Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first novel by Ann Liang that I've read, and while I think this was a quick read (despite some of the violence), it still left me wanting for more substance. I had high expectations going into this because the fact that it was based on legend sounded very intriguing and promising. The premise is that Xishi, described as one of the four great beauties of Ancient China, of the Yue Kingdom is used as a spy and sent to the (enemy) Wu kingdom as a concubine to King Fuchai. Her aim is to bring down the Wu kingdom - her journey including whether or not she is successful (along with a side plot of a love story) forms the basic premise of this book.

The story had a lot of potential, but I think that one of its biggest flaws was that while the pacing kept my interest, the story lacked the depth required for such a premise. Additionally, the love story also lacked depth such that I didn't really understand why Xishi and her love interest fell for each other, and neither did I root for their happy ending together. This may be a controversial take but I thought the novel really came into its own in the last quarter of the book (yes, including that ending!). It‘s disappointing because the premise and writing had a lot of potential. It read more like a YA novel than an adult historical fantasy.

I just finished A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang, and I gotta be real—it didn’t hit like I hoped. 😕 First off, a huge shoutout to NetGalley, Ann Liang, and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts! 💌 The book drops October 1st, and while it’s 290 pages, it zipped by like a breeze.

✧ Forbidden Romance 💔
✧ Historical Fiction 🏰
✧ Spy Mission 🛡
✧ Court Intrigue 👑
✧ Slow Pacing 🕰
✧ Insta-Love 💘
✧ Retelling 🌹
✧ Bittersweet Ending 😢

So, I went into this expecting an epic, heart-wrenching historical fantasy inspired by the legend of Xishi—on paper, that sounds incredible, right? But... I was left feeling kinda meh. The romance, which should’ve been the emotional heart of the story, was rushed and totally flat. Insta-love vibes were everywhere, but instead of giving me butterflies, it was more like, "Wait, that’s it?!" 😬 I was seriously craving a slow burn where I’m internally screaming, "JUST KISS ALREADY!" but nah, didn’t get that at all.

The fantasy elements? Yeah, they’re there but barely explored. I was waiting for some jaw-dropping world-building, but it felt a bit too bland. And the pacing? Oof, it was all over the place! Some parts dragged on forever, while others were over before I could even process them. 😕

Now, let’s talk about Xishi and Fanli—the characters with so much potential. But guess what? Fanli, our supposed swoon-worthy love interest, barely shows up! Like, where is this guy?! For a new adult fantasy, this definitely read like YA, so if you’re expecting something a bit more mature, maybe manage your expectations.

But hey, Ann Liang’s writing style? Super easy to read, and that’s what kept me going. The second half of the book was stronger, but I still wanted more—more depth, more feels, more everything. I was ready to ugly cry by the end, but instead, I was like, "Oh, so that’s it?" 😬

Overall, it’s a quick read that might appeal to fans of Ann Liang’s previous books, but for me? It didn’t really bring anything new or memorable to the table.

3.7 🌟

I read this and listened to the audiobook to compare the two. Honestly, reading it was amazing but the audiobook truly made this book 100 times better due to the amazing narrator! I throughly enjoyed this story. The mystery behind the the king and the character development of Xishi was interesting to watch play out throughout the story. I loved that the Xishu was chosen to become the weapon to help her people and take down the Wu kingdom. It was intriguing how the story turned after that (chapter 2 so not a spoiler). But it truly picked up after that point and had so many twists and action packed moments throughout to keep you interested. And that ending.... yall. I have no words!! I loved this one, especially the audiobook format!

I received the ARC in Audiobook format from Mcmillan Audio as well as a book ARC from St Martin's Press and NetGalley to listen/read/review both formats. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading and listening to this book.

Wow. It took me a while to collect my thoughts on this one. I had so many feelings that it was hard to put them into words. On the one hand, I absolutely loved this story. I was rooting for Xishi the whole time, and her emotions so easily flowed into me as I read. I was invested in her journey and had so much hope that her story would end happily.

Ann Liang’s prose is masterful. It is hard to believe that this is the same author who has written multiple YA romances. Yes, her other books are also great, but the prose here is just next level. I found myself rereading and highlighting sentences just because of how beautiful they were. She creates an atmosphere that is both so tragic and hauntingly beautiful. This is not just a retelling of a legend; it is a love story, a story of regret, loss, sacrifice, and the realities of war.

On the other hand, this story also devastated and depressed me (in the best possible way). It evoked so much hope and wonder in me, yet also such deep sorrow and emptiness. I had never before heard of the legend this book is based off of, and I’m glad I went into it blind. I don’t think I would have enjoyed it as much if I had any idea of how it would end. The only thing I wish was explored more was the “fantasy” aspect; this definitely reads more as a retelling or historical fiction than a fantasy. We only really see any true fantastical elements in the last 10% of the book (and in such a heartrending way).

This story and these characters are going to stay with me for a long time. I’m excited to see what Ann Liang writes next, because I’ll definitely be reading!

I requested this book because I have loved every single one of Ann Liang’s contemporary releases but unfortunately this was a bit of a miss for me. I enjoyed her writing in this overall (no surprises there Ann is talented like that) but it just lost my attention about half. It just left me wanting when it came to the characters and romance aspect. I was disappointed that the mmc didn’t get that much page appearances as I was hoping which left the his character and his romantic relationship with the fmc a little underdeveloped and lackluster. Anyways I’m still looking forward to reading more books by this author!

Thanks to the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Xishi agrees to be the concubine a king. Not just any king, but the tyrant who has brutally warred against her people, and is responsible for the death of her sister. But difficult sacrifices must be made in times of war, even for this beautiful girl in a rural village.

Review: This story was beautiful in every way. The writing is superb. The characters are deeply interesting and complex. The culture is explored well and explained to readers in a way that sweeps you along into the story with Xishi. This is a tale that everyone should read and is one of the best books I’ve read all year!! Truly a remarkable masterpiece of the depths of humanity’s ability to love and to despair.

**It is important for readers to know that this is a tragedy, not a romance. There is romance in this book, the pull of love and the tension of desire, though there are no explicit or graphic sexual scenes (for which I am grateful).**

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC. This is my honest review of this book.

A Song to Drown Rivers might have made a fine short story, or even a novella. As a novel, I found it boring and repetitive. She’s beautiful; he’s beautiful. She is so beautiful; he is so beautiful. I was not familiar with the story of Xishi and Fanli, but there is just not enough there there for a whole book.

There is some lovely writing in the book. But Xishi, Fanli, and Fuchai feel like characters in a fairy tale – not real people I can root for, or against.

I read an advance reader copy of A Song to Drown Rivers from Netgalley.

This book… was sooo GOOD, oh my God. It’s been a while since I read a book that was so full of angst and tension!!

Okay, to start off this review, I want to say that this book almost made me cry. Throughout the book, I found myself nearly crying with some of the scenes that came up. This book will leave you heartbroken in the best way possible but still ending on a good and hopeful note for the characters.

The romance and angst in this book were out of this world. I had read Ann Liang’s other novel If You Could See the Sun, and I was thoroughly disappointed with the logic, writing style, plot, pacing, characters — everything. A Song to Drown Rivers was the absolute opposite of that for me.

“Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China…”, I will say that this retelling was a rapid read. It took me a week, technically, on GoodReads with their date tracking system, but that was because I was busy and couldn’t pick it up. This is a very easy read in the sense it’s short and can be done pretty quickly. Reading this book left me starving each time, wanting more and more, almost to a feral level. But that does not mean this was a clean, easy read. It very much had some gorey descriptions and darker scenes; ideas and themes that should have been black and white were blurred and muddled, leaving grey morality as a running theme throughout.

While the romance was a big part of the book, the political scheming was done pretty well (as Xishi is a spy), but it wasn’t the best I’ve read. The book did enough to give you a general idea of what was going on, the connections Xishi was making throughout the court, the emotions she was experiencing as she seduced the Wu King, the traumas that would so irrepressibly appear and leave her in turmoil—it was well enough done that you were immersed in it. At least, I was. But that doesn’t mean more could have been done. I would have liked for the novel to have been expanded to allow more opportunities to snoop in on the court play and the romantic scenes. It would have helped build even more of the growing tension, bringing the stakes even higher than it already was.

If this small thing had been done, I think I for sure would have been sobbing and feeling the pain of heartbreak throughout this entire novel. But because it still made me tear up, I think this book’s emotional sway was strong enough to earn a 5-star rating from me. This was a wonderful read, and I most definitely recommend this to those who love Asian stories, powerful women, retellings, and angsty romance.

I want to thank NetGalley for providing me the opportunity to read this ARC, however this did not influence my review of it at all. I gave my honest review based on my reading and my own thoughts ᥫ᭡

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Asian Literature, Asian Fantasy, Chinese Legend, Historical, Mythology
Subgenre: Romance
Audience: Young adult
Spice Level: Kissing and wanting more
Language: Some swearing

A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS draws from the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, but I wasn't familiar with this tale.

This book feels YA unlike some that appeal more to adults. I see that as a positive.

Xishi is interesting because her strength is centered around her beauty, and so people discount her mind. Her best friend is the one who wields a sword. These two girls were trained in 10 weeks! To dance, to play musical instruments, and to blend into the royal etiquette. I thought that was pretty fast, but hey, it's fantasy, so I'll go along for the ride.

The world building highlights how Xishi sees her world in three main periods: Before she is trained to be the King's consort, her time at his palace (which is when her view begins to shift), and after being at the palace and going home.

This review is meant to be spoiler-free. But I am going to say that the end threw me. Maybe it's related the the original Xishi—I don't know. I've struggled with the ending because I felt like it overshadowed the rest of the story, and the format changed a bit (which was intentional) but I still felt off kilter about it. The reasoning of the characters seemed a little weak. You'll have to see what you think. I'm rounding up for the stars because the majority of the book was 4, but the ending was a 2ish for me.

Happy reading!

First off, thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not familiar with the Four Beauties mythology, so I can't speak to the adaptation. I think this is a good YA romance, there isn't any thing I would consider spice, some kissing and implication so it would be perfect for a younger audience. The fantasy elements are way in the very end, they aren't distributed throughout so if you're looking for an involved fantasy world this may not be your cup of tea. I won't spoil the ending, but I wasn't expecting it and while the rest of the book felt a bit shallow, the ending was excellent.

eARC Review: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang 🌊

This was a wonderful reimagining of the legend of Xishi and her role in the fall of the Kingdom of Wu in Ancient China. I had a fantastic time while reading this and that ending about did me in, but thankfully I was about to go to bed anyways so I could go wallow in my thoughts. 🥲

The story is more historical fiction with the barest of smidges of fantasy for the ending. I really enjoyed Xishi’s personal history of why she chose to help the Yue take down the Wu and how, over time, she needed to cling to these morals as she started seeing the Wu for what they were: humans. 💙

The relationship between her and Fanli was a wonderfully done yearning that made even me happy whenever they would have scene together. And her hate-love relationship with Fuchai? Wow, even I started to feel bad for the dude even though he was constantly making horrible decisions. The ending for both of these relationships were enough to leave me feeling like I was punched in the chest and at one point or another, I had to put the book down just to take a breather. If this is what watching C-Drama is like, then I don’t know if I could handle it (I have a funny story about that, that I’ll add in the comments if anyone wants a good laugh). 😰

As much as I loved my time while reading this, I did find myself wishing we had more time with the characters overall, especially Zhengdan. Zixu also felt like he was rather one-sided since we never really get a good look at his character other than just a suspicious advisor to the king. I also thought it rather odd that XIshi’s chest pains weren’t ever really explained other than just something she had all her life but felt fine in the presence of a specific someone. 🤔

Other than that though, I loved my time with this legendary beauty and historical figure. I’m already eyeing the Fairyloot special edition, so fingers crossed I can get a copy! 🤞🏼

Big thank you goes out to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Liang, for making my heart stop with that ending. ❤️

Publication date: October 1!

Overall: 4.5/5 ⭐️

A Song to Drown Rivers follows a beautiful woman as she infiltrates the enemy's palace as a spy. My attention lagged a little in the middle of the book, but the ending was worth the read. I went from thinking I didn't feel connected to the characters to very emotional over them.

I received an ARC and ALC from St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A Song to Drown Rivers
Author: Ann Liang
Fantasy

Thank you so much Netgalley for this ARC! Beautiful fantasy read. Super atmospheric, and lovely. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into with this one. I had no idea this was based on a Chinese legend. Xishi is a rare beauty in her village and she catches the eye of Fanli, who is a military advisor looking for a wife for the King. He recruits her to join his cause and places her as a spy in the Kings palace. I felt the book was beautiful and had really good pacing. I didn’t find myself bored or in a slump during the whole thing. I loved the relationship between Fanli and Xishi. I also loved that she was a spy. This book did truly gut me and rip my heart out. Only reason I didn’t give it a five star rating was because overall I felt something was missing in the book. Still can’t put my finger on what it is. If you want a beautiful atmospheric, historical fantasy read check this one out.

"Ann Liang nails the vibe of this historical fantasy book, perfect for fans of ancient Chinese history and mythology! "A Song to Drown Rivers" is a thrilling tale of political intrigue, strategic seduction, and emotional turmoil, with an underlying tension that never lets up. Xishi, the protagonist, is a complex and ambitious character whose beauty becomes a weapon in a world where her value is constantly tied to her looks. Her chemistry with Fanli is off the charts, and their relationship is a compelling dynamic of strategy and emotion. The palace scenes are a standout, with Xishi constantly performing and manipulating to stay ahead. The book is a powerful exploration of survival and sacrifice, with a focus on how beauty, power, and agency are intertwined. While the pacing can be uneven at times, the book is intense, beautiful, and heartbreaking. If you're into historical fantasy with complex characters and high stakes, add this to your Goodreads ASAP!"

I'll post my book review along with character mood boards, on Instagram, on 26 September!!

3.5 stars. A decent retelling of Xishi. I enjoyed the descriptive language, but none of the characters really captured me. I found Xishi, the protagonist, to be quite bland, and I never found myself fully immersed in the story.

DNF. I suppose I need to face the fact that Ann Liang just isn’t for me, I put this book down after a couple chapters to do something else, and I have no desire to go back to it.

I read this book until I had finished it. It was so so good. I just don’t even know what to say other than that. Tragic.

Unfortunately, this one wasn't for me. It wasn't any fault of the book's in particular--I just couldn't click with the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

Inspired by the Chinese legend of Xishi, a woman uses her beauty as a weapon to try to infiltrate and take down the rival kingdom of Wu.

Without prior knowledge of the story this is based on, I was not sure what to expect. All I knew was that it sounded intriguing and had a gorgeous cover. Luckily, I don’t mind the love-triangle trope, but if that’s not your thing, be prepared for it, but don’t let that turn you off this book.

Highly recommend, and looking forward to reading more from Liang.

So much of life is presented like it's some sort of binary — good or evil, right or wrong, black or white — but i love stories that make me sit in the gray spaces between. A Song to Drown Rivers is one such story. Inspired by an ancient Chinese legend, this book is a beautifully written, well paced, and thought provoking tragic love story—and so much more! Would definitely recommend!