A Song To Drown Rivers

Xishi is beautiful, but beauty hasn’t helped her as a common Yue girl growing up under the cruel control of the Wu. Then Fanli, the Yue king’s brilliant advisor, selects Xishi to seduce the Wu king and save their people. Under Fanli’s tutelage, Xishi learns to act like a proper concubine, but her dedication is tested by the growing attraction between them. Can she succeed in her mission to betray the Wu king, or will she betray her heart instead? This novel joins other women-centered retellings of myth and legend, focusing on one of the four beauties of ancient China. Xishi comes alive, and her conflicted feelings take center stage as she navigates the Wu court and learns how far she’s willing to go for revenge. Her relationship with Fanli will appeal to fans of forbidden love, while the palace intrigue is reminiscent of Shelley Parker-Chan’s He Who Drowned the World. Readers intrigued by the hints of romance, however, shouldn’t expect a traditional happy ending.