Review: Catwoman - Soulstealer by Sarah J Maas

Publication Date: August 9th 2018
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 384 pages

When the Bat's away, the Cat will play. It's time to see how many lives this cat really has...
Two years after escaping Gotham City's slums, Selina Kyle returns as the mysterious and wealthy Holly Vanderhees. She quickly discovers that with Batman off on a vital mission, Batwing is left to hold back the tide of notorious criminals. Gotham City is ripe for the taking.
Meanwhile, Luke Fox wants to prove he has what it takes to help people in his role as Batwing. He targets a new thief on the prowl who seems cleverer than most. She has teamed up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and together they are wreaking havoc. This Catwoman may be Batwing's undoing.
In this third DC Icons book - following Leigh Bardugo's Wonder Woman: Warbringer and Marie Lu's Batman: Nightwalker--Selina is playing a desperate game of cat and mouse, forming unexpected friendships and entangling herself with Batwing by night and her devilishly handsome neighbour Luke Fox by day. But with a dangerous threat from the past on her tail, will she be able to pull off the heist that's closest to her heart?

Confession time again, I've not yet read the first two books in the DC Icons series, despite having them sat looking pretty on my bookshelf. Which may well answer your first question - do I need to have read the other DC Icons books before starting this? The answer is no, this stands on its own two feet, whilst still being based in the same world that the others inhabit, which is nice because you can read them in any order and dip in and out as you fancy.

Maas has long been a favourite author of mine, so it was her name on the cover that had me excited more than this sudden desire by DC to make these characters appeal to a young adult audience (although that's also awesome, but secondary at this moment). I've enjoyed all her original characters and I was looking forward to seeing her put her own mark on Selina Kyle, because bad ass assassin of the night? This has Sarah J Maas written all over it. 

It didn't have a lot of the depth and complexity that I've come to expect from Maas, but it was still a very enjoyable read. Selina was a curious character, remarkably simple at heart with her desire to protect her sister, but with a fascinating moral greyness that makes you root for her even when she's robbing people and taking names. She's a delight to cheer on, and her friendship with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn only accentuates that. Stand out moment has to be the first heist the three women pull, which someone needs to commit to film asap because it is glorious.

If you're a fan of Maas then you'll enjoy this, but don't expect to be blown away by it - it doesn't have the time or possibility to truly let her trademark complex plotting and characters come to fruition. If you're a fan of superheroes and villains then you'll definitely enjoy it. And if you just like picking up well written young adult books then it's definitely one you shouldn't miss. It's enjoyable, well written, surprisingly fun at times, and an excellent example of a super hero/villain romp done well.