Sandry, Tris, Briar, and Daja are all reunited after their adventures in the Circle Opens series. However, after spending the past two years apart and having experiences that they don't necesarily want the other to know, the four are no longer connected like they once were. The squabbling bunch rises to the challenge though when Sandry's cousin, Empress Berene of Namorn, "invites" Sandry to visit and to consider Namorn as her new home. 
 Honestly, I had difficulty deciding how to rate this. Firstly, I really enjoyed reading it, and couldn't put the book down. However, I did find parts of it were lacking in the usual quality from Pierce, and it did start out rather slow. The plot was lovely, but was spoon fed to the reader in some parts, limiting the intrigue. 
 There were some character developments that I didn't see coming until after they happened that I paticularly enjoyed. I'd say Pierce's strongest skill has always been her character writing, which is what I always look for. I love seeing characters I know and love grow. So while The Will of the Empress isn't Pierce's best work, it's still good and enjoyable, especially if you've read prior Circle books. 
 3.5/5