Thank you to S. F. Williamson, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Got to 92% and DNFed. Just couldn't do that last hour. I'd grown bored, and when Viv got the stupid idea to stay behind and be the prime minister's personal translator, I lost patience with her. The premise is unique and intriguing, and Vivian is sympathetic (though not very relatable), but the narrative became excessively redundant. Figuring out the dialects was too slow, banding together to escape the manor was too slow. Bulgarians this, Bulgarians that. Vivian stubbornly refused to consider the rebels had a good point for too long. The stakes were incredibly high, situation tense, but things had been high and tense pretty much since page one, so by 92%, the danger was stale. The whole thing had grown stale, and it was becoming clear that it wasn't going to have a very happy ending and would continue in a series, and I knew I didn't care enough to follow the series, so I just called it. Interesting idea, not the best execution.

What an interesting addition of Babel into dragon lore. We have a typical story about race and classism and the use of a scapegoat to blame for life’s problems, mixed in with a selfish teenage girl who needs a dose of rebellious reality. You’d think that we’ve read it all before, but the introduction of the nuance of language actually kept it from being too boring. Again as usual, the dragons stole the show. I am intrigued as to where this series is going. There were a few points left on a cliffhanger. I did appreciate the political discussion, it felt very on point with the news going on lately.

This book was a truly unique read. When I channeled my inner YA reader, it easily landed as a solid four-star experience. That part of me delighted in the seamless blend of imagination and historical fiction—an alchemy I haven’t quite encountered before.

My inner historian may have raised an eyebrow at flying pink dragons in World War II—but was swiftly shushed by my inner thirteen-year-old, who reveled in every airborne scene and the impeccable world-building Williamson conjures. And let’s talk about those dragons—not only do they fly, they talk. In multiple languages. These aren’t just mythic beasts; they’re fully realized characters with wit, wisdom, and voices of their own. Honestly, I’d trust one of them to negotiate a treaty faster than half the humans in the story.

Williamson manages to balance absurdity and awe in a way that feels fresh and deeply satisfying. It's a reminder that sometimes, the joy of reading comes from surrendering to the unexpected—and letting dragons do the talking.
Thank you to the publisher and net galley for this book.

A smashing historical fantasy! Bletchley park code breakers, but make it with dragons. Absolutely enjoyed the storyline, the characters were written so well you either loved or detested them. I’ll certainly be looking forward to the next book.

Sometimes I’m like YES I still love ya fantasy yaaaas and sometimes I’m really not sure if I should request anymore so this one is on me.

This book falls into the trap I find many YA novels falling into which is very stereotypical characters, wayyy too much first person internal monologuing, and uninteresting villains. I think many will like this! The premise is cool. But it’s just not for me.

Vivian Featherswallow, a pretentious girl with a maybe more pretentious name, has a great life waiting for her: she's about to nail an internship studying dragon languages and be able to maintain her cushy second class position. And then her terrible parents get arrested as rebels, along with her cousin, and so she decides to unleash a dragon to *burn down the prime minister's office to destroy what she believes is the only evidence of her parents' guilt.* Deep sigh. Girl. Shockingly, this action has consequences, namely, launching a civil war because the rebels see this as the perfect time to act. So Vivian is thrown into prison too, leaving her baby sister now completely alone. But, the prime minister offers her a deal: she will be sent to Bletchley Park to help break codes and aid the war effort, and if she is successful, her parents and uncle and her will all be let off scot free.
Vivian was an unbearable bootlicker. The class system is some The Selection level basic dystopian nonsense and she is just guzzling it down. She is so ridiculous and shallow because on the one hand, she acknowledges the terror of sinking in rank and how becoming third class would destroy her life, but when it comes to her former best friend, Sophie, who is now third class because of Vivian's actions, it's all, oh, surely she's fine and adjusting just fine to her new life which isn't as bad as I think. On the topic of the class system, it doesn't really make sense and super seems not tied at all to the dragons problem? Like, what is the connection here? England has had a pretty classist history, so I don't see why the author felt the need to increase it. Additionally, I will now get started on the romance between Vivian and the rebellious third class boy at Bletchley with her. Is it 2013 again? Because it's giving such 2013. Maybe this book would have actually been better in 2013, because all of the tropes hadn't been run through quite yet. Speaking of 2013 called, why is this cartoonishly evil government collecting teenage misfits? And calling them misfits? They want people who can think in nonlinear ways, sure. They want people who are desperate enough to do these things for few rewards, I get it. But like, teenagers? Have you exhausted all the competent adults who exist in the world? It made no sense. The dragons were the only cool part. That and the fact that said dragons killed apparently the entire country of Bulgaria (???? what did Bulgaria do to this author?). I also was annoyed by putting Bletchley Park in the 20s? Like, I understand that the author wanted the teenaged characters to have experienced the dragon equivalent of WWI, but I really couldn't see why. Just a pet peeve.

All I needed to see was the word 'dragons' to know I wanted to read this novel. The time period and codebreaking were just extra icing.

Viv isn't an easy character to like. The author's note at the beginning of the novel warned me this would probably be the case, so I was prepared. Viv's made horrible decisions to the detriment of others, is oblivious to her privilege, and is selfish and cowardly in many ways. I had to question why Atlas, possibly my favorite character and a maybe priest-in-training, was interested in her. And yet, I cheered for her in the latter part of the story due to her tremendous character growth. She's faced with choosing what's best for the general population versus what's best for herself and her family.

The dragons are spectacular! Viv's attempts at codebreaking their communications between each other (not their known dragon languages) fascinated me. I love that they co-exist (in some places) and interact with humans. The world-building is detailed and well-executed, and it was easy to immerse myself in the 1923 setting.

So many things are going on - political intrigue, a corrupt government, and a war - and it occasionally felt like a Mission Impossible movie when masks are removed and the person isn’t who you thought they were. No masks here, but the same principle. The action-packed ending moves at a break-neck pace, and you'll want some uninterrupted reading time during the last 20%.

The sequel quickly landed on my list of most anticipated reads for next year. Recommended for fans of morally gray MCs, rebellion stories, and dragons, of course.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The marketing copy for S.F. Williamson’s A Language of Dragons describes it as Babel meets Fourth Wing. It’s understandable why it’s described as such (beyond, of course, these books’ commercial success): The story’s main character is a linguist (like Babel, though in this case, dragon languages) and the book takes place in a grim world where there’s a strict caste system for humans and dragons exist as an integral part of society (like Fourth Wing).

But where those books are clearly for adult readers, A Language of Dragons is solidly a young adult novel. It takes place in an alternate history of 1920s England, where Viv Featherswallow is a student in the middle tier of the country’s rigid caste system who strives to become a renowned dragon scholar. Her idea of the world and her place in it is shattered when Stormtrooper-esque authorities arrest her parents and her cousin, Marquis, for being part of a resistance fomenting against the government, leaving her and her five-year-old sister on their own.

Desperate to save her parents, Viv turns immediately against the system she’s followed her whole life and frees Chumana, an imprisoned dragon forced to work at a local library, under the condition that she burns down 10 Downing Street and the evidence against her parents within it. (As a reader, it’s probably best not to dwell on how quickly she decides to break the rules she’s lived in fear of her entire life, and how she thinks this scheme would work.) Chumana fulfills her end of the bargain, civil war breaks out, and Viv gets arrested. The prime minister, however, decides to have her work on a secret project: Dragons use a secret code via echolocation, she tells Viv, and she wants the teenager and her polyglot abilities to be part of the team set to crack it. Viv agrees, provided her cousin Marquis goes with her and that, if she succeeds, her entire family will be pardoned.

The bulk of the story takes place at Bletchley Park, a secret compound for England’s authoritarian government. It’s there she meets fellow teenage researchers forced to work on various projects to win the war against the rebels. She has romantic sparks with one of those other students, a Third Class boy named Atlas who can’t seem to stupidly stop mouthing off to his captors, an act that seems to accomplish nothing other than having him sent to solitary for a day or so rather than executed. (It’s also hard to see how Atlas falls so hard for Viv beyond general physical attraction—made all the more titillating given he’s in training to be a priest! They are teenagers, however, so let’s go with it.)

[rest at Reactor link below]

Dragons, rebellion, and codebreaking? Yes, please. This was sharp, smart, and wild in all the best ways. Vivian is messy but real, and the world feels urgent and raw. “To control language is to control what people know.” — and wow, that sticks with you.

4.5 stars

This book really dives deep on class and society and what it means to not question the status quo. It also hits on how leadership will show you the bright and shiny version of their rules while keeping the darker and more sinister part of what keeps society running. Our FMC deals with learning that what she has been taught was not the whole truth but what society wanted her to know to “protect her.”

I loved how we dive into how translation and language shape and transform our way of communication and that translation doesn’t always hit home the real meanings of what we are trying to say and how the translator can manipulate the meanings of words and ideas.

I feel like the FMC goes through a really interesting character arc and in the state the world is in today I highly recommend reading this novel!

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson.
A Language of Dragons is a fantasy book set in London in the early 1900s. Williamson creates a time when dragons lived alongside humans. Viv, the main character, knows dragon languages and is being used by the government to understand them more thoroughly. This book reminded me a lot of The Hunger Games: class systems that pit people against each other, combined with a government that uses power to control events. Fast paced, and character driven, keeps the reader vested. A great romantasy for teen readers!

3.5 stars rounded up. This book started strong for me, but my interest faded in and out as it went on. I liked the characters and the world-building and writing were solid. There were a lot of interesting ideas and themes that I think other readers might enjoy more than I did. I can't honestly say that the sequel will be an absolute must read for me, but this was interesting enough that the rest of the series will at least be on my radar.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

A Language of Dragons has a whimsical feel and some really creative ideas, especially when it comes to how dragons and magic are woven into the world. I enjoyed the unique concept and found a few of the characters really endearing. That said, the story sometimes felt a bit uneven—some parts moved too quickly, while others dragged a bit. I also would’ve liked a bit more depth or development in certain areas. Still, it was an enjoyable read overall, and I think it has a lot of potential, especially for readers who love lighter, imaginative fantasy

4.5 stars

I loved this one so much! It was definitely a favorite of 2024. I hope more people begin to talk about this release!

I binged A Language of Dragons in just a couple sittings while I was visiting my parents over Christmas break last winter. I genuinely could not put it down. I've never read anything quite like it--it was the perfect mix of history, fantasy, and honestly, give me anything with dragons and I'll already be inclined to love it. Following our FMC as she unravels the secrets and politics of their government while learning how to communicate with dragons and know their language.

It was a fast-paced start and lasted throughout the entire novel. I couldn't get enough. The world building was truly phenomenal. I would love to read more from this author!

“𝗧𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀, 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀, 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄.”

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 2/5 ⭐️⭐️

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 1/7/25

*Thank you @NetGalley and @HarperCollins for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Vivien lives in a world where dragons and humans peacefully coexist, when her parents are arrested as rebels- Viv goes in search of a way to help them and accidentally starts a civil war. She gets offered an opportunity to pardon them if she works with the prime minister and helps decipher the code and language of dragons.

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
🐉 Dragons
📻 Academia
🐉 Historical Fantasy- 1920’s
📻 Slow burn YA romance


𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: The premise of this book is pretty interesting, but when reading, the excitement wasn’t there for me. I think for a debut novel this is really good! Those who love dark
Academia would vibe with it, especially because it goes so in depth on echolocation and the foundations of the dragon languages. It just wasn’t for me and not something I enjoyed. I think there is an audience for this type of book and the writing was great. I did love the pink dragon, Chumana, and her sassy attitude! She stole the show!

#ALanguageofDragons

I picked this book up three times, hoping it would click with me. This last attempt was the farthest I got, but unfortunately, I still couldn’t finish it. The premise was genuinely intriguing, but for some reason, I just couldn’t connect with the main character and the story execution.

I adored this book, the complex way Vivian steadfastly learned the languages impressed me. I loved her and Atlas's relationship and their little notes that brought them together. I loved the dragons and their way of life. I hope the rebels win and Wyvernmire gets eaten by a dragon.

I absolutely loved the premise of this book but unfortunately it didn't pan out in execution for me, leading me to DNF at 49%. I found the main character (Vivian) to be pretty insufferable and it was frustrating for her to be stuck in her particular beliefs so far into the book after she had experienced so much that went against them. I'm all for staying strong to your roots but this went too far. I also felt like the pacing was off and I wasn't excited to see what happens next despite getting halfway through the book. The constant teasing of what Vivian did to Sophie with no reveal even half way through was pretty frustrating too. I think the writing itself was good overall, though.

The story is super interesting, highlighting the unfairness of society in a fantasy setting. However, the protagonist, Viv, is selfish and naive, leading to a moment of doubt. The dragons are loved, but more of them would have made the book more engaging. The immersive setting and immersive feel of the book make it feel like a movie in your head.

DNF At 47%

I really wanted to like this book. There were a lot of elements that made me want to read it but the execution fell flat. I am 47% of the way through and I just am not interested in what happens next. Vivian is not a great narrator and no one in the cast of characters around her is that compelling.