A review by dr_dumpling
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

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

2.75

I really want to give this book a higher rating because it was so beautifully written, but the pacing was uneven and I have gripes with the "romance" and the ending. I'm not sure why this book is marketed as fantasy, it's more historical fiction, but the romance is quite literally "oh, he's so beautiful, I'm in love." They knew each other for ten weeks. Ten.

 Not much happens in the book, either; the first one- to two-thirds is about Xi Shi's training (also, why were her and Zheng Dan's names combined into one word?), and then it dissolves into how handsome Fuchai is despite his monstrousness. I was hoping for more political intrigue, more Xishi being a badass and bringing a kingdom to its knees. But
then, at the end, she's just...murdered? For what? To make her and Fanli's "love" story tragic? And Zhengdan, who I found to be the most interesting character, was just murdered off-page.
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