Told from different points of view, this story hits all the right notes for me: personal struggles and music and current events and identity and choices one has to make. The novel clips along as each POV has a voice and weaves in and out of the retelling of the story of the musical group Opal and Nev. I’ll continue thinking about this one for a long time as I reflect on decisions I have made that have had a long-term effect on my life. Beautifully written, you need to read this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the copy of this wonderful book. I’m grateful.

At first, I was a little put off by the interview-style way of telling the story, but it quickly grew on me. All the different perspectives on their pasts really helped bring everything together for the present story. Everything was written so well that I found myself forgetting that these were characters and not real people! It's a solid 4 star read!

On the surface, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev seems like a semi-standard "Behind the Music" style look at an unlikely musical duo whose careers went in very different directions in the wake of tragedy. As the oral history of this duo progresses (Opal is a black soul singer from Detroit, Nev a folksy and very white Brit), that goes out the window to follow a surprisingly personal story about race, fame, and the media. Who is allowed to tell the story? Who is believed and valued? Can we ever really know the truth? You think you know what to expect but you don't in this poignant, fiery debut.

In all honesty I wasn't quite sure I wanted to read Opal and Nev simply due to the comparisons with Daisy Jones - which I loved. This story intrigued me yet I was afraid it would be a knock off that would disappoint...

If you have similar literary tastes you may have previously read Daisy Jones and the Six, and initially Opal & Nev is going to feel similar simply due to the interview style narrative - and era. Another similarity is that both narratives are penned by the daughter of a main character who cheated on his wife and the daughter is trying to piece together the past. Daisy and Opal are both young and ooze confidence while on stage yet neither fully feels that same level of confidence at their core. That is where the similarities end though.

Opal has a passion for music and a determination to make her mark as a singer, somehow. Her sister Pearl is very religious and doesn't share in Opal's musical aspirations yet indulges her in performing at open mic events near their home in Detroit. Nev hails from across the pond and sort of stumbled into the music industry while trying to please his mother. One thing leads to another and Nev Charles is signed on with Rivington Records in the US. The record company feels Nev is lacking and needs accompaniment by a partner. He's taken out on a search for the perfect duet partner. When Nev and label exec, Howie, happen upon Opal and her voluptuous sister Pearl they are sure they've found just the woman. Except Howie has his eyes on Pearl whereas Nev has his heart set on the wilder, not classically attractive Opal joining him on stage. He knows that she's the jewel that should be singing alongside him, and Howie reluctantly agrees.

Things between Opal and Nev do not go smoothly from the get go. For all of Opal's big dreams she suddenly realizes that she doesn't have much in the way of actual experience when it comes to singing, performing, or the ability to read music. Opal scrambles to absorb all that she can leading up to their recording sessions, all while being completely MIA where Nev is concerned. Things get into a flow once in studio and Opal ends up forming a relationship with their drummer, Jimmy. Record sales end up being dismal and Rivington is struggling. In a desperate attempt to save the label Howie signs on with a band called the Bond Brothers. They hail from the south and pander to their fellow Bars and Stars touting good ol' boys, who aren't so good, at all. Opal foresees trouble with these prejudice boys signing on to the label, but her words continually fall on deaf ears.

The Bond Brothers sell records and tickets which is all the record company cares about at the end of the day. In their efforts to save the label as a whole the powers that be decide to hold an artist showcase highlighting all of their artists with the Bonds headlining, and Opal and Nev playing just before the main act. Racist, Confederate flag toting boys hopped up on various substances and a highly outspoken, wild Opal all on the same bill, sharing the same backstage area? What could possibly go wrong?Howie assured Opal that the Bonds would not be sporting their Bars and Stars at the showcase yet they arrive with the flag waving. Opal manages to get ahold of it and it seems the problem may be solved. Except the Bonds have invited an unruly biker gang to attend the concert. The bikers quickly turn from obnoxious to downright dangerous and Howie decides to skip over Opal and Nev's performance and just put the Bond Brothers on instead. Nev will hear none of it. Jimmy pleads with Opal to walk away from the situation and trust his judgement on the unfolding events. Unfortunately, Opal chooses Nev and the stage over Jimmy. Then she adds fuel to the fire by destroying the Confederate flag onstage and ignites a firestorm. Jimmy pays the ultimate price and is killed during the ensuing riot. Opal and Nev are never the same again. Critics blame Opal. Neville drowns himself in pills. Was the riot on the shoulders of those racist scumbags? Most definitely. Was it further incited by Opal? Sure. However, is it possible that someone else could've been responsible for setting the whole thing in motion? Quite possible actually.

Forty five years have passed since the riot that claimed Jimmy Curtis' life, and now his daughter, Sunny, is trying to find all of the pieces to the puzzle and what happened that night. Will she ever find out exactly what happened? Not likely yet she is determined to try. Throughout her interviews we delve into the history of the fictional duo that is Opal & Nev as well as each of their personal histories and their ensuing careers and Opal's life. After the duo dissolved Nev found mainstream success whereas Opal never found any real success as a solo artist. Rather she maintained a place on the periphery due to her involvement and support of a number of causes and fight for social justice and equality. Now Opal has been tapped to join Nev for the Derringdo festival in New Hampshire and the idea of a revival tour for the duo has been proposed as well. Yet when Sunny shares what she has learned during her interviews with Opal there is a pallor cast over the upcoming reunion. Opal doesn't want to believe Sunny and initially dismisses her words, but as events unfold Opal can't deny the possibility that what Sunny said could, in fact, be true.

Thanks are due to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. Thank you for allowing me to get to know Opal and Sunny! Opal may not be the mainstream, immediately likeable character that you'd expect; She is so much better! This is well worth a read!

A special thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with a copy of this book!

"Yet instantly I knew that this timing was smart. A tour had the potential to excite not only the Mercurials, as Opal & Nev's old cult of fans call themselves, but a new generation--crowds ready to scream along, with these crazy progenitors of dissidence and dissonance, that Black lives matter, that love is love, that the future is female. Ready to embrace Opal Jewel not as ahead of her time, but as now now now."


Let me introduce y'all to my new favorite book: The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, a book that is so well written, so captivating, so meticulously researched that it can't be anything other than good, good, good. When I first saw it, I was drawn to the cover, the stark red, white, and black; the silhouette of girl's face, her expression strong and proud, stuck inside the image of an acoustic guitar. Another big draw was the style in which it was written. It was touted as the next Daisy Jones' and the Six, and while I have yet to read that book, I bristle at the idea of this book being called anything but wholly original.

Opal Jewel is entirely entrancing, fierce when she needs to be, soft when she wishes she wasn't. I rooted for again and again, and felt heartbroken when it seemed everything in life was stacked against her. The glamour and the tears and waves of change of the 70's worked as a perfect backdrop for her. I could easily imagine her fitting in alongside Diana Ross or Grace Jones (especially when it comes to outfits!). The story is told via recorded interviews with Opal, Nev, and the many people involved in their whirlwind lives, and through editor's notes from S. Sunny Shelton, the woman who is writing the book about them. Her father was the band's drummer, Jimmy Curtis III, and a sort of infamy surrounds him, not only as Opal's lover, but as the victim of a riot started at one of their shows, which ultimately ends in his life being taken.

Following her from discovery in Detroit, to partnering up with Nev Charles, who came to adulthood in Birmingham, England, to the fateful Rivington Showcase and her decline, Walton weaves an energetic story about misfits, the cyclical nature of prejudice, and in the end, about our friends and allies, and whether they are truly ever that.

This book is an oral history of a fictional 70s Afropunk band, from the perspective of the daughter of one of the band members. The book is loosely structured into 2 halves-the first half details the founding and journey of Opal Jewel and Nev Charles, of the band Opal & Nev, till the point of a climactic concert in their lives where an Altamont-like disaster happens. The second half of the book deals with the aftermath of that, and brings it to present-day. I liked that the book focuses on the incredible and hugely influential Black musicians of the 70s, unlike a lot of other books set in the same context that seem to ignore their contributions. Another interesting aspect was that it starts off from the hypothetical perspective of the family members of a fictionalised version of Meredith Hunter ( the teenaged victim of the Altamont Speedway Free Concert). The writer also gives us the voices of some players in the music industry you don't really hear from- sessions players. I found it fascinating to read about musicians' excesses from the perspective of people just trying to do a good job, who don't have the patience for the tantrums of supposed musical geniuses. I would have liked a lot more about Jimmy Curtis! The book's an interesting, quick read, that tries to make a point about systemic racism, and whose grievances are considered worthy. The protagonist Opal Jewel is a very interesting character, and some parts of the book are very well-written: Opal's childhood, her performances, Jimmy's perspective on music and being a sessions musician, the lead-up to the climactic concert. Not all the characters are as well-etched though-Nev Charles, for instance, I don't think the book would suffer at all if he weren't even there. The second half of the book felt rushed through, and it could have been longer-since this is a debut novel, it feels like the author tried to cram in a lot of things she finds interesting, such as the experience of black artistes in Paris. That tends to dilute the central story though, apart from being quite difficult to write on such a long span of time! 3 stars for this musical journey through a fascinating performer's life.

I loved this book. Ok the big elephant in the room, is this like Daisy Jones? Yep. It is an oral history of a musical duo. Did I love it just as much? Yep. You bet I did. We learn the story of Opal and Nev through interviews done by the daughter of the drummer. We learn what exactly the duo went through almost as if going through their entire history. The reader gets the background on both Opal and Nev. But the story really starts out when they met and originally started working together. There is a large climax portion and I don't want to give too much away but my heart was pounding. I loved this ending. I loved this whole book. I would recommend this book to anyone. Fantastic!

This reminded me of Daisy Jones and The Six because of the style but it is very different. I had a hard time putting this down. It was entertaining and so good. I loved the characters and could relate to them in their own way. Highly recommend this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dawnie Walton for a free ebook copy to read and provide honest feedback.

Let's start with the elephant in the room. This has similarities to Daisy Jones & The Six due to the fact that it is a rock and roll tell-all, interview format. That's it! While the format and storytelling are similar they are completely different narratives and tell completely different tales.

First off, Daisy Jones reads as a Fleetwood Mac fanfic, while Opal is revolutionary and 100% original in its conceptualization. Daisy Jones tells the POV of the band members, where as Opal gives us a 360 view into the everyday lives of recording legends and what it was like to be an artist in the 1960s/1970s.

I won't lie, in the beginning, I did get a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of characters and I felt the coming together of Opal and Nev wasn't nuanced enough, it just sort of...happens because he walked into a club on the right night. But that's where it all ends and the magic of the novel begins.

I mean, this is a feminist piece that we have been waiting for. Opal is extremely out spoken, unguarded, and opinionated and look how she is both reviled and treated throughout the whole novel. It is an entire mood to wipe your a** with a confederate flag, tear it to shreds, and maybe light it on fire. SHE is the star and SHE is a force to be reckoned with.

Overall, this was a great piece that examines femininity, racial tensions, and stereotypical roles in society. It conquers the genre that Daisy Jones' tried to claim.

P.S I did buy the audible book so I could listen to the full cast read the book!

This novel was both entertaining and extremely relevant, which is brought home by the author as the storyline comes into the present for the reunion show. I love the oral history format and enjoyed the different viewpoints throughout the novel – particularly Virgil and Opal! My only minor complaint was that it dragged a little in the middle for me, but otherwise I loved this book and would highly recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy!

A miraculous debut novel reminiscent of “Daisy Jones and The Six” as told in an oral history format. In 2016 music journalist S. Sunny Shelton is interviewing and creating a book about her idols, Opal Jewel and British singer/songwriter Neville Charles among the reunion tour they are planning. Sunny is the daughter of their drummer who was killed in an uprising at their concert in the 70s. This highly atmospheric story encompasses real events to add to the history and authenticity. It is very character driven and I grew to feel as if I actually knew them. This book tackles racism and topics that are tragically relevant still today. This was a fascinating and compelling read. Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Believe the hype because this story is absolutely worth it. Learn the history of Opal and Nev’s music career and so much more in Dawnie Walton’s brilliant debut. A hybrid novel of journalism/oral history and storytelling, this book is a love letter to the struggling artist, the old school NY music scene, the indelible history of Black America, and the legacy of Afro Punk. Powerfully edited and full of insightful writing, there is a character for every reader to connect with.

I had seen some comparisons between this book and Daisy Jones and the Six, but aside from the oral format and rock & roll subject matter, these books varied greatly. This was a welcome surprise for me, because I wasn’t a huge fan of Daisy Jones. Where DJ lacked, this book delivered! The authenticity of the characters really resonated with me, and the subject matter rang true and relevant to what is happening in our society today. I really enjoyed this book, and highly recommend - what a great debut novel!

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster/37 Ink, and Dawnie Walton for an ARC of this book! Now available!

Thanks to Simon & Schuster for the free book.
I actually ended up purchasing the audiobook and listening to this book. Highly recommend this format because it is a full cast. This book is set up as an oral history of Opal and Nev trying to become something in the 1970s music scene. There are so many layers to this story. Racial tensions, racism, affairs, insider looks at the music industry. The cast of characters were unique and interesting. I cringed at some and loved others. I just wish the story had a bit more momentum. I loved the beginning and end but felt things dragged a bit in the middle of the first two parts. However, it was still an amazing debut, and music lovers will love this one.

I know lots of people like this. I imagine it could be good, but this is the second book I’ve read that’s in an interview format with musicians, and I didn’t really care for the other one either. I guess this isn’t a writing style I like, and I won’t read anymore.

I made it to chapter 11, and I’ve been torturing myself, so I decided I can’t do it anymore. There’s still so much of the book left and I’d rather spend that time reading a book I enjoy. It really hurts my heart to dnf a book, because I don’t think it has anything to do with the author, but rather just my own personal tastes. Apparently I just don’t like these types of books, I find them pointless and boring, and that’s not the authors fault. So I don’t want to give this a bad rating because I can’t judge the whole book, but I have to rate it based off the fact that I had to dnf it.

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Storygraph!

Reading 2021
Book 33: The Final Revival of Opal and Nev

Received a copy of this book from #NetGalley in exchange for my review. Also dedicating this review to my longtime friend Scott Blackman, he really enjoys music and thought he would love this book. 😎

Okay so lots of hype out there for this book, and deservedly so. This book is being compared to Daisy Jones and the Six. Other than the format is an interview style oral history and it is about music, that is where the comparisons should end. Yes, Opal and Nev contains sex, drugs, and rock n roll, but there is so much more. It is about the race, politics, and music in 1970s NYC. There are so many topics discussed by all the major players in the story as Sunny does interviews for what will become the book we read. Relationships, adultery, fashion, AIDS, addiction, NYC, family bonds, religion, punk rock are a few more of the topics explored in this book. Opal (a black woman from Detroit with a killer voice and hot fashion style to match) and Nev ( a white male singer/songwriter from England) are so much more than the music, and the book explores all aspects of their relationship past and present.

This book was a wild ride and I enjoyed every word. Downloaded the audiobook as well. Want to hear the voices with a full cast, now that I have read the book. It would have been awesome for there to have been some pictures of all the outfits Opal wore in the book as well. Going to be tuning in to my SiriusXM 70s channel in my car for a while to listen to all the sounds of the decade (my favorite decade of music). I had to Google a couple of times while reading to see if the book was memoir or a real account. You will see what I mean when you read it for yourself. Recommending this book highly, my rating 4.5 ⭐ .

DNF’d at 50%

Honestly, I thought about putting this one down earlier but I wanted to give it a bit more of a chance. I think this is a case of a book just not being for me.

At the beginning of the book, I was struck by how similar the format is to Daisy Jones and the Six, and how similar the premise is to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. I was really hoping for a unique story from there. However, I never felt like I connected with any of the characters, which was disappointing. I think this is all due to the format, which gives you very little insight into the characters besides what they say. To do this format well, your dialogue needs to be excellent. But there was not enough to distinguish between all the characters. The format also made it hard to keep track of the secondary characters. Many of these secondary characters felt like caricatures rather than real people.

I appreciate what the author was trying to do here, but once I got to the “main event” that everyone was leading up to for the first half of the book, I honestly wasn’t invested and did not care what was going to happen in the second half.

Reminiscent of Daisy Jones but its own animal for sure. Opal is an amazing character. Some of the Nev bits annoyed me, but they were worth it for all the Opalness. This felt very real from the start, like was I reading nonfiction? This was super tight for a debut novel. Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

*4.5 stars

I was sold the moment I went through the blurb – if there was one thing I knew, it was that I wanted to read this book. Clearly I didn't read it well enough, because it led to a mildly embarrassing moment for me when I dove into the first chapter.

This first chapter happened to be one of several editor's notes distributed across the novel. In it, the narrator explained her own personal, complicated relationship with Opal Jewel, as both an idol and her father's mistress; the reason behind why she had never told anyone of this relationship; and how she came to find herself writing this book. I was halfway through learning all of this history when I figured "hey, maybe I should Google Opal Jewel and Neville Charles, find out what they look like, so that I can have an image of them in my mind as I read on". Naturally, I found nothing. "Opal Jewel", "Opal and Nev Charles rock 'n' roll", even "Marion Jacobie photographer of Opal and Nev famous picture" – none of it got me anywhere. That was when I finally had the bright idea to go reread that blurb on Goodreads, and lo and behold: the third word there was 'fictional'.

The reason why I mention this at all is to reinforce what I'm about to say next, which is that 'The Final Revival of Opal & Nev' was written very, very realistically. Every fact S. Sunny Curtis (our narrator) presented, every quote, every point of view – all of it was meticulously put together, with added information given in the form of footnotes to make the reader truly immerse themselves in this world where Sunny wanted to tell society the truth about Opal and Nev's careers.

Dawnie Walton's characters all had very clear-cut, unique personalities, each and every single one of them intriguing in their own ways. The writing was outstanding, the plot as relevant today as it was in the 1970s, where Opal & Nev began their journey together. However, there was one small issue I had which led me to drop my rating half a star, and that was with the editor's notes themselves. There was nothing explicitly wrong with them: Sunny explained her story well, filling in the blanks for those fictional readers of her book who weren't aware of all of the facts; I liked Sunny, too, her direct personality leading her forward. It was specifically the absence of formality which was sometimes awkward. After all, she was hired by Opal to write this book, wasn't she? Should her own interjections not have been a little more professional, considering this was supposed to be a book about Opal, not herself?

The explanation for this, of course, came later, just as Sunny had hinted at in her initial editor's note. It was a very reasonable explanation, too; it simply did not take away from the fact that I had spent a portion of my reading thinking otherwise, being unable to fully enjoy those certain scenes due to the tone they had been written in. Even so, this was only a small aspect in the grand scheme of things: I really very much did love reading this book.