A Song to Drown Rivers

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

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

1. One of the opening lines of the novel is "beauty is not so different from destruction" (p. 1). Would you agree?

2. The novel is told by Xishi in the first-person past tense. What effect does this have on the tone of the story? What is the significance of centering Xishi's voice?

3. On page 66, Fanli poses the question: "What is desire?" Zhengdan's answer is "greed" and "possession." Xishi's answer is "absence." How would you respond to Fanli's question? Are love and desire the same?

4. "Perhaps history would remember him as a hero. But a hero to many was still a villain to one" (p. 244). Consider the historical figures we call heroes today. How do we determine who the heroes really are and who the villains are?

5. In stories, there is a moment known as the "point of no return" where it's too late for the character to turn back around. Can you identify that moment in the story for Xishi?

6. How would you describe Xishi's relationship with Fanli, and how does it contrast with Xishi's relationship with Fuchai? What do you think is the appeal of forbidden romances?

7. How does the novel examine the corrupt nature of power? Zhengdan's mother says that Zhengdan's father was killed not "by the Wu ...[but] by the will of kings" (p. 301). Do you believe the greater divide lies between the kingdoms of Wu and Yue or between the civilians and royalty?

8. Do you think Fuchai deserved his fate?

9. Was Xishi's sacrifice ultimately worth it? If you had been in her position, would you have chosen differently?

10. The legend of Xishi has been reimagined over the years with multiple endings. In some, she's overcome with guilt for what she's done and commits suicide. In others, she happily sails across Lake Tai with Fanli. How does the ending shape-or reshape-the meaning of the story?

"A beautiful young peasant is selected to become a spy in an enemy king's court in Liang's take on an ancient Chinese legend... Lovely historical fiction breathes new life into an old tale." - Kirkus Reviews

"Propulsive...Xishi's narration brings personalized stakes to imperial court drama and shows the double-edged sword of beauty. Fans of plot-driven historical fantasy should take note." - Publishers Weekly

"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, #1 Sunday Times Bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun and He Who Drowned the World

"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, bestselling author of The Bone Season and The Priory of the Orange Tree

"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, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Immortal Longings

"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, New York Times bestselling author of Portrait of a Thief

"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, New York Times bestselling author of Kaikeyi

"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, New York Times bestselling author of The Ones We're Meant to Find

"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, internationally bestselling author of The Drowning Empire trilogy

"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, USA Today bestselling author of Daughter of the Moon Goddess

"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, internationally bestselling author of Jade Fire Gold and Darker By Four

"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, bestselling author of The Red Palace