
A Song to Drown Rivers
A Novel
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Narrated by:
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Natalie Naudus
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By:
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Ann Liang
About this listen
Long-listed, Amazon.com Best Books of the Year, 2024
A Good Morning America Book Club Pick • An October 2024 Indie Next Pick • An October 2024 LibraryReads Pick
"Like Xishi, Naudus has an enchanting power: the ability to immerse listeners in an emotionally nuanced tale. Her talent is on full display here--and listeners will be as enthralled with it as Fuchai's royal court is with Xishi's great beauty."—AudioFile
“Exquisite and devastating. It won’t fail to move you.”—Shelley Parker-Chan, #1 bestselling author of She Who Became the Sun
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
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.
©2024 Ann Liang (P)2024 Macmillan AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
"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
Editorial Review
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Story
Òdòdó's hometown of Timbuktu has been conquered by the warrior king of Yorùbáland. Already shunned as social pariahs, living conditions for Òdòdó and the other women in her blacksmith guild grow even worse under Yorùbá rule.Then Òdòdó is abducted. She is whisked across the Sahara to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀, where she is shocked to discover that her kidnapper is none other than the vagrant who had visited her guild just days prior. But now that he is swathed in riches rather than rags, Òdòdó realizes he is not a vagrant at all.
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From the forge to the throne!
- By Rose Carmel Gaspard on 09-29-24
By: O.O. Sangoyomi
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Hera
- A Novel
- By: Jennifer Saint
- Narrated by: Naomi Frederick
- Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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When the immortal goddess Hera and her brother Zeus overthrow their tyrannical father, she dreams of ruling at his side. But as they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera begins to see that Zeus is just as ruthless and cruel as the father they betrayed. While Zeus ascends, Hera is relegated to the role of wife and mother, a role she never wanted. She was always born to rule, but must she lose herself in perpetuating this cycle of violence and cruelty? Or can she find a way to forge a better world?
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Lost potential
- By Faisal Sultan on 08-29-24
By: Jennifer Saint
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A Sorceress Comes to Call
- By: T. Kingfisher
- Narrated by: Eliza Foss, Jennifer Pickens
- Length: 11 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Cordelia knows her mother is . . . unusual. Their house doesn’t have any doors between rooms—there are no secrets in this house—and her mother doesn't allow Cordelia to have a single friend. Unless you count Falada, her mother's beautiful white horse. The only time Cordelia feels truly free is on her daily rides with him. But more than simple eccentricity sets her mother apart. Other mothers don’t force their daughters to be silent and motionless for hours, sometimes days, on end. Other mothers aren’t sorcerers.
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Brilliantly creepy
- By Joella Berkner on 08-14-24
By: T. Kingfisher
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The Stardust Grail
- A Novel
- By: Yume Kitasei
- Narrated by: Katharine Chin
- Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Maya Hoshimoto was once the best art thief in the galaxy. For ten years, she returned stolen artifacts to alien civilizations—until a disastrous job forced her into hiding. Now she just wants to enjoy a quiet life as a graduate student of anthropology, but she’s haunted by persistent and disturbing visions of the future. Then an old friend comes to her with a job she can’t refuse: find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction. Except no one has seen it in living memory, and they aren’t the only ones hunting for it.
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Pronouns are out of control
- By C P on 09-11-24
By: Yume Kitasei
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The Luminaries
- By: Susan Dennard
- Narrated by: Caitlin Davies
- Length: 9 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Hemlock Falls isn't like other towns. You won't find it on a map, your phone won't work here, and the forest outside town might just kill you. Winnie Wednesday wants nothing more than to join the Luminaries, the ancient order that protects Winnie's town—and the rest of humanity—from the monsters and nightmares that rise in the forest of Hemlock Falls every night. Ever since her father was exposed as a witch and a traitor, Winnie and her family have been shunned. But on her sixteenth birthday, she can take the deadly Luminary hunter trials and prove herself true and loyal.
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A beautifully Written YA Novel.
- By Mrs Mandy Reads on 01-31-24
By: Susan Dennard
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Servant of Earth
- The Shards of Magic, Book 1
- By: Sarah Hawley
- Narrated by: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw
- Length: 16 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Kenna Heron is best known in her village for being a little wild—some say half feral—but she’ll need every ounce of that ferocity to survive captivity in the cruel Fae court. Trapped as a servant in the faeries’ underground kingdom of Mistei, Kenna must help her new mistress undertake six deadly trials, one for each branch of magic: Fire, Earth, Light, Void, Illusion, and Blood. If she succeeds, her mistress will gain immortality and become the heir to Earth House. If she doesn’t, the punishment is death—for both mistress and servant.
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The only thing disappointing about this book is
- By Ben Campbell on 02-12-25
By: Sarah Hawley
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Book of Night
- By: Holly Black
- Narrated by: Sara Amini
- Length: 12 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Charlie Hall has never found a lock she couldn’t pick, a book she couldn’t steal, or a bad decision she wouldn’t make. She's spent half her life working for gloamists, magicians who manipulate shadows to peer into locked rooms, strangle people in their beds, or worse. Gloamists guard their secrets greedily, creating an underground economy of grimoires. And to rob their fellow magicians, they need Charlie Hall.
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Just what I was expecting, but maybe not for all
- By Ollie Oxyn Free on 05-11-22
By: Holly Black
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Demon in the Wood
- A Shadow and Bone Graphic Novel
- By: Leigh Bardugo
- Narrated by: Ben Barnes, Benjamin Valic, Cassandra Morris, and others
- Length: 1 hr and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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Before he led Ravka’s Second Army, before he created the Fold, and long before he became the Darkling, he was just a lonely boy burdened by an extraordinary power. Eryk and his mother, Lena, have spent their lives on the run. But they will never find a safe haven. They are not only Grisha—they are the deadliest and rarest of their kind.
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Too short
- By Julie D on 12-12-22
By: Leigh Bardugo
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The Shadows Between Us
- By: Tricia Levenseller
- Narrated by: Caitlin Davies
- Length: 10 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Alessandra is tired of being overlooked, but she has a plan to gain power: 1. Woo the Shadow King. 2. Marry him. 3. Kill him and take his kingdom for herself. No one knows the extent of the freshly crowned Shadow King’s power. Some say he can command the shadows that swirl around him to do his bidding. Others say they speak to him, whispering the thoughts of his enemies. Regardless, Alessandra knows what she deserves, and she’s going to do everything within her power to get it. But Alessandra’s not the only one trying to kill the king.
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Excellent and Unique
- By English Teacher on 03-04-20
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The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands
- A Novel
- By: Sarah Brooks
- Narrated by: Katie Leung, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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There is only one way to travel across the Wastelands: on the Trans-Siberian Express, a train as famous for its luxury as for its danger. The train is never short of passengers, eager to catch sight of Wastelands creatures more miraculous and terrifying than anything they could imagine. But on the train's last journey, something went horribly wrong, though no one seems to remember what exactly happened. Not even Zhang Weiwei, who has spent her life onboard and thought she knew all of the train’s secrets.
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Narration cadence too clipped
- By ulan25 on 08-03-24
By: Sarah Brooks
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A Half-Built Garden
- By: Ruthanna Emrys
- Narrated by: Kate Handford
- Length: 15 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
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On a warm March night in 2083, Judy Wallach-Stevens wakes to a warning of unknown pollutants in the Chesapeake Bay. She heads out to check what she expects to be a false alarm—and stumbles upon the first alien visitors to Earth. These aliens have crossed the galaxy to save humanity, convinced that the people of Earth must leave their ecologically-ravaged planet behind and join them among the stars. And if humanity doesn't agree, they may need to be saved by force. But the watershed networks that rose up to save the planet from corporate devastation aren't ready to give up on Earth.
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Really interesting and engaging story
- By Sebastian on 07-09-23
By: Ruthanna Emrys
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Starless
- By: Jacqueline Carey
- Narrated by: Caitlin Davies
- Length: 21 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Destined from birth to serve as protector of the princess Zariya, Khai is trained in the arts of killing and stealth by a warrior sect in the deep desert; yet there is one profound truth that has been withheld from him. In the court of the Sun-Blessed, Khai must learn to navigate deadly intrigue and his own conflicted identity…but in the far reaches of the western seas, the dark god Miasmus is rising, intent on nothing less than wholesale destruction.
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The most beautiful thing I've enjoyed this year!
- By DabOfDarkness on 08-06-18
By: Jacqueline Carey
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The Sapling Cage
- Daughters of the Empty Throne, Book 1
- By: Margaret Killjoy
- Narrated by: Jackie Meloche
- Length: 9 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Lorel has always dreamed of becoming a witch—learning magic, fighting monsters, and exploring the world beyond the small town where she and her mother run the stables. Even though a strange plague is killing the trees in the Kingdom of Cekon and witches are being blamed for it, Lorel wants nothing more than to join them. There’s only one problem: all witches are women, and she was born a boy. When the coven comes to claim her best friend, Lorel disguises herself in a dress and joins in her friend’s place, leaving home and her old self behind.
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Hits all the genre tropes with flair and originality
- By Jannik Mennen on 01-12-25
By: Margaret Killjoy
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The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society
- By: C. M. Waggoner
- Narrated by: Cindy Piller
- Length: 11 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Librarian Sherry Pinkwhistle keeps finding bodies—and solving murders. But she's concerned by just how many killers she's had to track down in her quaint village. None of her neighbors seem surprised by the rising body count...but Sherry is becoming convinced that whatever has been causing these deaths is unnatural. When someone close to Sherry ends up dead, and her cat, Lord Thomas Crowell, becomes possessed by what seems to be an ancient demon, Sherry begins to think she’s going to need to become an exorcist as well as an amateur sleuth.
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Cozy Supernatural Whodunit Murder Mystery
- By Stephanie on 10-11-24
By: C. M. Waggoner
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Foul Days
- The Witch's Compendium of Monsters, Book 1
- By: Genoveva Dimova
- Narrated by: Zura Johnson
- Length: 15 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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As a witch in the walled city of Chernograd, Kosara has plenty of practice treating lycanthrope bites, bargaining with kikimoras, and slaying bloodsucking upirs. There’s only one monster she can’t defeat: her ex, the Zmey, known as the Tsar of Monsters. She’s defied him one too many times and now he’s hunting her. Betrayed by someone close to her, Kosara’s only choice is to trade her shadow—the source of her powers—for a quick escape.
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Unique and Enjoyable
- By Darcia Helle on 10-26-24
By: Genoveva Dimova
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Middlegame
- By: Seanan McGuire
- Narrated by: Amber Benson
- Length: 17 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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Meet Roger. Skilled with words, languages come easily to him. He instinctively understands how the world works through the power of story. Meet Dodger, his twin. Numbers are her world, her obsession, her everything. All she understands, she does so through the power of math. Roger and Dodger aren’t exactly human, though they don’t realize it. They aren’t exactly gods, either. Not entirely. Not yet. Meet Reed, skilled in the alchemical arts like his progenitor before him. Reed created Dodger and her brother. He’s not their father. Not quite. But he has a plan.
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Couldn't Finish
- By Amy Ferrantino on 05-22-19
By: Seanan McGuire
What listeners say about A Song to Drown Rivers
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- Kate
- 11-14-24
This needs to be made into a movie
This book is awesome. The story was so attention grabbing. I would love to have a movie based on this. The imagery in the pages are so vivid. i could imagine the sounds of the water rushing in the river and I could see the characters while I read. A great read!!!
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- Nicki
- 04-19-25
Loved the myth retelling but could have written better
I felt like this was ACoTaR copy in writing style but with a different story
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- Saritza Hernandez
- 01-07-25
Devastatingly beautiful
There are not enough words to express how beautiful this book is. If the gorgeous book design is any indicator, the devastatingly beautiful prose within is sure to take your breath away.
I’m not sure that I’ll ever fully recover from this book hangover but I’ll gladly remain drunk in this gorgeous tale.
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- Jane A. Shapiro
- 11-07-24
Interesting depiction of surreptitious plans to undermine an enemy
A little heavy on the romance. Less is more and the Chinese are known for subtlety in these matters.
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- Mary Guttieri
- 11-23-24
Epic Story Richly Told
The language and the story are stunningly beautiful. This would be a great listen for a road trip. The narration is wonderful and honors the text.
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- Lindsay
- 12-22-24
lesson for modern times, beautifully told
really enjoyed the story, it grabbed me from the start. beautiful writing and storytelling. greater life lessons woven throughout and the mother's perspective on kings and kingdoms/national leaders/governments at the end is good schooling for modern times as well. agree with others who suggest this would be a great adaptation onscreen too!
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- Diane
- 01-06-25
Good pace and keeps you wanting to read more.
Great narration and engaging plot. Enjoyed that it was a bit shorter than other books - no needless narration. Fun listen.
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- Anonymous User
- 02-11-25
I recommend listening to this wounderful story
I enjoyed this heartfelt story so much. The narration of each character was excellent so much I had to sit and listen to the story clear to the end all in one night !
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- Eugenia
- 03-31-25
BRILLIANT!
I simply adored everything about this fascinating novel. The wonderful characters, the exciting plot and especially the romance.
Written so beautifully, I was enthralled every minute.
And the narrator, Natalie Naurus, is so perfect.
I would give this 10 stars!
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- Survivor T
- 10-26-24
Impactful story
Very impactful themes. Great story about revenge not being all that it cracked up to be, circle of violence, and blindly following leaders. The voice acting was amazing as well highly recommended.
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1 person found this helpful