26 Feb 2013

REVIEW: Dangerously Placed by Nansi Kunze




Title: Dangerously Placed
Author: Nansi Kunze
Publication Date: March 1st 2011
Publisher: Random House Australia Children’s
Format: Paperback
Pages: 288
Rating: 5/5
Blurb: This work experience is going to be killer...

Alex Thaler can’t wait to start her dream work experience placement at Virk, where staff from all over the world mingle in an astonishing virtual office. But when an employee is found murdered, the dream becomes a nightmare – because Alex is the prime suspect. Fortunately, Alex’s friends are willing to brave shark tanks, disgusting pathology specimens and even a nude beach in order to clear her name . . .

Can a hippy chick, a goth girl in a lab coat and two guys with a taste for blowing things up really help solve the mystery – before Alex becomes the next victim?
Review: I read Nansi’s first book, Mishaps, way back when I was about thirteen or fourteen which I adored, though I probably would have never heard of Dangerously Placed without miraculously meeting her at Supanova (a much smaller Comic Con, here in Australia) last year. It was amazing to meet her- getting my book signed and getting a couple of pictures with her were great but the best thing was definitely learning about and buying this book.

Even though it took me just under a year to actually get around to this book, the moment I started it I knew that I would love it, and so I did. I loved the main character Alex from the start, and each of her crazy friends. The romantic storyline was also really amazing in this book- it didn’t distract from the wicked plot of the book and it wasn’t unrealistic or completely obvious from the very start.

However, as much as I did love the characters and the romance- my favourite thing about this book was definitely the world in which it was based. It’s set in Australia, a definitely plus for me, but it also had the cyberspace world of Simulcorp- Alex’s job placement. It is really clear when you read it that Nansi put a lot of work into the creation and detail of this super mind blowing completely virtual world. For me, this made the book even more wonderful and exciting.

Dangerously Placed varies from the usual sort of YA books that you might have on your bookshelf, it’s a contemporary but it also has aspects of mystery, science fiction and thriller which keeps you on the edge of your seat for the whole time. Definitely a worth-while read.


You can buy Dangerously Placed on The Book Depository (Free shipping worldwide).