Mila 2.0

Mila 2.0
by Debra Driza

From the publisher:
"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."

This was a welcome relief after going through several duds in the YA category. I really enjoyed it and found it refreshingly unique. It was my first android book (I haven't read Cinder yet), but the main character felt more human than some of the supporting characters. It had a lot of action, a little romance, and a very interesting plot. I really liked the main character and loved how hard she tried to keep a hold on her humanity. However, I didn't feel like I made a connection with any of th...moreThis was a welcome relief after going through several duds in the YA category. I really enjoyed it and found it refreshingly unique. It was my first android book (I haven't read Cinder yet), but the main character felt more human than some of the supporting characters. It had a lot of action, a little romance, and a very interesting plot. I really liked the main character and loved how hard she tried to keep a hold on her humanity. However, I didn't feel like I made a connection with any of the secondary characters, aside from her mom. I didn't like the insta-love at the beginning, and quite frankly I have no feelings for the guy except quite a bit of distrust. The best friend went from best friend to psycho in about a minute. I was also left with a lot of questions (Sarah?! - Why didn't her mom TELL her anything?!). I'm sure those will be answered in the next book/books, but I would have liked to have a little to go on. That all being said, I really liked it and am interested to see what happens in the next one. Areas of concern: A handful of cuss words. A lot of violence towards the main character and loved one. The main character is forced to use violence, but hates that she has to and tries to control herself to do the least amount of damage when it is necessary.

Suggested ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12+
School Library Journal - Grades 7+