Reading pirated online novels is not illegal in itself, but pirated online novels may have the problem of copyright violation, so it may also be illegal. Pirated online novels violate the author's copyright. Without the author's authorization, copying, distributing, adapting, or using the work directly may constitute copyright violation. In addition, pirated online novels may have typos, grammar errors, copyright abuses, etc. Not only will it affect the reading experience, but it may also mislead readers and damage the legal rights of the author. Therefore, reading pirated online novels is not illegal, but it is recommended not to use pirated resources, respect the author's copyright, and support legal reading.