4.5 Stars
🤍 Thank you Netgalley for the earc of A Language of Dragons by @sfwilliamsonauthor 🤍

If you love the war-time vibes of Divine Rivals and the academy setting of Fourth Wing, then this book is for you!

Seeped in politics with code breaking, romance, and a hidden dragon language, this book had a bit of everything.

I would forget that I was reading a fantasy book (until the dragons showed up again), it had such a historical feel that worked great with the story.

For the reader who loves:
• historical fantasy
• civil wars
• dark academia
• London in the 1920’s

Ever wondered what would happen if you took Babel, Fourth Wing, the historical code-cracking that took place at Bletchley Park, threw them in a blender and poured whatever came out into a book-shaped mold?

Yeah, me neither.

But S.F. Williamson did. And, while I at first was concerned this was an amalgamation that was no more than the the sum of its parts, I am VERY glad to inform you that the author absolutely faked me out with a world that was built to force you look closer. This book has LAYERS upon LAYERS, and as you sink further into the world (at first very unwittingly) with an ACTUALLY flawed main character, you come to realize you only thought you knew what you were reading at first.

This book about language doesn't want to repeat what Babel had to say, although it does amuse itself by playing it straight before going tongue-in-cheek and letting you know that it's not just adding dragons-- it's adding heart.

This book about codes and Bletchley Park isn't just about WWII and intelligence-- it's about what you do with that intelligence. (But points for nods to historically accurate details like the use of a crazy contraption to work through the code like the actual codebreakers did.)

This book about a dangerous competitive world in which children are pitted against one another to strive for academic perfection and survival is a little less about the constant fighting and a little more about the repercussions for their families and class disparity.

And this book about working for a government is...okay, no, infiltrating government hierarchy really is about dealing with the suppression and separation of people into classes and a means of finding a scapegoat and using time-old arguments (the women! the children! aren't they self-selecting to separate anyway, really?) to stir up anger and fuel the desires of a corrupt ruling class.

The one qualm I had, ironically, was with the actual writing. While I appreciated that keeping it YA allowed for accessibility to a story that I think is incredibly relevant, the book is about language, and I think the writing needed to be slightly more elevated. Some characters spoke with beautiful and eloquent simplicity, but others, like the Prime Minister in an alternate version of England in the 1920's, lacked the lofty voice I needed from her character. Even Viv, with her ability to speak 9 dragon languages and multiple human languages should have had a more scholarly internal monologue and, quite frankly, I can only imagine she would be tossing around every SAT word she's got. In a world where education is crucial and class is everything, it stands to reason that when we saw characters of three classes coming together they would not only speak with very different levels of vocabulary, but with possibly with different dialects (and this would have enhanced the underlying theme regarding language so beautifully). It was such a missed opportunity that it became a glaring plot hole for me, pulling me from the book more than once. I wanted more dark academia vibes with my codebreaking, and got writing that felt closer to Fourth Wing than it did to Babel. That being said, I am notoriously nit-picky about language and writing and am partial to purple prose when it comes to fantasy, so I would take my whining about a desire for big words and 1920's British slang with a very large pinch of salt. (Or the entire salt shaker if you want. Your call.)

Where the book did impress me was our main character’s depth, growth, and development. For once we got a young lead that was truly flawed— not for fifteen pages before some selfless act, but no, Viv is SUCH a refreshing lead to follow. Her actions are selfish and believable, and she (gasp) even repeats past mistakes without the excuse of entire loss of agency. She can be impulsive to the point of recklessness, and her guilt spiral makes her potentially easy prey. If you're already bad, what's the point? But...what makes a person bad? Do truly bad people feel guilt? The questions of morality and survival are always brought to the forefront during times of hardship and especially when war is breaking out; what do you ultimately choose to protect: self, family, country, the greater good? These are heavy questions for a YA novel, but are dripped in slowly through continual self-reflection, and while I found the repetition overdone at times (and done a bit more through telling than showing via internal monologues), this resulted in something more powerful and much more believable than we are usually granted.

Overall, this was smart, clever, heartfelt and poignant. So settle in and grab your comfort object of choice and a box of tissues, because this YA book doesn't end up playing like YA. Sure, it's accessible and appropriate, but this is not one that lacks the depth to, ahem, translate into something enjoyable for older readers; just remember, like with all acts of translation, you may wind up with a slightly different message at the end.

Except for the cliffhanger. We're all stuck with that one.

Many thanks to Harper Collin’s and NetGalley for this EARC.

What a way to round out my year of reading! An unreserved five star read. Multiple things attracted me to this book:

-a speculative history that asked what if dragons were part of the fabric of everyday life
-a 1920s UK setting
-an academic focus on focus on linguistics and translation
-how all of this would converge to create a unique political situation

I was not disappointed by any of what was delivered, even if I was at times angry and or devastated. I was not expecting the emotional punch of the last 20 pages, and am of two minds on how I want a specific plot point to conclude if it isn’t already resolved (the book would suggest it is, but I wonder if it might not come back in a later volume).

This book reads like an amalgamation of Babel, Fourth Wing, and The Atlas Six, and I think it might be my favorite of all of them.

The main character is honestly not super likable, even if she is relatable. As such, her actions really made me question how I might act in the same circumstances. I know how I would want to act, but could absolutely understand why she couldn’t see past a certain point for the majority of the novel.

There isn’t always a “right” decision, and it isn’t possible for a hero to be completely good. But we can always decide to be better.

5/5 ⭐️
0/5 🌶️
US Release date 01/07/2025
EVERYONE: a new YA Historical Fantasy Dystopia book about dragons has entered the chat! And OMG IT’S INCREDIBLE! Take some elements of Divine Rivals, Fourth Wing, and Shatter Me, mix them together with a unique voice and fresh perspective on dragons, and that is this book!! There’s found family, class system, broken society, messy characters, discovering who you are, a rebellion, love, and of course DRAGONS! I was completely captivated and was reminded why I love YA books so much! I cannot wait for the next book!!!
Thank you @netgalley and @harperfirebooks for the ARC

This was the perfect combination of action, love, friendship and of course dragons! The way the book ends leaves you wanting more! I can’t wait for the sequel.

This is a love letter to linguistics, translation, and dragons. The start pulled me in, and my interests was held with all the dragon languages and plot unfolding, despite the female protagonists being hard to route for. It is certainly a great book for this moment with its themes and message. I love our love interest who is a priest in training. There are some cool things happening between the dragons that I haven’t seen before (and I read ALOT of dragon books). The last part hints enough at what is to come, without causing distress from a huge cliffhanger.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to form honest opinions off from.

I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book. It was a unique take on dragons blended with dark academia that I absolutely flew through. I will definitely be reading the second book, however (and this was my one complaint with the book) I will likely have to reread this before the next book because it was not quite memorable enough to still be in my brain by the time the next book releases.

3.5 stars

A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson is a historical fantasy with dark academia vibes, talking dragons, and a morally gray protagonist that will do whatever it takes to save her family.

I absolutely love the concept of this book. Bletchley Park code breaking + talking dragons? Sign me up! I haven’t read many dark academia books, but I know this one leans much more heavily on the dark academia vibes than on the fantasy/dragons vibes. But the language code breaking aspects were fascinating, and I was impressed by the echolocation studies.

That being said, I wish the dragons played a bigger part in the story. Oh, they exist. They are important, but I felt like there wasn’t enough information about them to help grasp the worldbuilding. I couldn’t quite picture what they were supposed to look like--large like Smaug or Saphira or more anthropomorphic like dragonborn from D&D?--or how they fit into the human society. I’m hoping book two will delve into that a little more.

In addition, the ending had a bit too much back and forth. One moment, the characters were caught, then they were free, then they were caught, then they were free. The main character was all about saving her own skin and her family, then she was willing to help her friends and the rebellion, then she was all about saving herself again, then she was willing to help her friends. I couldn’t tell if it was all a ploy to trick the people who had them under their control or if it was just too much packed into the pacing and plot of the story.

Overall, the concept is fascinating and I enjoyed the story and characters. I was eager to find out what decisions Viv would make and what she would discover about the dragons’ language. I look forward to reading the sequel.

I did enjoy this book. I think you would really like this book if you love academic reads. It is very clear that the author has a vast knowledge in language acquisition which I really appreciated. I love when books stick to the facts, and its clear they have background knowledge, or did their homework! It was interesting to have the language of dragons be the center of this book. I didn't know what to expect when I picked this up. I wasn't sure if the language component would be as prevalent, or if it would be a lose storyline in the background. It is definitely the focus, and what they learn about the languages of dragons and how it can effect them in the war against them.

I am use to a little more action in fantasy books, and more romance, which is I guess is what was kind of lacking for me in this book. I do recognize that this is a personal preference. But the book was interesting for sure!

Thank you to Net Galley and HarperCollins for the ARC. This was an incredible read. I love how well written this book is, from the characters, to the setting, to the themes, and the politics, and the linguistics aspects. I really liked Vivien's character, she's not perfect, and quite selfish, but is very determined to do what she sets out to do. I enjoyed following along as she explored linguistics and tries to break the code. I also enjoyed learning about the world and politics as I followed her character journey. The politics and the intrigue were really well written. I loved following along in figuring out what is truth and what is lie. I also enjoyed watching the different groups in code breaking, aviation, and zoology try to figure out the stuff they had to figure. The scenes at Bletchley Park were intense and the stakes were so high. I was constantly worried and eager to see what the characters would decide to do. This book is fast paced and full of mysteries to be unraveled, making this a page turner. I can't wait for the next book.

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