Ann Liang
Pan Macmillan Australia
8 October 2024
336
Paperback
Historical Fantasy
ARC from Publisher
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.
A Song to Drown Rivers was a compelling read that swept me up right from the first chapters. Xishi was a character I could instantly get behind, and I enjoyed the gradual development of her relationships and sense of self. The story moved at a fast pace that kept me turning the pages and I finished reading the book in just two sitting, as it was hard to put it down; had it not been a work night, I might have read it all in one go. I liked the combination of history and fantasy elements. I was a bit saddened by the ending, but I won't say more on that point to avoid spoilers. Overall, though, this was a gripping and entertaining book and I am giving it 4.5 stars.
I received this book as a free ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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