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 😊

I have the feeling the author invented a whole new genre: Dark Draconian Academia with alt!history vibe.
And so it has blown me away with all the details and worldbuilding. It's Bletchley Park, but it's also pink dragons. Honestly, there is no good way to describe this book.

I know I have to keep on reading (also because the very ending....OMG) as I need more of this world and everything it holds.

The weak point for me was the FMC who embodies the oh-so-talented-but-why-all-the-dumb-decisions trope. Honestly though, it didn't bother me so much because everything around her was just amazing and even the forbidden-love part was not annoying. (Lately my scale for the romance part of books is "annoying - not annoying - would die for them". There's nothing in between)

And because the comparison had been so prominent in the marketing: yes, there are Babel vibes, but only at the surface. The whole system is very different. But: I you loved the language part of Babel you are likely to love this book as well.

Mind = blown 4,5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollins for the eARC!

#ALanguageOfDragons #Netgalley #Bookstagram

Alright, so I absolutely adored this book, My favorite part was, of course, the dragons. I LOVED their personalities. I also really enjoyed the scholarly take on dragons and languages; it had a hint of dark academia vibes, which I always love, and had a ton of political intrigue (and government corruptions). I've seen this compared to Fourth Wing, but in my opinion its only commonality with Fourth Wing is dragons. This is a book that shouldn't be placed in the shadow of any other story considering its uniqueness and complexity.

I can't wait for release day to add a hardcover edition to my collection.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! This is not a relaxing book!! I was on the edge of my seat throughout. I felt angry, stressed and worried. The sign of a good book is it makes you feel. It's like 1984 but with dragons. The dragons were done in a way that it didn't feel like a fantasy book. It felt very real and relatable. The book has many hidden depths and meanings. There is character development with the main character learning about sacrifice and what it means to be selfless.

“Every act of translation requires sacrifice.”

- A Language of Dragons (by S. F. Williamson)

When I first heard of this book, all I knew was that it was a Fantasy book that blends dragon lore with linguistics?? That was enough to let me know I HAD to read it!
And I’m thrilled to say it has completely surpassed my already high hopes for it!

“A Language of Dragons” takes place in an alternate 1923 Britain; one where dragons live among humans as fellow sapient species - dragons that are adept with their own spoken languages.

In a politically conflicted world that has divided both humans and dragons, our protagonist Vivien is a talented and ambitious polyglot in dragon languages.
But her carefully planned life shatters when her parents are arrested and a civil war breaks out. With the hanging threat of losing her family, the government tasks her with translating what they believe is a secret dragon code that can win them the war.

With Dark Academia vibes, an irresistibly fascinating and original concept and world - the book is also wonderfully character focused.

The plot brings together under one roof characters from various walks of life, impacted differently by the strict divide in social class, and yet now all forced into a similar predicament. I loved their dynamics (kinda gave me The Breakfast Club vibes), I absolutely loved the adorable developing romance - and most of all, seeing Vivien grapple with uncomfortable truths about her own privilege and choices.

With powerful themes of redemption and revolution, an ingenious spin on dragons and linguistics, a thrilling political plot-line, an inspiring character-development arc, and a compelling reminder of the power of language in both unity and war… this book was a compulsive and throughly enjoyable experience!

I just finished reading A Language of Dragons by S.F. Williamson, and I am absolutely floored. From the very first page, I was hooked, and by the time I reached the end, I couldn’t believe how deeply immersed I’d become in this world of dragons, dark academia, and forbidden love. I literally could not put it down—it was a full-on binge from start to finish.

First of all, the setting is genius. Imagine London in 1923, but instead of just the usual historical landmarks, dragons are soaring through the sky and unrest simmers in the streets. The backdrop of Bletchley Park, with all its codebreaking, adds this incredible layer of tension and intrigue, and the dark academia vibes were chef’s kiss. It felt like stepping into an alternate history where magic and danger were woven into every turn, but still very grounded in the post-war tension of the era.

I have to talk about the dragons. They aren’t just set dressing—they play an integral role in the world-building and the plot, especially with the mystery surrounding their language. Every act of translation requiring sacrifice? That line gave me chills because it becomes clear just how much of a price Viv is going to have to pay to unlock these secrets. The magic system based around language and codebreaking is such a clever twist, and it kept me guessing the whole way through.

What I loved most, though, was the way Williamson explores themes of class, power, and rebellion. Viv’s journey from someone who’s just trying to survive to someone who ends up igniting a civil war felt so organic. The story doesn’t shy away from hard truths about privilege, sacrifice, and the costs of freedom, all while keeping the pace fast and the stakes high.

In short, A Language of Dragons is a brilliant mix of everything I love: dark academia, slow-burn romance, political intrigue, and a world filled with dragons. It’s filled with twists and betrayals that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

This was a good, gripping read with solid world building and a good cast of characters. Vivian, the main character, makes one bad decision after another and is hard to like but her fellow 'competitors' at Bletchley seem far more mature. This is definitely a YA read with just a little romance and quite a lot of rebellion and corruption.

I was sold by the prospect of both dragons and code-breaking but sadly the dragons didn't feature nearly enough for me. The fact that Vivian's job is in Bletchley Park is an irrelevance as the book is set in the 1920s and the war is between dragons and humans, not at all related to WW2, however the description of how Vivian progressed the code breaking was fascinating.

A Language of Dragons is a fantasy dark academia set in 1923 London where dragons can be seen soaring through the skies. The book follows Viv as she works towards getting an internship to study dragon languages. However, due to a series of events, she starts a civil war. When she's offered a mysterious job that could help save all her family from criminal charges, she takes it and soon starts helping the war effort as a codebreaker. This story is filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities and leaves Viv wondering which side she should really be on.

Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.

After hearing this tagline, I was immediately hooked! It's like this book was made for me and had everything I love in a book.

The political strife in this story felt authentic and intricately woven, making it a pleasure to delve deeper into its complexities as the plot unfolded. The high stakes created a palpable sense of suspense, and the exploration of dragon languages was a unique and captivating concept that kept me thoroughly engaged. I’ve always enjoyed dark academia, and this setting certainly lived up to my expectations.

The small cast of characters, each with their own rich backstories and struggles, added depth to the narrative. There was a perfect balance in the number of characters, allowing for fascinating dynamics and interactions across the different societal levels, while still making it easy to keep track of each individual’s journey.

The plot is engaging, filled with twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat. The stakes are high, and the sense of urgency is palpable as Viv races against time to save both dragons and humans. Williamson expertly balances action with moments of reflection, creating a narrative that is both fast-paced and thoughtful.

I found myself staying up late to finish this book, compelled to discover what would happen next. I was on the edge of my seat, filled with tension, and there were even tears along the way. This story delivered everything I had hoped for, and I can’t wait for the next instalment!

Thank you to HarperFire and Netgalley for this early copy to review.

Interesting premise but not a fan of this writing style and was bored 10% in sadly… I also don’t really like the fmc

Have had to sit on this book for a week to decide on what my rating is, and I think I’ve settled on 2.75 stars.
On one hand, I think the political strife and the uprising was done very well. The oppressors didn’t feel gimmicky like they sometimes can in YA fantasies, and the focus on language was fascinating - you can really see the author’s passion and research shine here.
However, the book was all tell and no show.. Vivien is a textbook case of being told the character is Amazing and Talented and just Truly The Best To Ever Do It and then every decision she makes in the book is so unbelievably stupid, the reader is left with very mixed messages. I did not grow to like Vivien in any capacity. Her ‘journey’ to unlearn the prejudices she has been brought up to hold was so heavy handed - she went from being a nasty, self-serving little wretch for 90% of the book to suddenly The Saviour, even when everyone in her life calls her out on her BS and she refuses to listen. I even found myself enjoying the romantic elements and wanting to kick my feet a little, then I would remember it was happening to Vivien and my mood would sour.
The comparisons to Babel are very surface level at best. If you have a deep love for languages, you would probably enjoy this book.

Thank you to Harper Fire and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. All opinions are my own.

Mixing historical fiction with fantasy is a perfect combination which was extremely well done in this book. Blending adventure, suspense and anticipation makes this a fantastic read.

Cinematic and gripping, this is a breathtaking story and an important commentary on and exploration of power, class, and social justice. A beautifully original angle too - Bletchley Park and codebreaking but with dragon tongues. I was hooked from the start.