Love love LOVE this book. The story is immersive/involved and the writing is atmospheric. There is war, politics, rebellion, interesting complicated characters, and dragons used as more than just a weapon of war! I love when writers give dragons personalities and make them into characters in the story. Loved all of the twists and turns, I couldn’t put this book down. Can’t wait to read this again and to make all of my friends read this since it’s officially out!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this EARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Language Of Dragons ARC review
4.8 🌟
What a truly magnificent story, I was completely swept up by this book! It's dark academic setting with code breaking, swoon worthy romance (that had me blushing and giggling more times than I can count), banter, self discover and of course dragons!
This book is everything I could possibly want in a fantasy, and some things I didn’t know I needed.

The plot was constantly twisting and turning into places I did not expect. If a little slow throughout the middle, by the end the story more than made up for it with a jaw dropping finale. The side characters are all very well developed but don't steal the spotlight or overshadow the protagonist (who is awesome by the way), I had so much fun inside of Viv’s head and by the end of the book I did not want to leave. The journey she goes on through the course of the book feels so human the way it is written. Her character arc in particular was so much fun to follow. I can’t say too much without giving away that end of the book, but I will say that she has to make some very interesting and self defining decisions.

All in all this book was really a blast to read, I loved ever second of it and truly hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Thank you so so much to NetGally and HarperCollins children's books for giving me a chance to read this amazing book ahead of publication.

Wow!! I was definitely not expecting this to be as good as it was!
Dragons
War
Alliances
Romance sub plot
Class systems
Did I mention dragons?
This book is set in 1920’s London where our FMC Vivien, a polyglot, a speaker of dragon tongues, finds herself in the midst of a civil war between her government and a mass of rebels fighting to destroy not only the allegiance between dragons and humans but also the class systems put into place.
Will her knowledge of dragon languages save her family or doom humanity? What happens when the line between good and evil becomes distorted? What if everything you thought you knew about you world was false?
This book was so well written. I found myself swiping so fast thru the action scenes that I had to re-read some pages twice. The romance plot was not the main focus, although it was a very emotional side story. I cannot wait to get my shelf trophy!

This book is stunning. I stayed up late finishing this one and I'm a go to bed early kind of girl. If you love dragons, politics, and complex characters read this. The author built a epic world and plot without it being confusing or boring at all. I have zero interest in languages and I loved the language aspect of this book. I'm definitely looking forward to more from S.F. Williamson.

3.5 stars rounded up.

TL;DR: A Language of Dragons took me on a rollercoaster of thoughts and emotions. This fantasy world where humans and dragons co-exist had a fascinating premise and overall, I think the author executed it well. This has a little something for everyone—an in-depth exploration of linguistics and the power of language, political intrigue and subterfuge, romance, and dragons, and I think its comparison to Babel and The Hunger Games (or any other dystopian YA) is apt. Despite being a historical fantasy, it explores evergreen themes of social inequality, redemption, forgiveness, and justice, among others. The main struggle I had was dealing with the wildly negative feelings our protagonist, Viv, brought out in me as she's one of the most flawed and unempathetic YA characters I've ever read. Upon reflection, I appreciated what the author did with Viv and how it made her eventual growth more satisfying—even if I didn't reach that level of acceptance while reading, lol. If you're affected by unlikeable protagonists then you might not enjoy this but if you can have patience, I think you'll come to appreciate Viv too! Overall, this was a very solid debut and I can't wait to see where Williamson takes the story next!

The world-building was very interesting. This fantasy is set in an alternate post-WWI world where dragons and humans live together. In Britain, a fragile Peace Agreement allows humans and dragons to co-exist peacefully but humans are divided into strict social classes, and dragons have become “fourth class” citizens to be feared and abhorred. This dystopian Britain is a result of greed and an unmatched hunger for power that has corrupted the ruling class and resulted in a burgeoning rebellion that leads to civil war. We're gradually introduced to various elements of the world and I think it's set up brilliantly. I enjoyed learning about the various regional and familial spoken dragon dialects, but especially about Koinamens, the unknowable language of dragons that Viv spends most of the book trying to decode. You can tell how passionate the author is about linguistics and the power of language as it shines through in the writing and Viv's character who is a polyglot. This does read similarly to Babel but again, it's very clearly written for a YA audience with its simplified language, and I think that will be appreciated by all readers. The author also does a great job of exploring the heavy but important themes of social inequality, the class system and oppression, morality, forgiveness, redemption, and justice.

Once the action kicks off, tensions steadily rise as Viv finds herself placed in Bletchley Hall "fighting" for her family's survival. Might you have to suspend your disbelief that it's down to criminal teenagers (albeit with brilliant minds) who are set to save the country from war? I don't feel like it was too much of a stretch considering how eagerly the Prime Minister exploited whomever she could for personal gain. I will say that although tensions are high, it doesn't necessarily feel like we're entrenched in civil war due to Bletchley Park's "isolation" and what we do hear is through minor radio reports and news clippings interspersed in chapters. It would've also been great to get a better understanding of the PM's motive because yes, she's greedy, power-hungry, and wants full control but... To what end? The pacing also could've been better but I think that's in part due to the many pages of internal monologuing and teenage angst we're subjected to being in Viv's head. All of the explosive action that takes place towards the end is crammed into about 15% of the book and for being over 400 pages long, I think it could've been moved up to better set things up for the next book. That said, the tension was enough to propel the story forward and keep me eagerly turning the pages to find out what comes next.

When it came to the characters and the relationships, much of it was told rather than shown, which made some of the interactions and larger “shocking” events fall slightly flat as I didn’t feel the emotions needed for it to have hit harder. This most affected how I felt about the romance, which had its cute and sweet moments, but in my opinion, the depth of their feelings for each other was unbalanced with what we see of their interactions on-page. It's also very much *not* enemies-to-lovers although if you stretch the idea based on how Viv acts for most of the story, you can take it that way. 🤷🏻‍♀️

This leads me to our main character and... my very mixed thoughts about her throughout the read. To be fair, the author does pre-warn us that Viv is a very flawed character so you don't go in completely unaware. Did that warning help how I felt about her? Not particularly, lol. Viv Featherswallow is... someone who would do anything for her family and to maintain her comfortable status quo as part of the Second Class. She has done truly unforgivable things to hurt the people she claims to love and care for most in the world, and despite the guilt she suffers, she knows she'd do it again if it meant keeping her family safe and her worldview intact. She is naive to a fault, self-centred with a superiority complex, an insufferable kiss-ass, and a coward. She has made and continued to choose to make selfish decisions regardless of the impact on others, and it's fair to say that I found her wholly unlikeable and completely unempathetic for close to 90% of the book. She does eventually begin trying to make amends and essentially be a less selfish and more forgiving version of herself, which was satisfying to see.

However, it was only after I finished reading and had time to process my reading experience that I came to significantly appreciate how Williamson chose to write Viv's character. Viv is human and a teenage human at that. She makes infuriatingly naive decisions and frustratingly avoidable mistakes, and sometimes repeats them! But does that truly make her a bad person? Even if it was irritating to read, Viv's flip-flopping felt true to her because she's not going to suddenly be 100% on board with the rebellion after fighting so hard to keep her blinders on. Does this make me dislike her any less? Not really, no, but I can see what the author was trying to do with Viv's character and I'm keen to see what she will be like in the next book and where the story goes from here.

Dragons have always been popular, but 2025 is shaping up to be THE year for Dragon Lit. We all know about Onyx Storm hitting shelves later this month, but do you know about A Language of Dragons? Pull up a chair, let's talk. Set in an alternate London in 1923, dragons are in the world but it's an uneasy existence with humans. A rigid class system is in place that moves people up and down among classes like chess pieces. Viv Featherswallow isn't concerned with any of this, though. She's got a level of privilege as a member of the Second Class, and has her life sorted: she's going to get a summer internship studying dragon languages and attain a comfortable job as a dragon translator. She may have done some awful things to keep her comfortable spot, but she did what she has to do. Until the night her parents are arrested for being part of a rebellion. Viv's world is turned upside down; desperate, she leaves her sister with family friends, focused on one task that will destroy evidence against her parents. All she has to do is free one dragon. By midnight, she's sparked a civil war. Viv is brought to Bletchley Park as a codebreaker - translate the dragons' hidden language, and she and her family will go free. But it's never that simple, and the more Viv discovers about the hidden language, the more she learns about the Peace Agreement between Britannia and the dragons, and the corruption that goes all the way to the top: the Prime Minister. Will Viv give the Prime Minister the information she needs, putting all of dragonkind at risk, or will she risk her family's safety? A Language of Dragons has it all: a conflicted heroine, a romance, and a richly layered story with very high stakes. Unputdownable for fantasy fans and dragon aficionados.

I received an ARC of this book but the views expressed within represent my personal opinion.

I enjoyed this book a lot. There was a lot of action and an interesting commentary on forgiveness and redemption. I believe in a good redemption ARC and few authors, especially in the YA sphere, do it well. I think people should not be judged solely on their worst day, but on the other hand it shouldn't be overlooked either. A lot of authors and readers go one way or another. Characters must be perfect, and one bad day can wipe out a lifetime of good and they must never be forgiven. Or one good day means their lifetime of bad is forgotten, and those who can't forgive or forget are truly evil and responsible for every time they slip. But it's a lot more nuanced than that, and this author does a good job of portraying that.

The characters are interesting too. I was surprised by how much I rooted for and identified with some of them. I know the author starts with saying the main character is unlikable, but both she and her choices are relatable from the begining. I also like that the author didn't cheapen the unforgivable thing she did, because it really is something that could be unforgivable. However, a weak point is that a couple of the supporting characters were under-developed to the point that key emotional moments felt weak and unimportant. There's a lot that happens in the books, but it felt as if some more bonding moments could have been included at the expense of some of the teen angst, or the book could have been longer, to help those emotional moments pay off.

I sped through this book and had a lot of fun reading it. Where it lost one star was the fact that the characters and language felt much too young or too old at times, in a weird and inconsistent way. I get that teenagers can be pretentious at times and whiny at others, and maturing isn't a linear journey, but there were definite moments where i had to suspend disbelief to pretend the characters were older. Also the extent of one of the factions just defied all expectations, but I won't say more because spoilers. Still, these are minor qualms in an otherwise great story which absolutely deserves 4 stars, possibly 4.25 if goodreads allowed that.

I'm a sucker for anything with dragons, so this was an instant-request for me. And I really liked it! Interesting premise, characters we care about, mysterious happenings, etc. I don't see it listed as Book 1 anywhere, but this definitely reads like the start of a series. If it's not... then I have a lot of questions re: worldbuilding and consequences and the like.

I thought this was a great blend of romance, dragons, and action! I haven't given dragons x dark academia a thought before this book, but now I'm definitely a fan!

I thought this book about dragons and language had what seemed to be very few actual dragons that you actually got to know, and a main character who constantly talked about all the bad things she had done. If you want to right an anti-hero or a morally grey character, I think there are ways to do it without them self referencing their supposed "badness" all the time. While I found the concept interesting (dragons, language, code breaking), the world building felt over explained (there was so much info dumping, especially towards the end) and not really shown. The explanations that were used to explain the main character's drive were also not enough for me (and not even enough for the character it seems!). Also, I saw the romance described as "enemies to lovers" and also the setting as "dark academia" but I think those are both a bit of a stretch!
I still hope this is a big success so we can get more dragon books out in the world, but it's lacking both the emotional complexity of Babel (which I saw the marketing team comparing it to) and the bare minimum steaminess of Fourth Wing (which I also saw the marketing team comparing this to you, which, ????). Also, unlike those books, this is YA - maybe if it hadn't been, it would have been richer. But, for now...this wasn't it.

This was just alright for me. I was drawn in initially because there was something about it that was deeply nostalgic, reminiscent of all the YA classics; think the dark academia of Harry Potter, the dystopian class system of The Hunger Games, and the WWII-esque setting of Narnia.

But with dragons.

I also love the inclusion of linguistics, a topic that has always been fascinating to me, but the sections focusing on it did get a little tedious at times, bogging down the overall pace of the story.

The biggest hang up for me was that there was a lot of potential, but a rushed execution. I could tell the author wanted nuanced politics and a deep character study with the diverse cast, which I appreciated, but instead of waiting for all the subtleties to be revealed naturally and in time, a lot of it was exposited all at once through forced, clunky dialogue.

There will be many who enjoy this, especially fans of middle grade and younger YA, but it was just ok for me.

I was pleasantly surprised by A Language of Dragons!
I LOVED the historical aspect of this novel. The way they tied in real world aspects, while also weaving a beautiful thread of fantasy into it.

I thought the plot was brilliant. I loved how much the dragons were incorporated into the story line.

The ending felt like a rush of activity! I almost wish so much hadn’t happened because I felt some things got lost in the chaos. I also didn’t love how our two main characters were instantly in love, while hardly getting to know each other through most the book. The ending though made me hopeful for the second book!

An INCREDIBLE read, dragon academia meets meets Divine Rivals meets Hunger Games in this suspenful and heart breaking dystopian. The writing is top notch and I was enthralled by the first line and couldn’t put the book down.
Vivian is caught between climbing the social ladder and reaching her big dreams of being a dragon translator and the dangerous world of the growing rebel forces.

You get a school/training atmosphere in war times
focusing on the academic side of war instead of physical training. Swoony Secret letter writing in a “clandestine passing of notes”.
The FMC is a tortured soul living with guilt, but finds hope and healing through friendship, love, and dragons.
You do get a slowburn side plot romance with a moment that feels earned and then, in true dystopian fashion, rips your heart out.

🐉 Dragon Academia
🐉 Dystopian
🐉 Found Family
🐉 Tragedy
🐉 War and Battles
🐉 Danger and Suspense

5⭐️ 🫑 (no spice with a couple swoony steamy moments)

A Language of Dragons takes a super interesting take on linguistics and translation and incorporates all the best parts of political intrigue, corrupt governments, and rebellions and combines them in such a unique way. I also enjoyed the historical London setting, but wish it were incorporated a little more into the story.

What I really enjoyed was how flawed our main character is. Viv will do anything to protect her family, even at the cost of others. While some saw this as insufferable, I would imagine a lot of us would act the same if put in the same position. I also really enjoyed the corrupt government and political intrigue. Williamson also does a great job with the world-building. I was fully immersed in the world and was expected with each new piece that was introduced.

The reason this wasn't a 5 star read for me was there was a bit of a lull in the middle of the book when there was a heavy focus on linguistics. I think that's fine, it is important to the story, but it did take me a longer to get through that section. I also wish we could have seen more from the different side characters and the work they were assigned. I realize it was supposed to be secret, but I think it would have added to the story. I also wish we could have seen more interactions between the FMC and the love interest but their notes back and forth were really cute.

I really enjoyed this book was surprised to see it was a debut! I think it was a wonderful start to the series and can't wait for the next installment. S.F. Williamson is going to to be The author S.F. one to watch!

Despite this being marketed as YA, I definitely think adult audiences will enjoy this novel.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

“In an alternate London in 1923, one girl accidentally breaks the tenuous truce between dragons and humans in this sweeping debut and epic retelling of Bletchley Park steeped in language, class, and forbidden romance. Perfect for teen fans of Fourth Wing and Babel.”

I was so intrigued by this description, and it did not disappoint! It, of course, did remind me of Fourth Wing, but I would also throw in Divergent and Hunger Games to reflect dystopian and class themes.
The focus on language is actually very beautiful and extremely intelligent. You can tell it is written by someone who has analyzed the intricacies of another language.
I was not particularly sold on the entire romance plot—I think it needed a little more build before it became what it was. I can see the purpose for it, and I loved Atlas as a character, but I just needed a little more.
I also feel like the main character, Viv, could have figured out what side she was on a little faster, but it did keep me wanting to read more just to find out what would happen.
Overall, I think weaving language into an adventurous story where young adults find their voice created a very solid debut novel. I’d be happy to read a sequel!
Thank you Harper Kids for the advanced opportunity to review this!

I absolutely adored A Language of Dragons. The writing style fully immersed me in the world and I loved how fast paced it was. This book is perfect for readers who love the complexities of The Cruel Prince's political structure and the enemies to lovers romance of Fourth Wing. Who doesn't love talking dragons and heaping spoonful of government conflict? I'm so excited to find out this isn't just a stand alone, there will be a book two! The characters are fleshed out but also imperfect allowing the space for them to change and grow. The ending was the perfect swooping cliffhanger leaving me breathless as to what will happen next. What a beautiful achievement overall for a debut author.

Thank you Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing this arc for review in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to S.F. Williamson, Harper Collins Children's Books, and NetGalley for an eARC of A Language of Dragons in exchange for an honest review!

"I shake my head. 'I have no interest in political debates -' 'Only because you are privileged enough not to be concerned by them.'"

This was such an interesting read and almost like a twist on what the time period between WW1 and WW2 would have looked like if dragons existed. I had a hard time getting into the book at first - world building can always be a bit tedious - but once more characters were introduced I thought everything got much more interesting.

There were so many parallels to what we see in society today. People who take advantage of their money and rank in life. People do the wrong thing that will benefit themselves even though they know what is right for the greater good. People blindly following the rules because "that's how it's always been!" I could definitely compare the events in this book to current events and I am excited to read the sequel to see what happens next.

This book has a little bit of something for every reader. There's romance, action, and a bit of mystery too. Readers who enjoy novels like Hunger Games, Divergent, or would like something similar to Fourth Wing for YA readers will appreciate this book!

3.5/5 stars rounded up.

4.5 Stars
*
Set in an alternate 1923 London, one girl accidentally breaks the tenuous truce between dragons and humans and must use her knowledge of dragon languages to help save her family. A Language of Dragons starts off with a bang and rarely lets up. You feel for the main character, Viven, as she tries to save her family while struggling with hard truths about her government and the active rebellion that is taking place in its midst. Some pieces of the story were easy to guess but there were some twists and turns I didn't see coming and I loved the idea of dragons having their own languages in which they use to communicate with each other. I wish there had been more dragons and dragon interactions and loved the main dragon of the story. I am not sure if this is a series or a standalone since the ending was left open to more.

I have a feeling that this is going to be one of the biggest dragon books to release this year. Truly YA fantasy, so no worries there if you’re concerned of it dipping into the romantasy category. There is a romance but it is not the main point of the book.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

This was an absolute delight! A historical fantasy involving dragons, linguistics, friendship and romance, with commentary on corrupt governments and class politics? Incredible, I"ll take 10 of them.

Truthfully, this book was so well done, masterfully combining fantastical elements (dragons as part of civil society) with the mundane (a focus on linguistics and academic) to create something I've never seen done before.

The FMC, Vivien, is morally gray, flawed, and believably human. Despite her flaws, the reader feels her desperation to save her family and prove herself, and wants nothing more than for her to succeed. The plot took turns that I did not predict, yet the motives and actions of the characters were believable.

I strongly recommend this to all fans of fantasy, historical fantasy, lovers of linguistics, and lovers of dragons. This debut novel is the first in what I hope will be MANY more books to come, from a talented new author.