A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang — full book breakdown including genre, page count, audiobook length and narrator, publisher’s synopsis, content notes, author bio, and additional reader notes. Includes direct links to Goodreads, The Storygraph, and featured book lists. Everything you need to know before you read.
A Song to Drown Rivers
Ann Liang
Overview: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is a standout read featured on Slay the Page. Explore the genre, page count, audiobook length and narrator, synopsis, content notes, publisher details, and author background before you dive in. Selected as a Book of the Month member fave pick for April 2025, this powerful novel is not to be missed.
Book Details: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
Genre: Historical Fantasy
Page Count: 325 Pages (Hardcover)
Audiobook Length: 10 Hours, 22 Minutes
Narrator: Natalie Naudus
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press (Macmillan Publishers)
Publication Date: October 1, 2024
Selected By: Book of the Month — Member Fave Pick (April 2025)
Get More Info: Goodreads | The Storygraph
Publisher’s Description of A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
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.
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is published by St. Martin’s Press (Macmillan Publishers).
Content Notes: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang includes sensitive content flagged by Book of the Month, including scenes that depict the death of a child, violence, war and other related themes. View reader-submitted content notes on The StoryGraph for more details.
Who A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang Is Perfect For
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang is ideal for readers who want historical fantasy with lyrical depth and layered emotion. If you love folklore that cuts close to the bone, heroines haunted by legacy, and worlds where myth and memory blur, this one delivers. Perfect for fans of The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, The Ghost Bride, or anyone craving fantasy with real emotional stakes.
About the Author: Ann Liang
Ann Liang is the New York Times and Indie bestselling author of the critically acclaimed YA novels This Time It’s Real, If You Could See the Sun, and I Hope This Doesn’t Find You. Her books have sold into over twenty foreign territories. 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 (Goodreads, 2025).
Learn more about Ann Liang’s books, biography, and latest releases on her official website.
Book Lists Featuring A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
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