A review by milk144
A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

5.0

I started reading this with the expectation of a fluffy romance like Ann Liang's other works but this... this was devastating. It was written beautifully though, with each sentence painting a vivid picture. I got. hungry many times throughout the book because the food is described so well. 

I appreciated the recognition of the complexities of war.

Although a cut-and-dry good defeats evil story followed by the main characters living happily ever after would have been far less painful, I did enjoy the more nuanced story. From starting off knowing Fuchai is public enemy #1 to starting to pity him despite the reminders of his terrible deed to crying over his death. The final victory scene that the whole book had been leading up to and anticipating instead made me feel conflicted.

Perhaps more secondary to the main plot, there was also a romance subplot. I am a complete sucker for slow burns because why do I get so excited over absolutely nothing-

It's actually so cruel that they didn't even get to celebrate with each other for a second before she was killed. AND THE SCENES AFTER SHE DIED??? THEY DEFINITELY WERE DESIGNED FOR MAXIMAL PAIN.

Altogether, this was a well-crafted story that I can't wait to get a physical copy of once it's actually released.