Book Review: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

Ann Liang’s A Song to Drown Rivers is a sweeping and emotional retelling of the legend of Xishi, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China, whose extraordinary grace and intelligence altered the course of empires. Before reading this novel, I was unfamiliar with this particular piece of history, and Liang’s reimagining brings it to life with stunning clarity and emotional power. Set during a time of war and political upheaval, the story explores how beauty, often seen as a gift, can also become a weapon and a burden so heavy it can drown a soul.

The novel follows Xishi, a young woman of breathtaking beauty, whose chance encounter with Fanli, one of the king of the Yue people’s right-hand men, leads to her recruitment as the key to her kingdom’s survival. After receiving the required training, she is sent to the court of the rival Wu kingdom that has previously killed and humiliated her people and their leaders. Her task is simple yet extremely perilous. As part of a dangerous political scheme, she must use her charm and wit to influence the Wu king and secure her homeland’s safety. Yet, as Xishi grows entangled in the seductive, treacherous world of court politics, the line between duty and desire blurs, and the cost of her sacrifice becomes heartbreakingly clear.

Liang’s prose is fluid and richly descriptive, capturing both the splendor of royal courts and the quiet moments of human vulnerability with memorable lines like these:

We were moved into another set of chambers that very night, one where the windows were vast and open and allowed rhombus patches of light to filter in, and where great rockeries and pink-flowering trees sat in the yard outside, lanterns strung across the branches like stars. Now we were so close to the heart of the palace that the sounds of footsteps often reached our ears, along with a wavering call and chime that I soon learned signaled the arrival of the king.

Her dialogue feels natural and deeply expressive, grounding the story in emotional truth while retaining the elegance of its historical setting. The story is told in the first person by Xishi, whose narrative voice feels elevated and timeless, echoing the cadence of myth and legend, which strengthens the novel’s connection to its historical roots.

The novel’s title, A Song to Drown Rivers, is deeply symbolic, evoking the literal and emotional currents that shape Xishi’s journey. Her beauty becomes a song powerful enough to “drown rivers,” symbolizing the way her presence reshapes destinies, catalyzes the collapse of an empire, and ultimately consumes her own happiness. It also hints at the tragic end that history often reserves for women who wield power in unconventional ways by becoming both savior and sacrifice.

The novel’s pacing is exquisitely controlled, flowing like the rivers it invokes. There are tense moments that leave the reader gasping at the potential outcome of an intriguing plot twist. Then, there are times when the story rushes with intensity, sometimes lingering in reflective stillness. Liang deftly weaves the theme of how physical beauty can build and destroy kingdoms, showing how one woman’s courage and intelligence ripple outward to alter the fate of nations.

What makes A Song to Drown Rivers unforgettable is Liang’s ability to create emotionally resonant characters. Xishi’s strength and vulnerability make her impossible not to root for; she is a woman of agency and compassion, aware of the immense cost of her choices yet resolute in using her gifts to save her people.

With this retelling, Ann Liang transforms an ancient legend into a profoundly human story about power, sacrifice, and the haunting duality of beauty. A Song to Drown Rivers is a lyrical tribute to the women who changed history, even when their names were written in sorrow and song.