Pages: 480
Expected Publication: March 12th 2013
# in Series: #1 in Mila 2.0 series
Source: HarperCollins via Edelweiss
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Summary from Goodreads:
Mila 2.0 is the first book in an electrifying sci-fi thriller series about a teenage girl who discovers that she is an experiment in artificial intelligence.
Mila was never meant to learn the truth about her identity. She was a girl living with her mother in a small Minnesota town. She was supposed to forget her past —that she was built in a secret computer science lab and programmed to do things real people would never do.
Now she has no choice but to run—from the dangerous operatives who want her terminated because she knows too much and from a mysterious group that wants to capture her alive and unlock her advanced technology. However, what Mila’s becoming is beyond anyone’s imagination, including her own, and it just might save her life.
Mila 2.0 is Debra Driza’s bold debut and the first book in a Bourne Identity–style trilogy that combines heart-pounding action with a riveting exploration of what it really means to be human. Fans of I Am Number Four will love Mila for who she is and what she longs to be—and a cliffhanger ending will leave them breathlessly awaiting the sequel.
My Thoughts & Review:
Mila just moved to a new town with her mother after the passing of her father. Mila is devastated at the loss of her father, and it’s actually one of the few things she can remember from her past. Her mother tells her she has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and she will eventually remember, but the sudden death of her father in a fire that Mila was also present in has blocked all of her memories. Mila gets glimpses of past memories but can’t piece anything fluent together. In the new town, Mila meets some new friends, and a sexy new boy in town Hunter. After Mila flies off the back of a truck and damages her elbow she learns she is not human after all. She is an android, and her “mother” was the scientist that created her and stole her from the lab. Suddenly Mila’s life is turned upside down and now she has no choice but to run with her mother… before this government agency catches up to her.
Fresh off of Cinder, I was really excited to read this one. I realized I really loved the science fiction that surrounds Androids and was interested to pick up Mila 2.0. I’ve only just started dabbling in science fiction the last few months so I’m still slightly weary, wondering if at some point it’s going to be a bit too intense. Not the case for Mila 2.0. I thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel.
Mila was a great main character. I was very happy with her character development throughout the book. At the start of the story, obviously Mila thinks she is a regular human girl and by the end of the story she is coming to terms with being an Android. Her emotions, anger, sadness and rebellion were not lost between this either which thrilled me. Mila went through every possible emotion finding out that she was Android, being angry with her mother, feeling worthless… and I really felt for her the entire time. I also enjoyed Mila’s mother as a character, and grew quite attached to her by the end of the book. I’m unsure about Hunter. I’m extremely suspicious of him, and I was from minute one. I think there is going to be something dramatic that comes out about him in book 2.
As much as I loved the characters, and character building in Mila 2.0, the love interest kind of threw me off. It was very much like insta love but I found it felt quite awkward in the story. It’s very much an action filled thriller and when Mila would mention Hunter, it kind of rocked the flow of the book momentarily. As I said above though, I’m sure the second book is going to provide a lot of insight why Hunter is such a main part of the story.
The plot for Mila 2.0 was fast paced, and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I was actually fearful for Mila’s safety and dying to see how every scene was going to play out. The whole concept of these extremely intelligent Android’s was fascinating to me. It’s also kind of scary… to think, maybe these are already out there? And who would know? Mila certainly didn’t know she wasn’t human! I loved how memories were able to be given to them, as well as emotions, bodily functions, really everything that a human would have. It was absolutely astonishing.
I really enjoyed Mila 2.0. I cannot wait for the second book… it really ends on a cliffhanger and I’m so anxious to see what happens with her story.
This is Debra Driza’s debut novel and it’s 100% worth the read!
My Rating:
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I read the “Origins” short teaser story today, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. Also really happy with the comparison to “Cinder”; I found the “being cyborg vs being human” issue really interesting in that book, and I’m glad to hear Mila 2.0 pulls it off. Super excited to read this one!
I hope you enjoy it Nikki 🙂 I read the Origins teaser after Mila 2.0(no reason for that haha… im backwards sometimes)… and loved it.
I’ve heard about this book and it sounds GREAT!!! I can’t wait to read it!! I think your blog is great, so I nominated you for the Liebster Award. 🙂 http://deservedly.wordpress.com/2013/03/08/liebster-award-2/ Here’s a link to the rules, If you don’t accept awards, no worries!! 🙂
Thanks so much Morgan. Right now I’m not doing any awards but I thank you so much for the nomination 🙂 I just subscribed to your blog… it’s awesome !!!!
Ahhh I can’t wait to read this one. I think I already love Mila just from what you said about her. That would so difficult finding out you’re an Android. I don’t even know how I would react to that, to be honest. I’m glad it’s not too science fictiony either, because I can handle some, but it can get overwhelming.
I’m the same way Rachel… I enjoy science fiction but nothing too intense. I can’t wait to see what you think of it 🙂
Hmm. I’ve been hearing such good things about this one, but I think I might be finally convinced. Mila sounds like a really good character, and everyone has a bad feeling about Hunter, LOL! I’m curious enough to wonder why… 😉 Hopefully I get to read this soon. Fab review, girly! (: (Oh, and Cinder was fantastic!!)
Thanks so much Megan! I really hope you get to read it soon, I’ll be watching for your review!! Hahaha… yah if everyone has bad feelings about Hunter… we can’t be all wrong right? lol
You’re welcome! I hope that I do too– I’m curious to see if my opinions differ from everyone elses’. The majority of the reviews I’ve read are complimentary, but I’ve read one that said Mila sucked…I guess we’ll see, right? 😉 I don’t think that you can all be wrong! ;P
Lol yah exactly. I seen some reviews as well where the blogger hated Mila but to be honest, they are my favorites to read. I love reading uncomplimentary reviews when I loved the book! It’s so intriguing to me that opinions can be so drastically different with the same book 🙂
I’ll be looking for your review 🙂
I’m waiting for this book in the mail, and I’m dyyyiing to read it. I’m a sucker for action-filled sci-fi novels and I know this one will hit the mark for me. Very very excited. Thanks for the awesome review!
Thanks Janita 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you think as well! It’s absolutely action filled!