A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

A Song to Drown Rivers

Author: Ann Liang

Genre: Fiction

Format: Digital ARC

Publish Date: October 2024

Read: August 2024

Favorite Quote: How many women throughout history were blamed for the weaknesses of men? We made such convenient scapegoats. We were raised to be small, to be silent, to take whatever we were given and no more.

Story Synopsis: Xishi is the most beautiful woman in all the kingdoms, but lives in a poor village ravaged by war from the neighboring kingdom of Wu. She is selected to become King Fuchai’s concubine, but in doing so, also agrees to be a spy for her homeland, Yue. Trained and sent into the lion’s den, Xishi orchestrates a series of events to help bring down Fuchai and Wu. She must learn about love, loss, war, family, and her people.

Why does this book beguile? I LOVED this book.

Until the very end.

This is a fast, thrilling, and heart-rending read. But spoiler: no happy endings to be had. A Song to Drown Rivers is about sacrifice and sadness (not songs or rivers). As a reimagination of a Chinese legend, I didn’t expect a happy ending, however, this book ended similarly to The Song of Achilles (which I detested with the fire of a thousand suns). Great book til the last two chapters and then it all fell apart for me.

Rating: 3/5

Link*: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

If you’re interested in this, read*: She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan