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Ann Liang: A Song to Drown Rivers (2024, Pan Macmillan) No rating

Xishi’s beauty is seen as a blessing to the villagers of Yue—convinced that the best …

An emotional ride featuring a clever protagonist that absolutely sticks the landing.

No rating

I finished this book a while ago, but I had to sit with my thoughts for a while because they are many. Like the lead character, this book is beautiful and clever and ambitious and tragic, and I found myself caught up in it the whole way through. Espionage tales are tricky, but this one really fulfills is promise, with a lead character who is absolutely cunning, and I love every move she makes. Pacing can be a bit hard to follow in some places, with large portions of time passing quickly in a way that makes me feel a TV show would convert it into a quick musical montage. The parts where it slows down to really detail the character interactions are by far the best parts, and I was surprised at how delicate and tender some of the emotions are. If the description of the book seems even the least bit interesting to you, give it a read. Strong recommend on this end.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for an advance copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.