The Different Girl

The Different Girl

by Gordon Dahlquist

Veronica is trying to remember her past before she loses it all.  While she tells her story, more and more strange things about her come to light.

Veronica is learning about the world on her small island, bit by bit.  With three other girls who are identical to her in every way except for their hair, she studies her area, her home, the weather patterns, the insects, and more.

While it may seem dull to some, for Veronica and the other girls, this is what they do every day.  They observe and then report their observations to Robbert and Irene, who take note of their observations and keep an eye on them.

The first real moment where Veronica and the girls are revealed to be more than they seem is when Irene presses a button to put them to sleep.  When May arrives on the island, having washed ashore after her uncle's boat sank, the girls realize just how different they are.

Can they figure out the secrets of their own creation and the world around them before it's too late?

Final thoughts:  No.  No they can't.  And that's the failing of this book.  While the premise is interesting, it's too ambiguous overall and there's just not enough details where they're needed.  It's never revealed why the girls are there, what they were created for, or why they're in danger.  There's really no plot to this at all.  Is this just a VERY long exposition for a future book?  Who knows.  Who cares?  Not me.

Rating: 2/5