Wow!! I could not stop reading this book! The world building was excellent and Xishi was such a strong and amazing character! I loved Fanli as well! I was NOT expecting this to end the way it did and I haven't been able to stop crying since I finished it. SO GOOD!!

Thank you to NetGalley and to St. Martin's Press for my digital ARC!

I walked into this book with no background knowledge of the Four Beauties of Ancient China, but you BET that I was diving into the lore after I finished. I wasn't totally sure if it would be something I was into when I started, but I found myself really caught into the story and trying to prepare my brain for what I knew would happen once Xishi's motives were revealed. I did not, however, anticipate anything in the last 10% to happen, and was super caught off guard. I felt like the "resolution" of the story moved really fast, and I would've been happy reading 50 more pages to sort through that a bit more-- it's possible that that was the intention, but because I already wasn't expecting it, I felt like I blinked and missed everything that happened (but tried to fill in the gaps with some research afterwards). That being said, though, I really liked this story, and would happily pick up another book by Liang about the Four Beauties!

Picture this, a book has just changed your life and left you so emotionally shattered that you have been sitting on the couch crying for the last thirty minutes. THAT is where this story has left me. This was everything a moving love story should be. There was heartbreak, passion, star-crossed lovers, and a plot that left me absolutely breathless. Ann Liang’s stories are all impeccable and this one is absolutely no different.

Xishi’s beauty is well known within her village of Yue. When she draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, she is approached with the opportunity to infiltrate the kingdom that killed her sister and destroy it from within. All she has to do is win the eye of the king and make him fall for her. However, that's easier said than done when her heart belongs to Fanli and she is under constant watch from the Wu advisors.

All I can say about this book is just WOW. I am floored. The last 20% I was holding my breath with anticipation with what I knew was coming. While I thought I knew how this was going to end, the actual ending left me speechless. It was everything I expected while also not.

There wasn't a single thing I disliked about this book. The pacing was so well done, the world building was amazing, and reading how Xishi's mind worked through how she was going to deceive the Wu king felt so realistic. I love reading about women who change the course of history through their intelligence, and this book was no exception. It was refreshing that, while the FMC was beautiful, ultimately she had to rely on things other than her beauty to get her through. I also enjoyed that the time frame for this book was over the span of 2 years and not a few weeks. It made it feel so much more realistic.

Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this book and will be shouting from the rooftops for people to read it. 1000/10 stars.

Big thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed this books, but it is more of a slow burn. The first half goes very slowly while the second half goes so quickly that it almost feels rushed. The tone of voice is very passive, which I think contributed to the slow pace. I think that there is a balance in providing themes and lessons, particularly in folklore stories so that they are clear but not obvious, and I wish that the lessons in this book were a little more pronounced. They seemed so quiet and small and only in the second half of the book, and I think the story could have been stronger if they were woven throughout the first half too.
But overall a beautiful retelling of folklore. I loved the imagery that the author painted with their words.

LOVE LOVE LOVE FOREVER LOVE god this story was AMAZING. SO well told.
ten out of ten, no notes. Loved it, can't say that enough. Great world building.

Wow.. I started reading this on friday and finished it on sunday. So good. So tragic.
So devastating and sad but still so beautiful and left me wanting more of xishi.

I am almost finished with this book but it's an incredible story of love, war, and intrigue. I am hoping there will be more to this series in the future as I would be reading and re-reading them all. I love how it's written, the descriptions of things, and the way that the story plays out. Read this, you won't be disappointed.

Great book, enjoyed , it was nice and different, the fantasy world was great. This a book that by the end will definitely destroy you and you would not be able to get out of your mind. Definitely recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC to review!
Rating (on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being excellent)
Quality of writing: 5
Pace: 3
Plot development: 4
Characters: 3
Enjoyability: 3
Ease of Reading: 4

Overall rating: 3 out of 5

A Song to Drown River’s is a heartbreaking historical fantasy. Xishu’s beauty is a weapon used by kingdom to top a conquering kingdom. Just a pawn whose real feelings long for her trainer, Xishi wants revenge on those responsible for the death of her sister but her humanity remains through it all. Xishi is a strong heroine who will wow with her resolve to get the job done while breaking your heart with her all to real human side. This was an interesting fantasy with an epic feel but a sad ending. My voluntary, unbiased, and non mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

This book crushed me into a million pieces. I am barely hanging on by a thread and I can’t stop thinking about every. single. part. of. this. book. It’s safe to say that the author has not, to this day, written anything that has not been 5 stars. But this one broke me. And I need her next book to be a silly YA rom-com to fix my heartbreak or we’re gonna have some problems.

This book follows Xishi who is carrying the guilt of not being able to save her sister from the King's guards as she accepts her fate to give her family a better life and save the kingdom from a cruel ruler. Xishi's beauty comes at cost and now is the time to wield her weapon and defeat the Kingdom of Wu. But what happens when the evil you know is not the person you thought? Can she achieve her goal without gaining the label of traitor?
Things to expect: Eastern mythology, splendid world-building, tear-jerking, heart-wrenching forbidden love, and the dangers of beauty. Ann Liang's debut adult novel is as promising as her heartfelt YA fiction works that I truly adored.
Fanli is one of my favorite characters. And his forbidden love story with Xishi is vulnerable and full of sacrifice and heartbreak. I want more for these characters. I would characterize this as a romantsy and recommend it for all lovers of the genre. The pacing is well-executed, and the tension could be cut with a knife. I enjoyed the nuance and the revealing of even the most wicked characters to have fragility and goodness within them. And that our "good" characters can still have vengeful tendencies.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a digital review copy of this remarkable book in exchange for my honest opinions.

4.25 stars

I cried. Twice. This is a historical fantasy that broke my heart. Ann Liang’s worldbuilding and storytelling are fantastic. While the start of the book was slow, once Xishi got to the Wu empire, I could not put it down. Usually, when I read a fantasy, I want magic, and there is none to be had. The reason this did not get a higher rating was the slower start and the lack of magic. I do forgive the lack of magic because once the story picked up, I was invested.

I went into this book without knowing anything about the mythology of Xishi or Fanli. I’m happy to have no background knowledge because I did not know what to expect. The twists and turns, the political intrigue, the character deaths all pulled on my heartstrings.

I found Xishi’s complicated relationship with Fuchai so fascinating. The mixed emotions she has are perfectly human, and it makes the story so much more relatable. The reasons behind her decisions make sense, and I truly enjoyed the story because of them. Liang handles the tension of Xishi’s situation masterfully, and by the end, you’re invested.

The end was brutal. My heart broke for Xishi, Fanli, and Fuchai. I don’t cry often from books, but the tears were wrenched from me. I highly recommend this book to anyone, and I plan to check out more of Liang’s books.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

This is without a doubt one of the best books I’ve ever read. Xishi and Fanli’s love story made me ache- it’s beautiful, slow burn, forbidden, and could mean war if they’re caught.

This is one of the most beautifully written books-it’s the first book to make me feel the way Circe and The Song of Achilles did (although A Song to Drown Rivers is quite different). These characters and this story will be with me long after I’ve finished the book.

This was such a beautiful and heartbreaking story. It made me cry and FEEL. Used for her beauty Xishi is tasked by her kings advisor with becoming the enemies concubine and stealing his heart so that she can help steal his kingdom. I really enjoyed this fantasy retelling and I definitely recommend it for others, just read with tissues by your side! This was truly a sad, beautiful, and tragic love story 😢💕

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.

“A Song to Drown Rivers” surprised me in every good way possible. I was immediately drawn into the book thanks to the author’s masterful world-building and storytelling. With so many unpredictable characters and plot twists, I couldn’t put the book down because I had to know what was going to happen next!

The story is told from Xishi’s POV - a young woman living with her parents to help make ends meet in their small village. Thankfully, she’s a complex and extremely likable character. Xishi reminded me a bit of Disney’s Mulan, except that she doesn’t pretend to be a man to take her father’s place and join the army. Instead, Xishi uses her unnatural beauty as a weapon to serve as a spy for her county. Loyal, brave, and determined, she’s deeply devoted to her family and giving them a better life after the devastating loss of her younger sister.

Fanli was difficult to gauge in the beginning of the book, and I really wasn’t sure why Xishi liked him other than his good looks, but I changed my tune as the story slowly unfolded his complicated past, present, and future. I found myself on pins and needles waiting for him to show up throughout the story to savor the undeniable chemistry between him and Xishi.

I found myself torn by King Fuchai. Like Xishi, I wanted to hate him, but he was so full of passion and often wore his heart on his sleeve that I couldn’t help but warm up to him. Yes, he had some major faults and I still wanted Xishi to end up with Fanli, but what Fanli lacked in romance, Fuchai made up for with excess.

While I personally wasn’t the biggest fan of the book’s ending, I couldn’t bring myself to lower my rating to anything less than a 5. This powerful story brought out a lot of strong emotions in me. I felt like I was right by Xishi’s side through the entire book – feeling her pain, joy, and everything in between. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to teens, young adults, and adults who are interested in an epic historical fantasy. It’s one of the best adult fiction books I’ve read this year!

Wow. What beautiful writing, and such a wonderful mythological retelling. Liang has perfected the art of the slow burn, and I wanted even more of it. It's rare I find a book too short, but this one may have been. I'll definitely be handselling this one.

I really enjoyed the characters in this novel. It was a bit of a slow start for me but when we got to about 40% in, it started ROLLING. I couldn't put it down towards the end. Great story that flowed so smoothly. I thought I knew what was going to happen going in but I was so shocked! Such a good read and I can't wait to check out more by this author.

This book has been on my amazon pre-order for weeks now and when it came up I had to apply and I am so glad I was able to get a copy.

The book is beautifully written and it really had me feeling all the emotions in one go, I can't believe it was already over when that last page slapped me in the face.

Will I read it again? absolutely.
everyone I know is getting it for Christmas so I can talk their ears off about it.