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.
✨
✨
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

I would like to thank Netgalley for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

It has been a bit since I have read a book this year that had me constantly eager to see what happened next. I love the mixture of WWI and the mix of political intrigue with the dragons. The history on languages of dragons was really interesting, and I felt that this was a breathe of fresh air when it came to books about dragons. The exploration of a morally grey main character that she is out right admitting she is not good and seeks to cover for her own self and those she wants to protect, to the other characters and their backgrounds.

I can't wait for book 2!

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I absolutely loved this book. It took a minute to get into the grit of it after the world building, but it was a fun read that entertained me from beginning to end. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads for release.

The characters in this book are written so realistically. You can truly feel all their flaws and raw emotions. It was different having a main character you couldn't necessarily emphasize with. I did start to understand her near the end though, which I believe was the intention with this narrative. Learning all the ways dragons communicate was fascinating. It was interesting to see how the humans and dragons co-existed, flawed as the system was. The class system was definitely that needed to be destroyed. By the ending, my heart broke. This book is an absolute must-read. Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to Arc read this.

This one had such an interesting premise and I was really looking forward to the more academic take on a fantasy story with dragons, but honestly the main character was so unlikeable to me it was hard to look past that and enjoy the rest of it. I feel like the writing was good and, again, interesting premise with a lot of possibilities; the note at the beginning about writing characters with flaws I appreciated, but if your character is going to have such glaring flaws I need them to be likeable in the interim. I also found it kind of icky that the priest was the love interest. Maybe that isn't fair of me and I'm sure others will be fine with it, but personally I wasn't a fan.
Overall, I do think this book will appeal to people - it is very complex and it poses interesting questions about the good and bad in all of us, but the story was not for me ultimately.

DNF

I really wanted to like this because dragons have really been making a comeback and who doesn't like them?

The MC wanting to learn the language of dragons was a cool idea and I really liked her commitment to it. My problem with the book was really with the dystopian theme and the setting. I didn't feel like we really got much from the WW2 setting and a lot of what was happening was telling and not showing. It was just really hard for me to get fully immersed in the book and I just found myself not wanting to pick it up.

I wax so intrigued by the blurb of this book. However, the set up takes too long and the focus is confusing.

Where to start with this book, the first mark it had against it was that it immediately started off with a pretentious tone which put me in a very critical mood. In addition, the set up doesn’t make sense and it felt like the author was trying to force different components together without really thinking through how cohesive they are with the story.

Also, the main character was selfish and unlikable. I knew and expected this going into the book, so that wasn't a problem, but I didn't see much character growth throughout the story either.

The dialogue/flirting between the main character and the love interest was really cringy and felt like two middle school students trying to talk to the opposite sex for the first time, which made it feel like a middle grade book.

Overall the book felt very clunky and needed more editing.

This book swept me away. It was Soo well written and captured my attention quickly! The dragons are fierce and the people are realistic and the struggles they face with morality are relatable. Absolutely amazing

⭐️ 4.75

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this ARc for my honest review

A Language of Dragons first had me captivated by its cover art and kept me going from the story. I really enjoyed the real world elements while balancing the fantasy/dystopian world building.

I really appreciated that Vivian did not jump straight into the rebels cause and she was kinda stubborn about it. She tried to keep hold of what she was raised with and believed in as the society she was brought up in. I helped bring in the political questions that were raised throughout the story and it made it seem like not everyone was truly “ in the right”

The love interest could’ve had more substance to it. I felt like it was kinda insta-love but it wasn’t the worst I’ve read before.

I truly had a fun time with this read and would recommend it to others.

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in advance.

“A Language of Dragons” was such a fun read! It’s definitely dragon/with a touch of dark academia. There were several aspects I really enjoyed: the way the author fleshed out dragons, the world building, dragons themselves, and Atlas King. There were also several surprising twists that I really enjoyed at the end. As for what I didn’t enjoy: the pacing of this was just okay, I found the initial conflict confusing like “who is fighting who again?” as it was multilayered and is just thrown at the reader, and by far the biggest reason, I really didn’t connect much with the main character Vivien. This girl is extremely morally grey (which I can get down with, I love a good morally grey character + there’s a disclaimer at the beginning stating as such), but I found it tedious how often she went back and forth whether deciding if she wanted to do the right thing or not. I feel like she changed her mind every/every other chapter and I just wanted her to hurry up and decide where she stood already. I will be continuing the series for sure and I loved the idea of this story and want to know what happens. Definitely one for dragon fans/lovers.

1.5 stars

This was one of my most anticipated books for early 2025 and I'm really disappointed by it. I thought it would be hard to mess up a book about dragons and linguistics but this just didn't hit any of the marks.

Vivian Featherswallow's plans to become a dragon linguist are foiled when her parents are arrested and she must help the government translate a secret dragon code to save them and stop the coming war. I have so so many issues with this book that I noted down while I was reading so I'm just going to hit the big ones. I study linguistics and I find the way that characters talk about linguistics in the book to be very strange, which is weird considering the author reportedly has some experience with translation. It's not clear at all how Vivian's knowledge of dragon languages helps her in studying the dragon's echolocation, and she makes remarks about dialects and changes in tone that make it seem like she only studied the languages without ever studying any linguistics. It's also strange that the dragon's secret language is called echolocation since they don't used it to navigate at all, and there's even a part that says that dragon echolocation is more complex than bat echolocation because dragons need it to survive which like...so do bats? Bats even use echolocation to communicate sometimes.
The love interest, Atlas, just comes off kind of annoying and their relationships feels very insta-love without a lot of substance. I think there was some room to explore how Atlas's religion informs his political stances or his interest in zoology but nope, this book is not interested in any of that. Instead his vocation is just used to create tension and draw out their relationship which feels in poor taste.
I find the world very poorly constructed. It's clearly based on our world but it's really not clear how the dragons and the class system fit into everything. Characters mention world war one but it's not clear if that was the war against the dragons that ended in the peace treaty or if that was totally separate and dragons just played a role in WWI. I don't think it's ever mentioned when the class system was established or what brought it about, and it's also briefly mentioned that there are countries without the class systems so is it just in England?
The villains in this story are just evil with no nuance or complex characterizations. None of the characters are particularly interesting. Poor Karim is a love interest of one of the main characters and somehow manages to speak like once in the entire book. In an attempt to make Vivian complex she's really just obtusely wrong and doesn't have the passion or redeeming qualities to make her "morally grey".
Oh, and if you were hoping for dragons, you just kinda get one dragon very occasionally. There's also a random weird single line at the end in an attempt to tackle how race intersects with class and since this book doesn't care about nuance they just decided that because a girl is rich she doesn't experience race inequality.
Above all, this book commits the cardinal sin of being uninteresting. It really feels like not much happens until the last 30 pages when everything happens. I think there was just so much potential to talk about class and academia and religion and race and the book decided to not really do any of that and just pad out the 480 pages with a whole lot of Vivian thinking obviously incorrect things for a very long time.

I don't know what happened with this book or how it ended up being another book about a competition between quirky teenagers instead of the bold, academically-critical dragon fantasy book that it promised.

An intriguing and captivating debut, “A Language of Dragons” by S. F. Williamson will no doubt be well-received by fantasy and dark-academia lovers alike! Set in a reimagined London in 1923, an uneasy peace exists between dragons and humans, and the language of dragons is studied and explored at universities, as varied and unique as the human tongue. Williamson adeptly explores classism, racism, and xenophobia through the segregation between humans and dragons, but also within the human population itself. Our main character, Vivian, is a member of the Second Class, and faces immense academic pressure to not fall into the Third Class. Amidst this backdrop a rebellion is brewing, with the goal of eliminating the class system and the segregation between species. After a moment of minor rebellion, Viv faces an impossible task to “decode” a previously unknown form of dragon communication or risk her family being lost to her forever. While at times reminiscent of “Babel,” by R. F. Kuang in regards to art of translation, this novel offers a unique story that delves into the darker, selfish parts of ourselves, but also shines a light on how much we strive to have connection to family, both found and those tied by blood. Full of rebellion, dragons, and a dash of yearning, this story was an engaging read and I look forward to the next chapter!
As always, thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the opportunity to review this eARC, all opinions are my own.