INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER
A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK
An October 2024 Indie Next Pick • An October 2024 LibraryReads Pick
“Exquisite and devastating. It won’t fail to move you.” —Shelley Parker-Chan, #1 bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun
Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic novel steeped in myth about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds as the fate of two kingdoms hangs in a delicate balance.
Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.
Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. 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 neighboring kingdom of Wu, 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, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.
Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.
Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.
"Stunning and heart-rending." —Chloe Gong, #1 bestselling author of Immortal Longings
Genre: Fantasy
A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BOOK CLUB PICK
An October 2024 Indie Next Pick • An October 2024 LibraryReads Pick
“Exquisite and devastating. It won’t fail to move you.” —Shelley Parker-Chan, #1 bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun
Inspired by the legend of Xishi, one of the famous Four Beauties of Ancient China, A Song to Drown Rivers is an epic novel steeped in myth about womanhood, war, sacrifice, and love against all odds as the fate of two kingdoms hangs in a delicate balance.
Her beauty hides a deadly purpose.
Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best fate for a girl is to marry well and support her family. 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 neighboring kingdom of Wu, 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, seduce their immoral king, and weaken them from within.
Trained by Fanli in everything from classical instruments to concealing emotion, Xishi hones her beauty into the perfect blade. But she knows Fanli can see through every deception she masters, the attraction between them burning away any falsehoods.
Once inside the enemy palace, Xishi finds herself under the hungry gaze of the king’s advisors while the king himself shows her great affection. Despite his gentleness, a brutality lurks and Xishi knows she can never let her guard down. But the higher Xishi climbs in the Wu court, the farther she and Fanli have to fall—and if she is unmasked as a traitor, she will bring both kingdoms down.
"Stunning and heart-rending." —Chloe Gong, #1 bestselling author of Immortal Longings
Genre: Fantasy
Praise for this book
"A stunning, heart-rending feat of a story. A Song to Drown Rivers retells ancient legend with phenomenal voice, bringing a truly worthwhile addition to the historical fiction genre." - Chloe Gong
"Ann Liang doesn't simply capture Xishi's indescribable beauty; she transcends it. An emotional odyssey that you'll want to read again and again-the first time with your heart in your throat, and every time after to savor each stolen look and word." - Joan He
"If you are looking for a book that reads like a historical c-drama, then look no further. A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS is just the book you need. Ann Liang's mesmerizing prose, coupled with a poignant love story, weaves a tale of love, revenge, and grief that will leave you breathless." - June Hur
"By turns searingly ambitious and heartbreakingly intimate, A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS is an incisive, intricately crafted examination of power, politics, and what we'll become for those we love. This story swept me away." - Grace D Li
"Nobody does yearning and sacrifice better than the Chinese classics, and Liang has given us a new classic that achingly captures the will of kings, the intelligence of women, and the heartbreak of war. Exquisite and devastating. It won't fail to move you." - Shelley Parker-Chan
"Liang has managed that rare feat of retelling that honors a great epic while finding new depths and intimacies within it. This book stole my breath away with its yearning and sorrow. Each word is chosen with exquisite care, each emotion crafted with true feeling, such that your own heart beats in time with the characters'." - Vaishnavi Patel
"Ann Liang has fashioned an elegant historical epic, honouring the ingenuity of women in the face of impossible odds. With impeccable pacing, evocative prose, and a romance that had my heart in a vice, A Song to Drown Rivers will call you onward, page by page, until you reach its devastating end." - Samantha Shannon
"Poignant and devastating, A Song to Drown Rivers is filled with yearning, a breathtaking story that examines, with both gentleness and relentless honesty, those caught up in the violent ambitions of people in power." - Andrea Stewart
"Liang shines an intimate light on the legendary Xishi, whose beauty is both boon and burden, and whose journey from naive peasant to reluctant hero-and perhaps, calculating villain-spins a devastatingly romantic tale of survival and sacrifice amidst the rise and fall of empires." - June CL Tan
"Exquisite, riveting, heart-wrenching. Prepare to be swept away by the beautiful writing, forbidden love and complex characters, that have you rooting for them against the odds." - Sue Lynn Tan
"Ann Liang doesn't simply capture Xishi's indescribable beauty; she transcends it. An emotional odyssey that you'll want to read again and again-the first time with your heart in your throat, and every time after to savor each stolen look and word." - Joan He
"If you are looking for a book that reads like a historical c-drama, then look no further. A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS is just the book you need. Ann Liang's mesmerizing prose, coupled with a poignant love story, weaves a tale of love, revenge, and grief that will leave you breathless." - June Hur
"By turns searingly ambitious and heartbreakingly intimate, A SONG TO DROWN RIVERS is an incisive, intricately crafted examination of power, politics, and what we'll become for those we love. This story swept me away." - Grace D Li
"Nobody does yearning and sacrifice better than the Chinese classics, and Liang has given us a new classic that achingly captures the will of kings, the intelligence of women, and the heartbreak of war. Exquisite and devastating. It won't fail to move you." - Shelley Parker-Chan
"Liang has managed that rare feat of retelling that honors a great epic while finding new depths and intimacies within it. This book stole my breath away with its yearning and sorrow. Each word is chosen with exquisite care, each emotion crafted with true feeling, such that your own heart beats in time with the characters'." - Vaishnavi Patel
"Ann Liang has fashioned an elegant historical epic, honouring the ingenuity of women in the face of impossible odds. With impeccable pacing, evocative prose, and a romance that had my heart in a vice, A Song to Drown Rivers will call you onward, page by page, until you reach its devastating end." - Samantha Shannon
"Poignant and devastating, A Song to Drown Rivers is filled with yearning, a breathtaking story that examines, with both gentleness and relentless honesty, those caught up in the violent ambitions of people in power." - Andrea Stewart
"Liang shines an intimate light on the legendary Xishi, whose beauty is both boon and burden, and whose journey from naive peasant to reluctant hero-and perhaps, calculating villain-spins a devastatingly romantic tale of survival and sacrifice amidst the rise and fall of empires." - June CL Tan
"Exquisite, riveting, heart-wrenching. Prepare to be swept away by the beautiful writing, forbidden love and complex characters, that have you rooting for them against the odds." - Sue Lynn Tan
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