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kelly_e's review against another edition
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
Title: The Illegal
Author: Lawrence Hill
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: November 29, 2016
T H R E E • W O R D S
Relevant • Suspenseful • Affecting
📖 S Y N O P S I S
The Illegal is a story about two fictional countries in the Indian Ocean. Freedom State is among the richest countries in the world, and has begun cracking down on undocumented refugees, whereas neighbouring Zantoroland is a very poor country in turmoil known for producing gifted marathon runners.
Keita Ali, is a gifted runner, is literally on the run in order to survive. Having fled his native Zantoroland, after being targeted for his father's outspoken political views, he now finds himself an illegal refugee in Freedom State. In order to avoid deportation, Keita must evade the officials.
💭 T H O U G H T S
After reading the 2022 Canada Reads shortlist earlier this year, I vowed to continue exploring past Canada Reads contenders. The Illegal was the 2016 winner and presents a compelling story of identity, the human spirit, and a reminder of our interconnectedness.
Although The Illegal is a work of fiction, the story and the struggles are very real. The plight of the unseen is something that was prevalent when the book was first released, and remains so today. The value of this novel really lies in opening up dialogue on race and the ever-pressing issues of immigration and wealth disparity.
Keita's a strong, resilient character. His loyalty and determination power the plot. While the cast, is quite large, he remains the stand out for me when it comes to characters.
While the story had so much potential, I found some of the events felt forced and unconvincing, not the work of a supremely talented author. I had two main issues with this book that I couldn't overlook. I could not get on board with the fictional setting. I don't know why, but it just did not work for me at all. And secondly, the ending felt a little too neat and tidy, which just felt unrealistic.
This is one of those books that I felt had the potential to be great, but didn't quite meet the bar. Still a worthwhile read on the whole.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who enjoyed Little Bee
Author: Lawrence Hill
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 3.25
Pub Date: November 29, 2016
T H R E E • W O R D S
Relevant • Suspenseful • Affecting
📖 S Y N O P S I S
The Illegal is a story about two fictional countries in the Indian Ocean. Freedom State is among the richest countries in the world, and has begun cracking down on undocumented refugees, whereas neighbouring Zantoroland is a very poor country in turmoil known for producing gifted marathon runners.
Keita Ali, is a gifted runner, is literally on the run in order to survive. Having fled his native Zantoroland, after being targeted for his father's outspoken political views, he now finds himself an illegal refugee in Freedom State. In order to avoid deportation, Keita must evade the officials.
💭 T H O U G H T S
After reading the 2022 Canada Reads shortlist earlier this year, I vowed to continue exploring past Canada Reads contenders. The Illegal was the 2016 winner and presents a compelling story of identity, the human spirit, and a reminder of our interconnectedness.
Although The Illegal is a work of fiction, the story and the struggles are very real. The plight of the unseen is something that was prevalent when the book was first released, and remains so today. The value of this novel really lies in opening up dialogue on race and the ever-pressing issues of immigration and wealth disparity.
Keita's a strong, resilient character. His loyalty and determination power the plot. While the cast, is quite large, he remains the stand out for me when it comes to characters.
While the story had so much potential, I found some of the events felt forced and unconvincing, not the work of a supremely talented author. I had two main issues with this book that I couldn't overlook. I could not get on board with the fictional setting. I don't know why, but it just did not work for me at all. And secondly, the ending felt a little too neat and tidy, which just felt unrealistic.
This is one of those books that I felt had the potential to be great, but didn't quite meet the bar. Still a worthwhile read on the whole.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers who enjoyed Little Bee
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Racism, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Cursing and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
megmcreads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The Illegal was my first Lawrence Hill book and so I won't dare compare it to his other more famous work.
I basically enjoyed everything about The Illegal other than finding there were maybe too many characters. I would have maybe preferred 2 fewer and then had those characters built up a bit more. That being said I understand why they were all necessary and thought it was fairly successful. I also found the end to be a bit too rushed.
This book was heartbreaking and a little hopeful. It is also sadly still relevant to the times.
I am definitely looking forward to starting the other two Lawrence Hill books on my shelf!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual assault
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