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A review by duiel
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I approached this book as someone who had no familiarity with the story of Xishi, and had never read any of Liang’s books, and in general I enjoyed it.
Starting with the good, Liang made an easy-to-read page turner out of something that could have easily been a slog. Balancing on the inner emotions of the FMC, it did not bog itself down with details. It felt intimate and approachable, and Liang’s writing was pleasant, sensual and lyrical. I gobbled this up in a couple days and couldn’t put it down.
As the book was told in first person and focused mainly on Xishi’s internal struggles, I think that part was quite well done. Her simultaneousaffection and hatred towards the king felt believable, and the king himself was painted as a complex, interesting character. Simultaneously her pining for Fanli, her torn loyalty and internal realization st the end of the book made a poignant, moving read. And gosh, that ending.
Where the book faltered was the plot. Sometimes it felt like Liang had to get from point A to point B, but didn’t have any clever ideas, so that plot points often felt forced, handwaved, or sometimes downright unconvincing. There were weird romantic cliches and deus ex machina. Liang’s strengths are obviously with the internal rather than the external workings of the narrative.
I will also note that this book was marketed as both a romance and a fantasy. I can see why fans of either, and especially fans of both, may be disappointed. While this book does have a romantic focus, it’s both shockingly tame (especially considering the subject matter) andheart-wrenchingly sad. There is also very little in the way of fantasy, with no supernatural elements at all until about 95% of the way through the book.
Starting with the good, Liang made an easy-to-read page turner out of something that could have easily been a slog. Balancing on the inner emotions of the FMC, it did not bog itself down with details. It felt intimate and approachable, and Liang’s writing was pleasant, sensual and lyrical. I gobbled this up in a couple days and couldn’t put it down.
As the book was told in first person and focused mainly on Xishi’s internal struggles, I think that part was quite well done. Her simultaneous
Where the book faltered was the plot. Sometimes it felt like Liang had to get from point A to point B, but didn’t have any clever ideas, so that plot points often felt forced, handwaved, or sometimes downright unconvincing. There were weird romantic cliches and deus ex machina. Liang’s strengths are obviously with the internal rather than the external workings of the narrative.
I will also note that this book was marketed as both a romance and a fantasy. I can see why fans of either, and especially fans of both, may be disappointed. While this book does have a romantic focus, it’s both shockingly tame (especially considering the subject matter) and
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Violence
Minor: Child death and Toxic relationship