YA Science Fiction
480 pages, hardcover
Available March 12, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Review copy provided by publisher
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.
Positive: The set-up. We start out with what seems to be a normal girl, getting over the death of her father and a move to a new, small town. Mila's mother has wrapped Mila in cottonwool, protecting her from everything bad in the world, not allowing Mila to do much of anything. Mila figures it's just because of what happened to her dad and, while it's frustrating, she goes along with it. She's got friends, she goes to school, she rides her horse...she's pretty normal. Until she falls out of a truck and learns that she really not.
Positive: Mila. She's just a girl who learns she's a robot...heh. Mila's life is completely upended when she finds out what she really is -- a cybernetic experiment created by the government for warfare. Why they started with teenaged girls is beyond me, especially since they programmed them with emotions and such. Do these guys not know anything about teenaged girls and emotions and the instability of them? *waves it away* Whatever. Anyway, Mila learns what she is, she freaks out (of course) and before she can really process what's going on, she and her mother (who's not really her mother) are on the lam. She handles it pretty well, considering she really is just like a teenaged girl emotion-wise. Beyond that, she's pretty kick-ass, especially when her programming kicks in.
Positive: The facility. Talk about creep-factor. There is no way I want to visit this place. The people who run it are pretty darned sadistic, sawing apart previous Milas with no regard for their emotions (sure, they're robots but they've still got emotions and pain sensors!). And the tests they put Mila through...*shudder* Poor Mila.
Wish: The insta-love. A boy walks into the local Dairy Queen and Mila's in love. She talks to him, she likes him, her friend likes him and "claims" him, she back off a little. But she still likes him and he likes her, even after she gets hurt and he sees her innards. Life goes to hell for her and she has to disappear from his life. Until she doesn't (I know, super-mysterious. But I'm not going to spoil what happens!). I'm curious about this guy, though. He doesn't seem like a typical teen boy. It seems like he has an agenda that we just don't know about yet. His parents aren't around, he's pretty self-sufficient but...there's just something about him I can't put my finger on. Maybe we'll find out more about this in the next book.
Overall: Fast-paced and creative, MILA 2.0 packs a serious punch as Mila battles her way through emotional and physical turmoil in an effort to once again be free and "normal".
Available for pre-order on Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes and Noble
Hi Mary. I'm back! I've heard a few things about this book but haven't paid attention to any reviews. I love that it's set in Minnesota. The insta-love is disappointing, but so common sometimes I just have to get over it.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you're back! We missed you around the blogosphere. I agree with the get-over-it of it all but go away insta-love!
DeleteYou perfectly described my main concern about this book - the boy! I didn't get their deeper connection and I just didn't feel the romance between them. Why did she trust him so completely in the end? I wished we would have gotten to know him better, maybe then I would even remember his name! lol
ReplyDeleteI just didn't understand the boy at all. I didn't trust him *at all*. Nor do I remember his name...oops!
Delete"Why they started with teenaged girls is beyond me, especially since they programmed them with emotions and such. Do these guys not know anything about teenaged girls and emotions and the instability of them?"
ReplyDeleteROFL!!!!
Ah well. We quite enjoyed the book, and even blogged about it ourselves (along with a couple other books that raise the question of what it means to be human)... http://www.weheartya.com/2013/01/almost-human.html
I like that they explored the topic of what it means to be human -- it's a great question!
DeleteHahahah love the "waves it away" Mary! Sometimes you just have to roll with things in books, and it seems like having a huge list of questions for this one would only ruin the reading experience. A huge BOO on the insta-love, but other than that I really like the sound of this one:)
ReplyDeleteJust roll with it -- I liked the story enough to do so. Worth it (though I still didn't get the insta-love. The guy was kinda meh).
DeleteHa. I'm glad you were able to set aside some of the not-so-logical parts of this book. Sounds like it is, indeed, very interesting.
ReplyDeleteSometimes logic just hampers things. It's pretty interesting, though!
DeleteI had so many problems with this one! :( I'm SO glad you enjoyed it more than I did, Mary. I didn't understand the behavior and decisions of one of the characters, and a few other things simply made no sense.
ReplyDeleteGreat review though. I see your point even though I thought differently. :)
That's what I love about books! Different strokes for different folks, right?
DeleteThe facility sounds eerie...I really like the sound of this novel, despite the insta-love factor. I can't remember the last book I read with a robot-girl protagonist...
ReplyDeleteFabulous review!
The setting was one of my favorite parts of this!
DeleteNot liking the insta-love, but am enjoying the idea of the creep factor. Not that I'd want to visit either, but don't mind reading about it.
ReplyDeleteThe love aspect was odd because the guy was so vanilla but the rest of it was definitely intriguing!
DeleteAgree with you about the insta-love; it was a problem for me too. I still had fun with the book, but I think I was expecting more. But to be fair, I had this on a majorly high pedestal prior to reading it, so it was pretty much destined to fall at least somewhat short of expectations. Glad you enjoyed it so much! I'm definitely sticking with the next book.
ReplyDeleteI agree -- fun was had. Yeah, I expected it to be *more* (not sure how but yanno) but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next!
DeleteSounds good and it must have been at least pretty decent if you could set aside the less-than-logical stuff in favor of the story (it never makes sense to me why all the creepy experiments start with cute teenaged girls, right?)
ReplyDelete:) I'm glad you liked it, Mary :)
Definitely enjoyable. Not an all-time fave or anything but a good way to pass the time.
DeleteI was so tempted to grab this from Vine cause it sounds so good but I'm just so overwhelmed as it is that I didn't.
ReplyDeleteI'll just tell myself I wouldn't like it cause of the insta-love. ;)
LOL! I've done the same thing. "No, really. I didn't want that book..." Heh.
DeleteI've only seen a few positive reviews of this one, so I am very glad that someone else that I trust likes Mila 2.0! :) THe world sounds so cool! Bummer about the insta-love though. :(
ReplyDeleteIt's worth a read! Not a fave but fun, which is always good.
DeleteDamn insta-love!! *shakes fist* I definitely want to read this so I'm glad to hear that, overall, it was entertaining. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm telling you! What up with the insta-love, people? Can't we just call it a crush and be done with it? Sheesh.
DeleteI've heard a lot of mixed reviews on this one. It sounds really good, so I'm glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteJesse @ Pretty In Fiction
Yeah, lots of mixed reviews. I though it was fun, though.
Delete