*Thanks you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

3.5 stars

Trigger warning: sexual and physical abuse, torture, deaths of love ones and children, slavery.

For me, this is one of those books that are essential to read, you need to read this story.
I admit that the writing is not the best, it is quite repetitive and sometimes a bit disjointed but it does not take away one bit of the importance of this story, it is a heavy book to read, even more so when we know that this story is an allusion to reality and that there were many women who have been through similar if not the same things.
I think the writing shouldn't make you not read this story because it's a quick story and it's very important to read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Lora Chilton for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for 1666 coming out April 2, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author. I really love learning about different tribes in the Americas. I was definitely blown away by this story! This is a story I’ve learned a little about, but I think it definitely needs to be shared and retold with more people. It covers a dark time in history. The writing and plot was just so deep and beautiful. I think a lot of research went into this book. I was so fascinated by the story. It was utterly depressing, but there were some good things that came out of it as well. I know it’s fiction, but it felt like a true story. I loved it!

I would recommend this book to anyone who’s interested in Indigenous history!

I’d like to thank Sybilline Press for giving me an eARC of 1666 by Lora Chilton in exchange for an honest review.

This book tells a hard story but it is a necessary story to tell. For all the epics of conquering white men “surviving” the “troubles” life slung their way in literary canon, it was refreshing to read an epic tale of Indigenous women who actually had harrowing troubles to survive.

I want to commend Lora Chilton for sharing the history and traditions of the Patawomeck people, as well as for honestly portraying the brutality of the initial colonization of North America unflinchingly. I will say that, as a reader, I do feel like the moments of quiet and contemplation for the protagonists were rushed through to get to the next sad event. For a short book, I had to take a lot of breaks.

For that reason, my true rating is 3.5 stars but I am rounding up to 4 because 1666 captures a seldom portrayed part of America’s history and made me want to learn more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Very good book! Very informative and exciting! I loved it! It was great to learn about that time period in our nation's history.

1666 is a beautifully written story of three Patawomeck women in the summer of 1666. This is an imagined story based on oral traditions passed down.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

1666 is a historical novel based on the real story of the Patawomeck tribe that once existed in Virginia but went extinct after they were decimated during the European colonization of the Americas.

The author Lora Chilton is a descendant of one of the very few Patawomeck tribe members who survived, and this novel is an imaginative recount of how her women ancestors would have managed to survive, escape, and make it back to Virginia. The novel explores the themes of cultural identity, oppression, survival, family love, sacrifice, and the resilience of human spirit.

Trigger warning: the book deals with sensitive issues such as sl*v*ry, s*x**l as***lt, r*pe, t*rt**e, m*rd*r, etc.

The story is told in the dual first-person perspectives of Ah’SaWei and NePa’WeXo, two Patawomeck women narrating their individual but intertwined stories of the ordeals and hardships that they experienced in 1666 and the following years. Later in the story, a third narrator is introduced, adding a rich layer to the narrative.

The prose is evocative, elegant, and captivating. This is Lora Chilton’s debut novel, and I am in awe of her smooth and alluring writing style and storytelling approach. The subject is very much part of her personal history and cultural heritage, and I felt that she genuinely and sincerely cares and wants the story of the Patawomeck tribe to be out for the world to see.

Even though this book is fiction, it is based on real events and includes researched information about that period in history and the indigenous people’s way of life, beliefs, and practices. It expanded my knowledge and got me even more interested in indigenous history, be it fiction or nonfiction.

I initially gave this book 4 stars. But 3 weeks after reading it, I still find myself thinking about it. It only means that this book left a mark in my heart and so I’m giving it 5 stars. I'm already excited for Chilton's future book releases.

"1666" tells an interesting and important story. I really enjoyed the overall story, but the writing style just didn't work for me.

ARC/ Book review: 1666 by Lora Chilton

The premise of this book - a fictional retelling of the survival of the Patawomeck tribe of Virginia - is excellent, the story extremely harrowing and hard to stomach but important to tell. It is the story of three women from the Patawomeck tribe who witness the brutal murder of their husbands and families in 1666 and are then kidnapped and sold as slaves on the island of Barbados. They suffer losses and unimaginable pain but in the end show resilience and courage when they escape and return to Virginia, thus guaranteeing the continued existence of their tribe.

Author Lora Chilton herself is a member of the tribe and has done an immense amount of research to finally write down what has mainly been transported orally from generation to generation. This is such a crucial addition and document to the history of the Indigenous tribes that were brutally dispersed, abused and erased when the Europeans began to colonize the Americans in the 16th century. Especially since the author also talks about the rituals and traditions of her tribe, about daily life and their sense of community before the tribe was attacked and destroyed.

But unfortunately, it always feels just like that: a mere listing of historical facts. This doesn’t read like historical fiction but like a school textbook for middle graders. Which is such a shame because it could have been an outstanding piece of fiction (the story itself is such an amazing example of bravery and resistance). While I applaud the author for tackling such a difficult matter- and one that is so dear to her own heart - I wish she’d either have opted to write this as non-fiction, or to have adopted a different style for this historical fiction. The way it turned out is a little bit messy. But I’m still glad I read it.

Thank you to Lora Chilton, NetGalley and Sybilline Press for the ARC.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book is brutally honest about the treatment of Native American tribes by colonists. 1666 is harsh, showing the genocide and slavery that Patawomek were forced to live through. I loved this harsh and brutal honesty. It allowed the resilience of the characters to be seen through the darkness. It also forces the reader to reflect on a time in history we Americans often forget really was this terrible.

This is a definite must read!

Based mostly on the oral tradition of the Patawomeck tribe, this story imagines the life of a few women who survived genocide and slavery to return to Virginia and carry on the traditions of their people.

The incredibly story describes how Ah'SaWei, MaNa, Xo and WaBus are violently abducted, sold as slaves and sent to Barbados, experiencing cruelty and infrequent moments of kindness to find their way back home - all told in pragmatic yet poetic prose.

Although the language of the book is lilting and unembellished this story invokes plenty of emotion. The stark cruelty of the colonists contrasts with flashbacks of the peaceful traditions of the Patawomeck people while the women's thoughts and feelings are brought to life.

It's a quick read but packs a punch and I found that the story lingered with me for a long time after I had finished it.

It is a story of a place and time, and while we can comfort ourselves with the understanding that the human race has evolved, I think it's important to understand the roots of racial intolerance in order for us to see and heal its impact today.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Sybilline Press. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The story behind this novel is fascinating and it's certainly something that needs to be told, however, the execution of THIS telling requires considerable refinement. The prose is dry and reads like a list of facts put forth in first person narrative, as if there was simply an outline of information regarding Patawomeck society and traditions that Chilton felt needed to be included. While I applaud thorough research, a fictionalized account shouldn't read like a sixth grade social study report. The inclusion of Patawomeck language is something I would expect, as in any novel involving people who speak a language other than what the work is written in, but the constant repetition of the Indigenous language followed by the English translation was clunky. For instance after every name "NePa'WeXo, Shining Moon" or "TseNaCoMoCo, Virginia." After the first introduction of non-English word with translation just pick a language! O felt more like I was reading a poorly written text book than what should have been a harrowing and finally uplifting story of three women's triumph over their enslaved.

1666 was a difficult book to get through at times but was that just means it was worth reading. It technically is about three Patawomeck women but a bulk of the story is told through two of their points of view. The Lora Chilton did not sugar coat the brutality they endured following the massacre of their tribe. It's an all to believable tale of slavery, suffering, and strength.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc!

I was drawn to 1666 simply because its an indigenous survival story that’s mostly unknown, but I was even more captivated once Lora introduced the daily living and customs of the Patawomeck Tribe and the main characters. I was hooked on the journeys of Xo and Ah’SaWei, and I didn’t want to put the book down until I found out their final fate.

There’s no denying this is a difficult story to read. Especially because the massacre is based on a true event. While the story following the massacre is imagined, it depicts conditions and treatment enslaved people really faced. My heart was so heavy while reading, but difficult stories are still necessary. The ugly truth is that multiple groups blood stains the history of America. Countless people faced despicable and horrific atrocities that led to profound suffering, destruction, and death.

1666, brings awareness to the massacre of Patawomeck men and the enslavement of the women and children. After foreigners “discovered” the “new world,” the Indigenous people helped and taught them. Eventually, their kindness wasn’t enough. The explorers wanted the tribes to sell their land to them. The Patawomeck tribe refused on several occasions. As a result, the foreigners attacked.

In this story, we follow Xo and her daughter WaBus, as well as Ah’SaWei and her daughter MaNa (after the massacre) as they’re transported on a slave ship across the sea to Barbados where they’re purchased as slaves. All four of these characters are close like family, but unfortunately they’re sold to work on different sugar plantations; Xo and her daughter on one plantation and Ah’SaWei and her daughter on another. From then on, their experiences are both similar and vastly different. Most importantly, they’re both separately plotting to escape Barbados and return home.

I found myself feeling both disgusted by how the enslaved people were treated and in awe of Xo and Ah’SaWei’s resilience and courage to get home with their children by any means necessary.

I loved learning about the customs of the Patawomeck and I’m so glad this book exposed me to a historic event I had never heard of before.

Thank you to NetGalley the publisher for an advanced eARC.

1666 tells the story of the massacre of the Patawomeck men, the enslavement of their women and children, and the ultimate return of three women. This harrowing story is told through the eyes of the three women who risk it all to return home and continue the lineage of their people.

I appreciated the forward letting the reader know that reading about the violence that happened to the Patawomeck people would be difficult to read. The only way to learn history is to learn the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of it. Most people shy away from the bad and ugly parts but those are the ones that we need to truly look into because we can’t move forward and we can’t prevent it from happening again if we don’t learn about it to begin with. That forward made me WANT to read this book even more just so I could learn about what happened and know it wasn’t going to be sugar coated.

I am not normally one to get teary eyed while reading but this book got me there. The pain these women experience is raw and gut wrenching. There were times I wanted to put the book down but I had to know if it got better for them so I kept reading. In my mind, it had to get better for them after already enduring so much pain, suffering, and loss over the years.

* Special thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

1666 is a fictional retelling of the survival of the Patawomeck tribe of Virginia through the lives of three women. It's a story from the oral tradition that's been shared from generation to generation among tribe members.
This story is told from three different points of view: Xo (Shinning moon, later named Leah), An'SaWei (Golden Fawn later named Rebeca) and WaBus (Blue Bunny, later named Anne), three women who were taken from their land and sold to English colonizers in Barbados and how they fought to survived and found their way back home.

This novel is a tribute to the bravery of the Patawomeck tribe and their beautiful culture. It goes into details on the traditions of the tribe, the cruelty of slavery and colonization. Its raw, emotional and very moving.
It can be a little confusing at first because it goes back and forth between the present and the past. If you like history this novel is for you.

I've been reading historical fiction for decades now. But despite the excess of material about our white founding fathers, I've come across very little that explores the indigenous stories with insight and honesty. Until now.

Based on a true story and written by a member of the Patawomeck Tribe of Virginia, 1666 tells the story of three strong women and the role each played in the survival of their tribe, following a massacre by English settlers. The novel is based on oral tradition, interviews with tribal elders, written colonial records extensive research, and study of the Patawomeck language.

At the start of the book, these peaceful, nature-loving indigenous people are growing increasingly angry with their treatment at the hands of the new settlers -- a group the tribe has fed and supported since the settlers arrived. What then unfolds is the story of the tribe's attempt to resist the settlers' ever-increasing demands and what happens to many of the women who survive.

If you, like me, usually think of enslavement in the United States as primarily affecting Afro-Americans, this novel will force you to reevaluate that assumption. The Patawomeck women suffer the same violations, the same indignations, and the same loss of autonomy. The book presents a graphic portrait of the institution of slavery that is hard to read.

1666 is a story with power and drama, written in a straightforward and simple voice. The voices of the three women narrating are not well differentiated. But that won't keep you from feeling the horror of what they endured. Or from admiring their commitments to one another and to their tribal culture.

Well done! This novel is a well-written history lesson presented in a way that is difficult to put down. Both heartbreaking and enlightening, this story makes me want to learn more. Thanks, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with the ARC ebook I read and reviewed. All opinions are my own.

3.75⭐️
Really enjoyed this novel, my first forage into Native American historical fiction. I was unaware of the things many Native tribes underwent at the hands of the English, and this book was a great fictional retelling of some of the horrors faced.
One small comment on the book is that there isnt much dialogue, and some moments could have benefited from being discussed a bit more in depth and some scenes, especially many in which very formative and traumatic events occur, were quickly moved on from.

(Thank you to Lora Chilton, Sibylline Press and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC)

Can I just start this by saying wow? This book was so captivating emotional but also taught you a whole lot of the stories from the PaTow’O’Mek tribe and the three women who managed to find their way back to their lands in TseNaCoMoCo (Or Virginia) after a whole lot of suffering.

I can confidently tell you that since this book is based on the story of three PaTow’O’Mek women (AhSaWei, Xo and WaBus) and that my heart broke for them all throughout the book.

There were obviously some moments that any reader would probably know of/heard of if they had looked into some of the history regarding indigenous people and slave history, but it still hit a bit hard to read it from the perspective of these women in the story too.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about indigenous history while also following a bit of a story about women who experienced a lot of the things that were common and happened to them during the middle of the 1600s. But keep in mind that although this story had a happy ending that the women in the book (both indigenous as well as some other side character that I will not name due to spoilers) dealt with a lot of abuse and grief, even from the beginning of the book so please be aware of the trigger warnings for that (even if they are mild).

My main concern however is that although the story was told in chronological order and in POV’s, I do wish that we could have gotten a bit more information about a certain thing because to me it felt like the story of these women were “jumping forward” a bit too fast for us to fully get to know these women and the other people in the book that well. But that might just be a personal opinion. There also seems to be a tiny bit of rendering problem on the file that was sent to ARC readers because during the beginning of some of the chapters, the letters would be out of place (ex the sentence: “I had handled grief” would look something like “Had handled I grief”. But that might’ve been fixed before the book is released.

Otherwise I really recommend reading this book and also looking up some history of the different tribes around the world to fully know and see the story to full extent (if you haven’t already).

I was interested in reading this novel because I have not read books on the subject. I am glad publishers are branching out and including minority voices. While the topic was interesting, I felt this was an average read. I felt the author was telling us the story and now showing us. I did not feel emersed in the world in which the author was writing. That being said, I look forward to future books by this author.