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A review by reposefulreads
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
With beautiful and evocative prose, A Song To Drown Rivers is an enthralling and tragic novel that teems with intrigue, yearning and the heartbreaking consequences of ambition and war. Peasants, women and those who simply lose favor with a king are depicted as potentially disposable and the the precarious nature of Xishi’s position as a concubine within a court that mistrusts her adds to the tension of the story. For even as she seems to win King Fuchai’s affections, there is always potential for a deadly misstep.
Present throughout most of the novel, Xishi and King Fuchai’s relationship receives much of the attention, though there are still brief moments where her longing for Fanli and his own restrained desires serve as a source of pining and even danger for the characters. As I am not very fond of love triangles, I appreciated that A Song To Drown Rivers depicts the complicated aspects of these relationships without becoming tedious.
I did find myself wishing that there were more scenes with minor characters, especially since one was given such an abrupt departure and that Xishi was able to exercise her training beyond acting elusive at times and merely requesting that Fuchai did what she wanted. I also felt that the story leaned more towards historical fiction than fantasy, but that may simply be my own impression.
But, oh, the ending! What is the reward for those who sacrifice everything? While I harbored some suspicions regarding how things might unfold, I was slightly disbelieving of what I was reading nonetheless. Days have passed and I am still contemplating it, which is a credit to its effectiveness.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Present throughout most of the novel, Xishi and King Fuchai’s relationship receives much of the attention, though there are still brief moments where her longing for Fanli and his own restrained desires serve as a source of pining and even danger for the characters. As I am not very fond of love triangles, I appreciated that A Song To Drown Rivers depicts the complicated aspects of these relationships without becoming tedious.
I did find myself wishing that there were more scenes with minor characters, especially since one was given such an abrupt departure and that Xishi was able to exercise her training beyond acting elusive at times and merely requesting that Fuchai did what she wanted. I also felt that the story leaned more towards historical fiction than fantasy, but that may simply be my own impression.
But, oh, the ending! What is the reward for those who sacrifice everything? While I harbored some suspicions regarding how things might unfold, I was slightly disbelieving of what I was reading nonetheless. Days have passed and I am still contemplating it, which is a credit to its effectiveness.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for access to this ebook. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Sexism, Grief, and War