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♟️Rating:3/5⭐
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Minor spoilers ahead!! Before I begin, can I just say that Ann Liang’s writing peaked here? The words came flying out of the pages the moment I started reading it. I actually have some mixed feelings about this one and I hate myself for feeling this way. (I REALLY LOVED IHTDFY 😭)

I think the main reason why I struggled to wholeheartedly enjoy this book was due to the lack of connection to the romantic aspect of the book. Xishi’s interaction with Fanli was quite rushed and I really wished that their training of the cottage could have been just a tad bit longer so that it’s not just insta love. I NEED MORE ANGST!! I NEED THE INEXPLICABLE LONGING!! (Because meanwhile she was literally with Fuchai for about 1-2 years but there’s no changes to her feelings??) Plus, Fanli pretty much disappeared halfway through the book and I kind of forgot about him.

Furthermore, I wished there was more build up to Xishi getting Fuchai’s attention instead of just her using her beauty+plot armour to get his attention. A lot of the skills she had learnt with Fanli weren’t fully displayed later on in the book. I was also surprised at the lack of court place drama amongst the concubines because I’m certain that they will not just let Xishi waltz her way in. (Even Su Daji had to work for it 😭 and she had a whole gang helping her out) We want more shows instead of just telling. A lot of these plot points could have been expanded into something bigger but they were quickly brushed off. Speaking of plot points, there were minor plot points and character development that weren’t fully explained or resolved which seemed strange to me now that I recall about it. For example, Fuchai, our lovesick boy. Come on my love, I know you can do better than this and be the morally grey villain you’re meant to be. The character development was also pretty rushed and there was little to no difference as to how Xishi or Fuchai acted later on in the book. War weighs people down and people change. Even if you were to sit far from the front lines, hearing the political discourse taking place every single day will surely change your mind even if it’s just a little.

This was also marketed as fantasy historical but there was no fantasy related thing in the book (Unless you count that last few chapters but it’s still not really fantasy). It was just historical. I think there was some misinformation from the marketing theme because where is the magic? Where is the fantasy twist or magic system? Nonetheless, Ann Liang did a terrific job at following the actual historical events of Xishi. The ending did not take me by surprise since I did some reading on Xishi prior to reading this novel but I still appreciated Ann Liang not just stopping there but broadening further. (I did hope for a twist though…since it was more of a recount) Also, this is supposed to be an adult novel but it surely doesn't feel like it. It feels ya and there was nothing explicit or gory about the writing.

All in all, yes I did survive. I needed more angst and character development if you want to make me cry. I think Ann Liang’s strength currently lies in writing ya and it shows. Perhaps after writing a few more books, can we see a bigger improvement in her other (if any) adult novels. And yes, I will still read Ann Liang’s future works because her ya novels are my guilty pleasure after a long day of work. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan MacMillan for this eCopy to review

A Song to Drown Rivers” by Ann Liang is a historical fiction novel that blends mythology and romance, set in ancient China. The story follows Xishi, a character inspired by one of the Four Beauties of Ancient China. Xishi is tasked with using her beauty to infiltrate the enemy kingdom of Wu and bring it down from within.

What I really appreciated about the book was the character development and thematic depth. Xishi’s journey felt both emotional and thought-provoking, and her growth throughout the story was natural and realistic. The romance between Xishi and Fanli, a military advisor, added a compelling layer to the narrative

On the downside, I felt the plot could be a bit rushed in places. Some aspects of the narrative, especially the political intrigue, could have been expanded further. Despite these issues, the novel’s lyrical prose and the emotional depth of its characters were definite strengths.

First of all, a big thank you to Ann Liang and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this arc

4.5 stars :)

I just want to say THE ENDING??? I'm really stupid for actually thinking there would be another chapter or an epilogue after that 😭 it's Ann Liang.
But the writing style was fast-paced and such an easy read, I absolutely love Xi Shi and FanLi, but I wish we'd have gotten more romance. I think all Ann Liang books are like that though, the plot takes up most of the story line and the romance is a background theme. I've only read 'I Hope This Doesn't Find You' though, so I may come back and edit this review after I've read a few more of her books.
I don't know why, but I think Fuchai could've been so good with someone else, if they'd be willing to help him change, because the actual love and dedication he had for Xi Shi was insane, and even while he was dying he still loved her. I don't know, I feel like if there was another book about Fuchai and someone else, and I hadn't read this book, I probably would've loved it.
I feel like the reason why I liked it so much is because it felt like I was truly there and I could follow along super easily.
I hope I receive more arcs from this author in the future and thank you again :)

When I read her other titles I wondered what it would be like if she wrote a fantasy book and NOW IT'S HERE. I feel like her prose is pretty yet simple so I thought it would fit this genre really well, and I am so glad she did it because it is amazing.

I have to admit that I am writing this before finishing the book, because I have a lot of work stress, but I wanted to share my thoughts until now.. This will be edited and reshared on socials once I finished.

Ann Liang's writing style draws you in from the beginning and there are no boring parts. I was so curious about Xishi and wanted to know what would happen with her and how she would continue to change. It sort of felt like witnessing a trainwreck, in like you couldn't stop or predict it, but contrary to the trainwreck, you are surprised with its results, for it had me hooked and wanted to know more.

I wonder if now the author willl continue with this genre or go back to romance. I would be happy with both.

A Song to Drown Rivers (2024)
By Ann Liang
Publication Date: 3rd October

Thank you so much to Pan Macmillan for this amazing ARC!

Like its protagonist, this book can be summed up by one word: deceptive, as it lured me in with the premise of a predictable tale and proceeded to sweep me off of my feet, with a series of neck-breaking twists and turns! Do not be convinced by its folkloric beginning nor its romantic undertones, for this is a book that will lulled me into a false sense of security again and again. The strength in this story is in its plot, beginning with a meek village girl, who gets the chance to take revenge on an evil despot. Despite being labelled as romantasy, it also adds in some thriller aspects, court politics, and masterclasses at manipulation for some extra spice.

The development of the protagonist Xishi from village girl to manipulator kept me hooked, even if at times I did find her naive and perhaps delusional, despite her training. The two main men, Fanli and Fuchai, worked as fascinating foils, adding necessary tension and unpredictability - especially as I had no idea how their stories would unfold or who should be trusted. The romance started off cliche and soon became more interesting, making for a scenario that was so messy, I had no idea how it would be resolved. However, I do admit that my favorite character ended up being Zhendang who, as a witty and fierce sword-wielder, should have had more page time.

This book walked the line between folklore and reality well, making for an interesting mix of truth and lies, sweetened fantasy and painful reality. This melded well with the tension and the pacing, which kept me on my toes all the way until the end, where I would have thrown the book across the room if it was a physical copy. Every prediction I made for this book was either wrong, overturned, or exceeded my expectations. It even got one or two gasps out of me – which is really hard to do, nowadays!

But do I think it relies too much on shock factor?

Maybe so, as quite a few plot decisions hinged upon it, disrupting character arcs and failing at completely suspending my belief. I see why it would be used to maintain the pace and intensity of Xishi's long con, but at the expense of Xishi’s decisions making sense, at the extent of cutting off the arcs of certain characters and the culmination of various relationships? In the end, I believe that less shock factor would have allowed me to better emotionally connect with the narrative, and become more engrossed in the plot. There were also points where I found this book shallow in reasoning. From the emphasis of Xishi’s beauty, to Fuchai not quite leaving up to evil king or womanizer that he was proclaimed to be, and the other promises the story made and never quite fulfilled. Then, at the end, I felt like it almost became too heavy-handed in its message and emphasis, making this feel even more like a book of almost, but not quite.

That being said, this is a magical and unpredictable story full of potential, one that shall linger in my memory and be recommend to others in future, just so I can see their reading reactions from chapter to chapter!

I am STUNNED by just how beautiful this was, and upon finishing it, I kind of lay there in a sort of daze because it was just that impactful.
I don’t wanna give too much away, as I kind of went into this blind without knowing anything, but I learned a heck of a lot. Over the years I’ve become a bit of a historical story buff, especially ones that are based on real historical events or people. This was no exception! 

A Song to Drown Rivers was the perfect dose of historical fantasy, with a touching and heartrending romance that unexpectedly leaves a lasting impact. War is such a hurtful terrible and traumatizing situation, and this book is definitely an eye-opener to just how detrimental it can be for anyone involved. Emotionally gripping to the last page, I really blitzed through this, even though it was a tough read on occasion. The world building is nothing short of spectacular, and Ann Liang has definitely put a LOT of thought into the universe she built and the story she sets out to tell. 

This was my first Ann Liang book and it certainly won’t be my last. I actually have been intending to read her other books for quite some time but for some reason didn’t get around to doing so - I’ll definitely be rectifying that now.

For those who know me, you’ll know how much I’ve loved Ann’s work since reading her debut IYCSTS and my love for her work has not changed since. I had no idea what to expect from her this time with this new venture into adult fiction with this historical fiction novel and my god did she do a fantastic job.

The world the story is set in feels so real, every room and environment our protagonist Xishi finds herself described in such a way that I feel as though I’m stood right beside her from the first chapter. Each character felt like a fully realised person with their own personal desires that you get attached to.

Even if I hadn’t seen the reactions to people crying after having finished the book, I would’ve still felt a sense of unease the entire time reading it from the melancholic tone the narrative has, especially as it is from Xishi’s point of view. Seeing an entire story from the eyes of a character of a doomed love story I’ve found is pretty rare, and makes it all the more heartbreaking. By the end, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling and chest from aching. The ending was such a perfect bittersweet close to such a poignant story.

My only gripe with the book was that the romance did feel insta-love. It was really on both sides, but particularly from Fanli and meant I really struggled to connect to their romantic story but I do appreciate how it ended

I want to thank NetGalley and the publishing team for allowing me to read this e-arc.

This book is a five-star read for me. I've never read a book from Ann Liang but I cannot wait to read more of her work.
I really enjoyed her writing and the world she built. The author managed to portray sublime landscapes, but also the duality in which our main character find herself in. The characters are engaging, complex and realistic given the conditions in which they find themselves.
I recommend this book for everyone who wants a gripping stand-alone fantasy.
I think this book is a perfect fit for every reader of fantasy, romantasy or even historical fiction.

Oh wow, I've just finished this book and I thought I knew I knew where it was going a few times and each time I was completely wrong!

The book reminds me of the legends that children would be told at bedtime, especially because of how the story unfolds and the ending, which I just didn't expect. I was so surprised every time I checked how much progress I was making and it was just down to me being hooked and reading it as fast as my eyes could drink the words.

I loved the connection between Xishi and Fanli and was rooting for them so hard, but it was also so believable how complicated her feelings towards Fuchai became. Each character was interesting to read about and I never found myself bored or wanting to skim.

It was fast paced, not overly descriptive but had enough detail to help set the scene and it's not a story I will easily forget.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan, Tor and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

✨"For the first time, I caught a shadow of the enchantress they all said I was, the legend I would become. I could barely even recognise myself."✨

A Song to Drowns Rivers is a retelling of the legend of Xishi, one of the beauties of ancient China. It tells how the protagonist was chosen for her beauty and trained to infiltrate and destroy the enemy kingdom from within.

It begins by saying that this is not a romance, or rather there is a romantic subplot, but this is a story of revenge, sacrifice and how beauty can often be underestimated.

It is not at all easy to change your being, to strengthen your heart and to be strong and impassive even when you just want to cry and scream. It is precisely the determination to change, to be the perfect weapon and to succeed in achieving her goals that made me fall in love with Xishi who, despite being able to see the light in her darkest soul, manages to resist by remembering the suffering and the loved ones lost, using every little piece of information, smile and gesture in her favour.

Fanli, on the other hand, despite being scarcely present, manages to perceive the burden he carries on his shoulders and the tension and suffering that can only come from wanting something you cannot have. She had not planned to fall in love with Xishi and every dialogue, every time they touch, every glance manages to make you feel the tension between the two and the decision to sacrifice their relationship for the greater good.

✨A Song to Drowns Rivers is a story of a girl who brought an entire kingdom to its knees and became a legend told in a fluid and lyrical manner that, despite knowing it, managed to leave my heart in a thousand pieces.

really wanted to enjoy this because i love all of ann liang's previous (romance) novels and was so excited for her first dip into fantasy, but this just didn't live up to my expectations at all : (

the premise of the story (a young girl being recruited to spy on and deceive a foreign king to save her own kingdom) was promising but didn't feel very properly developed. the author made an interesting plot point by the end of the novel - of powerful men using ordinary people to achieve their own goals.

i still have hope for ann liang's books (her forthcoming novel is one of my most anticipated books!) and I love her YA romance novels, but unfortunately this one wasn't for me...

2,5 stars
the first half of the book was really well written but around the half mark the fmc seemed to be extremly naive and there were not a lot of scenes between the mmc and the fmc which made the romance very shallow. It was also probably quite a challenging concept to write a YA novel about a courtesan. The characters lacked depth and personality which made me lose interest in the story towards the end. Altogether the authors writing style is easy to read and I finished the book rather quickly but the storyline lacked (again especially towards the end) which was really sad, because the idea of the story seemed very exciting but not well excecuted. (Thank you NetGally for the e Arc)

Thank you to Tor for providing me an eARC to review!

I am an Ann Liang stan, but sadly even she can't make me into a historical romance girlie :(

For some reason I was expecting this to me more of a fantasy story, but this is just straight up historical romance so I found it hard to connect. The pace was slower and I wasn't really on board with the pining because it felt tedious at times - like you both know you like each other just say something!!

It took a bit to get going to the main plot, and while I did like the beginning it felt drawn out in places - which for a pretty short book anyway just made it feel like this should have been a novella rather than a full novel. There were also a few time skips which made it hard for me to feel the tension of Xishi's mission because it felt like she was just suddenly good at everything and always had some sort of solution to every issue. It felt like she was easily getting away with it, and any success didn't felt earnt.

I think fans of Daughter of the Moon Goddess may enjoy this, but I definitely think I had misunderstood what this was - so not really a book thing I just think this is really not my genre :/

Thank you to pan for the arc. This is such an incredible book.
Xishi is such a complex and well done character.
This book is not about a love story, if you are looking for that this is not the book for you.

This book is about a girl, a beautiful girl and how she manages to change the world fate.
How with just her strength she get to overpower a king.
It’s a book about self discovery and how the people you overestimate the most are the ones that will overpower you.

You do have a tiny bit of romance and it’s the one with so much angst.

Fanli was a cold person before she met her but then he started to feel things but the kingdom always before anything else so he has no choice really that to let her go into the arms of the enemies.
But those few times they see each other again🥹🥹 and that ending. I cried for the last 20 pages like a baby.
How can a book be so sad and so beautiful at the same time?

A Song to Drown Rivers is a retelling of the legend of Xishi, one of the four great beauties of Chinese history. Selected for her unnaturally good looks, Xishi is trained to hone her femininity into a formidable weapon in order to take down the oppressive, rival Wu kingdom from within.

This book delivered an engaging retelling of Xishi’s story filled with female power, political intrigue, deceit and forbidden love. I found the story and setting refreshing whist still scratching the itch of one craving themes and tropes common to the romantasy genre.

In a mere 321 pages Ann Liang has the reader experiencing a plethora of emotions: utter shock, devastation, love and longing. Perhaps more impressive still, Liang brings into question the ever blurring line of morality as perspectives widen.

A particular strength of this novel was the tension. The slow burn, forbidden romance between Xishi and Fanli was absolutely delectable. As the security of Xishi and her loved ones grows evermore precarious and the reader is left with no option but to proceed with bated breath. I do wish we had time to explore the extremities of Fuchai’s character in more depth and let the tensions and uncertainty build further still.

I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone looking for a historical epic and doesn’t fancy committing to a longer read. It would also be enjoyed by readers who love romantasy or mythological retellings.

Readers who loved this book may also enjoy:
- The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L Jensen
- A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J Maas
- The Poppy War by R F Kuang
- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Thank you to Pan Macmillan and Netgallet for providing me with this ARC, it was an absolute pleasure to read and review.

There was no part of A Song to Drown Rivers I didn't absolutely adore. The writing was poetic, the Chinese culture (casually calling someone turtle egg) and legends (Nüwa, Cháng'é, the constant weaving of phoenix imagery for the concubines) woven throughout were flawless, the characters were so much more than what they seemed.

I initially thought that Xishi's whole character was just going to be that she's beautiful but she is clever and she is crafty. She does her mission...well I can't quite say 'flawlessly'. Zhengdan was another character I was worried she was going to be surface level and 2-dimensional but her story and skill with the sword had me absolutely cheering for her. More importantly, I loved that she and Xishi knew she was the best and knew she could defeat any opponent and they were unapologetic about it.

The kingdom's beauty, the enemy king and the military advisor who put their meeting together. Even if you think you've seen this play out from all the C dramas or from Xi Shi's legend, you can't possibly be prepared for Ann Liang's writing as she carries you through this new retelling.

A Song to Drown Rivers is the latest novel by the amazing Ann Liang. This book is her first foray into historical fiction, and I think her writing style suits the genre perfectly. Especially in this tale where myth and history mixes together, she manages to write a beautiful retelling.

First of all, I would like to praise the worldbuilding that Ann Liang has done in this novel. Her previous works, whilst still brilliant, tend to take place in schools and more familiar contemporary settings so I wasn’t sure how she would tackle the challenge of writing in such a different setting. But, within the first few pages she manages to introduce the reader to a vivid new world. She balances the task of clearly explain things that may be unfamiliar to the reader (like describing the clothes and customs popular in Ancient China) whilst also immersing them in the world. This is not easy, and I often get either confused or bored by long passages of exposition in these kinds of historical fantasies, but not in this case!

I also think that she manages to write compelling characters with very human faults, fears and follies. Xishi has been hidden most of her life, told that her beauty was a danger to herself and made into more of a myth than a person in her village. But when she is told that her beauty could make her dangerous to others, she becomes a weapon. I think that her character is very compelling and whilst she is certainly powerful, she isn’t defined merely as a strong female character. She has a rich inner world.

With politics, espionage and romance, this book is a great edition to Ann Liang’s catalogue. I think the only thing that held me back from giving it 5 stars was the fact that the ‘fantasy’ elements of the story were very vaguely described and underused.

I really enjoyed this adult fantasy debut from Liang, whose work I have previously enjoyed. The characterisation was great and the central relationship felt believable, with a good level of tension and chemistry. However, some of the timeframe felt a little underutilized. The ending was tragically beautiful though.

I was really looking forward to this title and my expectations were not disappointed.

The book captivated me from the very first page and I finished it in no time at all. Ann Liang knows how to grab her readers and write a good story.
I really liked the C-drama setting in ancient China. I could really empathise with the protagonist Xishi. Especially in relation to Fuchai. Fuchai was by no means a good king or a good person, but in the end he was only made that way. He wanted attention and to be loved. His death was predictable and yet it made me cry. I couldn't hate him in the end.

What I didn't see coming, though: The deception of the King of Yue. Xishi's death took me completely by surprise and upset me.

All in all, I really enjoyed the book, even if the ending hit me hard. I can only recommend the book to others.

When I heard there is novel inspired by one of the four beauties of ancient China, I actually hoped it would be about Xi Shi because her legend has everything you want in a story: it's dramatic, it's romantic, it's heroic with the huge potential to weave into story points for modern times.
And voila! A Song to Drown Rivers is more or less hitting all of the important bits of the legend, and as the story goes...
Xishi is born in a village of Yue kingdom and they say she was so beautiful that at the sight of her face fish in the river would forget to swim and sink down. That is why Fanli, the main advisor to the king Goujian, comes to her with a proposal. As the Yue kingdom recently became the vassal state to neighboring Wu kingdom, Fanli wants to send Xishi to Wu's king Fechuan as a tribute, to be one of his concubines, but in reality her mission would be to seduce the young king and help to bring the kingdom of Wu to its knees. And she does.
The story is sticking very close to the legend, but landing more on the YA side of genre despite the subject which fits author's previous books. It's sidestepping or glossing over uglier things of Xishi's mission like sexual exploitation or lack of agency for women of that period and I don't have issues with that considering the tone and that it's perhaps written with more sensitive audience in mind.
But, in my opinion, this approach did considerably lower the stakes for Xishi and made it seem like she didn't really do something that great because she never really was in danger. I love the story of Xi Shi because it acknowledges different type of power. It's that soft power which in this case means that as much as these women were product of their times and thus subject of men's whims, every decision every powerful man made about Xi Shi was because they were aware of her feminine power; because they knew what she can do with it. Liang didn't really explore this enough as I hoped she would and she went with the usual powerful woman = good with the sword story-line with Zhengdan whose character was tried to be developed more than just Xishi's friend she talks about boys with, through the clumsy Mulan-easque reference. So, bare in mind that this novel is a more trivialized, vanilla version of Xishi's success with a more romanticized relationship with Fanli and especially with Fuchian.
What I wasn't a big fan of is that the king of Wu, her mark, is written to be so easy to manipulate and like he lacks a common sense sometimes: he would easily talk about confidential things in front of Xishi, he would be convinced of doing something huge after one 5min conversation. I understand this is not a book that imagines more realistic relationship, but everything worked out far too easy for Xishi to make it like she's accomplished something extraordinary. I think author could have come up with a bit more complex character and still keep it YA.
My biggest complaint, though, are the parts author imagined around the legend: the ghost visits in a dreams because they felt shoehorned in to tie the ending or minutiae parts of Xishi's life like training and friendship with Zhengdan because the dialogue sounded too modern and it would take me out of the story completely.
What I did like is the choice for the ending because nothing is more characteristic for Chinese drama than bēijù ending. Considering there are two versions of what happened to Xishi afterward, I am glad she went with this one.
All in all, this is a light, easy-digestible story that many people may enjoy. I am more of a soul-crushing, gut-wrenching She Who Became the Sun type of girl, with a more challenging characterization- hence the rating.