Emelan Read a Long: Will of the Empress

[Rachy]

The Circle are Reunited and Reforged in Will of the Empress.

Sandry, Daja, Briar, and Tris, are older now and back together again, in an exciting and much-awaited, stand-alone novel by everyone's favorite mage, Tamora Pierce.

For many years, Sandry's cousin, the Empress of Namorn, has pressed her to visit. But Sandry prefers to stay with her own family in Emelan. Now, as is her right, the Empress has insisted. Sandry will not travel with a group of warriors -- that would only insult the Empress. She will travel with her friends from Winding Circle: Daja, Briar, and Tris. But the four young mages haven't been together in some time, and their friendship isn't what it used to be. Since they left Winding Circle, each has seen magic manipulated in ways -- both good and bad -- that they could not have imagined...

[Kypriotha]

I found this book so painful to read the first time. I couldn't stand the four of them fighting and over such trivial seeming things.

Now I understand the doubt and pride and hesitancy a bit more and it's one of my favourite Emelan books. I think it builds really well on the other two series and captures the different elements of the Circle.

Plus, as much as I enjoy the Circle Opens books, it was nice having the four together again 😊

[devilinthedetails]

Just read through the Will of the Empress. The tension and arguments between Daja, Tris, Briar, and Sandry were probably my least favorite aspect of the book since it seemed like these characters had regressed from last series to this book (they seem to be less mature at eighteen than at fourteen). I find them growing apart to be believable but so many of the offenses they took with each other were downright petty and annoying for me to read.

So the first part of the book before they reach Namorn was rough reading for me, but after they reach Namorn, I enjoyed the book a lot. The court dynamics and culture in Namorn are so vividly drawn, and I love political drama such as that surrounding Sandry in Namorn. Sandry's internal conflict between her obligations to her people in Namorn and fierce desire for independence were poignant to me as were Briar's traumas from the war in Yanjing. Also, Daja's romance with Rizu developed very organically to me, which was nice to see, especially in a YA work.

Basically, I enjoyed most of the Will of the Empress but could have done without all the bickering in the beginning. Once the story got to Namorn, it was hard for me to put it down.