A Language of Dragons is a historical fantasy story set in alternative England in 1923 (a little like a steampunk world). This is a unique story about dragons because the main focus is language and a war against dragons. England wants to control them, and they just want to be free.

Viv comes from a family of linguists, she can speak multiple human and dragon languages, she is recruited by the government to learn more about dragons, and discover their secrets, in exchange they will free her baby sister. Viv will be in a of government academy and she will be in the codebreaking department, it's fascinating, it's different, it's not heavy, is easy to read and intriguing; the pacing starts slow, but then the action comes and you can't stop reading, Viv realizes that in her family there are secrets and that the government is just using her.

The marketing is focused on its similarity to Fourth Wing and Babel and I don't think they are so true, yes there are dragons but it is not an academy for dragon riders like in Fourth Wing, and although it focuses on linguistics, Babel is a more academic story.

It's a YA political story and it's a great debut so excited for the sequel, there is still a lot to explore, Viv academically can be very intelligent but also a little naive, she believes in what the media and the government have told her, as the story progresses she discovers the web of lies, and that is where the action begins. Viv is an interesting character but my favorites were the secondary characters, her schoolmates, Viv is very used to her lifestyle and doesn't ask herself the why of things, it is when she lives with other people that she starts to question the government and how they live as a society, she is not perfect and makes bad decisions and I think that makes her more human and also easier to empathize with, in the end, she is loyal to her family.

The dragons are important, but I hope that the sequel will be more about coexistence with them, in this book, it's more about their languages and their secret languages that humans still don't understand, and the beginning of the war against them, I hope that in the school they will be a little more the protagonists.

In the 1920’s there is a strict class system, as well as an understanding between humans and dragons, a pact or a truce if you will … that is, until Vivien Featherswallow breaks it.

When Viv’s family is in danger, she has to take things into her own hands. She accidentally frees a dragon, with a bit of a rebellious personality, and starts a full on Civil War. Now it is up to her to figure out the dragon’s language by becoming a codebreaker and unearthing the secrets that will help her save her family … and herself.

Dragons, action, drama, even a little romance … this book has it all. I am so excited to have been granted an early copy for review!

I read this in one sitting. Super interesting premise that we’ve always existed with dragons and languages developed as a result. This book fed the linguistics nerd in me in a way I didn’t know I needed.
It was interesting that the author chose to put a note in about her characters at the beginning. It’s almost like she knew I’d want to scream at Vivian for being the absolute worst multiple times as I was reading, lol.
This book was also a fascinating view into how propaganda and indoctrination can have a profound effect on individuals (especially children) and how, even in the face of mountains of facts to the contrary, they still want to hold onto those programmed beliefs.
Overall I will definitely recommend this book (and future books in this series (???)).

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Fantasy, Historical Fantasy, Alternate History Fantasy, Young Adult Fantasy
Language: It includes a couple of F-bombs.
Spice: Kissing
Representation: Gay secondary characters

A LANGUAGE OF DRAGONS is an incredibly fun ride with political undertones!

I've seen a few reviewers say they didn't like the book, but I think we have to remember the audience is YA and look for different things than adults. Even so, I think adults will enjoy this book. Yes, sometimes the characters make bad decisions—but teens make emotional, spontaneous, and selfish decisions every day, so I actually saw this as a positive thing in the characters lives. I also expect that the young adult characters are going to be responsible for saving the world, and so, this made sense to me.

Prepare to be shocked: in ways I preferred A LANGUAGE OF DRAGONS to Fourth Wing because the story is solid with a little romance instead of the world revolving around the main characters. The main similarity is that both books have dragons and there are government secrets. I would still use Fourth Wing as a comparable title. I didn't get a "dark academia" vibe from this book.

Things to look for:

WWII sentiments among some
Political maneuvering
Lies and twists
Dragons
Bad decisions
Codes & secret languages (completely reminds me of the Allies using the Navajo language in coded messages)
Alternate European setting
Competition
Life and death stakes

I was 100% in for the ride. And I'm ready for book 2.

Happy reading!

Is this the first in a series? It has to be! A Language of Dragons definitely lands in the fantasy category and not a “romantasy” but I liked it a lot. Vivian and the work at Bletchley Park provide a clever backdrop for the exploration of linguistics, classism and privilege.

Although the love story is not the point, it’s instrumental in Vivian’s journey to forgiveness and recognizing the disparities in society as she knows it. Her relationships with Marquis, Sophie and Atlas create opportunities for her to grow, and offer good balance for her character.

Also, love Chumana the dragon, and I hope there’s a lot more dragon interaction in future books!

I normally enjoy academia vibes, especially adding in dragons, but unfortunately this one wasn't for me. I read about 30% and was pretty bored, so I skipped ahead to the end to see if it was worth continuing.... I read the last couple chapters and truly don't feel like I missed anything in the middle since they kind of summarized the whole book. So at this point I DNF-ed, but I guess I sort of finished? Idk, but I would hesitate to recommend this one unless someone was looking for something specific that this book has.

Thank you SO MUCH to Netgalley, HarperCollins, and S. F. Williamson for this life changing ARC.

People shouldn’t fear their prime ministers, Vivien’ he says, ‘Prime ministers should fear their people’

I know this book technically doesn’t come out until January 7th, 2025 but I genuinely mean this when I say that this book is my top book of 2024 and I’m already planning a reread once my special edition gets here.

I can’t say that this is Fourth Wing x Babel since I haven’t read either, but I am obsessed with the fact that the dragons in this book are absolutely INTEGRAL to the plot line, and the way that the author weaves in this idea of what it would look like if they were real in a post WW1 or any war era and what that would look like was just absolutely fantastic to me. The way also this book hit entirely too close to home for me as someone living in the US right now and the uncertainty that the future holds in terms of government policies, I felt a little bit of hope reading this book.

I also really love that Viv is genuinely not a likeable FMC- she’s selfish and bratty and so focused on her one goal that she does literally anything to achieve her goals but I think that’s just perfect for this storyline. I am really hoping in further books we get to see her transform and have major character development because I feel like that’s what Williamson is setting up for and I am HERE for it!

Also the linguistics part in the middle of the book was so fascinating to me, and it felt so cool to discover the same information alongside with viv, and have my guesses of what the information means be correct with her.

This is an author to keep an eye on in the future, and I cannot wait to see what she crafts next!

2.5 rounded to 3 Stars?

It’s a little slow, yet there are explosive moments as well. World-building has been a little easy in a sense that it is London, 1910’s and 20's after World War I. This reads very YA with typical tropes: rebelling against authority, kids being the only ones who can save the world, stupid choices, etc. I never read any of the dystopian ‘Hunger Games’ type books in the late 2010’s as I was too old, but this would fit right in on that shelf I believe.

The miscommunication trope sitting at the crux of this was dragged out so long and once the 'bad' thing that Viv did to Sophie was revealed, it was very underwhelming. And then also not even completely earned because it turns out that she was forced to do it by someone else anyway. The characters are a bit surface, and the world-building was strange. (Why would a country rely on a bunch of criminal teens to save them from WAR?) Things like that...

This last 20% feels like the kids running around Scooby-Doo style from one place to the next. All of the loose ends were somewhat tied up, and left room for the next in the series as well. I have probably aged out of all YA at this point, so maybe this book would be right up the alley of someone within that age group.

This book was really cool - flawed/gray/ambitious characters, layers of politics, really unique dragon/human interaction, and just a splash of romance. Excited to see where this one goes.

Featherswallow was raised in a fantasy London in which humans and dragons live alongside one another. A class system is in place keeping people separate and vying to get ahead.

When her parents are arrested, there is nothing she won’t do to bring her family together again.

The writing style is simple and the twists are fairly predictable. The topics broached, though, are thought-provoking as Vivien tackles what it means to be selfish during wartime as she chooses between herself and risking it all to care for others outside her family for the first time in her life. Despite this, I feel she experiences very little character growth overall.

Also, there wasn’t as much dragon interaction as I was expecting. The main focus was on human research into dragon communication.

As a story, I did still find it enjoyable! Nothing over the top or inspiring, but it’s an easy, casual read.

3/5

This was gorgeous, and boy did it take us through a variety of emotions. Viv is definitely not a character you cheer for at first. She is self serving ans selfish,but she is very human at the same time. You feel for her and her motives to save her family,but then she learns more about the dragons and their language. Ultimately, it comes down to choosing what is right for you and what is right overall.

S. F. Williamson’s A Language of Dragons is a perfect read if you love fantasy or history or romantasy (though I wouldn’t call it romantasy, really). This 1923 alternate history is set in a London on the cusp of war. Vivien Featherswallow is a solid member of a Second Class family, privileged to have won a place studying dragon languages and—she hopes—following in the footsteps of her mother, a successful academic. Viv hopes that, by succeeding academically, she can ensure that her family retains their place in the center of society.

Viv’s life descends into turmoil in just moments when the adults in her family are arrested as rebels, and the stability that Viv counted on for her cousin, her younger sister, and herself disappears. Viv acts quickly to try to regain some sense of control, landing herself in a tenuous position whose only remedy is agreeing to work for the government that threatens everyone she loves.

Williamson plays with British war history, bringing Vivien into a team of rivals stationed at Bletchley Park who are tasked with uncovering truths about each facet of dragon life. As a civil war creeps closer, Viv desperately works to translate the dragons’ echolocation, which her teacher thinks may represent the key to unlocking their secrets.

The story unfolds from there, a delicious mix of history with dragons and intellectual challenges and cutthroat academic competition.

I loved so much about this book. Viv is a complex character who has made some poor decisions in the past that have betrayed some of the people closest to her, and watching her claw her way toward better decisions is incredibly compelling. The world building is just fascinating, and I appreciated Williamson’s ability to transform historical details around . . . dragons. The dragons themselves add another layer to the central story: they are prickly and independent and just as complex as the human characters at the center of the story. A Language of Dragons is a fantastic debut from Williamson, an author I’ll be following.

Initially, I was close to dropping this book. I didn't like the FLC and her selfishness. But I continued and was glad that I did. The world-building and political intrigue got me through the story, and I ended up reading it without stopping. I can't wait to check out the second story in the series. 4.5/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harpercollins for the opportunity to review A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson

A Language of Dragons is set in 1923 London. There, dragons soar through the skies while protests erupt in the streets. Out main character, Vivian, isn't too bothered by it all. Instead, she's focused on getting an internship studying dragon languages to ensure she and her little sister never have to risk growing up in the Third Class. However, nothing about this plan goes as it should. Instead by midnight, Vivien has sparked a civil war. As her world crumbles around her, Vivien is offered a lifeline. She must accept a mysterious job at Bletchley Park, or everyone she loves will be killed. If she succeeds in breaking the dragon code and helping the war effort, she and her family can all go home again. As she plunges deeper into her work in an effort to save her family, she realizes choosing between what is good and what she wants is a more complicated situation than she ever imagined.

I was absolutely blown away by this book. In fact, I read over half of it in a single day. The linguistic aspect of dragon languages and how they tied into society was incredibly interesting. Then, this was tied further into a complicated political struggle and crumbling class system. Add in characters who are motivated to do whatever it takes to save themselves and their families, and you have one amazingly written book. While Viv was a little naive to start, it was so interesting to see her change as a character as she completed her work and realized there was much more to what was asked of her than she originally thought. The book was developed in a way that you got to know each character and were genuinely moved by what happened to them. It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving you excited to find out the rest of the story in the sequel.

I've read a lot of books this year. I surpassed 100 just before December, however this book stands at the top of my list as being my favorite read in 2024. I can't wait to read what happens to Vivien next!

4.5 ⭐️

This is the first time I’ve ever read what I would classify as a political fantasy! Set in the 1920s Britain still revolves around a class system and there’s a dragon and human rebellion. It took me some time to get into the book but then I was gripped and needed to know what happened! It was fun going through the story from the FMC who’s truly learning what the world is like, I felt like the writing was very easy to visualise and I loved the concept and the way the book went. Would highly recommend this book plus it has dragons ☺️

The combination of history, politics rebellion and corruption combined with dragons was really well done in my opinion. It was also a nice change to experience a rebellion and politics from an academic standpoint rather than through the strong, and powerful main character. I really enjoyed the focuses on languages in this book and enjoyed a new take on dragon and human alliance.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and the author for an advanced copy of this book!

just finished reading the ARC of A Language of Dragons, and I have to say, it was such a refreshing take on dragon lore! The way the author crafted an entirely unique perspective on dragons and their magical abilities—expressed through a language all their own—was both creative and captivating.

The characters were another highlight for me. Their diversity brought richness to the story, and each one felt distinct and purposeful in their role.

While the pacing was a bit slow in the beginning and middle, around the 70% mark, the story truly came alive. From that point on, it was nearly impossible to put down.

I’m really hoping for another installment because there’s so much more I’d love to explore in this world. If you’re a fan of dragons, magic, and intricate world-building, this book is definitely worth a read!

3.5/5 politely rounded up.

An intriguing debut with an interestingly flawed main character and some cool worldbuilding surrounding dragons and language. That being said, the main character took a little too long to make character development progress on some of her flaws (to the point I started to lose interest in her journey) and I felt like the plot got increasingly messy in the last 25%. This book is also a classic example of a book that is "very YA," with impulsive characters, fast but sometimes uneven pacing, and defiantly rebelling against authority. If you're not enjoying YA books any more, I don't think you should try this one. But for the right audience, I think this will be a big hit, and I am definitely interested enough that I'll be keeping an eye out for the next book.

Update/full review 12/28/24

“Bletchley Park with dragons” is a quite a tagline to live up to.
It’s been a few months since I read this book, but I’ll do my best to finally put my thoughts in order.

I felt that this book was an intriguing start to a series, but it had some typical YA and debut pitfalls that put me off a bit. Now that I've had a few months to mull on it in my mind, I don't know that I'll continue on with this series personally.

Let’s go over the main points. Our main character is Vivian, a talented linguist who has been raised to do whatever it takes to advance in a society rigidly separated by a class system (including sacrificing her own morality/principles if that’s what it takes). When her parents are arrested for sedition, she takes desperate action - but Britain is on the brink of civil war, and her actions unintentionally push things over the edge. She’s offered a chance at redemption working with other teenage criminals/rebels/etc at Bletchley Park to help the government gain an advantage against dragons in the war.

Vivian was an interesting but often frustrating protagonist. I don’t need every main character to be likable, but there are still things that will get on my nerves. Vivian is someone who is very resistant to change and risk. She wants to protect her family, and she thinks sticking to the status quo is the best way to do that, even if the status quo kind of sucks for most people. It takes her a LONG time to finally begin to shift her viewpoint and understand that maybe the government she’s helping…is bad and she shouldn’t help them. Points for eventually getting there, but I would have liked for her to be a bit less thick-headed about it.

As for the supporting characters, the only ones I really remember are the Bulgarian dragon (who was cool), Vivian’s estranged best friend, and…there was a love interest, too, I think. He seemed fine. The romance clearly was not incredibly memorable but that doesn’t mean it was bad.
I would have liked a bit more focus and development on the relationship between Vivian and her former best friend whom she betrayed. I would have actually been fine with there being less romance in order for that to happen, because I was really curious to see the fallout of Vivian’s betrayal, and it didn’t necessarily hit the way I hoped it would.

As for the worldbuilding…I know the whole pitch for this book is “Bletchley Park with dragons” but I wonder if it would have been better served by being a secondary world fantasy? The war happening in this book is different enough from either of the world wars that I don’t know that this book benefits that much from being an alternate history instead of a second-world story. But that could also be personal preference. I don’t feel INCREDIBLY strong either way.

Anyways, this book is definitely worth picking up if you like YA and think a book about codebreaking dragon languages sounds cool. As previously mentioned, if you find that you don’t enjoy YA much anymore, I don’t think this book will be for you, because it does have a lot of that YA feel to it (not a dig! Just an observation).

4.25⭐️s This was not one I could read quickly. It had a fair amount of world building that I wanted to take my time with. I enjoyed that dragons were characters in the story. I do wish there was more about those dragon characters. But I do feel like this was more about world building and understanding the depth of dragon language. The development of Viv discovering more about the secret dragon language felt intricate. I’m looking forward to book 2. If chapter 30 was real, I’m not going to stop crying. 😭

Synopsis:
Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get a summer internship studying dragon languages, be smart, be sweet, and make sure her little sister never, ever has to risk growing up Third Class. She just has to free one dragon. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war. With her parents and cousin arrested and her sister missing, Viv is brought to Bletchley Park as a codebreaker—if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die. As Viv begins to discover the secrets of a hidden dragon language, she realizes that the fragile peace treaty that holds human and dragon societies together is corrupt, and the dangerous work Viv is doing could be the thread that unravels it.

Thank you to @netgalley @harpercollinschin and @sfwilliamsonauthor for the advanced reader copy. #alanguageofdragons #netgalley #advancedreader #arcreader #dragons #fantasy #youngadultbooks

Thanks very much to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. A Language of Dragons was a really interesting idea and generally engaging. I want to see where the story goes and, I enjoyed the parts of the book that focused on language and how the Dragons communicated. I had a hard time liking the main character, and had trouble believing some of the characters (especially the Prime Minister) would make the decisions that they made.

Thank you Harper Collins Children’s Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC of the book.

This book takes place in an alternate London in 1923, where people are divided in three classes and there is a truce between dragons and humans. Vivien belongs to a second class, she has dreams and plans on working with dragon languages but everything changes when her parents were arrested as traitors.

While reading this book I had a feeling that someone picked everything I like, mixed it up and made a story out of it. I enjoyed how the truth about the world was unraveling as Vivien was meeting people and hearing different stories, how characters were showing themselves as situations were getting dangerous. I loved how dragons were presented in this book, their history, linguistics and characters. The linguistics and some details on anatomy of dragons was a nice add-on to the whole picture.