MILA 2.0 by Debra Driza
To be published by Katherine Tegen Bookson March 12, 2013
Source: e-ARC from the publisher via Edelweiss. Please see my FTC disclosure to the right on the sidebar.

Summary (adapted from Goodreads:) 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.
My take: Like its composite namesake -- I'm a real girl! No, wait, I'm an android! -- MILA 2.0 is an entertaining hybrid of a book, a futuristic story that time-warped me right back to the awesome 1980s.
The opening chapters follow well-tred paranormal romance territory: Mila has vague memories of the tragic fire that killed her father and a mother who seems more interested in the injured horses she cares for than her own daughter. At school, Mila is friends with the über-annoying Kaylee. Enter Hunter, a gorgeous shaggy-haired new kid from San Diego, and both girls are smitten. But Hunter really likes Mila, despite the fact that she dresses in flannel shirts and broods a lot.
Then, in the course of a drag racing scene straight out of Footloose (the 1984 version, obviously)…
… Mila is injured and learns that her name isn't the nickname she'd thought, but an acronym: "Mobile Intel Lifelike Android." (That's not a spoiler; the information is right in the book's blurb, so though it is a huge shock to Mila, the reader has the information going in.)
That revelation took me back to poor Rachael in Blade Runner (1982). You know, that scene when Harrison Ford has to tell her that she's an android? Here she is, looking at her (fake) family photos, realizing that her entire life was a LIE...
I also felt bad for Mila, mostly because her mother is such a cold fish. Mila: "Mom, why don't you love me?" Mom: "Um, I'm not really your mom. And you're not really a person. But do I love you more than the vacuum cleaner." Okay, they don't really say that. Her mom says:
I need you to know that I really do care. In fact, I believe now, more than ever, that you're worth all the risks.
Not exactly what Mila wanted to hear. But a lot of YA characters have crappy parents, and I kept wishing Mila would just embrace her android nature and start being kick-ass. In the book's second half, Mila does just that. The book spins into sci-fi slash action movie territory. Mila starts having strange flashbacks about taking targets down. She learns why her mom is so paranoid about keeping her secret. The pace picks up, and a lot more cool acronyms come into play. A new boy and some villains show up. Though the book tries to allow Mila to continue her existential crisis about not being human, there's really no time for that. The rest of the book filled with chase scenes and fight scenes, a new android that Mila has to fight, and a fear landscape.
MILA 2.0 definitely has a fun and intriguing concept, and I wasn't surprised to read that the book is being developed -- by Grey's Anatomy producer Shonda Rhimes -- as a possible TV show. I'm curious to see how the book will be adapted, and wondering if they'll leave the main character as a teenager, or age her up to broaden the potential audience.
Hmmm...I'm not sure about this one. You do a great job reviewing it (of course!) but it's just not really appealing to me even though I do enjoy action-packed stories on occasion. Well I'll keep an eye out for it when I'm at the library since I do have trouble passing up free books but I'm not going to put it on hold.
ReplyDeleteI prefer tons of action on screen rather than on the page, but this book had its moments!
DeleteOoh...a Blade Runner & a Footloose reference!! (Cue the Sammy Hagar song that goes w/ that scene you pictured: "The Girl Gets Around, she knows what she likes..." AWESOME:)
ReplyDeleteYeah, like Bookworm above , for some reason this book juts didn't ring my bell. I like sci fi, I like robots/androids, the cover is pretty, but I just wasn't blown away. But I do like your review and do find the whole "cold fish mommy who doesn't care enough" stuff pretty compelling, so perhaps I will give it a shot sometime after all:)
The Footloose remake was actually pretty good -- but the original is still my favorite!
DeleteI love that you loved this book!! I thought it was so cinematic. I agree that I'm not surprised it could be a TV show. This book was born to be seen on screen!
ReplyDeleteI think it could be a great TV show. Here's hoping we get to watch it soon!
DeleteI was not wholly impressed by this book. LOVE the concept. But I just felt like it dragged in the middle. I will still read the next book in the series, tho. I gave it three stars.
ReplyDeleteIt was a long book!
DeleteLove the 80s references! Kinda made me actually want to read this, where I had no intentions of doing so before. ;) Bladerunner is one of my fave movies evar!
ReplyDeleteJust saying that possible NO ONE else will get the same references when they read this, but knowing how much you love Blade Runner makes me love you even more!!
DeleteHaha!! "but I do love you more than the vacuum cleaner" That was awesome!! I am just about done with this book. I am really enjoying it. I have been reading it for days though. I am having a major reading slump and can only read for like an hour and then I am not interested anymore. Hopefully I will finish this one today.
ReplyDeleteIt is really long! I read it on a kindle and it went on for a while.
DeleteHmmmm.... I'm starting this one today. Wonder how I'll feel. It was the Shonda Rhimes thing that really put this one on the map for me. We'll see!
ReplyDeleteShe does have a great track record with TV shows. Excited :)
DeleteI'm not going to read all of your review cause I still need to read this one, but the TV show certainly sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. I could use a new show to watch!
DeleteSooooo... I just started watching Rhimes's show Scandal and it is SO GOOD. Also... this one sounds like a lot of fun. And I'm tired of all the crappy parents in YA. Seriously.
ReplyDeleteA TV show? *is excited**does a happy dance* You know, to my great shame, I've never seen a TV show/movie with androids. There, I said it, it's out in the open *runs and hides*
ReplyDeleteLoved Mila 2.0 though and I can't wait to see what happens next :)
"Um, I'm not really your mom. And you're not really a person. But do I love you more than the vacuum cleaner." <--that totally made me giggle!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this, though I was a bit letdown by the characters. But it's a pretty fun ride! I can't wait to see the TV show. Great review, Jen!
I've read quite a few books with this plot lately so it doesn't really interest me at the moment but it does sound like it would be a fun TV show.
ReplyDeleteI have been excited about this book for a while. The whole concept is so interesting to me, I love sci fi and action packed books. Mila's relationship with her "mother" also sounds pretty interesting. I will definitely be reading this one :) Great review!
ReplyDeleteYAY! I'm really glad to hear that you enjoyed this one! I loved all of the pictures lol! And yes Mila is one REALLY BA character! Even though her mom was a total weird person sometimes.
ReplyDeleteAwesome review! :D *throws glitter everywhere before leaving*
a TV SHOW? seriously? wow that is amazing. I LOVE LOVE how all the new movies/shows are based on YA novels!! as for your review, I loved those 1980s movie references!! i laughed at the "but i love you more than the vacuum cleaner". I read and enjoyed Mila 2.0 though I hope the characters (with the exception of Mila) are better developed in the second book.
ReplyDelete- Juhina @ Maji Bookshelf
I didn't like this book at all I was bored for most of it, so glad to hear a different take, I agree with the mom comment she was a cold fish and I think I was just too excited for this one, hopefully movie/show will be better than the book for me.
ReplyDeleteFinding out your an android would be pretty crazy! But yes I'd just kick ass! LOL Sad her mom doesn't love her? Wondering why her mom has her in the first place and why she has memories of being a killing machine? Sounds interesting!
ReplyDeleteLove MILA 2.0. I thought the ending was soooooooo good!
ReplyDeleteThis is on my tbr list. I'm glad you liked it and I'm curious what I'll think about it when I actually get my hands on a copy. I think Cinder propelled me towards reading more stories about cyborgs and andoids. I don't feel like it has been covered a lot in YA.
ReplyDeletelol Ren yes a lot of YA have crappy parents XD jee what is the world coming to.. I would hope it would at least even out you know? Growing up I didn't know anyone with that bad of a situation at home, but it does happen so I guess I get it, still.... I would like to see some realistic approaches /end rent
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I really love the sound of the book besides that fact. The futuristic android approach is kind of interesting. I hope to get this one myself :) have the pre book!
I didn't know it had been optioned as a show, but I would def watch it. I loved MIla, and agree it was great when she embraced her android side.
ReplyDeleteBrandi @ Blkosiner’s Book Blog
This has been on my TBR list since I first saw the cover on a blog a while back, but this is the first review I have read for it. It sounds like a book I would really like, but I don't know about the TV show thing. They always seem to butcher stuff when they try to make books into TV shows! I mean, movies are bad enough but I just feel like they never get it right when they make a book into a show. Maybe they will prove me wrong though...
ReplyDelete