The newest installment in the DC Icons Series, “Catwoman: Soulstealer” is a riveting story of Catwoman’s takeover of Gotham City written by Sarah J. Maas. Batman is out of town, leaving Batwing to attempt to take over from his mentor. Selena Kyle, also known as Catwoman, enters Gotham City with a hidden plan to take over the city with her new friends Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn.

The majority of the primary characters in the book are villains, with the exceptions of Luke Fox, also known as Batwing, and Maggie Kyle, Selena’s sister. This creates a good opportunity to create complex and compelling characters, which Maas takes. Villains are redefined in “Catwoman: Soulstealer” as they are exposed as real people who love and laugh and care about things other than power, money and hurting people. Batwing is a little more black and white but he is also human and is more open-minded than some comic book superheroes. All of the characters are developed into intricate, multi-faceted people. Despite being villains and adults, making their lives difficult to relate to, their emotions and underlying personalities are very easy to identify with.

The plot is very complicated, interweaving different, seemingly insignificant breadcrumbs dropped throughout the book to create an elaborate storyline. The book concludes with a climax worthy of the complexity of the plot, filled with excitement and near-death moments. The ending is riddled with plot twists kept hidden from the reader until the very end. The intricacy of it shows obvious planning and forethought involved in the writing of the book.

I am a big fan of Maas’s writing and she does not disappoint with this novel. I would recommend the book to any comic book or antihero fans. The comic can also appeal more generally to people who enjoy fantastic tales of adventure. The insight given into the complex world of the DC Universe’s villains is fascinating, as is the insight into one of the lesser-known heroes of the comics. “Catwoman: Soulstealer” is very entertaining but it doesn’t have that extra little bit that would turn it into a favorite.

“Catwoman: Soulstealer:” ★★★★☆