Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of A Song to Drown Rivers. I really enjoyed reading this book, especially the political aspects that are built into the retelling. The characters were really likeable, although I would have liked to see more development and backstory to accompany this. Additionally, I’m not sure that ‘romantasy’ and ‘adult’ is the correct categorisation of this book as the romance is quite limited (which I don’t mind at all) and the fantasy is very low level, with the story also reading at a more Teen/older YA level. That being said I love retellings and it was definitely still worth reading, I really enjoyed it overall - loved the story of espionage, betrayal, revenge, and I was definitely caught off guard by that ending!

This is the first time reading something by Ann Liang, and I definitely enjoyed the ride!

Set in Ancient China and based on the legend of Xishi.
This is a story of unrequited love, tragic loss and the rise and fall of Kingdoms.

The story follows Xishi who is from a poor village in the conquered Kingdom of Yue. Overthrown by the ruthless Kingdom of Wu. Both Kingdoms plots and schemes to keep or regain power.

Xishi is the most beautiful girl in her village and for her safety her mother has her hide her face.

After a brief encounter with a beautiful sword wielding stranger, Xishi’s life is about to be turned upside down.

Can Xishi save Yue?
Can beauty overthrow a Kingdom?

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for this eARC

A gorgeous tale, beautifully told, from start to finish. I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in Ancient China. I loved Ann Liang’s writing and I hope she produces more work in this vein. I especially liked the audiobook narration by Natalie Naudus. She does male voices so well!!! Truly wonderful book (and audio) and one that I would highly recommend.

Sadly this book was a letdown. I found the main character to be a shadow of what she could have been and the story overall quite predictable. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC.

A wonderful and magical adventure full of adventure, intrigue and so much action. I was fully invested right until the last page.

This was such a beautifully written retelling of the Chinese tale of Xishi - but this isn't fantasy. It becomes slightly fantastical in the epilogue, but before that, it's really purely historical fiction. It's not a bad thing at all; I loved this a lot, I think Ann Liang writes historical fiction so well, it felt so fresh and I found it so interesting to read, but this is being marketed all wrong, because it's just not a fantasy.

Anyway, other than that, I liked the characters, I REALLY liked Xishi and Fanli together, and this really broke me at times. I also felt like it was really interesting to bring in how at first she hated Fuchai, but given the proximity and time she spent with him, how she came to have warring emotions within her. I was able to read this really quickly, and I felt that it was paced well considering it's set over about three years.

But it's just not a fantasy! Why is it being marketed as one, I don't get it.

I wanted to enjoy this a lot more than I did. It had a lot of emotion in the tragedy of Xishi and Fanli’s romance and the way it ended. It had heart. But for a lot of the book, the lack of action let it down.

There was plenty of political scheming from Xishi, but though I enjoyed that, it just wasn’t enough to excite me. It also left a whole big part of the book where Xishi was being trained where there just wasn’t much happening.

I liked how well thought out the characters were. The fleshed out, well roundedness of the spoilt king really went to show how pointless it all was for Xishi to be seducing him at all. The way she learnt, over the course of the novel, that there are two sides to this war and her side was hurting just as many people as the other. There was a poignance to it that the author captured really well.

Overall, it wasn’t a book for me. But I’m glad to have read it. It gave a message that I really enjoyed.

👩🏻 Beauty leads to wars. The story is based on the legend of Xishi, so if you're familiar with it, you know how it ends.

👩🏻 A flawed king. Not gonna lie, I've enjoyed Fucai and despite his many negative traits, I liked him. I felt pretty bad for him though. I certainly disliked the other king. Although I understand his actions (man, the ego is definitely a big issue, isn't it?), and the setting, I still disliked him.

👩🏻 Why are you in a rush? There were quite a few moments when the plot was rushed. I wished Ann Liang explored the palace dynamics and angst more deeply.

👩🏻 It's too easy. Considering the story takes place during ancient China, I found Sushi got everything way too easy. There wasn't much struggle from her side. The fight she had with the other concubine was also too surface level.

👩🏻 Of ghosts and wails. The ending was a bit too over the top. I feel like the author could have stopped earlier. Also, I wouldn't quite consider the story a fantasy just because of the ending. I think this one is more of a romance/historical fiction book. Even though the romance was kind of dry from my perspective. Maybe the ending would have made a bit more sense if the story was told from a third person point of view. Although, I'd still like to keep my original thought: it would have been better if it ended right at the scene with the bag.

👩🏻 Writing style. As I mentioned previously, I believe the story would have been better if the narration was done from a third person perspective. Another point I wasn't entirely content with was the overall way of expression. It seemed too modern. I'd have liked to see the speech and overall vibe of the era shine through. After all, this is set in the ancient Wu kingdom.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

There is so much tension and emotion woven through this story that I couldn't resist handing my heart over to it. It is beautifully written with every page offering up nuggets to mull over and treasure. The love story was full of yearning and a sense of the forbidden but the cost of revenge and war is never far from the reader's mind and it felt bittersweet from start to finish. The characters were easy to get along with and I felt real compassion for each and every one - even the enemy King was written as a vulnerable character and I found myself sympathetic towards him. And though the ending felt somewhat inevitable, the way it played out was wholly unexpected and it hit me hard. A great read.

this book was SO well-written!!! the characters were realistic, original, attaching, each very different from the other. the plot was simple yet very effective. the author wasn't afraid to sacrifice characters or relationships for the development of the plot. i LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!

after reading many fantasies centered on asian mythology, this one really stood out to me. the main character plays a big part in a story, and xishi's personality wasn't centered on repeating "i'm soo not like other girls. i can fight. i'm not girly."
she was the total OPPOSITE and i found it really refreshing. her relationships with the other characters were complex and well-executed, and she always stuck with her own personality through the book, thus making her very realistic.

the plot was original and, again, the author made it justice. in the end, everything came together in satisfying way and i liked that. it was powerful, heart-wrenching, had multiple layers : xishi infiltrates a kingdom to seduce the king and destroy their country. but she feels in some way sorry for him because he is so gullible, and hates herself for it because this kingdom has ravaged her village/part of her family and friends. yet she pursues her goal until the very end with courage, winning over every inconvenience that comes her way.

now onto the romance. the SLOW-BURN???? i don't want to spoil anything but again it was such a departure from the usual fantasy romances.

I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK SO BAD!!! if you're looking for a new story in fantasy, original and heart breaking, you'll probably love this.

This book is like a C-drama in the form of a YA book-and I do mean that in the best way possible. Highly recommend this book of you're wanting a historical drama set in Ancient China- and all the maneuvering around court politics that is characteristic of it

A Song to Drown Rivers is inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the Four Beauties of Ancient China. The writing is good throughout, if a little dramatic at times, and the world is an interesting one. The pacing felt a little off at times, but I enjoyed the story overall.

A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic historical romance about womanhood, sacrifice, war and love against all odds as the fate of two kingdoms hangs in a delicate balance. Inspired by the legend of the famous Four Beauties of China that is equally elegant and poetically written.

Every word painted vivid colours, scents of flowers blooming and the sounds of birds singing. It’s an attest to the authors ability as a writer to transport you back into the world they have created. It’s beautiful, stunning and brings the courtly intrigue to life. An inspired legend, a doomed attraction and the risk of the kingdoms falling is everything you could ever need in a novel.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧 (𝐓𝐨𝐫) 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐀 𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐀𝐧𝐧 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠

A novel that will play with your emotions

The first thing that caught my eye about "The Song to Drown Rivers" is the beautiful design of the book. Not only the cover jacket, but also the "naked" cover looks enchanting and the color cut is the icing on the cake!

Bramble Verlag is off to a strong start! I was gripped by Xishi's story after just a few pages!

Set in the kingdom of Yue in China in the year 500, we are transported to a time full of war, suffering and a thirst for revenge. The young Xishi is considered the most beautiful woman in her village and is chosen to be trained as a spy for the court. Thinking of revenge for the death of her little sister, she agrees. In the process, she falls in love with Fanli, which doesn't make her mission any easier.

To be honest, I was expecting a completely different story. Was I disappointed? No, because the author Ann Liang has created a story with Xishi that captivated me from the very first page.

A story full of dreams, longings, love, intrigue and revenge that will stay with me for a long time.

I didn't think that "A Song to Drown Rivers" would get me so emotionally involved. But the story didn't just tug at my heartstrings, it also kept me hooked to the book with exciting twists and turns and I spent every spare minute with Xishi.

I often didn't know what to think or feel about certain characters. For example, I found Fuchai, King of the Wu, particularly fascinating. Do I hate him? Do I like him? Do I feel sorry for him?

And Xishi is such an incredibly strong young woman who makes decisions that most people would shy away from and I don't envy her for that. In my eyes, she is an incredibly shrewd and courageous and strong young woman.

I give "A Song to Drown Rivers" 4.5 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it!

Thank You to Pan McMillan and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I'm very sad to be giving this rating but I didn't enjoy this book at all and I don't really have anything positive to say about it, so I can't justify giving it 2 stars just because I feel bad.
This was an anticipated release for me as the premise sounded amazing, but to me, the execution was seriously lacking.
So much of the plot and action happened off-page, including the FMC's training. You turn a peasant girl into a spy by making her become the bride of an enemy kingdom, yet we don't get to see what her training is. But then again, she doesn't really do anything while she's there, so maybe there just wasn't much training at all.
All I know is that her final test to prove she's ready was so ridiculous that I almost DNFed the book, but I figured maybe things would get better once she actually makes it to the enemy castle.
Sadly, that wasn't the case. Everything just felt very surface-level. This book had so much potential for amazing political intrigues and complex loyalties and morals, but we didn't really get any of that. Instead, we get two time jumps. Time jumps can make sense for a story, I just don't quite understand why we had them here as I don't think there was much progression to the character or relationship development. The book felt very predictable.
The pacing off this book was very off in my opinion, it was slow for the most part but then some parts felt rushed, yet there was no real suspense.
I also didn't enjoy the writing, it was a mix of flowery descriptions and clunky dialogue.
The romance was the most insta-love I've come across in a long time and for me, I didn't really feel any chemistry.
The ending is a nice plot twist and the only reason why my official rating for the book is 1.5 stars.

Honestly, I'm shocked at how little I enjoyed this and I hate being so negative, but there is just nothing positive I can say about this.
I love Asian-inspired fantasy (though I suppose this was more historical fiction, despite the cover giving major fantasy vibes), but this one just didn't do it for me.
I know others loved the book more, so maybe it's just me, and I hope others have a better experience with this book than I did.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

This story is a beautifully written tale of duty, honour, love and loss. Using the pain great hardships and the destruction of war, the main characters have found the strength to overcome their emotions and endeavour to fight for their loved ones and for the fate of their country. Reading this made me reminisce about one of my favourite Disney films: Mulan. The FMC takes on a mission at great personal risk in order to try to save her country from tyrannical rule. As her story progresses, she has to decide whether she should follow her heart or her mind, playing a treacherous and deadly game with those who would take great delight in seeing her downfall in the least, with her death being at the forefront of their agenda.
The ending was not at all what I was expecting, as I was reading on, I was becoming increasingly concerned about how little I had left to read and that there would not be the opportunity to get the ending that I hoped for! I read this in only a few days, in any spare moments of calm afforded to me as I was completely enraptured by the fates of the characters, with many moments where I just couldn’t guess what would happen next and could not wait to find out! Overall, the action, political drama and endearing characters combined together to make a very enjoyable read which drew me in from the outset.
I have not read any books by this author before but enjoyed her writing style and will look out for others by her in the future.
Thank you to Ann Liang, Pan MacMillan and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to the publisher & the author for this arc. I opened this book thinking i was going to devoured it & all i found was a long introduction of a plan that only develops in a handful of paragraphs & a lot of things to fill in the gaps. This is my first time reading the author & honestly, i think is going to be my last because whatever attempt this was at a fantasy, a retelling or an adult novel failled miserably. It took me days, weeks even, to read past the first quarter of the book & only managed to finish it thanks to the audiobook (also provided by the publisher). The main character loses everyone & then her life at the hands of another character that has no development whatsoever, the characters surrounding her are pushed so far to the side that we can not really establish a connection with them to the point that when we lose them, it doesn't really affect the continuation of the story or makes a halt on the plan of our main character. The world is not even that well developed for such an introduction (that takes at least half the book) & half the 'plot twists' are explained so far ahead in the book that doesn't really take you by surprise. Adding more trauma to the story does not make it more appealing, or the fact that takes several elements from another stories we have read in the last several years & adds nothing different to them. While at some point i did like the romance, the ending of it just left a sour taste on my mouth. Especially how all the things end in the last 10%, how it attempts to touch the delicate strings at the heart of the reader but truly (& this is all my opinion), fails completely. It also attempts to leave a deeper message that there are no really good or bad side in war but everything ends up being horrible, like there is no bright side in any of this but doesn't go further than to a hint at a happy ending. All in all, i didn't like it.

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc of a song to drown rivers by ann liang. as a huge fan of ann liang's work, having read all of her published novels so far, i was excited to dive into her first fantasy novel.

it was a truly captivating experience. in a song to drown rivers by ann liang, we see a historical fantasy inspired by the legend of xishi—one of china's four beauties—that pulls us into a world where beauty becomes both a powerful weapon and a heavy curse. i found myself drawn into xishi’s journey as she transformed from an ordinary village girl into a master of deception, and i was deeply invested in her struggles throughout the story.

you know, if you hadn’t said so, i would’ve forgotten. the truth is, you’ve long become a wu person in my eyes. what is home, if not you?
— ann liang, a song to drown rivers

what really struck me was xishi’s internal conflict. it was heartbreaking to see her grappling with the weight of using her beauty for a mission that could change everything. her relationship with fanli, the cunning military strategist, added significant depth to the narrative. their bond felt so real, oscillating between love and the harsh demands of duty. some moments had me on the edge of my seat, especially when their choices led to tension-filled confrontations.

i surprisingly found myself rooting for fuchai, the king of wu. instead of being a straightforward antagonist, he had layers and vulnerability that made him a more complex character. his fixation on xishi and the changes he underwent because of her added depth to his role in the story, making me genuinely interested in his journey.

however, i think i would have appreciated the story even more if we had seen things from fanli's perspective. i found it hard to resonate with him, which resulted in me not being too invested in his character. while he was intriguing as the stoic strategist, i wished we could have delved deeper into his emotions and how he truly felt about xishi.

of course, not everything hit the mark for me. (view spoiler) i adored luyi for his humor and loyalty, but i felt he deserved more attention, especially regarding his friendship with fanli.

overall, a song to drown rivers by ann liang left a lasting impression on me. ann liang masterfully weaves a tale of loyalty, betrayal, and the complexities of love that stayed with me long after i turned the last page. i can’t help but recommend it to anyone looking for a rich, emotional read.

Wow. This book has completely blown me away; I am shooketh.

This was such a phenomenal book; I was utterly entranced by it. I couldn't put it down for the life of me.

I knew nothing of the legend of Xishi and the fall of the State of Wu, so this was absolutely fascinating for me to learn something new. I've really, really been enjoying fantasy books that are based on or inspired by Asian mythology and legend, and A Song to Drown Rivers is a shining star of this sub-genre. I adored this book so very much, and hope to read it time and time again.

This book had all of the best romance tropes: marriage of convenience (kind of), friends-to-lovers/enemies-to-lovers (kind of), forbidden love, fake relationship, and (I think at least) love destiny. And these all worked so well within the Ancient and legendary China setting.

The writing is absolutely stunning. The passages written about Xishi's village and home state are breathtaking and so vivid; I wanted to jump into the book. Even the descriptions of the grand, yet cold, palace were beautiful and rich. Ann Liang knows how to write romance and tragedy, and knows how to blend them both so brilliantly and flawlessly. It's almost akin to a Shakespearean tragedy (and that is the best compliment I can give!). It just works and flows so seamlessly. I flew through this book, and genuinely couldn't believe it when I had reached 90% (I wanted it to go on and on, and never end!).

The characters are so brilliant crafted; Xishi is a wonderful character. She's so full of strength and courage, as well as pride and love/longing for both her village and for Fanli. I felt connected to her from the very beginning. I also really appreciated that her beauty wasn't her only characteristic or personality. There is SO MUCH more to her than being one of the great beauties; the very fact that she was more than her looks, made me like her even more.

It's one of those books where you just sit there, digesting everything you've just read. And let me tell you, that ending will have you bawling and struggling to breath.

This is such a brilliant book and I cannot recommend it highly enough to everyone.

A Song to Drown Rivers is my first book by the author and when I requested it, I was rather hyped for it as I used to have a hyperfixation period where I read everything about the Great Beauties of Ancient China, to which Xishi (Or Xi Shi as was her actual name) counted. So finding out that there's a retelling of the story had me hooked!

In the book, as in history, Xishi and another young woman were picked by Fanli to be trained before sending them as tributes to Wu's king Fuchai in the hope that the king would become so infatuated with her that he forgets to rule his kingdom. The biggest difference is the training period for Xishi and Zhengdang. While it took three years to train both to become concubines, Fanli only needed 10 weeks to train both for their roles: Xishi as a concubine and Zhengdang as her palace lady. That's certainly a fantasy to train two young women from a rural village into learned ladies who can bewitch every man.

My biggest issues with the book are:
1) The romance between Xishi and Fanli is so underdeveloped. They have a few scenes together but I don't think that they would be enough to establish any feelings. It might have been better to increase the training period from merely 10 weeks to at least 6 months to give the reader more scenes between both characters. Would have made the end more believable as well.

2) The pacing is so off. It starts rather slow and drags a bit before it suddenly picks up in speed enough to give the reader a moment of "finally". Unfortunately, it sags shortly afterwards with Xishi spending time in Fuchai's palace but nothing really happens there. Yes, she always talks about her acts of cunning behaviour but it's all off-page. Then, the minor climax happens and the rest is just rushed to reach the end in the allotted amount of pages. Despite the weird pacing, the entire book feels rushed and unfinished. There are a lot of things that the author hints at, which could have made for compelling points, but they would have needed more pages to be developed.

3) None of the characters raised any kind of interest in me for them. Xishi's defining traits are her beauty, her love for Fanli and sometimes her cunning (although pretty much everything is handed on a silver platter to her). Fanli is just ✨mysterious✨. Fuchai is a drunken, careless young man who is either cruel or a helpless boy. Zhengdang is driven by her need for vengeance. I would have expected more well-developed characters that make me care for them. Yes, the end is sad but my only thought was "it is finally over", which is never a good thing.


TL;DR: I wish that the book would have gotten 200 pages more, so the author could have developed the characters and the themes that would have made the novel good. Instead, it's a rushed historical fiction (I really don't know where the fantasy label stems from.) that fails to show the importance of Xishi as one of Ancient China's Great Beauties. If you want to gauge how important Xi Shi was actually for China: China has a rating system for their tourist attractions that goes from A to 5A. Xi Shi's hometown is a 4A tourist area and is also considered a cultural heritage site. It's the equivalent of the UNESCO world heritage sites in Western countries.