The Illegal

Canadian author Lawrence Hill published The Illegal in 2015. This fast-paced fictional political thriller, which focuses on a young undocumented marathon runner, uses multiple perspectives and irony to question what it really means to be a citizen, exploring themes of Race, Privilege, and Power, Legality Versus Justice, and The Power of Marginalized Voices. 

Hill is a noted contributor to the fiction and nonfiction genres, particularly for his exploration of issues related to race. The Illegal furthers this work through the thriller and satire genres. An award-winning author, Hill has received the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize and the Rogers Writer’s Trust Fiction Prize, in addition to several other accolades.

Content Warning: Both the novel and this guide contain discussion of slavery, imperialism, anti-immigrant bias, human trafficking, racism (including outdated racial terminology, which this guide reproduces only in quoted material), anti-gay bias (including slurs, which this guide reproduces only in quoted material), and suicide.

Plot Summary

The Illegal is set in a fictional country called Freedom State. The main character, Keita Ali, runs marathons and other races to try to save his sister’s life and his own.