disclaimer: received an e-ARC, all opinions are my own

IM SOBBING AND IT WON'T STOP

the book reads like a poem, it crushed me and left me weeping. and i'll read it again, and weep some more. i've never highlighted as many passages in a book. the last 70% were read in one sitting, on my kitchen stool, because i couldn't even bear to look away for long enough to move to the couch. like?????

the characters are well-developed, Xishi is so human it hurts. i love her. (i love them all but she is her) this story is living in my mind so vividly, i'm unsure how to move on. i giggled, i fought against the pit in my stomach, i stilled with anticipation, the array of emotions i went through during this read i will never recover omg

midway through i pre-ordered the hardcover, i want to reread it so badly when it's done being edited and in its physical form, although if nothing were to change i would love it as it is. also the hardcover is GORGEOUS!!!!

*(update: i reread my highlights and im crying again, i finished reading this book last night and im still in pieces)

it's going on my favourites shelf and i will not stop talking about it until it's released and everyone else gets to experience my pain. i swear it's worth it though.

Xishi’s mother has always hidden her beauty. Wherever she goes she wears a covering on her face, to keep people from seeing it. Until one day, she gets a request to use her beauty as a weapon. She’s sent to the palace of the enemy, to seduce and destroy. The longer she’s there, the more attention is on her, and the more is at stake.
I love books like this, and I especially loved how Ann Liang put a different twist on it than most. I love how the story was based on mythology, and how everything was explained simply but still had so much detail. How the characters were so in depth. I absolutely devoured this book in less than a day, and will definitely be seen admiring this cover in person once it’s released. I’m sure it’s going to be even prettier in person.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

I write this review with tears streaming down my cheeks and a feeling of emptiness consuming me. This book is endlessly immersive with some of the most vivid imagery and characters I have experienced in many months. The writing is effortlessly captivating and poetic, creating some of the most meaningful quotes I have ever had the privilege of reading.

In Liang's adult debut you follow Xishi on her mission to make the enemy king fall in love with her so that her kingdom can attack, and I can not possibly see a way that this book could be executed any better. The plot seems rather predictable in the first 50% percent, only to take you for an absolute whirlwind in the latter half.

The romance in this novel is one of copious amounts of tension and longing, and it is FANTASTIC, it is what gave me life but it also what killed me emotionally. It pains me that this book is unavailable to the large majority of people, because this book is everything the world needs.

I loved this! I devoured it in one day. This was the sweeping, fantastical story I needed for an escape. Excellent

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for giving me this book for review considerations! All opinions are my own.
A Song to Drown Rivers is coming on October 8, 2024!!! Pre-order now from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and more!! The link is below!!
What’s it about?
Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.
Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. When Xishi draws the attention of the famous young military advisor, Fanli, he presents her with a rare opportunity: to use her beauty as a weapon. One that could topple the rival neighboring kingdom of Wu, improve the lives of her people, 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.
Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.
Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.
Summary from Barnes and Noble (The StoryGraph isn’t posted yet!)
Why I Started This Book
So I got this book from Netgalley, and it honestly just looked and sounded cool! Yes, I did think the cover was beautiful and that was a major selling point.
My First Thoughts
I LOVE this!! Within the first 30 pages, I was in love!! Something about the main character was just amazing! Also, the Asian culture was simply amazing!!
My Rating
Rating: 4.5 out of 5.
I loved so many aspects of this book!! Such unique and talented writing!!! I currently rated it 4.5 stars, but there is a chance it’ll become 5-stars one day!!
What I loved
This books has AMAZING THEMES and depth!! It’s basically a that crushes some stereotypes and fights back against sexism! Like the main character is a queen! Also, love the Asian representation! Super well done! For a quick note on the themes, they are embedded through these different topics, which makes them even more powerful!!
Character time! I LOVED the characters!!! All of them were simple wonderful!!! Xishi, the main character, is such an amazing, strong woman!! Love her!!!! Also, the side Ann doesn’t skip out writing well-developed side characters!!! They are literally all amazing!
This book really challenged the prejudice we have towards certain characters overall, and certain type of characters. While this isn’t super obvious at first read, upon further reflection you can really see how the author insinuates how we may be quick to judge people! She does this through super little actions of the characters, also really well done!!
The ending. Wow. Literally all I can say is wow. I have never read an ending written like this one. You just have to read it to understand!! It is so unique, beautiful, and moving!!
What I Disliked
This isn’t necessarily a dislike, but time moves fairly quickly. I felt like I’d be reading the book and next thing I know a month has passed. This wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s not something I’m used to. I was shocked by the amount of time that has passed, which kind of made me rethink some of the plot. Overall, not a bad thing, just unexpected!!
Book vs. Movie
There isn’t a movie for this book!
Should You Read It?
YES!! The characters, the representation, the themes!! EVERYTHING! It was all amazing! This book is great for anyone who’s looking for a medium-paced fiction novel!!
Conclusion
This book was unexpectedly AMAZING and I LOVED it! I honestly can’t wait to read more books by Ann Liang!! The characters, the plot, the writing style, the ending! This book is amazing!!!

4/5 stars
Not spicy
-retelling of Chinese legend
-strong, kind, brave FMC
-epic and heartbreaking love story
-great pacing
-beautiful storytelling
-handsome, strong, dangerous MMC

Xishi is a fabled beauty living in Yue, a village at war with the neighboring Kingdom of Wu. She is saved from dangerous soldiers one day by a handsome and powerful advisor to the king, Fanli, who offers her an incredible but dangerous opportunity: to save Yue from war by turning her beauty into a weapon. Leaving behind all she’s known, she is trained by him to seduce and destroy the Wu King from within.
They both quickly fall in love, but deny themselves each other, as she is destined for another.

Her time in the Wu Kingdom as a concubine is rife with danger, especially from the King’s advisors, who suspect her from the beginning. She spends years there while fawned over and loved by the King. As she destroys the court from within, she threatens to be found, all while pining for Fanli.

This is a beautifully written, lush, and heartbreaking story. I spent the entirety of the book desperate and hungry for those moments where Xishi and Fanli could see each other. The entire story of Xishi within the palace had me holding my breath, hoping she wouldn’t be found, seeing how the King loved her, hoping she was able to change him or end her suffering. The conflicting settings, between palace life and her life in the village is gorgeously told. The only feedback I could give, would be that it was tricky to follow the timeline. One moment we are side by side with Xishi in the palace, and then a whole year has gone by, making for a choppy transition. However, I would still highly recommend this romance to anyone in the mood a beautiful setting and a really good cry.

Let me start off by saying that I received this advance copy to read from NetGalley.

This novel is based on the Chinese legend of Xi Shi - one of the 4 beauties of Ancient China. And it was an absolute joy to read this take on the legend, which had me turning pages and not wanting to stop. It was a rollercoaster of a ride, and my emotions were everywhere. It had me in a chokehold, and when I wasn't reading this my mind was on it in one way or another.

The process, build up, relationships, everything was written so wonderfully. The romance, the heartache.

I cried so much. There were many parts that I just couldn't stop crying, and wished upon wished why the events couldn't have been different. Perhaps... just maybe...

5/5 for me.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! I really enjoyed this story as I have all of Ann Liang's books despite how different it is from the others! I was honestly not expecting the ending, but maybe I should've. I can't wait for this to be published so I can see everyone's reactions!!

Wow - I truly truly loved this book. I was totally captivated from the beginning, and was dying to get back to it any chance I get. A story of star-crossed relationships, and playing the assigned roles during wartime and history. Characters become larger than themselves, their duty overshadowing all else. This book left me in a puddle on the floor, and I cannot stop thinking about this story - just wishing for more of it! The writing style is illustrative and very effective. I highly recommend this book! Five stars! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Ann Liang truly has a way with words. The imagery in this story is beautiful. You will be transported to the China of the past and come to know Xishi’s tale. Plucked from her village out of extreme poverty, Xishi’s beauty is to be used as a weapon against her enemies, by hopefully making the enemy king fall in love with her while she schemes behind his back. It’s a dangerous game…

This general theme has been done before, and not always well. This is not the case here. “A Song to Drown Rivers” is written in such a way that you will feel Xishi’s every emotion and understand her motivations. You will cheer for her successes and shed tears at her losses. The (clean) slow burn romance is sweet and utterly believable.

That ending. We have a while to wait before this is published, but I am *dying* to know what others thought of the ending. *GASP*

4.25 stars. Look for this in October!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for gifting me an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

SCREAMING, CRYING. The last page ruined me for life. I WILL be forever haunted by this story. I definitely need to read a light-hearted book after this one.

This is my first Ann Liang book, and her writing is poetic. She delivered us a powerful story with a beautiful tragic love affair. I didn't originally know the story of Xishi, so I went into this blind and I don't know if I regret it or not. MY HEART HURTS. I can't wait for it to come out so I can purchase it.

Freaking PERFECTION. 10/10. This was just so so good. I couldn’t get enough of it and wanted a thousand more pages of this.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

My heart was pulled out of my chest, stomped on it million times and then was healed and hugged yet there is an empty space. I’m completeley stunned and shattered and amazed. This is gonna be the it book.

Perhaps I should have done more research into the myth of Xishi to prepare myself for how terribly sad the ending to this book was. Never the less, most of this book dissatisfied me. The pacing was too fast. Long periods of time would pass by in a single chapter. It left me feeling like I missed something and had to go back to make sure I didn’t miss a chapter. The romance is a big part of this book, and I wasn’t a fan of either of the potential love interests. The Insta-Love between two of them just wasn’t believable. I didn’t believe that they loved one another because the pacing was too fast. The story had suggested that months had passed, but it felt more like a couple days and they had fallen in love. There was no development in the relationship. I didn’t feel anything for any of the characters and that might have had something to do with the pacing. It is possible to have a fast paced book but also have developed relationships, but this one just didn’t quite hit the mark. I did enjoy the political/court intrigue. I didn’t really get interested in the story until Xishi arrives at the palace which is about half way into the book. The story was entertaining enough, but in the end I found the book just to be okay. It passed the time.

Wow. A Song to Drown Rivers is my first Ann Liang book, and what a book to start with. It is devastatingly beautiful.
Since I'm reviewing an ARC (thank you NetGalley), I will keep everything general because I don't want to ruin anything for anyone.
The writing is so elegant and lyrical, even when the words are brutal, it is truly amazing. Ann Liang is an artist.
I started this book thinking I would read a little before bed, which was a mistake. I didn't want to stop reading, the plot pulls you in and makes you desperate to see what will happen next. Xishi's world exists on the edge of a blade, and it is as intoxicating as it is nerve-racking.
The characters in A Song to Drown Rivers are so complex and well developed that it feels like they can walk right of the page. It makes the story that much more rewarding and wrenching.

Seriously, I'm going to tell everyone about this book. It made me laugh and cry, rage and hope, and really, what more can you ask for?

I NEED A MOMENT OR TWO TO RECOVER. IM SHATTERED. THIS YEAR IS ANN LIANGS YEAR FOR SURE WE LOVE HER WE LOVE THIS BOOK i need yall to pick this book up right now. pinky promise it's worth it.

Ann Liang's latest book is an absolute masterpiece! I had high expectations for this historical romance novel, and I was not disappointed. As soon as I saw the book on NetGalley, I knew I had to read it. The plot was beautifully crafted and the characters were well-developed, making it a truly immersive read.

The story of Xishi and Fanli's relationship was both heartwarming and heartbreaking, and I found myself laughing and crying throughout the entire book. Liang's writing style is so engaging that I felt like I was right there with the characters, experiencing their emotions and struggles.

Although the book was not very long, it was packed with enough action, romance, and drama to keep me hooked until the very end. I was so invested in the story that I was disappointed when it ended, wishing there was more to read.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical romance or is interested in reading about forbidden love. Ann Liang has truly outdone herself with this one, and I can't wait to see what she writes next.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this Arc .

Ann Liang weaves a stunning masterpiece of love , betrayal , sacrifice and the grey areas of war . ASTDR is as exquisitely written as her contemporary books . Reading it was just like watching a xianxia drama .

Wish for Ann to write more books in the mythology/fantasy genre

This book should come with a dozen trigger warnings. The first and foremost being, 'Emotional damage ahead, proceed with caution, might grow a sudden attachment to your wall.'
I want to reach out and strangle every single character just so they could die before having to go through that ending. I want to draw a period on a random page of contentment and walk away, imagining it to be the happily ever after we never got. I want to say 'screw it' and give it 1 star but I'm a masochist and I can't. It isn't even funny how much pain this book caused me, how much I love it still. It's my first time reading a historical fiction of it's kind—a certain retelling of a story from ancient China. I can't express with mere words the myriad of emotions it crashed me into. It gave us the kind of tragic story that can be found on the pages of history, one that makes readers wonder, 'How is this real?'. This book stitched the beginning, middle, and end with so many complex emotions that you'd read on and only realize with a bitter twist towards the end, that it was just a story.

i am out of words. first and foremost, i am absolutely utterly grateful i got the chance to read my number one most anticipated release of the year. safe to say that i had the best time ever reading A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS by Ann Liang.

when the author shared that "sad beautiful tragic" is a part of the song playlist, she was right, because it indeed was. it may not be a five-star read for everyone, but it is to me, in fact this book is an infinity star read. these characters, the story, the ANGST! it was all i could ever want. it had me clutching my chest, tears were shed, i fell to my knees countless of times. no thoughts, head empty just a song to drown rivers, a song to drown rivers, a song to drown rivers filling every crevice of me. it's a part of me and they will haunt my thoughts for as long as i live, i really couldn't have asked for a better read to start the new month with.

a huge thank you to Ann Liang and the team for providing an arc!