ALOD - Annotated Playlist Notes

A LANGUAGE OF DRAGONS Annotated Playlist This playlist contains spoilers for A LANGUAGE OF DRAGONS. I recommend you read it after you have finished the book. When a song is associated with a particular scene, I’ve included the chapter number next to the song title. I hope you enjoy the soundtrack to ALOD <3 The Only Way is Down – Thomas Newman (Victoria and Abdul soundtrack) [2] I imagine Viv standing in Hollingsworth’s presence, once for the first time as she admiringly contemplates the Chancellor of the Academy of Linguistics she so idolises, and again after her parents have been arrested. The more intense parts of the music show Hollingsworth in a different light as Viv’s world comes crumbling down. Remind Her Who The Enemy Is – James Newton Howard (The Hunger Games : Mockingjay soundtrack) [3] The first half of this song is Viv creeping up the stairs in the library of the University of London, looking for the dragon. Then finally she sees her standing on the parapet, huge and terrifying, before noticing the sores on her body from decades of imprisonment– a beauty that has been broken. The second half is the dangerous deal that occurs between Viv and Chumana and the latter’s escape. I loved writing the scene where Chumana flies for the first time in years. Alan Turing’s Legacy – Alexandre Desplat (The Imitation Game soundtrack) [5] Viv and Marquis sit side by side on the train to Bletchley, wondering what sort of job they’re being sent to. I can see them both in their dark-academia mackintoshes and loafers, the studious cousins about to be forced to put everything they’ve learned about dragons to good use. They’re full of renewed hope and have no idea what they’re in for… Fellowship – Thomas Newman (Tolkien soundtrack) [9] The scene in which Viv and Atlas first visit the library together. Viv is searching for a book on the Small Isles until they have a conversation in which Atlas reveals he’s a “priest-intraining”. One of my favourite things about Atlas is that he is so unapologetically himself despite the fact that people are always quick to judge him according to the prejudices they hold in relation to his class, skin colour or white collar. This is the first time that Viv truly looks at him and is surprised by what she sees. Alan – Alexandre Desplat (The Imitation Game soundtrack) This is the music to all the codebreaking scenes, where Viv sits deep in thought among the leafy plants and whirring machines of the glasshouse. I imagine her and the other codebreakers sneaking glances at eachothers’ logbooks, the pressure mounting as they scrawl and scratch out translations under Dr Seymour’s watchful eye. Katniss is Chosen – James Newton Howard (The Hunger Games : Catching Fire soundtrack) [12]