Comments (38)

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Nov 03, 2023InnisfilTeenReads rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This review of The Illegal, by Lawrence Hill, contains SPOILERS. The story sets the stage in a fictional country called Freedom State, based in the United States. Our protagonist is Keita Ali, an elite runner who is participating in a…
Mar 22, 2022Matthew412 rated this title 0.5 out of 5 stars
Poorly written. Storyline just not believable. Failed to impress. Writing standards must be at an all time low, if this book achieved literary recognition. Gave up reading after main character received the Ransom demand. Rubbish.
May 01, 2021green2010 rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
The Illegal frankly feels inauthentic. The story is very formulaic and is spread across too many perspectives that are very trope-ish. It’s not necessarily bad and I’m glad to have read it once, but ultimately I came for the politics and…
Mar 12, 2020LBJ rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Always like Hill's books, this one I enjoyed as it was a story about a runner.
Feb 19, 2020MrsRedbeard rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
After "Book of Negroes" I searched other books by Hill. While it was a good read, it was not a great read. The characters were somewhat unbelievable. The fictional countries made it seem a bit amateur somehow. While I appreciated…
Jan 26, 2020
Great book that demonstrate the struggles of an illegal immigrant through the use of fiction.
Aug 26, 2019
Tea & Talk Book Club / February 2019
Feb 03, 2019kwsmith rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Keita is an illegal black immigrant from a poor country who earns his living as a marathon runner in a rich country full of white people. There are two ways to read this book: 1) as social commentary which asserts that illegal immigrants…
Jan 08, 2019
People. A timely book written by a character master. You get to know the characters' innermost fears, joys, quirks, and hearts.
Nov 19, 2018SurreyLibraries_Reads rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
The biting commentary on racial politics in The Illegal speaks to our present woes, but the engaging characters of Keita Ali, elite marathoner and refugee; Viola Hill, wheelchair bound reporter; Ivernia Beech, subversive library volunteer;…
Aug 30, 2018Dream24 rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
I recall this book being highly recommended on several lists the year it came out, so I just had to read it. This was definitely an interesting read. While the main focus was on Keita Ali, a runner from Zantoroland, and his life leading…
Jun 22, 2017
This book is very a lyrical presentation of people without proper document to state their original birthplace and how it affects citizenship in a foreign country. It really opened up my eyes as to how right wing nationalistic…
Apr 10, 2017alibraryguy rated this title 1 out of 5 stars
I am baffled by the glowing reviews this book has received. The critics ought to be ashamed of themselves for pouring on the praise for such egregious junk. Hill fails dismally in his attempt to bring any illumination to the refugee…
Feb 14, 2017
Interesting book- I did not want to put it down - relevant in light of Trump's policy of deporting undocumented aliens.
Jan 10, 2017markd rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this story.
Dec 13, 2016rodraglin rated this title 1.5 out of 5 stars
The Illegal reads like a fairy tale, poorly written Zantoroland is a small island called ruled by an evil dictator. People from Zantoroland are black, poor and friendly. The only thing good about Zantoroland is it produces the fastest…
Sep 12, 2016DanglingConversations rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
Writing lacks elegance. Unless you are a runner, initial plot development provides way too much detail about running culture. The denouement is a simplistic and intellectually insulting wrap up and he did not bother to tell us what…
spudwil
Sep 04, 2016spudwil rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
I am finding this book very difficult to finish as it's so boring. A big disappointment as I so loved Book of Negroes. It's almost like he had a ghost writer do it, it's so sub-standard. I'm shocked that it won any award at all. …
Jul 06, 2016January1545 rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
Definitely not as good as I had been led to believe by the critics and prizes. I didn't like the fact that Hill chose to write about mythical, allegorical countries and did find the novel satisfying.
Jun 26, 2016
Drivel. Don't bother. I'm shocked it won the Canada Reads prize. We need to raise our standards.
Jun 26, 2016KABuck rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
Lawrence Hill has certainly chosen to touch on a relevant issue by writing about a political refugee from a poor, dictatorial country who has talent and potential but struggles to be accepted in a prosperous democracy. That being said, I…
Jun 11, 2016happycanuck rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
Good story with a subplots that came nicely together.
Jun 09, 2016rpavlacic rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
There is little doubt why this book was chosen as the winner of Canada Reads 2016, as well as the book selection for Hamilton (Ontario) Reads for the same year. It is meant to be a satire, but it is a hard look at the evils of nativism and…
May 11, 2016becker rated this title 3 out of 5 stars
This story had potential but in my opinion it fell short of the mark for many reasons. I thought it contained some plot holes and the behaviour of some of the characters (the young boy reporter in particular) was implausible. I was also…
BrownBird46
Apr 02, 2016BrownBird46 rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book, which covered a range of social and political topics, some current. A thrilling read.