A Language of Dragons

by S. F. Williamson Narrated by Henrietta Meire

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

A whirlwind story of friendship, love and linguistics on dragon back. If you love the complex characterization of Tahereh Mafi or the vivid worldbuilding of V.E. Scwhab, this one is for you.

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

* New York Times Bestseller * #1 International Bestseller * As Seen in Cosmo * Audible Most Anticipated Audiobooks of 2025 *

Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn't worried. She's going to follow the rules, get a summer internship studying dragon languages, be smart, be sweet, and make sure her little sister never, ever has to risk growing up Third Class. She just has to free one dragon.

By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

With her parents and cousin arrested and her sister missing, Viv is brought to Bletchley Park as a codebreaker-if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn't, they'll all die.

As Viv begins to discover the secrets of a hidden dragon language, she realizes that the fragile peace treaty that holds human and dragon societies together is corrupt, and the dangerous work Viv is doing could be the thread that unravels it.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"This novel is a must-read, offering both a gripping plot and a meditation on the importance of words and empathy in a fractured world." — School Library Journal (starred review)

Williamson’s engaging novel highlights the conflict between Vivien’s choices and how her decisions deeply affect who she becomes. Its characters offer a vivid glimpse into the themes of societal inequality, the complexity of translation, and above all forgiveness. — Booklist

"Friendship, romance, and the intricacies of linguistics and militant espionage infused with a dystopian vibe and a heavy dose of dragons wrap up this sweeping epic of treachery, desperation, and ambition."  — Publishers Weekly

Kirkus Reviews

2024-10-26
As war looms between dragons and humans in an alternate 1923, one girl is forced to work as a codebreaker to save her family.

Vivien Featherswallow loves languages: She’s studied “three human languages and six dragon tongues” and hopes to become a Draconic Translator. A Second Class resident of London’s Fitzrovia neighborhood, Viv wholeheartedly supports the Peace Agreement made by Prime Minister Wyvernmire and the British Dragon Queen as well as the Class System that stratifies people into three tiers. So, when the rest of her family is suddenly arrested for their resistance group activities, Viv struggles to understand what’s going on. She bargains with Chumana, a rebellious dragon imprisoned in a University of London library: her release in exchange for burning down the prime minister’s office (and any evidence of her family’s wrongdoing that it contains). But in the process, she inadvertently sparks a civil war. The Featherswallows’ only hope of redemption lies at Bletchley Park, where Viv is recruited to decipher rebel dragons’ communications alongside the former friend she once betrayed. Everyone at Bletchley is desperate, and if she wants to succeed, Viv must work quickly to support a cause she’s losing faith in. Williamson’s debut layers a fascinating fantastical world over pre-World War II tensions. Viv’s translation skills become the window through which she begins to understand a larger world, and readers will root for her growth. Most characters present white.

Alt-history fans will devour this high-concept reimagining of the interwar period—with dragons.(Historical fantasy. 14-18)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940192707395
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	01/07/2025
Series:	A Language of Dragons , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged

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