The story of Xishi is one that is shrouded in legend. She’s so beautiful that for her safety Xishi must hide her face under a veil lest danger follows her. The Wu are her enemy, for they have ravaged Xishi’s people, the Yue, with war and violence. To Xishi the Wu are monsters because they have brought suffering to her people and they’ve murdered her sister in cold blood.
One day, on the pebbly banks of a river, Xishi tries to stop a Wu soldier from killing a young girl. Outmatched, she is in danger of being cut down by his sword until Fanli, the handsome military advisor to King Goujian of the Yue, saves her. Xishi is enamoured with Fanli and he proposes a plan for her to act as spy for the Yue king. She is to infiltrate the Wu as an offered concubine for the Wu King Fuchai and to topple the kingdom from within.
Torn between her duty to her kingdom and her growing love for Fanli, Xishi must sacrifice her heart to get revenge on the kingdom that stole her beloved sister from her.
This book is astounding. Ann Liang has recounted the Chinese legend of Xishi in a way that is full of turmoil, angst, and danger. The romance between Fanli and Xishi twisted my heart (in a good way). There were plenty of captivating moments that had me rooting for these characters right until the bittersweet ending.
A Song to Drown Rivers is a wonderful book, especially if you love haunting romances with a dash of anguish.
Reviewed by Ruth Freitas
Recommended for Book Clubs
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ann Liang is the New York Times, USA Today and Indie bestselling author of critically acclaimed young adult novels, as well as adult fiction novels.
Her work has been featured on Good Morning America as a GMA book club pick, and on The Today Show, Cosmopolitan, PEOPLE, Harper’s Bazaar, and more.
Born in Beijing, she grew up traveling back and forth between China and Australia, but somehow ended up with an American accent. She now lives in Melbourne, where she can be found making overambitious to‑do lists and having profound conversations with her pet labradoodle about who’s a good dog.
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