Reviews tagging 'Grief'

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

24 reviews

mamaninja06's review against another edition

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emotional sad medium-paced

5.0

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booksandbujos's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional mysterious slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I enjoyed this book, especially the ending and the message about who is good versus who is evil and how the side you are on can play a big part in that and not who the person is themselves. We start by not liking the Wu Emperor because of the war against Xishi’s people. But as Xishi spends more time with the Emperor, she learns her first impression may have been wrong and she experiences some really complicated feelings as a result. It was a really interesting discussion and I think it was done really well. 
 
My one issue was that I felt this book had some pacing issues. The beginning, where Xishi is training to be a proper lady, seems very rushed. And then the middle, where Xishi is in the Wu kingdom, seems to drag a little but also rush at times. I honestly could have done with a few more pages to flesh out some of the parts that I wanted to learn more about. 
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robin_reads's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

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mcbadger's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? N/A
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Wow.
The portrayal of the politics of war and many sides of it was incredible. The intricacies of the Wu Court and it's affect on Xishi marvelously described. I felt as Xishi felt, the dread and hope, hate and guilt. 
I love Zhengdan and Xiaomin so much. 
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fantasy_voyager98's review against another edition

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emotional mysterious sad fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

         This is my first read for 2025,and I absolutely loved this beautiful forbidden romance story.💙✨️
 Mrs.Liang's writing style is poetically beautiful,and is truly memorable from start to finish. 

       The history throughout the story is very organized,and informative. Mrs.Liang's natural talent for storytelling truly shines in the best way,and I truly felt how much she loved writing this amazing retelling for one of the "Four Great Beauties" from Chinese history. 

       The forbidden romance throughout the story is beautiful,and bittersweet. The fmc,and the mmc are both strong because the love they have for one another never stopped it only grew as time went on.

        The plot twist at the end of the story I definitely was not expecting,and I still remember that one moment that made me cry.😭

       A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is perfect for reader's who love: 

        1.Forbidden romance 
         2.Fierce warrior Mulan vibes
         3.Found family 
         4.Womanhood
         5.Stunning world-building 
         6.Love against all odds 
         7.Strong,and clever fmc 
         
         This is my first book from Mrs.Liang,and i will definitely be reading more stories from her.✨️ 
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litagentsaritza's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

There are not enough words to express how beautiful this book is. If the gorgeous book design is any indicator, the devastatingly beautiful prose within is sure to take your breath away. 

I’m not sure that I’ll ever fully recover from this book hangover but I’ll gladly remain drunk in this gorgeous tale. 
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booksemmahasread's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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laurenlolson's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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elliott_the_clementine's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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sundunss's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I will never forgive Ann Liang for the pain and heartbreak I had to endure... It was absolutely worth it though
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