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A review by betwynnthelines
Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
As an avid comic and Spider-Man fan, I think the more people who read this book, the better! What a fabulous story about Miles, telling a Spider-Man story that can only be told through Miles, and demonstrating the School-to-Prison pipeline. I imagine that, in the wake of his movies, this book is doing quite some work helping middle school students discuss the pressing, real-world problems this book brings up. Of course, if reading antiblack racism is difficult for you to read, do whatever you need to take care of yourself. While Reynolds can be a little on the nose with it at times, his other works as well as his experiences made it so he was able to tell the story he wanted to be told. It's a very purposeful book--but that doesn't mean it's all serious, all the time. It has very silly moments, and cute ones, too! I loved the humanity and love brought to Miles's parents, in exactly the same way I loved the internalized racism Miles struggles with throughout the book.
Of course, you will be disappointed if you go into this looking for action, or a Spider-Man centered story. Yes, this is a Spider-Man story, but there is a PERSON under that mask, and this story is about him. For those who want more Spider-Man adventures, I would recommend the comics. However, I'm glad that this book knows the story it wants to focus on, which is Miles's personal life and all the different facets of it. I've always been a sucker for the more "mundane" aspects of superheroics, and I believe there's no point in a superhero if the person they are under the mask is bland and featureless. It really makes sure you care about Miles, and that you care about the people Miles cares about, even when he struggles to. Reynolds plays to his strengths here, which is communicating the themes and topics he wants to explore through the eyes of a character. If he felt Spider-Man was more necessary to tell the story, I believe he would have. The villain of this story is not your typical supervillain with a bright suit and a gimmick; he represents the literal thematic antagonist of the book, and even then, he's not a flat, one-and-done villain. While the fight may be underwhelming to some, I believe it's more than made up for by what the fight accomplishes, which is bringing the theme around full-circle, ending on a hopeful note while acknowledging there is still more to be done, and that it isn't as simple as defeating a villain.
Of course, you will be disappointed if you go into this looking for action, or a Spider-Man centered story. Yes, this is a Spider-Man story, but there is a PERSON under that mask, and this story is about him. For those who want more Spider-Man adventures, I would recommend the comics. However, I'm glad that this book knows the story it wants to focus on, which is Miles's personal life and all the different facets of it. I've always been a sucker for the more "mundane" aspects of superheroics, and I believe there's no point in a superhero if the person they are under the mask is bland and featureless. It really makes sure you care about Miles, and that you care about the people Miles cares about, even when he struggles to. Reynolds plays to his strengths here, which is communicating the themes and topics he wants to explore through the eyes of a character. If he felt Spider-Man was more necessary to tell the story, I believe he would have. The villain of this story is not your typical supervillain with a bright suit and a gimmick; he represents the literal thematic antagonist of the book, and even then, he's not a flat, one-and-done villain. While the fight may be underwhelming to some, I believe it's more than made up for by what the fight accomplishes, which is bringing the theme around full-circle, ending on a hopeful note while acknowledging there is still more to be done, and that it isn't as simple as defeating a villain.
Also... I wish the characters introduced in this book, primarily Austin, get to be brought into the main 616 universe! I know it's a long shot, but... Austin!
PS... There's a sequel to this novel, called Miles Morales: Suspended. I HIGHLY recommend it. It's about censorship.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism