Review: Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza

Title: Mila 2.0 (Mila 2.0, #1)

Author: Debra Driza 

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Publication date: March 12, 2013

Genre(s): Young Adult (Sci-Fi)

Source: Publisher

Format: ARC

Pages: 480

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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.

Mila 2.0 by Debra Driza is one hefty book at 480 pages. However the way Debra Driza divided the book into four sections makes the reader feel like the book is actually four short books. Something I appreciated, especially since this book did feel like it had a TON of things going on. If it weren't for the divided sections, I think we would all agree that one book shouldn't contain so much. From a normal high school girl, to a sudden romance, then a government conspiracy where the main protagonist finds out she is a machine, to fight scenes, running away, getting caught, not trusting people, betrayals and so forth. 

My heart really went out to Mila. I mean, imagine someone tells you that you're a robot.. built just to become a fighting machine and to be used in wars and you are basically the property of the government's military. It is like "Will I ever wake up from this nightmare? please, I need to wake up now!". When Mila found out, she just couldn't digest it (not because she is a machine!). She seems to breath, eat, experience a wide range of human emotions, cry, feel happiness, feel her heart on overdrive when the cute guy looks her way, and dream. All the insecurities and depressing feelings Mila started experiencing were all, in my opinion, warranted. I know many readers didn't enjoy her monologues and revolving thoughts about humanity, but this shows that she really is a human just like everyone else. 

I do have to point out that the romance was something I didn't enjoy. It was a bit too insta-love for me, and even with the addition of a third person to complete the barely there love triangle, I do not have strong feelings about either guys. Hunter seems to be a bit too interested in Mila while Lucas was too conveniently placed and easily persuaded to be on Mila's side. I hoped for more resistance and mistrust, especially since Mila IS running away from the government and any other militias or organizations that want her as a weapon. 

Moving on to the other characters, such as her mom and supposed friend Kaylee. At the beginning, I didn't care much for her mother, but with the progression of the novel I felt how much her "mother" loved her as if she is her daughter. Kaylee... was another story. She is one of those fake friends that like you and pretend to be friendly with you as long as you don't cross them or get in their way of getting anything they want, namingly hunter. She was a psychopath! I am glad she was only in the first section of the novel. The action and running away was very thrilling. I loved every bit of that and loved the duo Mila and her mom formed. As for the ending, don't expect a cliffhanger, because there isn't one at all. Also, expect a bit TOO much cheesiness, it might also leave a bitter taste when you finish the book. I personally wished they ended it a chapter before the last one. That would have been a great ending. All in all, Mila 2.0 was an enjoyable and great novel. I will definitely be waiting for the second installment to find out what will happen next.