The beginning of this book had me so lost and confused on the world but once it got going I was hooked. Read the entire thing in one sitting. Loved how flawed the main character was, along with the discussions of privilege; especially for a white author. For an author of faith, I was pleasantly surprised at how nuanced the depiction of religion was in this book.

Overall, this was very fun and made me want to immediately read more dragon fantasy.

Still unsure about the tropes this book was marketed as but perhaps that's something explored more in future books, of which I will most likely read!

Thank you to NetGalley as always for the ARC!

"A Language of Dragons" is set in London in 1923, in a world where people are forced into classes, protests erupt in the streets, and dragons soar through the skies. Vivian Featherswallow plans to follow the rules, secure an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her sister never has to risk growing up third class. However, by midnight, she has inadvertently started a civil war. With her parents arrested and now her sister missing, everything is collapsing around Viv. She receives a lifeline in the form of job offer, she seizes it. Living at Bletchley Park, she soon discovers that she is recruited as a codebreaker aiding in the war effort. If she succeeds, her family goes home; if she fails, they die. Initially, she believes that uncovering the hidden dragon language is achievable, but the more she learns, the more she realizes nothing is as it seems. The safety she thought she had was merely an illusion. This enemies-too lovers, academia fantasy is a must-read with its twists, turns, and betrayals at every corner. You won't want to it down.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Language of Dragons is a coming of age hero's journey set in an alternate history fantasy where dragons coexist in the world with humans. Political intrigue and rebellion stir the plot, and our main characters consist of teenagers looking to redeem themselves and save their broken society through long hours working at Bletchley Park. This story has rich backstory, highly interesting plot, and complex characters full of redemption arcs. This is a great teen fantasy/historical fiction blend, which though unusual works extremely well. School libraries should absolutely purchase this wholesome story about making mistakes and second chances.
Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this advance reader's copy!

I was immediately drawn to the premise of this book, even though I've been chronically disappointed by the actual linguistic aspect of similar books. I let myself have fun with it, but always want more, to see how linguistic structure actually affects the themes of the world. I say this knowing I come from a very specific angle, having a doctorate in linguistics. To that end, A Language in Dragons was the first on that actually gave me what I wanted.

Viv's actions are directed by what she knows of her mother's anthropological research, in determining whether dragons have dialects among their languages, to see how 'human-like' the development of dragon language is (and if it developed on its own at all, or was simply a byproduct of human language evolution). From the beginning, this book echoes the way indigenous languages have been used against its speakers - considering these languages less legitimate for the absence of features present in dominant western languages, insisting some vulgarity in the mathematical consequence of that language. And Williamson does an expert job of breaking down those assumptions in this world and using dragon languages as a metaphor for the struggles under colonialism, classism, how the people in power demonize what they don't understand or can't take for themselves, and weaponize what they can. She goes into the mapping between sound and meaning and how these mappings vary from dragon to dragon, in a way that tickles my brain. There's one line about 'twenty Arctic Indigenous dragon languages that have almost three hundred different words for cold', which almost certainly feels like a jab at the 'Inuit languages have 40 words for snow' oversimplification that's commonly words in 101 courses to explain the complexities of the Sapir-Worf hypothesis. She even has a mathematician working on the same problem, which I never see in fiction - in fact, most of what I see stresses how little language is like math. As someone trained in computational and mathematical linguistics, the idea makes my peers and I laugh, so it was so refreshing to see someone navigate this area with skill.

As for Viv herself, she is complex and struggles deeply with the privilege of assimilation. Her arc is about sacrifice in competition with solidarity. Her mother escaped political tensions in Bulgaria and raised her in the comfort of a middle class that uses the upper class as a goal and the lower class as motivation to excel, without questioning why the lower class needs to suffer. You find out quickly that her mother was actively working against this system, unbeknownst to Viv. Viv then works herself in knots defending the system she benefits from, running from her own actions, the people that she has betrayed in the name of class mobility. This is highlighted by the others she works with at Bletchley, what they standto lose, and their desperation to keep it. This isn't the Imitation Game, where the codebreakers' biggest obstacle is time and personality clashes - the recruits are pitted against one another and expected to become enemies to drive another forward, even when we, from the finish line, see that they could never have succeeded without collaboration.

I found the story well-paced, but it does ramp up quickly at the end - I didn't find it overly hard to follow, but some reveals could have come more easily with the time to breath. I'm also unsure how satisfied I was at the hand-wave to the interplay between race and class - acknowledging both Serena and Atlas face discrimination based on race, but given Serena is high class and Atlas is lower, it affects them in very different ways. With how Atlas' arc ends here, it's hard to say the theme has been fully explored. The marketing can also be misleading, as there is no 'enemies to lovers' romance - Atlas sees Viv's denial of her circumstance and regularly pushes her to do better, but there is no real rivalry or dislike. Instead of Fourth Wing, I would find Blood over Bright Haven, To Shape a Dragon's Breathe, and Firebourne more suitable comparisons, for the tone of political stratification in their worlds.

All to say, I think this was an extremely strong debut, with some wrinkles that will need to be addressed in the sequel. I'm eagerly awaiting the physical release and sequel, since this has been one of my favorite reads of the year.

This young adult book is interesting and unique. While there is a sprinkling of a sweet no spice romantic plotline, this is a primarily fantasy focused book, which was refreshing. The World War backdrop with the added codebreaking layer was engaging, and the way dragons are portrayed made this book unique. I am looking forward to future books in this series.

This book features political intrigue and rebellion with a 1920s/30s World War backdrop and takes place in Britain but with dragons and a shady prime minister. I found the linguistic side of the codebreaking refreshing.

Content: s*xual favors in exchange for tutoring services, class system, misogyny, people in power abusing their power, language, guard breaking someone's arm simply because they can, dragon and human violence of war, dragon head removed from body by other dragon, girl unalived during protest, light religious undertones

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

A Language of Dragons is an intriguing debut set in an alternate 1920s England where dragons and humans coexist uneasily within a rigid class system. The story follows Vivian Featherswallow, a second-class student turned dragon translator, as she navigates betrayal, corruption, and rebellion after her family is arrested.

I loved the blend of historical fantasy, dark academia, and detailed dragon lore, along with the thought-provoking exploration of class divides and the power of language. While the pacing felt uneven at times, and Vivian’s flaws could be frustrating, her growth felt realistic, and the ending left me eager for the sequel. This was a unique and thought-provoking read, highly recommend!

I'm a big fan of books featuring dragons, so wanting to read A Language of Dragons was a no brainer for me. Of course I enjoyed all of the parts dedicated to the different types of dragons and knowledge about them. It also helps that this is a dark academia book, which is another genre I enjoy reading. The author did a good job of building the world and the political system, which was good but it also affected the pacing at times. This book also had a lot of betrayal happening which added to the story and it kept it intriguing. Vivian as a main character was well developed (at times annoying as well), but I did like that she was flawed in ways instead of perfect as some authors tend to do with female main characters.

The blurb for this book had me so intrigued, and the concept overall is really interesting. It’s a good background start, but the book never seems to really get off and into the air for me. There’s a fair bit of minutiae, and I couldn't really get transported into this fantasy world. Because of that it just didn’t feel emotional or powerful. It felt more like a type of history book where things are described, versus really feeling IN the story of that makes sense. Still enjoyed reading it and would read more from the author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

What a fantastic debut! I'm not usually into dragons but I'm so glad I didn't let that stop me from reading this. I thought the worldbuilding was excellent—loved the alternate 1920s England where humans and dragons coexist. I loved the discussions of language and translation and class and power all wrapped up in a wonderfully paced and plotted story. I did find the romance underdeveloped—I would have LOVED to see more of Viv and Atlas on the page together—but I think it was also good enough for the age group and genre. I'm very much looking forward to the second book and the resolution of the story!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the E-ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A historical fantasy with Dark academia x Dragons. This was everything and more I needed in a book. It had a blend of action, political intrigue, and betrayals that were engaging and well thought out. I loved the fact that Vivian was a flawed main character and as the book progressed she was forced to confront her beliefs. She was insufferable at times as a Type A person, but a compelling main character in my opinion. If an author can make you feel that way about a character I say its a good job. The story touched on class divide and the impacts of wealth inequality. Along with the impact of translation and why the act of it is important but also dangerous if taken away or goes into the wrong hands. Language is a means of control both socially and culturally. I loved the segments and articles on dragons, the types of dragons, their hatching grounds, and how they used a language for different means than the humans. The cliff hanger at the end had me so hyped. I absolutely had a blast! Cannot wait to see where the rebellion and Vivian Featherswallow goes next. This is a must read book for 2025.

My favorite quotes were "Every act of translation requires sacrifice" & “To control languages, to control words, is to control what people know.”

A Language of Dragons is a fantastic historical fantasy full of dragons and mysteries.

It’s 1923 in London, and Second-Class student Vivien Featherswallow is hoping to secure an internship at the academy to study dragon languages. A polyglot who speaks several human and dragon languages, Viv is the perfect candidate. But when her family is arrested on suspicion of coordinating with the rebels against the government, Viv risks everything to save them. The Prime Minister recognizes her potential, and agrees not to execute her and her family for treason, but only if Viv agrees to work for the government at Bletchley Park as a dragon translator and code breaker. But the more Viv learns about the work she’s involved in, the more she begins to suspect that the government is corrupt and the Prime Minister is at the heart of it all. Will Viv do what’s right, even if it means siding with the rebels, or will she do as the Prime Minister wishes, even if it means the downfall of dragonkind?

This was a really intriguing and exciting young adult novel. Vivien is young and naïve, and has been brought up among the second class and all the rules meant to keep order in Britain. While she dreams of a different life without the class structures and the peace agreement between humans and dragons that restrict the dragons lives, the way things are is all she’s known. Viv goes through a lot of growth in this story, but it takes some really difficult circumstances for her to understand the choices that she needs to make, and how simply upholding the existing order can actually be harmful. Even as a second class citizen she’s lived a privileged life and it takes a great deal of learning from others to really see what it’s like living under the corrupt peace agreement. The supporting characters were also great, and I love the setting of Bletchley Park in an alternate reality with dragons. There are some difficult themes in this book, including dealing with a corrupt government during war time. I initially thought this was a standalone, but at the ending of this book it seems that more is coming, and I look forward to following Viv future installments in the series.

Thank you so much to Net Galley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

You had me at dragons! I love the fantasy and dark academia setting. I loved the buildup and the characters growth. They had their flaws but that’s what makes you fall in love with them and their story even more. I did feel like some of the scenes fell a little flat and the cliffhanger sucks if this is a standalone. Please let there be a second book

What a fascinating storyline. I spent most of the book highly annoyed with the main female character. She is so incredibly intelligent yet so ignorant and selfish. Many times, I wanted to slap her in her denying the needs of the greater good. It also took me a while to reconcile the actions of the dragons having so many human like behaviors. Overall, the story was quite unique, and although it is somewhat slow in parts, the whole thing has me completely intrigued to see what happens next.

A Language of Dragons is book 1 in a new series.
S.F. Williamson is a debut author.

Thank you SO much to HarperCollins for an advance copy of A Language of Dragons.

It’s 1923 in London, and where dragons and humans used to live harmoniously and work together, things have gotten tense. This doesn’t concern Vivian. She lives by the rules, she believes in the government and the class system. It works. Until it doesn’t.

Viv’s parents are arrested and in an attempt to save her sister she unleashes a scorned dragon to try and recover evidence that could damn her parents. The rule follower has just started a war. Believing that if she joins the war effort and helps translate and decode dragon language will save her parents, she goes headfirst into breaking the code. The more she learns from her ‘colleagues’ about life in the lower classes and the more she overhears around her, the less certain she is that she was ever on the right path. It’s time to decide which side of the war she’s really on.

This book has a little bit of everything and I loved it. There’s political intrigue with the veil of fantasy to make it palatable for someone who likes me who tries to escape real life when reading (although trust me, you’ll be able to draw real life comparisons!). There’s dragons. There’s the government building that Vivan is more or less forced to work in, that gives the feeling of a school setting. There’s the scheming and the plotting that every good book needs. There’s a forbidden slow burn romance. There’s heartfelt exploration of relationships - familial, parental, romantic, and friendship. There’s elatedness and heavy moments.

Vivian had moments that drove me utterly crazy. It’s to be expected in a book like this. You grow up believing wholly in something, especially when you have a positive experience. Trying to change your entire outlook and see a different view is a journey and not an easy one. But even though she tested my patience at times, I enjoyed her and all of the characters. There were some good character arcs, I thought the romance was believable. I’m excited to continue to learn these characters.

Picture that America’s Next Top Model gif of the woman crying and pumping her fist…that was me on the last page of this book. I am READY for book two, I cannot wait to see where we go. The setting for book 1 was great, but in book 2 we’re heading to one of my absolute favorite settings for a book - Scotland!

So many emotions, I'm not even sure how I'm supposed to be feeling.

Where to even begin? This book was definitely a wild ride. This book was not at all what I was expecting, but it was surprising to say the least. While there were quite a few things I very much disliked about this book, there were a lot of key elements that I did enjoy which is why I finished it. This book did take me awhile to get invested. It was around the 40% mark before I was actually invested and wanted to keep reading.

Let's start with the pros. I loved the dragons! I wanted even more of them. They way they were incorporated into this moment in history was very well done. I enjoyed the setting and all the societal discourse. This world felt real, and the dynamics between the characters felt very genuine. The way the book built up at the end was wonderfully done. I loved almost every single one of the side characters, but Marquis is getting the MVP award in this story. Once I hit that 80% mark, I couldn't put the book down because I just had to know how it was going to end. And on that note...THAT ending?!?? I need at least a week to process the emotional damage. The pacing of the last quarter of the book was really well done.

Now for the cons. I hated the MC with an ever loving passion. So much so that even the last quarter of the book didn't really change my stance on her. I understand having a deeply flawed character, but she was almost too intolerable to stomach at times. I found myself pulling away from the story because of the MC. I needed to take breaks from her. The pacing of the first quarter of the story was super rough. It took me quite a while to feel invested in the story and the plot. And also, let's talk about the romance...or lack of romantic development. The romance felt like too much a forgotten subplot that it felt like it came out of absolutely nowhere. I honestly thought her and Gideon were more likely to be a thing at first.

Overall, this book was a lot of things. I've got very strong feelings about everything. The things I liked, I really liked, but the things I didn't...I really didn't. It was a polarizing read to say the least. This book is definitely made for a certain type of reader. I have to imagine there will be a sequel. I'm not sure if I will continue with this series or not at the moment.

I would like to give a thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 4/5

Occasionally I read a book so good it gives me imposter syndrome. This is one of those books. A Language of Dragons is an absolutely fantastic YA fantasy set in an alt historical England (set in the early 1920s) with dystopian vibes, where all citizens are divided into strictly regimented classes and dragons interact uneasily with human society. The protagonist, Viv, is one of my favorite YA protagonists I've read in awhile--she's fiercely devoted to her family, yet she also makes terrible, realistic mistakes and struggles with her decisions as she slowly comes to realize the corruption of the government she always believed was good. Her internal battle with her background of indoctrination and propaganda is both a compelling one and a struggle I think is particularly important for a modern teen audience. There isn't really magic in the book other than the presence of dragons, but Viv's research into the dragon "code" she's assigned to crack provides a fascinating system of its own.

This book also has a rip-roaring pace with high and ever-escalating tension, a complex and diverse cast of characters, and some lovely friendship and romantic relationships that develop throughout the plot. I'll be eagerly anticipating the next in the series, and in the meantime will be heartily recommending this to anyone looking for YA fantasy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

I recently read an historical fiction middle grade book about the Bletchley code breakers and here’s another though wow is it very different from the last one as this one is a fantasy complete with dragons. It’s 1923 London and Viv is good with languages – specifically the language of dragons. When she becomes responsible for the breakdown of the truce between the human government and the dragons, she’s recruited to go to Bletchley to try to break the code to the secret language the dragons seem to have.
For you fantasy lovers, this is your next book. (And it has an awesome cover)

Dark Academia and dragons — I’m already sold. A Language of Dragons is a YA fantasy debut by Williamson. To start, this book was on the slower side plot wise for me, but it made sense in the context of the story. With Viv being tasked with breaking a dragon code, I expected the story to be more scheming and machinations and less high stakes action which held true for much of the story. I thought Williamson’s writing was incredibly well done with this story from the style of writing to what Williamson achieved in terms of world building and execution. I really loved how Williamson developed Viv’s character between the guilt she’s wrestling with to having her entire world turned upside down. I also liked the reluctant coworkers turned friends group that Viv found herself surrounded by. I do think this will end up being more of a niche read that will either resonate really well or the exact opposite especially depending on what your expectations of the book are.
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eARC courtesy of Harper Collins Children’s Books

DNF at 10%
This is a case where I know this book will definitely be for someone. For example, I think if you liked Fourth Wing and The Selection, this felt very similar with the whole dragon thing and then the class separation thing like in The Selection. However, I think you could only compare this to Babel if you’re squinting. And someone got lemon juice in your eyes. While it does have to do with translations, don’t walk in expecting loftier, philosophical debates. But hey, maybe you hated that aspect of Babel.
For me, I had to put this book down because it shared a lot of similarities to the academia and power struggle I found in Blood Over Bright Haven, which was a masterpiece in my opinion. And well, as I was trying to read this, this thought popped into my head: this story’s writing style and attempts at moral grayness doesn’t feel like it was done with a surgeons knife. It feels like a rando picked up a butter knife & entered surgery. There honestly is more subtly in classic Disney movies than in this book. And those are intended for children.
But as I said before, I had to put it down. I felt like I needed to put a couple books in between since it was reminding me of a recent read and not holding up to that one’s quality. However, coming back to it only illustrated more my belief that the writing wasn’t for me.
I think the idea of this story and its intentions are amazing and intriguing. I can see what it was hoping to do (the author also literally told us in her opening author note). But I think they may need a little more experience under their belt to help smooth the rough edges. I look forward to their future writing career. Sadly this wasn’t it for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an advance reader copy of this book for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of 2025.

Vivian Featherswallow has one task, pass her exams and go to University and study linguistics of dragons at all costs. When her parents are arrested as rebels, she’s thrown into a competition to break the code and keep her family alive.

I liked Vivian, she was willing to break laws to try and protect her family but naive due to wanting to believe in how she was raised, in this political climate she feels real to me in that regard.

I also thought the dragons were interesting, I wish we got more information on them and their dynamics, but Vivian doesn’t know much about them so neither does the reader.

That being said, a lot of this feels superficial. The author has done a good job, especially for a debut and I think it will appeal to the YA audience so I think the marketing is correct. We just don’t get enough information I feel, but I enjoyed the book.

It’s a quick read, and I enjoyed it, I think expectations need to be regulated and it will be enjoyable if you don’t look too deep.

3.5 stars rounded up