Very good and original fantasy tale for Young Adults

Vivien lives in an alternative London, peopled by humans and dragons, and is an accomplished polyglot in dragonese. Under the authoritarian regime, she recognises the inequality in the system and ends up recruited as a codebreaker. Revelations and adventure ensue as she encounters new friends - and old - as well as some unsavoury characters, all of which are well-developed. The plot moves along nicely with a lot of technical language at some point. It's an original and entertaining tale. Well worth a look - even to older fantasy lovers (just as myself). I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

An absolute gem of a book! A page turner! This book blew me away. As a lover of lingustics this book hit all the right spots! I read it in one sitting ! What a unique read ! I loved every single thing about it and I definitely recommend! So so excited for my special edition of this book!

*Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an early copy of this book!*

4.5 Stars

Well...this was amazing! From the first to the last word I was completely hooked and I couldn't be happier about it!

A Language of Dragons is about our world but we share it with many species of Dragon. Some humans have learnt Dragon languages, including our lead female Vivian and her parents. In the UK there is a peace alliance between humans and dragons but both poor humans and dragons are treated poorly and so rebels are rising. When Vivian's parents are arrested for being rebels and her little sister taken, she is blackmailed by the Prime Minister to do secret work regarding Dragon language...

This book was brilliant. I have genuinely never read anything like it. The author is a translator and her love of language really comes through and is a huge part of the book. I LOVED that Vivian could speak so many dragon languages as it really added something intricate and special.
When I start a dragon book, I am always worried there won't be enough of them. Thankfully it is FULL of dragons and I loved the different species.
The storyline is really well done and filled with twists and turns. I did sadly guess a few which meant I couldn't quite give the book 5 stars.

Vivian is such an interesting lead female. She is definitely a bit morally grey and I loved her growth through the book. There is also a love interest who I ADORED and thought their friendship and chemistry was very well done. Other side characters added a lot to the book and had important roles to play.

The writing was not only brilliant but addictive too. I read this book much quicker than I expected because the writing and worldbuilding made me so connected to it.

I HIGHLY recommend this book to all fantasy and dragon lovers. I thought it was a standalone but am SO glad it seems to be the first in a series. I cannot wait to read more!

I enjoyed this but I wanted more - much more lore and worldbuilding as to how this world worked, and how the conflict originally began. The writing was very mixed, with some bits quite complicated, and some bits sounding like it was aimed at a middle grade child.

Historical fantasy with a dash of romance makes this a compelling read. Vivian Featherswallow is following all the rules and aiming for an internship studying dragon languages BUT by midnight her parents have been arrested and she has started a civil war! When offered the chance to save them she grabs the mysterious job offer with both hands! Set in 1923 in an alternate Britain where dragons live among us, there is a very severe class system, and the intricate world building is sublime. It does remind me R.F. Kuang’s writing in the way it feels so current and political even though it is fantasy.

I’ll admit, I’m a dragon fan, and would love a world where they exist and coexist with humans. This is a dystopian version of the same, with a rebel alliance at its heart to bring equality to both the people and dragons of the nation.

I assume and hope for a sequel so I can find out what happens next!

I absolutely loved this book!

As a fantasy reader who loves stories with dragons, this books was delightful to read.

I particularly loved the political intrigue and the way this story mixes dragons and humans in a setting that is so easy to follow, and there’s even a pink dragon, I mean… can’t go wrong with that.

The writing is exquisite as well - something modern books sometimes lack, but not this one.

“ 'Sometimes I wake up in the night and it's there, beside me in bed, the guilt. Like a dark
void waiting to suck me in.' Atlas takes my hand. 'Then tell it to go away,' he whispers
fiercely. He presses his lips to my ear. 'Banish it, like a dragon banishes the dark.' “

“ ‘It can't be as easy as just saying sorry, Chumana!'
'No, it can't,' Chumana replies. ‘But showing you're sorry and spending a lifetime proving it?
Now that's another thing entirely.’ “


This book blew me away! It is based on such an interesting concept: mixing dragons, politics and action with linguistics studies and academia. As someone who studies linguistics, it was soo satisfying to read certain parts of this book, especially towards the middle when our main character Vivienne has to put into practice everything she has ever learnt about both human and dragon languages.
This last aspect is something so original that I had never seen in any of the dragon books i’ve read before: the dragons can speak dozens of languages, they usually communicate with humans in the official language of their nation (i.e. English for dragons from Britannia) but they are at the same time native speakers of one or more dragon languages based on their race/group.

If this doesn’t seem cool enough, our heroine, Vivienne, is what we could call a morally gray character, especially compared to many other main characters in fantasy. She’s far from being perfect, altough she has overall good intentions and she’d be ready to do the devil’s work if that meant saving her family.
Initially she’s quite wrapped up in her own world and her studies (rightfully so since a few months prior, she was at risk of being demoted to Third class, the poorest and most marginalised group of society) and she decides to believe in the lies she has been fed by the government about the status quo of their society, however a series of events and the encouragement of certain people (and a pink dragon) help her to set her priorities right and to question the world she’s always known.

I loved how she wasn’t morally perfect right away and how we got to glimpse her character growth throughout the pages, together with the painful reflections on forgiveness🥰
I also adored Marquis character! As for Atlas he was a cutie pie, and even though I wasn’t totally sold on the romance subplot of this book, I felt so bad when a certain thing happened but that last page gave me hope so I can’t wait to find out what happens in book two👀👀 hopefully we’ll be surprised!!

My most sincere congratulations to the author for such a brilliant debut🥰

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for an arc of this vibrant story, all opinions are my own!

As someone who adored Babel, and loves Fantasy books with dragons, A Language of Dragons combines dark academia with beautiful fantasy elements. This is an upper ya fantasy, with political intrigue, a main character who specialises in languages - and more specifically the languages of dragons.

The story was single-POV and followed the FMC Vivian. As a flawed character who really felt real, I often felt uncomfortable with the decisions she made, but that was purposeful on S.F Williamson’s part and meant to challenge what we thought was right and wrong within the book and the world.

I loved the world building, the representation of the corrupt government and the political intrigue. There’s rebellions building in the world and a challenge for the character to decide what side of history they want to be on.

I’m really excited to see where this series goes and I’ll definitely be reading the next book.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really loved this book. I really liked the characters - including Vivien, despite the fact that I struggled to agree with her decisions for most of the book! The link to WWI was well done and I liked the discussions on linguistics. There was also a sweet bit of romance. Great book and I can't wait for more.

I very much enjoyed this YA fantasy and will look forward to reading the next in the series.

Viv has worked hard, schemed and betrayed to get to study dragon languages at university. She has just started to enjoy her studies when her parents, uncle and cousin are arrested. Her attempt to remove the evidence of their crimes with the help of a criminal dragon lead her to Bletchley Park to help the government win the war against the rebel coalition.

Here nine misfits including her cousin are given three tasks to complete - if they succeed their families are pardoned and freed. She is joined by her cousin, Marquis and her best friend, Sophie - who she betrayed and who suffered huge life changing consequences.

Her role - to understand how dragons communicate during echolocation. As she begins to break down the code Viv is forced to face unpleasant truths about the government, their peace treaty with the dragons and the character of the Prime Minister. Once the recruits are set up in competition with each other she is forced to make some life changing decisions. Save her family or the wider community of both humans and dragons.

I struggled a little with Viv’s angst and soul searching but enjoyed the world, the dragons and the characters of the other recruits.

An interesting debut - I will await more with interest.

Dragons? Historical fiction? Fantasy? Honestly, sounds like the perfect book for me!

Humans and dragons are rebelling against the Peace Agreement, but Vivian Featherswallow is determined to secure a coveted internship studying dragon languages and ensure her little sister never risks growing up as Third Class.

Welcome to an alternative 1920s United Kingdom where human and dragons live harmoniously under the Peace Agreement set by Prime Minister Wyvernmire and the British Dragon Queen. Dragons are not allowed to hunt humans, and a Class System has been put in place. First Class want for nothing; Second Class, while comfortable, are at a constant threat of one failure or rule break leading them to drop to Third Class; and Third Class, well they’re the very bottom of society who receive no medicine, little food, and confined to certain areas.

While protests erupt around her, Vivian just wants to keep her head down, follow the roles, and keep her place in society. But, when her parents are arrested one evening, Vivian will do anything to reunite her family – including accidentally starting a civil war.

Facing the repercussions of her actions, Vivian is offered a “job” and the chance to reunite her family. Shipped off to Bletchley Park, Vivian discovers she’s been recruited as a codebreaker to help the war effort. If she can crack this mysterious code she and her family can return to their normal lives. If she can’t, they’ll all die.

As Vivian settles into discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, she learns that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and that not everything she’s been taught is true. Vivian must decide what is she fighting for in this war?

I really enjoyed this book, I even got a bit teary eyed at the end (can’t wait for the sequel). It’s an interesting and unique take on our world. The lore and world building around dragons is absolutely fantastic.

I do think the writing at the beginning of the book could’ve been improved. I was put off slightly by how stilted the writing felt, and did consider DNFing the book, but the premise and world building was so interesting that I persisted, and I’m glad I did. The writing did improve, or at least I stopped feeling stilted as I got further into the book. It’s possible I felt this way having just come off the back of finishing an adult fantasy book, so the more I read the more my brain adjusted to reading a young adult book. Either way, I definitely felt like the writing was off at the start of the book.

The characters were absolutely fascinating. If you’re not a fan of selfish and flawed main characters then I’d stay away from this book. I found Vivian so frustrating at points, but not in a bad way. Yes, I wanted to yell some sense into her, especially later in the book, but the decisions she was making made sense for her character at the time. I could understand why she was doing what she was doing, from the start she was very clear about what she wanted. Her growth and change are an important part of her character arc. I guess the crux of it is, while she may not always be likeable her decisions made sense, and it makes her a better character to have this evolution.

The dragons, they were great. As I’ve already mentioned the lore and world building around them was absolutely fantastic. I hope we get to see more of them in the next book and learn even more about them!

For fans of romance, it does exist in this book – but is a side plot point, it’s not the driving force of the book and takes a while to appear. I wouldn’t call it enemies-to-lovers, doing so kept making me second guess who the love interest would be (it’s pretty clear who it was going to be, but the whole “enemies-to-lovers” description just didn’t suit their situation so I really thought it was going to be someone else), but there is definitely a slow burn element.

I’ll definitely be picking up the sequel, I’m intrigued as to what will happen next – especially with that little bit at the end (you’ll know what I mean when you finish it).

I’d pick this book up if you’re fan of dragons!

The worldbuilding in this book is outstanding!

I was completely immersed and could not put this book down. I loved the history, the rebellion and all the twists and turns. Not only the humans but also the dragons and all the intricacies of the languages, it was written so well and I really enjoyed it. Even the politics and the class systems (which usually isn't for me) was intriguing.

The characters were all fleshed out even all the side characters. I honestly didn't know which decision characters were going to make, it could of gone either way but the writing was so good that their decisions made sense and I was pleasantly surprised by some revelations at the end.

The romance between Viv and Atlas was great ❤️ I really liked their relationship from start to finish. There is no spice as it is Young Adult, but there is tension that is perfect and they are just adorable together.

That ending! I cried 😭 I must read the next book and I cannot wait to find out what each character does from here along with finding out more about the world and the war. <spoiler>I want Chumana to somehow save Atlas! Please 😭</spoiler>

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is insanely good! I will happily devour anything about dragons, but this story is exceptional. The world building is masterful and the characters well crafted to provide the reader with a fantasy that practically jumps off the page and begs for attention. I am desperate for more in this world, and hope the sequel isn't far away!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Williamson’s writing is rich and atmospheric, bringing together the intensity of war, espionage, and magic. The complex world-building, filled with political tension and dragon lore, instantly captivates. The slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance adds emotional depth without overpowering the main story. With its twists, betrayals, and high stakes, this book is unputdownable from the very first chapter, especially for fans of Fourth Wing and The Hunger Games. A Language of Dragons is an extraordinary debut that promises an unforgettable ride.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC.

Like others have said it's an interesting combination of Babel and Fourth Wing, with maybe a bit of Hunger Games-esque rebellion in there. It doesn't deal with the linguistic side as well as Babel, but still an interesting book with some really cool world-building.

I felt the characters were generally compelling enough, but the pacing felt off. Things seemed to happen either too quickly or be dragged out. The ending in particular felt rushed and haphazard, and there was a bit too much deus ex of "oh I'm a rebel too..." just saving the day whenever it was convenient.

With thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the ARC!

This was a fun, exciting read! I think the world building here was very clever, I loved the mix of historical and fantasy and I think it blended together quite well.

I love dragons and I adored this book’s dragons. I thought it was something fresh and unique, especially when the author started diving into dragon linguistics and languages and translations, and describing the different species.

I’ve seen some reviewers call the main character insufferable at times, and yes, she definitely was insufferable at times. She had a very privileged life where she didn’t have to think about others, but reading about her breaking through that was fantastic and very well done.

I also adored the side characters and was invested in them throughout the story. I loved reading about their work and their interactions felt very authentic.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, and I highly recommend it for those who enjoy historical fantasy and dragons!

What if dragons were real and they were living among the humans for a time, but after a conflict the society got divided. Now the humans live more or less among themselves, but divided into different classes. The story starts with a conflict and the main character gets separated from her home and family. Throughout the story, she tries to do what is right to save her family. It took her a bit longer to decide on which side she is on, which was a bit frustrating at the end. Nevertheless, it was a fun read with a dark setting and I'm looking forward to the sequel.

This is a firm 3.5⭐ and I definitely took some time to deliberate whether to round up or down before settling on a 3. Thank you NetGalley & HarperCollins UK for the ARC.

I'll just get it out of the way that if not for the protagonist Vivian, this would be a 4-star in a heartbeat; maybe even a 4.5 if I'm being generous. I found the gist of ALoD's plot—decoding and understanding a secret dragon language—to be absolutely fascinating and got me hooked. Given the author's linguistics background, there was a lot of emphasis on this and unless that aspect interests you, some readers might be bored by it. Think of it as a less dense version of Babel's academic linguistical parts of the story, and with no footnotes.

As a dragon book, I'm pleased to say that the dragons themselves are a highlight. Full disclosure though: they don't actually feature a whole lot save for key moments in the beginning, sparse moments in the middle, BUT heavily in the climactic final act. That said, the moments where they do show up, I lap up every minute of it. While the dragons' secret language is the focus, tidbits of their history and culture are sprinkled throughout which I'm intrigued by. With how the book ended, I can only imagine how much more they'll be featured in Book 2 and that excites me VERY much.

All these positive points however were bogged down by how much I did NOT enjoy Vivian as a main character. At least, in this first book. However, given that this is a YA book and Viv is still a teenager, I don't necessarily hold a lot of her views and actions against her *too* much. I can understand why she is the way she is. Her naivete, ignorance and deep belief in the class system imposed in this AU Britannia is a result of the education she received, reinforced by how her own parents had raised her. For context, Viv grew up in a society ruled strictly by hierarchal class: First, Second, Third--with First having the most privileges, opportunities and resources. As a Second-Class girl, she is constantly reminded that demotion to the Third Class is The Worst Thing Ever. Her goal of attending university to pursue her dream career of being a dragon linguist hinges on staying in Second or being promoted to First. Suffice to say, this does lead her to becoming rather ambitious to the point of self-serving. That, however, is not what ticked me off.

Given the fact that Viv doesn't exactly suffer the class system's oppression, it is understandable that a large part of the plot involves her unlearning her beliefs. She needed to be educated that the system she was taught her whole life is flawed, and the government she believed in is wholly corrupt. My problem isn't that Viv had to grow as a person and learn that she was wrong; it was that it dragged on for FAR too long. Viv grappled with indecisiveness of where her morals lie time and time again despite being told AND shown the cold hard truth. She literally only took a firm stance in which side she was on at the 80% mark. Which wouldn't necessarily be that bad if not for the fact that prior to this, Viv had not only heard the horrific accounts of others' suffering under the system—including those of her best friend & love interest—but ALSO experienced firsthand the Prime Minister's cruelty. And still, she continued to make excuses for the system.

For the most part, I recognize that a teenager was being put in an extremely difficult position: work out the mystery behind dragons' secret language and surrender that knowledge to the Prime Minister (thereby risking the safety & lives for all dragons and keeping the corrupt system in place), or risk having her entire family possibly tortured but most definitely killed. Viv was being forced to choose between the family she loved or The Greater Good. The lives of a handful or the lives of millions. So while I don't begrudge her character for grappling with this dilemma, I would've found it less grating to read if she just took a stance, even if it was the "wrong" one. Either she fully acknowledges and accepts the potential evil she will commit for love of her family without making excuses for it, OR accept she can't go through with it and join the brewing rebellion. Be actually morally grey or just morally upright. The hemming and hawing might be a realistic response for a teen, but it doesn't make for an entertaining one after 400 pages. Because all it does is instead of finding this fictional character merely ignorant, which I can understand given her age and upbringing, I began to find her spinelessness utterly insufferable.

The romance between Viv and her love interest Atlas, a Third-Class priest-in-training, moved too fast for my liking—it developed over a span of ONE month—though I could still overlook it because I really did like Atlas as a character. Having these two pitched as "enemies to lovers" is laughable because despite starting out as having different views, they never actually *hated* each other. Even from Day One, Atlas has been looking out for Viv. I will also that the fact he's training to be a priest felt rather unnecessary because it largely served to hold them off from succumbing to their physical attraction and exchanging kisses much earlier in the story. I suppose it also adds to the "forbidden" aspect of their romance, which honestly feels awkward in a YA story.

Thankfully, I found the final act great, Viv included, that I'm very much motivated to see where this goes in the sequel. Overall, even with my gripes, this was a commendable debut from S.F. Williamson.

Easily one of my new favourite reads!

This world feels so unique, we're talking totally remained post WW1 London, where dragons and humans coexist! I can honestly say I have never read anything quite like that before, and I am so here for it. It was new, interesting, and made for a great story.
There's also a focus on linguistics, which may be evident from the title, and it adds to the dark academia vibe of the book perfectly, and reminds me if Babel in the best way. I haven't read many books with linguistics focus in fantasy, but it really works for this story!

I love how action packed this book is right from the first page, but there is a bit of a slow patch in the middle. The world building is first class, I love the prose, and I love the imagery woven throughout the pages.

I will be keeping my eye out for the next book in the series, as I will be reading it for sure! I can safely say, I recommend this book 😊