Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fast-paced, violent sequel has android on the run, in love.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
After the traumatic discoveries and violent events of Book 1, android killing machine Mila, who up until a few days ago thought she was a normal teen from Philly, is on the run from her creators and other dark forces who want to dismantle her for her technology. With her is Hunter, the boy she's in love with -- and to whom she can't bring herself to tell the truth about who and what she is. In their quest to get Mila to safety -- and in Mila's search for the truth about herself and the right thing to do about it -- the two encounter friends masquerading as foes and sometimes vice versa. Amid the suspense and violence, they can't really trust each other either.
Is It Any Good?
The book's fast-moving plot takes readers through one hairpin turn and vertical drop after another. "Right now, the truth seemed nebulous at best. A never-ending journey where, just when I thought I'd finally struggled my way to the end, the pathway took a sharp turn, once again plunging me into darkness," Mila reflects at one point.
Mila's constant emotional turmoil and efforts to find herself will hit the sweet spot with some readers and probably annoy others, but they help define her as a struggling-to-be-human character. The constant thread of distrust and violence is necessary to the plot but may make for a story that's too dark for some.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why robots and androids are such popular subjects for stories. Do you find them more likable or more scary as they become more like humans?
What do you think of the hackers who believe all technology should be free? Do you agree or disagree? What do you see in today's world that makes you think this?
How would you feel if you discovered that something you'd believed all your life -- because people you trusted had told you it was true -- was a lie? How would your life change? Has this happened to anyone you know? How did they cope?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Science Fiction
- Topics : Adventures , Friendship , Robots
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Katherine Tegen Books
- Publication date : May 13, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 17
- Number of pages : 448
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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