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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
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.
Review:
The publishers of D.C. comics have commissioned a series of origin books surrounding several of their major characters such as Wonder Woman, and Batman. Each novel has been written by well-known YA novelists. Catwoman: Soulstealer is written by Sarah J. Maas and includes lots of action, strong characters, and a compelling story.
What I Liked:
Backstory:Much of the first part of the book is spent on Selina's backstory. Her story of surviving extreme poverty is compelling and makes one understand how she can be so ruthless. Luke Fox also has a strong backstory of his time as a marine and shows why he is such a loner.
Characters:
I am not a fan-girl of D. C. comics, so I had no reference for characters such as Harley Quinn or Poison Ivy. Most of the female characters are women who have been used and thrown away by men. But hating men is not their agenda. They are just through with being told what to do. The author does a good job of developing these characters, along with Selena/Catwoman and Luke/Batwing.
Harley is a damaged soul who enjoys murder and mayhem. You can tell that men have abused her in the past, but she still has moments of caring, especially towards Poison Ivy.
Poison Ivy is also a brilliant young woman who has been genetically altered to have a special affinity for plants. In her lab, she can create poisons to put people to sleep, as well as to kill. She has strong feelings for Harley, and I found their romance enjoyable. But even though Harley is returning Ivy's feelings, you just know Ivy is in for heartache.
Narration:
Julia Whelan is excellent as the hardened street kid, Selena. As Selena transforms from desperate poverty to trained assassin, Whelan retains a jaded attitude in her voice that hits a perfect tone for the novel. She also voices all the other characters and has a great handle on the other characters such as Luke, with a world-weary tone, and Harley's girlish trouble-maker spirit.
Story:
I enjoyed how Catwoman teams up with Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. The heists were fun, and also revealing for their characters. There is a longer story arc that the author hinted at throughout the book. The reveal at the end ties up all these elements perfectly.
PTSD:
One of the things that makes this novel different from other novels of this genre is the detailed depiction of post traumatic stress disorder that afflicts Luke. Luke is a former Marine who has seen terrible things. When there are large explosions, Luke can be paralyzed with fear. How he works through this issue is fascinating.
Rating:
Release Date: August 7th, 2018
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Genre: New Adult Superhero Novel
Publisher: Listening Library
Listening Length: 10 Hours
Page Length: 384 Pages
Source: Listening Library
Format: Audio Book
Recommendation: A fun addition to the D.C. Icons books.
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