Reviews

Xishi, a young Yue girl living under the rule of a Wu king, is offered an opportunity for revenge when she is selected to join the court of the Wu. Trained by the Yue king's advisor, Fanli, Xishi is extensively prepared to lure in the enemy king, Fuchai. Before long, Xishi is torn between her duty to the Yue, her thirst for revenge, and her burgeoning feelings for Fanli.

I really, really wanted to like this book! I am a fan of historical fantasy and have read a ton of Chinese historical fantasy (including books by Chloe Gong, R.F. Kuang, and Xiran Jay Zhao). However, A Song to Drown Rivers really fell flat for me. The first reason is that it feels like it's trying to adopt the harsh tone of R.F. Kuang's books, while having a relatively sunny plot.

While there is an overwhelming amount of violent death, there seems to be a lack of small violence's against Xishi. I'm frankly surprised there was no sexual violence from Fuchai

The other reason that really made the book difficult for me to immerse myself in is that the timeline feels so off to me. It's really unclear the amount of time that Xishi is in Fuchai's court. It's definitely enough time for Fuchai to build an entire palace, which one would imagine would take at least a year. At one point it feels like a year passes as almost a throw away line. With all this fluctuating time, it's difficult to understand the development of relationships.

Was Xishi's limited time with Fanli enough for her to love him for literal years? Can you spend so much time with someone like Fuchai and remain as detached as Xishi seems to? Would Lady Yu have been content to wait like a year for Fuchai to hang out with her once at a sporting event and then provide Xishi with a literal army?? None of that makes any sense!!!

And then, to take a moralizing tone about war in which Xishi's death serves as inspiration for only one man to stop fighting and violence? Did not love that!

For those reasons, I really wasn't a fan of this book! I wanted to quit at the 68% mark and slogged on anyway, which wasn't really worth it.

rheynir's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This made my feel in many of the same ways as Song of Achilles did. Such a heartbreaking romance.

kashacapetown's review

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adventurous 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? No

4.0

A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS - ANN LIANG

Oh my gosh - this book took me on an emotional journey on the highest of highs and the most heartbreaking of lows. If this already appeals to you, here's a bit more about the plot:

Since birth, Xishi’s beauty has been seen as a blessing. 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 neighbouring kingdom, 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 and seduce their immoral king.

This is a sweeping historical epic that's based on the ancient Chinese legend of Xishi, so, at times, it feels like a thorough but beautifully rendered retelling. In fact, to me, it's written as though it's a mythical tale. The main characters steal the show, where it feels like they're elevated into demi-gods in a way - selfless, purpose-driven and brave.

I liked this fact but it also makes the characters feel a little less real or relatable. But this doesn't affect the impact of this high-stakes tale, and I'd highly recommend A Song to Drown Rivers to anyone, even those who don't normally read historical fiction.

The writing is crisp, stunning and descriptive as we follow Xishi leaving her straightforward village life to life in the opulent Wu palace, where every action or word has a consequence. It makes for a truly fascinating and emotive read, and it's one of the few books that have made me cry this year!

Note: There is a fair amount of violence and gore in this book, so please check the TWs.

Thank you to Ann Liang, NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read the ARC.

Release date: 3 October 2024

Review score: 4/5

TWs: Violence, gore, d*ath of child, d*ath