books are, so naturally, I just assumed this would be a romance as well. BOY WAS I WRONG.

This review will have SPOILERS, so proceed at your own risk. I'm spilling all the tea.

Our FMC, Xishi, is the most beautiful woman on the planet, apparently. Forced to wear a veil over her head to conceal her beauty from prying eyes, she's never even been kissed. She has a tragic backstory after the enemy kingdom killed her sister during the war, and she has hated them and their king ever since. When she is approached by an emissary of her king to pose as a concubine for the enemy king, she doesn't take long to decide this is what she must do, and she leaves to get ten weeks of training on how to be a seductive spy, complete with formal court etiquette and the ability to hide all her emotions. During this time, she falls in love with the emissary, Fanli, who is himself a very beautiful man and one who is completely devoted to serving his king. While they both slowly develop feelings for each other, they don't act on it, and she is subsequently delivered to the enemy king on a silver platter alongside her friend (serving as a palace lady). Lots and lots of time jumps throughout the story show her progress in getting into the king's bed and good graces, but oddly enough, they never do the deed the entire time. The story lost me a bit there with all that was going on, but somehow she never actually has to do a whole lot to keep the king interested. Seemed odd to me! And then...SPOILER...her friend dies by poisoning, as punishment for a theft she was framed for, and then Xishi gets even more enraged at the king and continues to put in place the plan of revenge she was sent there to accomplish. Her king's military arrive, she escapes with the enemy king against her will, and then when they are cornered and he learns she's a spy...he just hands her sword and asks her to kill him, which she does...and then sobs over his body. Which again, I was confused by, because the author doesn't really show us a whole lot about their relationship. AND THEN, when she can finally be with Fanli, she is assassinated by her king, and that's how the book ends. The end. I know, WHAT? WHY? What next?

This book is four stars given that I was thoroughly invested and interested in how it would end...but the writing was quite chaotic with a lot shoved in to a very short period of time. This likely should have been a duology or trilogy, and the least the author could have done was give us a little romance. I don't think that was too much to ask. That death in the end just came out of nowhere, and I really didn't understand the ending. I hope it means there's another book where she's suddenly brought back to life, as it seems to hint at.

4.25 stars!!! This book was absolutely incredible and depicted the more emotional aspects of the fight for justice and the more hidden and darker aspects of rebellion not often spoken about! I absolutely loved every moment in our main characters perspective as she navigates this dangerous undercover situation as well as the complicated feelings that arise throughout her time. I also really enjoyed how this talked about women’s contribution to war and how oftentimes they go unrembered or underappreciated. I think this book is such a fresh take on the war aspect in books and would love to see more of it in books.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

I debated on whether or not to give this book four or five stars. It had a couple of problems, but at the end of the day, I couldn't stop thinking about the book and its characters!

A Song to Drown Rivers is based on an Ancient Chinese legend. A kingdom under attack enlists a beautiful young woman (Xishi) to attract and entrap the warring kingdom's ruler. There she learns the world is not as simple as it seems in her small, remote village. In fact, a character in the end puts into words perfectly what Xishi is feeling. (Being purposefully vague so as to not spoil.)

Strengths:
- Intriguing characters. While I really enjoyed the FMC, some of the side characters were really intriguing and enjoyable to 'see' on the page. (In fact, I kinda wish would could have seen more of some of them.) I wouldn't be upset if we ever got some bonus content from the Wu king's perspective!
- Fun premise/great pacing. I found myself staying up late, reading longer than I should have because I couldn't wait to see what happens next. Was someone going to make a stupid choice? Could a slip of the tongue cost someone their lives? I'm all here for some courtly intrigue!
- The writing was great and flowed really well. It was easy to read longer than planned.

There were two things I think could have made this book stronger:
- I would have liked to have stayed in the training section a bit longer to see Xishi and Fanli's relationship build a bit more. To increase the oh, so lovely tension.
- (Again being vague to avoid spoilers) Near the end, there's a type of magic that appears seemingly out of nowhere. I'd have liked a better explanation for it. Or at least some acknowledgement of it earlier. Some hint or breadcrumb. So while this didn't put me off the book, it made me ask questions, and It think this could have been handled better.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read that I was sad came to an end. I laughed, cried, and winced page after page. If you like books with tension, courtly intrigue, and/or ancient settings, this book is for you! It's a quick read in the best way! This is my first Ann Liang book, and now I can't wait to pick up more of her work!

Many thanks to the publisher for the arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own. (And yes, I ran and preordered my own copy!)

Thank you, St Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of A Song to Drown Rivers.

Beautiful. Amazing. Heartwarming. Heartwrenching. Madenning. Shocking.
Those are all words that I used at one point or another to describe what I was reading. This novel was inspired by the legend of Xi Shi. I did not look up the Ancient Chinese legend because I didn't want to taint my reading of this novel. I suggest you do the same if you do not know the legend. I was not ready for this one to end. This was the first Ann Liang novel I read, but it will not be the last. The way she made the characters/historical figures come to life off the page and the feelings she invoked in me as I read is what every reader wants when they pick up a novel. This is definitely one of my favorites for the year.

Xishi is the beauty of her village, Yue. While at the river, she catches the eye of a famous military advisor, Fanli. She is exactly what he needs to bring down the neighboring kingdom, Wu. When asked if she's willing to infiltrate the Wu kingdom by becoming a concubine to the king, Xishi jumps at the chance to avenge her sister's murder and help improve the lives of those in her village. The novel follows Xishi's training and her journey in the Wu kingdom. War brings tragedy, and Xishi is no stranger to either. As Xishi makes her place in the king's life and the Wu court, she puts herself at risk of being discovered as a traitor. Will Xishi get the ending that she believes her village deserves or will it all come crashing down around her?

For the most part, this vividly written modern updating of a very old Chinese tale sticks to the plot of the tale. There are a few threads that dangle, but the reader is drawn inexorably toward the tragic ending--as obliquely promised in the title. The characterizations are excellent, and the anti-war message is powerful.

Inspired by an ancient Chinese legend, A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is a powerful work of historical fiction that highlights one woman’s intelligence, courage, and ultimate sacrifice.

Xishi is born with extraordinary beauty, and as she grows, her mother keeps her veiled to protect her. However, her beauty does not go unnoticed, drawing the attention of a powerful minister. Trained to use her charms as a weapon, Xishi is thrust into a game of thrones where everyone is a pawn. But amid the treachery and intrigue, the question remains—can she save herself?

The legend of Xishi is tragic, and this book masterfully brings it to life. I couldn’t put it down. In a world where women were seen as property, Xishi rises above, wielding power in her own way. Though marketed as fantasy, the book leans more heavily into historical fiction, with only light fantastical elements and minimal romance. Regardless of genre, I found it captivating.

I received a free egalley of this book from the publisher, and all opinions are my own.

An epic historical fantasy meant to be devoured.

“A Song to Drown Rivers” follows Xishi after her beauty draws the attention of a famous young military advisor, Fanli. He presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty to topple the neighboring kingdom of Wu and avenge her sister’s murder. All she has to do is infiltrate the enemy palace as a spy, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within. But if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.

Liang’s adult debut is inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China. Her atmospheric writing immerses the reader in a world set during Chinese history that has a fantasy feel to it. I really love how Liang’s reimagining characterizes Xishi as someone who is so much more than a beautiful face. She sacrifices her own happiness, draws upon her wit to manipulate men who think her harmless, and never lets her guard down, even in the face of loss and violence—all for the greater good of her kingdom. Her story is one that I find empowering.

Liang creates an interesting dynamic between her characters that is a recipe for tragedy. Xishi is at the center of it all, coveted by Fuchai (the cruel king of Wu that I couldn’t manage to fully hate thanks to Liang) despite her heart belonging to someone else. That someone else happens to be Fanli, who typically doesn’t allow himself to fall victim to selfish desires. The forbidden attraction that sparks between them over the course of the ten weeks they trained together made my heart race! I could practically feel the yearning behind every stolen glance and brush of their fingers. I wanted nothing more than for them to get together.

The ending of this book is devastating. Seeing what little power Xishi possessed be ripped away from her, and the attempted erasure of her from history, permanently damaged my tear ducts I fear. Yet, the final pages leave a lasting impact in the most beautiful way.

Beautiful, and haunting, and undeniably heartbreaking. This was such a pleasure to read, and despite the plot twist that I did not see coming and was SO MAD AT, the ending was perfect. I will be telling everyone I know about this beautiful book.

A marvelous story...the writing, the character insights, the plots- you truly get lost in the legend of Xishi. As someone who did not know the legend ahead of this read, I was immediately wrapped up in the small village, in the palace, in the journeys. Liang introduces the characters in such an effortless fashion, they so quickly become like old friends.

One thing that stands out the most I think is the tension. Whether it be romantic or an internal struggle, this story more than most can convey genuine feelings. Words are not used without intention at all in this story. I have to imagine if you do know the legend, it will feel like revisiting one of your favorite places. If you are like me and did not know, the fog rolls away just long enough for you to view the journey and you'll be missing it all the second the story ends.

A Song to Drown Rivers, Ann Liang writes a beautifully crafted tale that captivates me from the very first page! Her lyrical prose are truly captivating. The pace is well-paced, and each chapter is rich in detail. Every character is meticulously portrayed, Ann Liang managed to captured their emotions, actions, and physical appearances with her words. It truly is easy getting immersed in the scenery from the flow and how she uses the words. This story, inspired by the legend of Xishi, skillfully blends elements of Chinese historical fantasy with themes of war, womanhood, and romance. Each chapter flows seamlessly, drawing you deeper into a world rich with intrigue and complexity. This book is undoubtedly one of the best I’ve read this year. I've always loved her works, from "If You Could See The Sun" and "I Hope This Doesn't Find You"! Cant wait for another book from her!

Thank you, Ann Liang and NetGalley, for the advanced copy! I truly appreciated it.

3.5 rounded up.

This book was really cute if you avoided thinking too hard about the implausibility of the premise. Xishi is a beautiful girl who is recruited to work as a spy while acting as concubine for a rival kingdom's ruler. She, of course, falls in love with the man who trains her to be a concubine (she does not even know how to bow properly when initially recruited), and then yearns for him while simultaneously getting the rival prince to fall in love with her. If I was digging into it, there are a lot of issues in the plot. When looking at vibes only, I enjoyed it! This book is advertised as adult, but I would say it's more in the young adult category. Xishi learns the complications of war, and how there often is no "right" side to military issues, but it doesn't go much deeper than that. I only gave it that extra .5 star because it got me feeling a little giddy at times.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love myths and retellings and this was a fun if slightly tragic retelling. I liked that the beautiful woman Xishi and her BFF were more than just beautiful faces and were truly Badass and complex characters with fun motives. I do wish we got to see more of Xishi and Fanli their relationship was cute and i actually really liked him despite his calm attitude. I also liked the Wu king no two sides are ever really innocent in a war and this retelling definitely plays to that cliche. I did actually wish that Xishi developed a truly deeper connection to the wu king because like she realizing he Is kind of pawn as well and she learns her own king is not that innocent either. I do wish we got a littler deeper into history of why the kingdoms are so combative with each other but overall it was an interesting retelling.

“The men will fight for their thrones and their power and their legacies, but to them we are nothing more than crickets and ants, insignificant, expendable.”

3.5

A Song to Drown Rivers tells the story of Xishi as she turns from a simple village girl in the kingdom of Yue to a spy disguised as a concubine in the kingdom of Wu. With the use of her beauty and training, she is tasked to deceive and distract King Fuchai of the Wu Kingdom as her home kingdom seeks their revenge.

I just want to start this by saying I am a big fan of Ann Liang’s books. If it’s written by her, I would definitely read it. A Song to Drown Rivers was a pretty good book, it was very easy to follow along, and it was very beautifully written, albeit flowery at times. I do wish there was more politics to it, that was something I felt this book lacked.

I really liked Xishi’s character. I think she’s really brave to have taken this task of pretending to be the enemy king’s concubine when all she had was ten weeks of training. It did think it was kind of silly that she only needed ten weeks to train and to study all that was needed to be the perfect concubine and spy.

Xishi’s romance with Fanli was very much love at first sight which I really don’t like. In the span of ten weeks they fall in love with each other. There was so much yearning especially on Fanli’s part because he was the king’s minister and he’s a ‘duty first’ kind of guy. They were a nice pair but I do wish their relationship developed gradually instead of being in love with each other from the get go.

King Fuchai was an interesting character. I actually liked him and thought he deserved better. He was someone who starved affection and I can’t blame him for that, especially with the circumstances of his childhood.

I may not have loved this book as much as I do Ann Liang’s contemporary YA ones, but it was still a nice read.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest and review.

I LOVED this book!!! It was easy to read and follow. It wasn’t super complicated. It is not really a fantasy. There is light discussion of the “after world” but that’s as close to fantasy as we get. But I’m not complaining. It was a beautiful book. I grew attached to the characters. It was almost a love triangle sort of thing. The plot twists at the end!! This must be very closely related to the Chinese mythology because I was describing the book to my husband and he told me he watched the same thing in anime. He knew how it was going to end before I did! I was SOBBING!!! SOBBING!!! There was so much teasing between the love interests in this story and then everything changes!! I felt for Xishi!! What she was asked to do in the end! I did not think she was going to do it! I wouldn’t have!!! I honestly thought there was someway everything was going to come together in the end! It went a completely different path. Be prepared, if you do not know the mythology behind this, this is not a predictable cute sappy ending. You will be crying. Your heart will be breaking but you will love it all. 5 stars for story and making me feel everything!!!!

Ann Liang's A Song to Drown Rivers is a captivating exploration of identity, culture, and the tumultuous journey of self-discovery. Set against the backdrop of both contemporary and mythological elements, the novel follows the protagonist as she navigates the complexities of her dual heritage. Definitely a heart wrenching love story between the main character Xishi and the military advisor Fanli.

Liang's writing is lyrical and evocative, drawing readers into the rich tapestry of emotions and experiences. The narrative deftly balances moments of joy with profound introspection, as the main character, Xishi, grapples with her sense of belonging. The integration of folklore adds depth, creating a vivid connection between past and present that resonates throughout the story.

The character development is particularly strong; Liang crafts a relatable and multifaceted heroine whose struggles feel authentic. The supporting cast is equally well-rounded, each contributing to the protagonist's journey in meaningful ways.

Overall, A Song to Drown Rivers is not just a story about personal growth, but also a poignant commentary on the power of heritage and the universal quest for connection. Ann Liang has delivered a beautifully written novel that lingers long after the final page, making it a must-read for anyone interested in stories of resilience and identity.

I highly recommend this book to all lovers of romantacy.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review