A Language of Dragons
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- $21.99
Publisher Description
The most exciting debut of 2025 – an incredible fantasy Dark Academia, perfect for fans of Babel, Fourth Wing, and the Scholomance trilogy
EVERY FIRE STARTS WITH A SINGLE SPARK.
Welcome to Bletchley Park… with dragons.
London, 1923. 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 an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.
With her parents arrested and her sister missing, all the safety Viv has worked for is collapsing around her. So when a lifeline is offered in the form of a mysterious ‘job’, she grabs it. Arriving at Bletchley Park, Viv discovers that she has been recruited as a codebreaker helping the war effort – if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.
At first Viv believes that her challenge, of discovering the secrets of a hidden dragon language, is doable. But the more she learns, the more she realises that the bubble she’s grown up in isn’t as safe as she thought, and eventually Viv must decide: What war is she really fighting?
An epic, sweeping fantasy with an incredible Dark Academia setting, a clandestine, slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance, and an unputdownable story, filled with twists and turns, betrayals and secret identities, A Language of Dragons is the unmissable debut of 2025, from an extraordinary new voice.
"A smart and original young adult riff on the dark academia aesthetic, SF Williamson’s book is a glorious mix of dragons, rebellion, language and romance, and the world-building is a joy." – Observer, best children’s books of 2025
A Language of Dragons was Children's #1 bestseller in the TCM chart on 07 January 2025.
Reviews
"A smart and original young adult riff on the dark academia aesthetic' 'SF Williamson’s book is a glorious mix of dragons, rebellion, language and romance, and the world-building is a joy." – The Observer, 'Best Children's Books of 2025'
“Burning with dragon fire and the flames of revolution, A Language of Dragons is compulsive and brimming with intelligence. This is dark academia with a thrilling twist … A historical YA fantasy that is uniquely compelling.” – Rachel Greenlaw, author of Compass and Blade
“Hugely gripping and wildly enjoyable, A Language of Dragons sinks its talons into you from the very first page and doesn't let go until its heart-stopping conclusion. This is the dark academia dragon book my heart was yearning for, and a must-read for fantasy fans everywhere.” – Aisling Fowler, author of Fireborn
“Dragons meet dark academia in this spellbinding fantasy about forbidden love, tested loyalty, and the art of translation. I was captivated from start to finish!” – Lauryn Hamilton Murray, author of Heir of Storms
"A gripping dark academia fantasy … I absolutely loved the unique premise of this book! While there are many great dragon books out there these days, this one stood out to me as a really interesting and different take.” – Cosmopolitan
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Having grown up in an alternate 1923 England defined by a tenuous peace that sees human and dragon relations tightly regulated, 17-year-old Vivien Featherswallow—a polyglot who speaks three human and six dragon languages—dreams of becoming a draconic translator. When her scholar parents are arrested on charges of subversion and civil disobedience, Vivien's impulsive reaction inadvertently sparks conflict between the government and rebel factions. She is presented the opportunity to earn her family's freedom by joining a secret government project to crack certain draconic secrets, such as their ability to communicate via echolocation, at Bletchley Park. There Vivien unexpectedly reunites with an estranged friend and tentatively connects with fellow recruits. But as war rages on, secrets are revealed, alliances are tested, and boundaries are pushed, forcing Vivien to choose between duty and familial loyalty. Debut author Williamson's alternate history adventure mixes fantasy with reality, reimagining WWII codebreaking as a magical and enigmatic institution. 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. Vivien is of Bulgarian and English descent. Ages 13–up.
