Mila 2.0 (Mila 2.0, #1)

by Debra Driza

Sixteen-year-old Mila discovers she is not who--or what--she thought she was, which causes her to run from both the CIA and a rogue intelligence group.

• ISBN10: 0062090372
• ISBN13: 9780062090379
• Publish Date: 15 April 2014 (first published 12 March 2013)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 496
• Language: English

Reviews

[layawaydragon]

The Good:
+Action packed fast read
+Mom's character arc
+Hooked quick
+Mila’s internal struggle

The Bad & The Other:
-Ending
-Instalove, didn't feel it wish there was more of a connection
-Intrigued to continue but unsure because of the romance.
-sci-fi isn't explained, it just is.

When I first started reading, I was hooked wondering what was wrong with Mila and her mother even knowing where it was headed due to the blurb. I liked getting to know them and their everyday lives.

Because of the push/pull of her mom, I thought Mila 2.0 would go a bit differently than the standard robot. I’m seemingly wrong so far but it’s a solid portrayal nonetheless.

I love Mila’s inner turmoil over her origins and her character growth. Her mother’s character arc was just as fantastic, if not more so. Seeing her from Mila’s POV was rough at first, but they both grew and became one of the best parts of the book.

Mila 2.0 is a pretty fast read with lots of action. While there’s the basic Evil, the scientists are well-done though the science behind it all instead expounded on much. I liked the fight with [Spoiler]. Definitely some predictions based on foreshadowing and I’m curious to see it play out.



The big liability is Mila and Hunter’s relationship. It was so short and convenient. Some obvious questions that should’ve been noticed, TBH. Anyways, there was hardly anything between them, including conversations. Beyond the “weirdos” that “found” each other insta-connect, there’s nothing to see. Considering how much the ending hinges on their relationship, it was extremely disappointing.



As much as I enjoyed everything before, that makes me hesitant to continue the Mila 2.0 series. I’ll give it a shot, but it’s down on the list to wait until the fancy strikes me.

Update: Read some reviews for the second book, Renegade, and then ones for Redemption, it doesn’t sound like a series for me. I’ll keep it on the list so maybe one day I’ll continue but for now: eh.

[readingwithwrin]

“No matter what. I wouldn't let anyone change me. I wouldn't let them strip away whatever tiny parts of me were human. Assuming I had any humanity to lose.”

I really struggled with this book.
In the beginning you have Mila who has moved to a new town due to her father dying in a fire, which causes her mother to become extremely protective of her. Because of that her mom doesn't want her to do anything dangerous or be out alone where she doesn't know where she is. Which I thought was understandable. What I didn't like about that though was that her mom was extremely withdrawn towards her and was also very secretive. We also got to see Mila's "friends" (who were more mean girls than friends in my opinion). From there we also get to meet Hunter who is also new to town, and becomes her so-called friends new boyfriend target. Which causes a whole new set of problems that were not even going to get into.

When Mila discovers what she is due to her flying out of the back of a truck thanks to her so-called "friend" driving like a maniac. From there we really start finding out how Mila came to be and exactly what she is and why her mom is so secretive. Now you would have thought that from this point you would become hooked to this book, but instead you just get information dumped on you so fast that it's hard to remember it all, plus Mila's confusion and not wanting to believe it makes it slightly harder to understand as well.

But the craziness didn't end there after coming back from a date with Hunter she finds her house broken into and her mother being held captive due to people wanting her. Which causes Mila to go into what I liked to call Android mode which caused her to become a fighting machine. After that, they go on the run and Mila gets even more information dumped on her.

After awhile they get caught, and taken back to Military secret hide-out and Mila has to undergo many tests to see if they should keep her or not. There we meet several important people including her other creator and his intern (Lucas). I never like her other creator and I was never very trusting of Lucas.

A little after this point (370 pages in) was when I started to somewhat like the book.

I did really feel bad for Mia she was a prisoner in her own body, she was taught to believe she was one thing and then all of a sudden her whole world gets turned upside down and she has an identity crisis (which lasts the whole book). But I also thought she made a lot of dumb decisions (I mean really why would you call someone you've only known for three days when you're on the run!).

Lucas turned out to be an unexpected favorite character for me. I was expecting to hate him, but he actually turned out to be very helpful, and he actually had a heart.

While I'm not sure if I will continue on with the trilogy/series I would like to know what happens to Mila and if she ever is able to do the things her mom wanted her to do.

See more reviews like this on my blog

[Joséphine]

For those who like their books action-packed, Mila 2.0 definitely is worth checking out. For those who prefer to relate to the characters in a story though, this book might not entirely satisfy. I like a cross between the two, so I was kinda sitting on the fence about how I felt after I was done reading. I liked the concept. What makes humans human? And what sets androids apart?

Mila was the result of highly classified experiments developing androids for the military that were as life-like as only possible. As a result, she could think and feel like any teenage girl would, except her emotions were not necessarily her own. They were an agglomeration of teenage girls' actions and responses to particular situations. Physical pain also did not affect Mila as much as the next girl.

Her discoveries set off an inner struggle in Mila who desperately wanted to cling on to everything that made her human and avoid anything that made her a monster. This struggle in itself made the whole book worth reading for me, at least on an intellectual level, because this was serious food for thought. Still, beyond that, I didn't develop much of an emotional attachment to Mila. Neither did the death of a significant character move me at all. The plot was extremely action-driven at the expense of nuances that make strong characters.

Mila was new to Clearwater and as any new girl would, Mila tried to make friends with some of the local girls her age. Then Hunter came along. Another new kid on the block. Mila was immediately partial to Hunter, as was Kaylee. The subsequent love triangle, so to speak, that ensued was anything but enthralling. It came across as an unnecessary filler just to find a way to introduce Hunter into the story who then for the most part didn't even matter in this book.

Perhaps Hunter will be crucial to the second book in the series. Who knows. Nonetheless, I didn't appreciate the way he was introduced. It made the beginning cumbersome to read and annoyed me more than anything else when he wasn't even integral to the plot. And then Kaylee too, the friend Mila had the most affinity with in Clearwater, basically fades away. So much for the long-drawn introduction. Anyhow, the crunch of the action was well-written enough for me to finish reading the book and find reasons to appreciate it though appreciation lay mainly in the concepts.

On the whole, Mila 2.0 is a story that I think would work better on the screen than it did on the page. There certainly is no lack of creativity in constructing Mila's world, so I do want to find out what happens next. Besides, top-secret experiments will always draw curiosity, naturally. I mean, we often want to know what we're not supposed to know. I probably will pick up the second book when it comes out, though I'll have my eyes peeled more for the TV show that ABC Studios will apparently be producing based on the book.

This review was first published on Word Revel.

[Kelly]

4.5 Stars
http://divainpyjamas.blogspot.com.au/2013/05/mila-20-by-debra-driza.html

Mila 2.0 was slow to begin, telling the story of what seemed to be a regular teenage girl, coping with loss and grief, while finding her feet in a new town. Once the storyline starts unraveling the secret of who Mila really is, the reader is thrown into the heart pounding action.

It was brilliant. Mila's inner struggle between being an android and holding onto her humanity, is comparable to teens needing a sense of identity. I didn't understand the significance of Hunter, apart from being Mila's love interest, but I'm assuming that it will come to light in the next in the series. I was surprised that this was the debut novel from Debra Driza, not only was it well written, but it was unique, and nowadays that is a rare commodity in young adult novels.

[celinenyx]

I can't take any more... This review is only based on the first 160 pages of the book. Maybe Mila 2.0 all of a sudden gets super awesome on page 161 - I have no idea. All I know is that I don't want to waste my precious reading time on this book.

For me it almost felt like Mila 2.0 tried to collect all the young-adult clichés. Unrealistic high-school behaviour? Check. So-called best friend that in reality a psychotic bitch that actually almost killed you but apparently NO ONE sees this? Check. Boy that barely talks because awkward silences and staring ahead is totally connecting with someone? Check. Falling in love (love - not lust) in the space of two days? Check. Fear more about leaving the boy you love (and know for the insanely long while of one week) behind than losing your life? Check.

I was really looking forward to reading Mila 2.0 because lately science-fiction YA has been really good for me. With books like Cinder and Scarlet by Marissa Meyer or What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang, my expectations for this girl android story were high. Sadly, Mila doesn't even come near the awesomeness of Cinder (who is technically a cyborg - she's still part human, whereas Mila is supposedly fully synthetic).

Mila. If Mila had been kind-of okay then I would probably have finished the book for her sake. Instead, she should come with a huge stamp on her head stating "too stupid to live" in big capital letters. Seriously. It has been a while since I've read a heroine that rubbed me the wrong way this much. She just doesn't make any sense, especially in the context of the story. Basically, Mila is an android robot programmed as secret weapon; she's insanely strong. They gave her human feelings so she could fit in.

Why in the hells below and heavens above would scientists program a secret weapon to behave like a petulant, unpredictable and overly emotional teenager?

Mila's feelings are all over the place. One moment she's overwhelmed by finding out that she's an android and she spends her time crying, the other moment she runs off to go to school because that's a great thing to do when the army is after you and you're supposed to keep a low profile. None of her emotions or actions seemed rational or even realistic at all. When her mom tells her about who and what she is, instead of hearing her mom out she gets the information bit by bit, either because her mom is telling her that she's not ready yet, or because she's telling her mom that she doesn't want to hear it yet. I feel like there is absolutely no other reason for this spreading of information, other than that the author was scared of info-dumping. I get that - but pulling out the story for a hundred pages to avoid giving the reader too much information at once is even worse.

Mila, her mom, Hunter the love interest, Kaylee the best friend... Not a single one of these characters have redeeming qualities. They're all obnoxious for their own reasons, and I don't feel like continuing to read their story at all.

At the point I stopped reading Mila was finally on the run with mom, so probably the story becomes more interesting at this point, or at least more action-packed.

Mila 2.0 was not the book for me. I know a lot of people did enjoy it though, so if I haven't turned you off and you don't mind Mila acting crazy sometimes, you might enjoy Mila 2.0.

[jnikkir]

3.5 stars

I enjoyed this book quite a bit - it was exciting, and I enjoyed Mila as a character and as the narrator. But I'm kind of torn about my final rating... anyway, we'll get to that in a minute.

One thing I liked about the book as a whole is Mila and her desire to be human. Once Mila realizes what she is, I found myself caught up in her feelings of confusion and denial. I found myself seriously thinking about the question of "what makes us human?" Is it our reactions and opinions and feelings? Our history? Our memories? Our way of looking at the world? I liked the way that question was addressed through Mila's questioning her own humanity, and her unwillingness to accept that she's an android.

So I liked Mila, BUT: I feel like the book is split conspicuously into two halves. The second half I enjoyed a LOT. But the first half... I had some issues, specifically with the other characters. First of all, there's Hunter - whom Mila immediately falls for, after meeting him a couple of times and going out with him once. Disregarding the whole instant-attachment thing, I just didn't find Hunter all that interesting. There's obviously something suspicious about him, which I guess adds a little interest, but really, I can't bring myself to care. To me, it feels like he's just... there. Other than the fact that Mila likes him, and he's a bit suspicious, I didn't think he was very interesting. Possibly if he becomes more interesting in Book 2, I will change my mind, but for now he stays in the issue-category.

The other character I had an issue with is Mila's mom, Nicole. A lot of the first half focuses solely on Mila and Nicole, while they try to run away from the people who want to capture Mila. Yes, there is action and suspense during their adventures on the run, which is good. But Nicole just... lost me. I didn't enjoy her as a character at all - she's really secretive, to the point that I didn't find her interesting or dynamic or very well-developed. Again, I didn't care about her. And I didn't fully understand or empathize with Mila's attachment to her, since Nicole seemed to me to always be rather distant and not terribly mother-like. I guess we're told that Mila remembers her being more caring before the fire, but we don't actually see any of that first-hand, so her mom kind of just fell flat for me.

If I had to rate the first half on its own, it would maybe get 3 stars... maybe. Possibly I would need to cut to quarter-stars and give it 2.75. =/

BUT HOLD UP, because then we hit the halfway-point (almost exactly halfway, to the page), and what do you know? I actually start to - finally - really enjoy this book. I'd give the second half 4 stars easily, maybe even a little more. The action amps up, we're introduced to other characters I did find interesting (yay!); and though a lot of Mila's drive in the second half is to try and protect her mom, Mila doesn't actually interact with her much, so that's a plus.

I can't say much about the second half because of spoilers... But I will say that the main reason I enjoyed it so much more than the first half, is because of Lucas. (Okay, there are other reasons, but they're spoilery, so we'll stick with 'Lucas'.) There's obviously more to him than we're told, but he's dynamic, sweet, driven, and actually well-developed - which is why I am much more interested in him than in Hunter. And I really, really liked Mila's interactions with him: not immediately infatuated, but realistic for the situation they're both in. So, yeah. Thanks Lucas! ;) (And before anyone starts thinking "Oh no, love triangle" - that isn't the case here. Lucas isn't really a love interest in this book... as much as I would like him to be.)

So, what with my maybe-three-star rating of the first half, and maybe-a-little-more-than-four-star rating of the second half... I guess I have to give this 3.5 stars just based on the math. But when I think too hard about the first half, I want to go lower, and when I think too hard about the second half I want to go higher... *SIGH* I'm very conflicted. Let's stick with math. 3.5 stars.

I would recommend picking it up if you're a fan of fast-paced scifi adventures - especially because I have a feeling Book 2 is going to be much better than this one.

{ You can find this review, and others, at my blog! There were books involved... }

[Amber]

Along with the rest of the book blogging community, I was super excited for Mila 2.0 because, duh, cyborgs! I love a good science fiction. My high hopes definitely weren't shattered into a million pieces and thrown to the wind, but they weren't quite met. Mostly because of the focus on the romantic plot. Because no.

Full review here: http://www.booksofamber.com/2013/03/mila-20-by-debra-driza.html

[Suz @ Bookish Revelations]

Mila 2.0 is an incredible rollercoaster ride of excitment and adventure! Debra Driza doesn't hesitate to bring the awesome. Fast paced and filled with electrifying twists and turns, Mila 2.0 will leave readers breathless and aching with anticipation of what's to come next. Possibly one of the year's best debut young adult sci-fi novels, you can't go wrong picking this one if you're a fan for sure. It is definitely a must have!

Completely unputdownable and filled with so much intrigue and mystery, Driza brings the action to a culmination full force, that will knock your socks off literally. Mila is such a fantastically written and developed character, with definite unique appeal and likable qualities. It's incredibly easy to fall in love with her and to sympathize with what's going on in her life and to connect with her emotionally on many levels. She's fiercely strong and amazingly complex, and quite possibly more human than one would realize despite the fact that she really isn't at all. The way, in which Driza, approaches the fact that Mila is an android and writes it in such a compassionate and compelling way, adds extra flare and great dynamic to the book making it more enjoyable to read.

Humanity versus articial intelligence has always been an intriguing subject and Debra Driza explores it in her own wonderfully written, brilliantly unique, and intriguing debut young adult novel. Her writing style and attention to detail, are what carries so much powerful weight making the story she's telling much more believable and real. It's powerfully emotional and beautifully riveting. The emotion that's poured into these characters is simply off the charts and adds for so much development and intense heart pounding action and drama.

Wonderfully character driven and uniquely written in such an intensesly compassionate style, Mila 2.0 is a book that fans of sci-fi will absolutely fall in love with. It has everything that an amazing new debut novel should have, the right amount of intrigue and suspense, mystery and heart throbbing action, that will keep readers thumbing through the pages. The ending packs an incredible punch to the gut with an intense twist that you definitely won't see coming. It is truly worth reading!

[Ashley]

BookNook — Young Adult book reviews

MILA 2.0 was everything I hoped it would be: intense, action-packed, and filled with awesome technology. But it was also more than that: it had a TOTALLY SWOONY romance—but it didn't dominate the story, and it had one of the most alive characters I've ever read about! I have to quote another reviewer here because I can't say it better myself:

Driza has successfully trolled the entire YA writing community by creating an android narrator more human than most real teens in young adult fiction.
—Sarah Harian

This is true on so many levels. Mila is ALIVE. She reacts exactly the way I would imagine a real person would. Her emotions and actions jumped off the page, and I could so clearly envision them in my head! I could relate to her on so many levels, despite the fact we actually have very little in common! I actually cared what she was thinking about and what was happening to her. She also had her hilariously sarcastic moments that had me chuckling and frantically highlighting. Who knew an android could be so funny?? I want to be friends with her!!

Debra Driza also did a fantastic job detailing Mila's 'machine' side. Often times when I read about robots or cyborgs or whatever, I have a hard time imagining how they actually work.. But Debra Driza carefully crafted and explained it so that it makes perfect sense! It's super easy to imagine, and she makes it seem so realistic. And I think the incredible characterization in MILA 2.0 is one of the reasons that the book would be GREAT on film.

When I read MILA 2.0 I couldn't help but imagine it on film because it has been picked up for a TV show, and because it's compared to The Bourne Identity. You know when books are marketed as being compared to The Hunger Games or Harry Potter or A Song of Ice and Fire, and then they're just nothing like that? Well I promise you that MILA 2.0 is pure Bourne Identity and it's FREAKING AWESOME! This book totally embodies The Bourne Identity but without being too similar that it's unoriginal or just a copy. It has the same overall story of a military 'weapon' not wanting to be used as such, and that 'weapon' harbouring too many emotions to be the robotic military servant that it's supposed to be. MILA 2.0 also has the same incredible level of intensity and action.

MILA 2.0 is riddled with corruption, murder, brutality, a struggle with humanity, and intense car chases to boot. Everything was drawn out so clearly that I could literally picture it being up on the big screen! But at the same time, I guess I should warn you.. there are some tough scenes in MILA 2.0. They didn't bother me at all (and they DEFINITELY added to the intensity of the story), but just be aware that some scenes are pretty nasty and brutal, and there's definitely an underlying vicious/psychotic element..

As I mentioned before, there is a totally swoony romance. Some could say that the romance is a little too intense and moves a little too quickly, but I think it makes a lot of sense in context. The romantic side does seem to heavily dominate the introduction to the book, but soon it becomes clear that this romantic crush is Mila's first real emotional experience. I think it makes sense that it would hit her pretty hard. And after the introduction, the romance disappears for most of the remainder of the book. That did disappoint me a little, actually (because it was awesome and I missed it!), but again—it made sense. And it worked! And as a result, the romance didn't dominate the book overall; I think a lot of people will find that very refreshing.

This book was all kinds of awesome. It was up, down, and all over the freaking place. The constant intensity and action will definitely keep you on your toes! The best part of this book was easily Mila's struggle between her machine side and her humanity. It's really quite amazing to read about, and I love watching Mila's progression as the story takes place! MILA 2.0 had so much depth in every aspect of the story. The relationships had meaning, the characters had development, and the plot had many layers. You will love some characters like there is no tomorrow, and you will hate others with so much uncontrollable rage that you'll want to murder them with a hair-dryer plug. But you will love to hate them.

I have to admit, I think I would have liked more of an epic twist at the end.. just because I like crazy insane twists. Don't get me wrong, the ending was TOTALLY packed with action and there were some heart-wrenching moments in there.. but there wasn't a huge reveal or some crazy twist that I didn't see coming. It was all kind of... expected. Really good and intense—but expected.

But other than that, I think MILA 2.0 left off in a great place: there was closure, but still enough unanswered questions to have me pining for book #2!