April Book Recommendation:

1666: A Novel

written by Lora Chilton

Reviewed by Carlee Wilson

It’s been a long time since I devoured a book in two days! 1666: A Novel is a work of historical fiction by Lora Chilton that kept me turning the page to learn the effects of early colonial history on the Patawomeck people, who are currently a state-recognized tribe located in modern-day Virginia. The author unravels the massacre of the Patawomeck at the hands of European settlers in 1666 followed by the human trafficking, enslavement, and survival of three particular Patawomeck women. 

I’m ashamed to admit that I was unaware of Indigenous North American women being brought to the Caribbean as enslaved people. Although this is historical fiction, the book is an incredibly informative lesson and heavily based on research and oral tradition from Chilton’s Patawomeck elders. I was a little hesitant to read this book, as Chilton admits in the introduction that the names of these women whose stories she tells have been forgotten by their people. This raised the red flag of authenticity for me at first, but in the name of decolonization I want to challenge the notion that Indigenous peoples can only prove descent from settler-style documentation. 

The writing is a bit simplistic in style, and I found myself wishing for more dialogue and less repetition of events between each characters’ points of view. The novel relies heavily on one particular character’s storytelling, which made me feel that there was a missed opportunity to introduce two of the characters’ POVs earlier in the book and use this not only to propel the timeline but give space to build more distinct voices for each character. 

Although a quick and simple read, 1666 is deeply moving and a reminder of the strength and resilience of Indigenous people and, particularly, mothers. It’s a humbling read and one I suggest for those (like me!) who have little knowledge of tribal nations outside of the Pacific Northwest. 

Hayu masi to NetGalley and Sibylline Press for the advanced access to 1666, which will be published April 2nd, 2024.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Buy the book from Tribal member owned Time Enough Books