Miles Morales: Spiderman by Jason Reynolds Review

Title: Miles Morales: Spiderman
Author: Jason Reynolds
Age Group: Teen/Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Action
Series: Standalone
Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

Okay, so, anyone who knows me really well will tell you that I am absolutely obsessed with superheroes. DC, Marvel, it doesn't matter, just give to me! Spiderman was one of the first Marvel superheroes I was ever obsessed with, so when I heard that Jason Reynolds, a prominent African-American, young adult author, was writing a new book about one of Spiderman's incarnations, I was so stoked. And I was even more excited when I realized that the book focused on Miles Morales, a boy who is half African-American and half Puerto-Rican. Yay for diverse characters! Penning a novel full of action, with important, timely issues spread throughout, like racism, classism, and the sorry state of the U.S. prison system. What a thought-provoking book; definitely one of my favorites of 2017!

Miles Morales is just an average kid from Brooklyn, attending a posh boarding school and doing his best to get the attention of Alicia, a pretty girl in his class, and stay under the radar of his creepy, not so subtle racist teacher, Mr. Chamberlain. The one exception to his ordinariness? He's Spiderman! Yes, the Spiderman, web-slinger extraordinaire. When he uncovers a plot with his family and the entire city of Brooklyn at its center, Miles must decide if he wants to leave the mantle of Spiderman behind, or if he will continue his legacy as the friendly neighborhood hero...

I adored this book! Easily one of my favorite books of 2017, and what a time to read this! Rife with personal issues, hilarious banter, beautiful prose, and timely political issues, Reynolds has done nothing less than hit a home run with this book. Plus, I loved the way that a diverse character was introduced. The Spiderman that I'm used to is the classic Peter Parker, and it was really refreshing to get a Spiderman that had a diverse heritage. And the chemistry between him and Alicia! Excuse me for a moment while I swoon. But even more than all of these things, I loved the way Reynolds talked about racism, the way it affected the past and present. And that ending though--I loved it! It was such a fitting end to a book that spoke so much about activism and helping your fellow man! If there was ever a book we needed to read in this current political climate, it's Miles Morales! A superhero novel for all ages, I loved it so much! I can only hope that there's more to come from Reynolds and our friendly neighborhood Spiderman! The bottom line: A book that revolves around family, identity, and what it really means to be a hero, I loved Miles Morales! One of my favorite books of the year! Next on deck: The Spell Book of the Lost and Found by Moira Fowley-Doyle!

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