Devoured this one like a hungry dragon. Great plot. Great world building. Wish it had MORE with the dragons, but it's definitely a great start to a new series.

If a teenage Katniss Everdeen lived in a speculative 1920s London with dragons and her weapon wasn't the bow but at least nine different languages (at least 6 being languages spoken exclusively by dragons), it would be this book. Okay, no, I'm being too simplistic, but I hope you can see my point.

But this book was actually really good? And I was so invested that I got angry over the injustices the characters faced throughout. I'm also not sure if this book was a standalone or a series when I dove into the story, but it left enough of an open ended resolution that could honestly give us more about the speculative world that the author gave us; that is, when an impending war is fought between humans and dragons, how does communication play a part?

Loved the idea of different dragon languages, loved the overall story being spun about recruits working overtime at Bletchley Park in order to win a war. Hell, I even loved the characters we met--save for a special few, may they rot in dragon HELL.

The only thing that I really took issue with was how long it took for Vivien to get her act together. I know the book is meant to emphasize the major growth in her character arc, but my gawd it felt dragged out at times. It didn't help that we were constantly in Vivien's head, and because the first person POV leaves us with an unreliable and flawed character, it got tiring. All the characters around Vivien were better characters (Atlas is an honest to goodness SAINT, yall), and hopefully in the sequels, we are not just privy to her perspective. (I would KILL for a Marquis or Sophie POV tbh).

That being said, it was an overall enjoyable book and honestly, I'm here for the draaaaagons and my dragon queen Chumana.

i sadly did not like this as i hoped i would.

thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

let’s start off on a good note and mention what i did like: the plot/story! it was quite unputdownable and intriguing in my opinion!

let’s look into how this book is advertised/what it promises and see if it delivers:

— an epic sweeping fantasy - yes!
— incredible dark academia setting - not really
— slow burn enemies to lovers romance - NO! not even close! more on that soon
— unputdownable story - yes!
— twists and turns - eh
— betrayals and secret identities - not really

my main problem with this book was the insufferable fmc! she was so ignorant, selfish and blinded by privilege. her actions were horrible and made me so mad that it simply did not make this a good reading experience at all. the fact it took the ENTIRE book and i’m talking about 90% of it for her to realize her wrongs is insane to me; if there’s a sequel to this, it has the potential for the best character development! i know the author intentionally made her insufferable so props to her for bringing this anger out of me

the other thing i did not enjoy at all was the romance. the book promises slow burn enemies to lovers, slow burn where? enemies where? lovers where? the fmc and mmc start off as strangers, take one look at each other and the next they are interested. can’t even call it insta love because there were barely any interactions at all! i felt no connection between them whatsoever.

i was hoping for a jaw dropping ending based on a few things i saw about it but frankly i didn’t care at all when it happened.

this book simply wasn’t for me and these are all just my opinions!!

A Language of Dragons
✨YA fantasy
✨academic setting
✨politics and war
✨morally grey FMC
✨dragons
.
I know dragons are all the hype at the moment and I thought the premise of this book sounded really interesting. The linguistic aspect and translating dragon language was a new concept.
I think many people will enjoy this book, I’m just finding that YA is a genre I’m moving past as a reader.
I found it a bit too long and the romance aspect was really lacking. I did love the dragons, hands down the best part of the book.
BUT, I do think the ending sets the next book in the series up nicely.
Thank you netgalley and Harpercollins for the opportunity to read and rate this book!

I really wanted to like this more than I did. There were moments I really loved it and moments I would get overly frustrated. My biggest reason to only give it 3 stars is that Vivian is constantly saying she is going to give the information about the dragon’s secret communication to the prime minister way and then going back on it way too many times. Once or twice would have been fine but it happens like 3 or 4 times and it gets tiring. Just the number of times she goes back and forth between helping the rebels and doing what she has been taught since she was born is also very tiresome. The dragons were fantastic though and the communication part of the story was very interesting.

YA Romantasy
-Dark Academia
-Morally grey FMC
-Historical fantasy: war and politics, relations between human and dragons


The title and the book cover is what drew me into this book. I’m new to fantasy and so far dragons and world building are my favorite aspects.

The story follows Vivien Featherswallow, a 17-year-old girl who grew up in a wealthy social class and dreams of being the best draconian language expert in the UK. When her family is arrested for wanting a society where humans and dragons could peacefully co-exist, a desperate Viv does a move that lands her as a recruit for the government's war effort. But being a recruit tests her existing values as she becomes gradually torn between saving her family and saving her entire country from ruin.

This is an excellent book for fans of fantasy with a dark academia vibe. The author does an impressive job of putting readers inside Vivian's head, allowing us to fully understand her motivations and decisions. The world-building is immersive and vividly detailed, making it easy to picture yourself alongside the recruits.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced book filled with dragon battles, this might not be the story for you. Instead, it’s a slower-paced tale focused on linguistics and unraveling the secrets of language

“we live in a world that permits everything and forgives nothing.” 4.25!

thank you harper collins, netgalley, & s. f. williamson for this arc! this book was a YA babel in a world where dragons are either feared or enslaved. i enjoyed every second of this book! i highly recommend and am excited for when the next book comes out!

while there is a heavy reliance on religious epithets, i didn’t think that it disrupted the flow of the story. rather, give it was 1923 london, it felt almost fitting for the heavy religious undertones. i may not be one as committed as atlas, but it was still a story that made you believe in the art and hope of second chances!

3.5 stars, rounded up
——————

A Language of Dragons was a thrilling read for sure, but it lacked something for me.

I really enjoyed this book. The plot was engaging, though slightly slow. I loved the idea of regional dragon languages and the idea of dragons as contributing members of society, although it was in a negative way per the needs of the story. You get nationalism and rebellion, this ragtag group of young adults thrown together to solve issues that professionals can’t seem to do. The academic side of things was well portrayed and interesting. The authors ability to create this world without info dumping it was incredibly refreshing. Never did I feel overwhelmed by the info I was getting, but never did I feel confused by the world I was in. Amazing setup to the book. Amazing world building to start off a series.

What really let me down was Vivien. She was so insufferable. No matter what evidence was given to her, her inability to think critically (as a whole adult) was incredibly awful to read. Her ignorance felt like a device to carry the plot along by drawing out events, but it could have easily relied on actual content to do the same. I could not get past her. She had good chemistry with Atlas at least, and their verbal sparing was interesting, but it just lost its spark because of her as a person. The side characters are so interesting, I wish we could have gotten more of them and their stories. I remain hopeful that it will happen in the next book.

Solid start to a series. I will probably keep reading.

I loved this one! Everything about the world building, from the political upheaval to the dragon anatomy, was fascinating. Viv was a protagonist who was at times difficult to root for because she was making choices I'd hope I wouldn't in her situation, but her motivations were always easy to understand in a way that kind of makes you question how "good" you would be if facing the same obstacles. There were multiple twists and turns that had me literally gasping out loud. I can't wait for book 2!

Williamson’s A Language in Dragons is a refreshing take on dragon fantasy, blending linguistics, politics, and privilege in an alternate WWII setting. The premise is fascinating, but the academic focus might feel a bit dense for some.

The protagonist, Viv, is deeply flawed and often unlikable, but her struggle with privilege and moral conflict adds an interesting depth to the story. Her relationships, particularly with Atlas, touch upon themes of sacrifice and solidarity under systemic oppression. While the pacing is a bit weak at the start and the ending feels kind of rushed, the story is definitely engaging overall.

My thought is that this is a strong debut that dives into class, colonialism, and the layers of language.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Actual rating: 3.75 ⭐

I'm still trying to figure out how to put my words into this review. here's the things i did like. i like the aspect of languages and dragons and how they intermingle with one another. it's fascinating to see how the language plays a huge role into this book. i found the characters complex and a little frustrating at times, but i think it worked very well for this book. i also really like how the history intertwined with a fantastical element with dragons and how they mingle with humans, hence the language usage.

however, i did think the story did drag a little. i thought vivien's thoughts were too repetitive we get the dangers of what will happen to your family and sister. we get it. please stop mentioning very three pages. i think it would be much stronger if it was mentioned maybe a few times throughout the book. i also thought the ending was a little flat to me. it felt too rushed and too all over the place. i'm going to assume the there will be a sequel with the books, since it did leave us on a cliffhanger at the end cause why else would that line be there.

all in all, i thought it was an interesting story. could use a bit of work, but i enjoyed it nonetheless.

3.5⭐️
The premise of this with the dragon language studies was what initially drew me to the story. I loved that the dragons were able to communicate in their own way and had their own autonomy. The wold building was well placed and didn’t feel info dumpy at all which I appreciated. The plot was very fast-paced which did keep me engaged. Despite this, I struggled to connect with the FMC. Vivian came off as a very judgmental selfish person in this. She was often in a state of denial and was constantly trying to excuse her reckless behavior. Her choices made it very hard to connect and like her in the book and by the end when she began to change, it almost didn’t matter. Overall it was still an enjoyable read but I wish the pacing was a bit better and the character made better choices so I could really fall in love with them.

A Language of Dragons

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5

-YA Romantasy
-Dark Academia
-Morally grey FMC
-Historical fantasy: war and politics, relations between human and dragons

Omg ok, I started this book a few days ago and at first I hated the fmc sooooooo much that I was about to rate this gem of a book 3 stars. 😱

When did it become a 5? When I realized the author wrote a very annoying fmc on purpose and how she made her grow very slowly from a girl completely brainwashed by the government to a girl who want to do things right, to protect not only her family and comfortable life but also the dragons and the freedom to study a befriend them.

So I’m going to tell you this: if you feel like dnf’ing because of her, please continue to read because the more you read the better the story and character development get 🥰

I am so happy I started 2025 with a great dragon filled book 🥹💞

Vivien has always had a love of both human and dragon languages. So much so that she has worked endlessly to get into the University’s coveted Linguistics program and secure her position as a Second Class citizen. However, on the eve of being accepted, Viv’s world is turned on end. Her parents, uncle and cousin are arrested for being rebel sympathizers — the rebel coalition that fights the oppressive Prime Minister, her dividing class system, and the maltreatment of dragons. This catalyst opens Vivien’s eyes to the world outside her immediate future and sets her on a course that could forever change Britannia.

This is a solid first book where we have some major character development and we are introduced to the greater world that our protagonist lives in. There is immense growth in Vivien as she transitions from being a child in her parents’ home to an adult making real decisions for herself. The world of humans and dragons is also pretty cool — how they have evolved together and have their own societies in this 1920s European world. The light romance is also a treat. 4 stars.

Review based on a digital Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley. Thank you!

Already one of my favorite reads of the new year. Intense right from the start. Got me hooked right away and I will absolutely be recommending this book to so many people.

This book captivated me from start to finish! It’s a fascinating blend of rebellion, moral ambiguity, and the discovery of how dragons communicate. The protagonist, Viv, is caught in a struggle to save her family while grappling with her own uncertainty about who to trust. With the rebellion gaining momentum, she’s torn between conflicting sides and unsure of where she truly belongs.

As Viv navigates her internal conflict, her journey takes her to Bletchley Park, where she is chosen to become a codebreaker alongside her cousin and a former friend. The shifting dynamics between them, shaped by their differing statuses and relationships, add another layer of complexity to the narrative. The world-building is superb—concise yet immersive, providing just the right amount of information without overwhelming the reader.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read, and that cliffhanger! I’m already eagerly awaiting the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and S.F. Williamson for providing the e-ARC.

Amazing. Like blood over bright haven meets babel meets dragons. I loved the concept of language and communication being what wins the war just like in the real world wars. The addition of dragons and class wars and politics made this even better. Every character was detailed and well fleshed out, and had their own backstories and motivations. The growth of some of the characters and moral conflicts they faced were incredibly well thought out. Honestly a masterclass in writing I devoured this in one day. A compelling plot with excellent characters.

RATING: 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

Thank you to S. F. Williamson, NetGalley, and Harper Collins for an opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

With YA having the most diverse range of fantasy books in its demographic, it can be a challenge at times to search for a book that catches my eye. Fortunately, A Language of Dragons piqued my interest, which I describe as World War 1, but the fantasy element is the implementation of dragons in our real world.

The story follows Vivien Featherswallow, a 17-year-old girl who grew up in a wealthy social class and dreams of being the best draconian language expert in the UK. When her family is arrested for wanting a society where humans and dragons could peacefully co-exist, a desperate Viv does a move that lands her as a recruit for the government's war effort. But being a recruit tests her existing values as she becomes gradually torn between saving her family and saving her entire country from ruin.

The academic elements were my favorite parts of this book. Taking the time to delve into the history and linguistics of dragons helped to shape a realistic world. The mystery behind echolocation was fascinating to figure out, and I loved how this was done through the perspective of a female character who was intended to be unlikable. Viv is cunning and ambitious, but she's also vulnerable toward the people that mean so much to her.

I did wish the romantic subplot and Viv's character development had more room to be fleshed out. There weren't enough on-page scenes for me to truly connect with Viv and Atlas as a couple, and Viv took a little too long for my personal tastes to have her epiphany of how terrible she was for the decisions that she made.

Nonetheless, I do recommend this book if you want your dragons prominently featured as part of the main plot, the romance takes a back seat, and the depiction of war isn't taken lightly.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

What an amazing fantasy!! This book sucked me right in!!

I love this book up until about 20% in and then it was a little bit hard to get through till about 35%. However, once I got through that part, which was very much them just describing the languages and trying to describe echolocation, it ended up being amazing.

Viv is a second class citizen, trying to free her parents and her sister after she accidentally starts a civil war. She’s given the opportunity to free them and redeem herself from the Prime Minister. So she is sent to a secret military location to try to start deciphering the “echolocation” type language that dragons use.

I would give this 4/5 stars. This book was so wonderful and I can’t wait for the second one to come out. I would highly recommend this to everyone and I will be buying a physical copy for my shelf.

"A Language of Dragons" by S. F. Williamson is a fantastic 5-star fantasy read! Vivian Featherswallow has ambitious goals, but her carefully laid plans come crashing down when the Guardians arrive at her home, forcing her onto an unexpected path. With the country in turmoil and on the verge of war, Vivian must decide what course to take to secure a safe future for her family. Will she support the Coalition uprising against the Peace Agreement and the oppressive Class System, or will she remain loyal to the government she has trusted her entire life?

This is an excellent book for fans of fantasy with a dark academia vibe. The author does an impressive job of putting readers inside Vivian's head, allowing us to fully understand her motivations and decisions. The world-building is immersive and vividly detailed, making it easy to picture yourself alongside the recruits.

As the story progresses, a cast of well-developed supporting characters helps balance the tone of the determined and complex FMC. While Vivian’s personality and worldview may not appeal to everyone, Atlas, her fellow recruit, and Marquis, her cousin, bring moments of humor and hope that lighten the narrative.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced book filled with dragon battles, this might not be the story for you. Instead, it’s a slower-paced tale focused on linguistics and unraveling the secrets of language. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope to see a sequel in the future!

Thanks to HarperCollins, S. F. Williamson, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.