Review: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

I received this book via the publisher St. Martin's Press. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
Published by St. Martin's Press on 2024-10-01
Length: 327 pages
Reviewing eARC from the publisher St. Martin's Press
Rating:
Reading Challenges: #NGEW2024, 2024 COYER Unwind

Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic novel steeped in myth about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds as the fate of two kingdoms hangs in a delicate balance.

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.

Beautiful historical fantasy! A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is inspired by the legend of Xishi, a beautiful girl who brings down an empire. Written as if told orally to us by the narrator, the story follows Xishi, a young Yue village girl known for her beauty who is bitter at the loss of her sister and wants revenge on the Wu kingdom. Fanli, the advisor to the Yue kingdom, offers Xishi a way to get her revenge, but it won’t be easy, and it’ll test Xishi in ways she never thought possible.

I loved every word of this story. Xishi is trained by Fanli to use her beauty and become a concubine of the Wu king, a gift form the Yue kingdom and its new spy. Xishi bravely takes on this task, learning how to use her beauty to her advantage. Her courage and determination drive her as well as the promise that her family will be well cared for. She is doing this for them and her country.

Xishi’s story unfolds in two halfs. The first is her home kingdom Yue where she learns to be a spy and temptress. The second half follows her into enemy territory where she is tasked with making the Wu king fall in love with her. During the first half, we see her relationship with Fanli unfold. I loved how they danced around each other, this tension building between them. The second half is driven by fear as Xishi enters the Wu kingdom where her every action is examined. I love how the two halves couldn’t be more different but also the same danger runs through them both.

Overall, A Song to Drown Rivers is a beautifully worded retelling of one of China’s great beauties. It is haunting, filled with danger, intrigue, and romance. Oh the romance! It is both heartbreaking and warming all at the same time. If you are a fan of historical fantasy, I highly recommend this one. It will not disappoint!

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