Review of A Place Under the Sun
Posted: 01 Jun 2024, 01:33
[Following is a volunteer review of "A Place Under the Sun" by Luis Urtueta.]
“A Place Under the Sun” by Luis Urtueta is not your ordinary corporate political melodramatic film. It is an intense and realistic portrayal of the allure of big dreams and the vacuum left after their pursuit. Urtueta guides us through the initiation of the protagonist, Enrique Ureta, or Henry in the professional sphere, a young man from Spain trapped in the fabulous glamour of the Dubai consulting sector.
Urtueta splendidly sketches an irresistible yet unappealing corporate environment where the character works. The glamorous offices, the fancy meals, and the assurance of big bucks—it all glistens with an irrefutable appeal. But there lies in wait a constant oppression of seeming to fit into the culture, of trying to always look as though one is sure of oneself, and this gets at Henry’s inherent shyness. This is evident in the psychological effects observed on his mental health, which presents a realistic yet very disturbing view of intense stress. Henry isn’t the everyday hero that you come across in most stories. He is shy, critical, and defensive more often than not. Here there is no attempt to conceal these less than endearing qualities of the man. Instead of that, he employs them to build a layered and yet highly problematic protagonist figure. The struggle within Henry between desire and the responsibility of business obligations is fascinating. This internal conflict is the essence of the novel; as a result, Henry is both sympathetic and eminently aggravating—a character with whom readers feel for yet cannot always approve.
Urtueta is a brilliant writer with the ability to create powerful images. He vividly describes the context of Dubai with the extravagant consulting belle epoque and the boiling anger and frustration just beneath the surface. High-energy deal-making is captured well, along with Henry’s client pitch, and moments of solitude highlight his gradual mental collapse. Watching “A Place Under the Sun” left me with more questions than answers. It is a novel that one cannot let go of easily and dwells on the cost of the hunger for success and the meaning of success. The finale is not made clear, and one can only speculate; however, it presents the viewers with a small chance of freedom from the prison of wealth. Whether Henry attains a place under the sun or bears the unending pressure is what Urtueta lets the audience wonder. The editing was great, and there were no mistakes; therefore, this book deserves 5 out of 5 stars. It is hard to come across something one dislikes; hence, nothing is infamous about it.
Some might find that the story is too self-reflective in certain instances, and Henry might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Furthermore, what applies in a particular context of high-end consulting may not hold in another setting. This is an evocatively heartbreaking novel: “A Place Under the Sun” raises one’s hackles and turns the familiar lust for success into a horrifying journey. Any reader interested in a story that transcends office politics and focuses on the complexities of the human psyche and a quest for identity in today’s society consumed by the concept of victory will find it relevant.
******
A Place Under the Sun
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
“A Place Under the Sun” by Luis Urtueta is not your ordinary corporate political melodramatic film. It is an intense and realistic portrayal of the allure of big dreams and the vacuum left after their pursuit. Urtueta guides us through the initiation of the protagonist, Enrique Ureta, or Henry in the professional sphere, a young man from Spain trapped in the fabulous glamour of the Dubai consulting sector.
Urtueta splendidly sketches an irresistible yet unappealing corporate environment where the character works. The glamorous offices, the fancy meals, and the assurance of big bucks—it all glistens with an irrefutable appeal. But there lies in wait a constant oppression of seeming to fit into the culture, of trying to always look as though one is sure of oneself, and this gets at Henry’s inherent shyness. This is evident in the psychological effects observed on his mental health, which presents a realistic yet very disturbing view of intense stress. Henry isn’t the everyday hero that you come across in most stories. He is shy, critical, and defensive more often than not. Here there is no attempt to conceal these less than endearing qualities of the man. Instead of that, he employs them to build a layered and yet highly problematic protagonist figure. The struggle within Henry between desire and the responsibility of business obligations is fascinating. This internal conflict is the essence of the novel; as a result, Henry is both sympathetic and eminently aggravating—a character with whom readers feel for yet cannot always approve.
Urtueta is a brilliant writer with the ability to create powerful images. He vividly describes the context of Dubai with the extravagant consulting belle epoque and the boiling anger and frustration just beneath the surface. High-energy deal-making is captured well, along with Henry’s client pitch, and moments of solitude highlight his gradual mental collapse. Watching “A Place Under the Sun” left me with more questions than answers. It is a novel that one cannot let go of easily and dwells on the cost of the hunger for success and the meaning of success. The finale is not made clear, and one can only speculate; however, it presents the viewers with a small chance of freedom from the prison of wealth. Whether Henry attains a place under the sun or bears the unending pressure is what Urtueta lets the audience wonder. The editing was great, and there were no mistakes; therefore, this book deserves 5 out of 5 stars. It is hard to come across something one dislikes; hence, nothing is infamous about it.
Some might find that the story is too self-reflective in certain instances, and Henry might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Furthermore, what applies in a particular context of high-end consulting may not hold in another setting. This is an evocatively heartbreaking novel: “A Place Under the Sun” raises one’s hackles and turns the familiar lust for success into a horrifying journey. Any reader interested in a story that transcends office politics and focuses on the complexities of the human psyche and a quest for identity in today’s society consumed by the concept of victory will find it relevant.
******
A Place Under the Sun
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon