I picked up The Illegal in the Waltham High School library on an unplanned half-hearted search for a new book. I had seen the book before but was turned off by the made up countries, as I am more of a non-fiction and realistic fiction reader. However, this book is incredibly realistic and accurate to what could be America in the near future. I think it’s interesting how a dystopian fiction book can almost be parallel to the real world and could even be described as realistic fiction in some aspects. The Illegal will make you question your beliefs, remind you of the real reason people leave their countries, and expose the inhumane treatment of immigrants who just want to live in peace.
The book addresses topics of racism, illegal immigration, corruption, sex trafficking, crime, inequality in opportunity, exploitation of the poor, and cultural misunderstanding. That’s a lot to cram into four hundred pages, but the results are incredibly triumphant and eye-opening.
The Illegal is centered on the character Keita Ali from the poor fictional island nation of Zantorland. We meet Keita as a kid with the aspiration to be a marathon runner and a loving family that supports him. His childhood ends abruptly when a corrupt coup rises to power in Zantoroland; this destroys his family and his life in the country. He escapes to the fictional Freedom State where the government thinks about immigrants similar to the way ours does during the second Trump administration. Freedom state is across the fictional South Ortiz sea where Keita has to literally run for his life to survive. In Freedom State we meet both the poor and the wealthy, the immigrants and the government that’s trying to deport them. Keita has to stay undercover to avoid being deported while staying alive and raising money to save someone’s life.
After I read and loved this book, I entreated our WHS librarian Ms. Tierney to read it. It took a couple of months as Ms. Tierney is a busy lady. She mentioned that The Illegal is a little slow in the middle section of the book, but the ending takes an exciting twist so make sure to read to the end!
This novel shows the horrors and struggles of what immigrants have to go through in countries that aren’t welcoming to them. The Freedom State government sends desperate refugees back to where they came from and paints the narrative of immigrants as illegal, similar to the dehumanizing words right-wing news outlets use today to describe immigrants in the United States as ‘illegal aliens’. The book also shows the kindhearted civilians who fight back against the government’s narrative and open up their homes and hearts for some of these immigrants trying to live in the country. The book does an amazing job of showing different perspectives and teaches us the lesson that people are not always defined by the government they live under.
This book is incredibly up-to-date with American politics and especially with the Trump administration’s narrative of immigrants. It made me think differently about how hostile our government is towards immigrants, how unforgivingly and brutally the government treats people just because of preconceived notions.
The Illegal is incredibly edifying and appeals to a wide range of audiences. Whether you like reading about stories of immigrants, sports, or racial injustice, this book is packed with it. A fan of fiction or non-fiction, you can easily compare the novel to everyday life, while the story is set in a made-up land. I strongly encourage everyone to read this book as it is incredibly exciting and eye-opening. Check out the one copy at the Waltham High School library.
