Selina Kyle is a very strong character, but I didn't expect her to be quite so kind and driven to help those she loves. I'd say she is a kinder softer Catwoman in this version. She is driven by her love and need to protect and care for her sister who has cystic fibrosis, which is different than the way she is normally portrayed.
I was also expecting a bit more of a villainous, morally grey, independent Catwoman. I was a bit surprised to see her team up with Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn. I enjoyed the team up, especially Catwoman and Ivy's friendship. I liked Harley, but she tended to stay focused on breaking Joker out of the asylum, even hurtfully referring to him as "her man," completely oblivious to Ivy's feelings.
Catwoman and Batman are usually the ones we see romantically linked, but in this book Batwing is the love interest while Batman is off on a mysterious mission. Now Batwing (Luke Fox) was an okay character with a lot of potential, a marine who suffers from PTSD and dons a suit to help fight crime and clean up Gotham's streets. I just felt like he wasn't all that much of a challenge. Catwoman frustrates, outsmarts and humiliates him a little too easily. I kind of felt bad for the guy.
In comics, movies and tv series, Catwoman tends to be a bit more sassy, saucy, and flirty than she is here. Selina's back story was a good deal different in this book, she grew up caring for her sister, learning to fight and winning match after match in Falcone's arena located in the sewers beneath Gotham in order to pay for food, rent and hospital bills. She is very serious and focused which is great, but I would have loved to see more of her fun, feisty side as well.
The bittersweet, emotional turn the book takes toward the end certainly took me by surprise. It was a very pleasant surprise. I enjoyed this version of Selina and I would recommend it to others, but I wouldn't recommend it to die hard fans of the comics because Maas does take quite a few liberties with the characters and doesn't stay entirely true to their original versions. I myself enjoy seeing different takes on my favorite characters. They don't always work, but in this case, it wasn't purr-fect, but I think Maas did a nice job.
-SW
4
