While reading this book, I felt transported to all the scenarios it retold. From concerts to recording studios to the early tales of Opal and her sister Pearls upbringing singing in the church, it all felt tangible. The story outlines the rise to fame of an unlikely duo, Opal and Nev in the early 1970’s. Opal, an eccentric and bold black woman from Detroit, and Nev, a white British male, seemed the most unlikely duo, however their story, told through interview transcripts and editors notes, felt so real.

I am a big fan of this novel. I generally enjoy historical fiction but usually about direct social themes. This novel did the same and more by incorporating music. It is ugly, honest, raw, provocative and endearing. The characters, the plot, the writing style and the themes were all well developed and brilliantly written. If a bit of rock n roll mixed in with equality is up your alley, then you should definitely check this book out once it is published on March 30th.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon&Schuster for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an ARC copy in return for my honest review.

At first I know what you are all thinking...didn’t we just do this story? You will be happy to learn that no we did not. Other than format and the fact that it is about a band, the similarities end there with Daisy Jones and the Six. This story delves much deeper. It brings to light societal injustices at the time and that are still affecting us today. The interwoven story of actual people leave you wondering if Opal is indeed an actual person. A strong, powerful debut novel from an author who is poised to go far.

I was so excited to get this ARC from Simon and Schuster & NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Final Revival Of Opal & Nev is an oral history format based on the formation and career of an Afro-punk duo making it big in the 1970s. Nev Charles grew up in the U.K, took a chance and flew to the U.S to make a shot at fame. Opal Jewel, coming-of-age in Detroit, is discovered performing in a sister-duo act. Together they join forces to create something big. In 2016, Sunny S. Shelton begins writing an aural history of the band, with talks of a reunion between the two looming. However allegations and secrets begin to emerge, and all is not how it seems.

I could not put this book down. It was exactly what I needed. This book is often compared to Daisy Jones & The Six, from what I’m seeing between bookstagram and NetGalley. While the format is similar, I think this book is more hard-hitting in the historical fiction aspect. From civil rights to the anti-war movement, this book tells the story of a band making waves during a turbulent era. There’s the duo’s own complicated history tied in with the happenings of the world. This book hits on racism, sexism and activism in a thought-provoking way. It is done really well. I was a massive fan of Daisy Jones & The Six too, but I think this book shouldn’t be compared too closely as it isn’t *exactly* the same vibe.

I loved Walton’s characters. They leapt off the page, making this fictional oral history a gripping read. Opal in particular is such a fierce protagonist that caught my interest from the very start. Not to mention the sheer (fictional) history of “the photo”. It almost felt the group was real and it made me want to go and Google them and buy their vinyl haha!

The only thing was that there were some elements that felt slightly unresolved for me personally, making this a 4.5 instead of a 5. A very minor thing. However, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is brilliant, clever and unputdownable. Highly recommend for any historical fiction and music lovers!

I was very excited given the comparisons to Daisy Jones and the Six (which I loved) - they are both musical groups/duos told in an aural style to a reporter. This one certainly focused itself more on race and a violent incident at one of her concerts when she took a stand against a racist symbol. Some parts were hard t oread, but the author portrays the various thoughts on race issues in a way that feels very true to the culture and positions in America. I thought this started off incredibly strong and ended very strong as well too, but I found my concentration dipping a little in the middle when there was a lot of editor's notes or the stretch about Paris could have been a little shorter. I loved the pop culture references and it feels like they were a real duo and this very very could have been a real story, so incredibly well written that way!

Thank you to Netgalley for this advanced copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this and readers of “Daisy Jones and the Six” will love this too.

I loved watching Opal and Nev’s careers play out. It felt so real and authentic!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster / 37 Ink for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sex, drugs, rock and roll? Say no more. I was originally drawn to The Final Revival of Opal and Nev because of how it has been compared to Daisy Jones & The Six (which I loved), but Walton’s novel takes this oral history to a whole new level. The descriptions of the clothes, the music, and the sultriness of New York in the 1970’s were enough to keep me hooked, but the character of Opal Jewel pushed this novel to the top of my favorites in 2021.

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev dives into tough topics, and forces the reader to consider how today’s political and societal climate compares to that of the 1970’s. “I regret that the world can be so unkind, so ungenerous. That people still haven’t learned how to love, in 1971 or 2016.” It is at once a powerful depiction of systemic racism, and a beautiful account of the pursuit of justice.

Wow! What a book! "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev" by Dawnie Walton reminded me a bit of "Daisy Jones and the Six," but it is really so much more! Though it starts slow, the story soon sucked me in and I absolutely could not put it down. I was positively riveted. This is so much more than a fictional story of a rock duo, it is a commentary on sexism, race relations, and the problem and prevalence (and dare I say passive acceptance) of white supremacy in the United States. It is way more than just a story of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll! The story and the characters are so realistic, I admit I googled Opal Jewel to see if she actually was a real person! The oral history format, told through the viewpoints of several major and minor characters, and fictitious editor's notes made it seem even more real. The author's character development is second to none and her descriptive writing is top notch. This really is an impressive debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Dawnie Walton!

A thousand thank yous to NetGalley, Dawnie Walton, and the publisher for the incredible privilege of reading an advanced digital copy of this absolutely magnificent book. This is a book that I will read several times!

First off: wasn't quite sure what to really expect when I was offered this book to read (thank you so much Simon & Schuster and 37 ink - the publishers) but it sounded like something that I would enjoy, the tie to the music side of the story grabbed my interest. Honestly I didn't know anything about the book and was looking for something to read inbetween waiting for the Stand to be available from the library again to be able to finish it up.

Dawnie Walton is an Iowa Writing Workshop MFA graduate and worked at Tin House (RIP). I am more jealous of her than I thought I would be while reading the linked article. It is so completely apparent what a formative talent she is. Reading this book was a history lesson, wrapped in a rock and roll history lesson, wrapped in a civil rights story, further and finally wrapped in a box of Black History all in one... and it's truly fabulous (just like the character Opal's fine dressage).

So, there you have it. Not going to front here... the first part of the book, being a compendium of oral history for me was a little distracting, the history that was dialoged what a little hard to discern character to character while I was reading it (except Virgil... his voice was very there).

Yet, for me at least, when the author moves to a more traditional style they come more alive... and this is where the story shines. There are many people posting that the book is like Daisy Jones & the Six, but really it isn't. Nor is it like any of the other oral history books out there, it's a cop out to compare it so stop it y'all.

Yes there is the oral history component but it's not the crux of the style or even the story. Get past it people, it's a super different experience.

Here is a line that was in the book that shows what a talent Dawnie Walton is (and forgive me publishers, I know I am not supposed to quote the book without permission, I will remove it if you wish)...

"...a million speck of dust exposed and floating in the light, telling stories on you"... this is a line that just slayed me... it is so incredibly beautiful, scene setting and telling. Wow wow wow... Dawnie Walton had me in her story at that point. Honestly... that was the sentence that grabbed a hold of me.

This is a full story of a journalist who is on a journey to discover her family truth, cover the music industry and career of a strong woman and her obstacles. Along the way some unknown truth doors are opened and those inevitable feelings that are underlying with all the characters. These are strong people we are reading about and honestly I want to know where these characters live in real life because I want to buy all the records, read all the magazines and know them better. It's a story about strong women and some weak people facing their truths.

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev is a great read... really a great read. No spoilers of course, but I thought the "gotcha" at the beginning was the one that would follow the story through, nope, there are some great twists and turns. Also a lot of history that is forgotten about how marginalized black people were (and still are) in the entertainment and music industry at all levels. Lots to imagine and learn with this fine novel.

The folks raving about this book are right and I am joining that chorus too.

Additionally if you read this prior to April 1 2021, there is an online booktour opportunity for you to hear the author talk with the author of Daisy Jones and the Six, I am sure it will be amazing!

i liked it . it is told in a oral historical sort of way. This is an impressive debut novel This book also has tough topics in the book like racism. Racism is shown in the book in subtle and not so subtle ways. This book delves more into Opal and Sunny's story than it does Nev's. I wish you got more info about Nev. i like how the story is set in the 1970s but the story continues on to 2016.. Opal is fierce even with all that she faced . This is similar but also not similar to Daisy jones and the six. The musicians are fictional for anyone not realizing it.

I loved this book! It had feels of Daisy Jones but a completely different spin. I enjoyed the journalist style writing and the characters were so dynamic! I could picture each one in my mind while reading their stories!

Easily a five-star read for me.

Opal & Nev were a 1970s Afro-Punk duo that ascended to fame after a fateful concert gone awry. Decades later, as Opal & Nev prepare for a reunion show, journalist S. Sunny Shelton prepares an oral history of their short-lived musical partnership. Sunny recently became the first Black woman promoted to editor of a popular music magazine, and she has her own personal connections to Opal that serve as the driving force in many of their interactions.

This one garnered some obvious comparisons to <i>Daisy Jones & The Six</i> (another book I loved), since they're both fictional oral histories following a music group from the 1970s. Just like with <i>Daisy Jones</i>, I found myself completely immersed in the world of these music icons to the point where I often forgot Opal Jewel and Nev Charles weren't actual celebrities. Opal is a powerful, unforgettable character who remains true to who she is in the face of racism, tragedy, and betrayal from those closest to her. While the first half of the book focuses primarily on the duo's origins and ascent to fame, the second half focuses more on Opal and Sunny's relationship, which I really enjoyed. Also, no spoilers, but there are also some genuinely surprising twists throughout the book that force you to reframe how you think about certain characters.

Loved this one and sad it's over. I hope it gets adapted for TV/film someday (I want to hear the MUSIC!), and I'll read whatever Dawnie Walton writes next!

As I was reading this book, I kept wondering if this was non-fiction. What I liked about this novel was that it read like a Rolling Stone interview. This is understandable as the author, Daniel Walton is a former editor for Essence Magazine.

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is an interesting debut novel that is getting major hand-claps & finger-snaps, but it took me awhile to get into it. This story of a musical odd couple-Opal Robinson from Detroit who sang afropunk before it had a name & British rocker and songwriter, Nev Charles and their incredulous almost rise to fame.

This story is about race, class, gender, and music. This story is about how one sees themselves and how others see you. And, it's about the shakiness of the music industry in the 1970s and how when things go wrong the black woman suffers and the white guys always end up on top (think Janet Jackson & Justin Timberlake). I felt like Nev's character annoyed me because he was so whiny & needed to check his privilege and Opal at times was exhausting because she had to always be battle-ready. However, Opal's sister Pearl was my favorite- always ready with a prayer and Jesus... I'll!

"Oh, I'll never forget it, the first time I saw her. She looked so gorgeous you wouldn't believe. Like a page from Vogue Magazine come to life...she finally, finally came to me...she looked sharp and majestic and, sha!, rather compelling. And so my eyes are dancing all over this getup, and finally get to her head...shaved to the skin. Facing well done! Facing well done."

Besides the music, this is a love story that never was. By piecing together the stories of bandmates, the record label, executives, and friends and family, the broken pieces are put together to tell a story of rock & roll.

While often compared to Daisy Jones & The Six, I actually found this book to be much more reminiscent of one of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s other novels, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Both focused on a journalist writing a biography about a famous, beloved but controversial figure, where the journalist has a connection to the famous person and the secrets uncovered have personal effects on both parties. But what made The Final Revival of Opal & Nev stand out to me was how instead of having the main character trying to hide what made her different (Evelyn has a secret lesbian relationship), the whole of this story was about Opal’s Blackness, her womanhood, her rage and her activism; and ultimately that made me enjoy this book much more than I did The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (and Daisy Jones and the Six, for that matter). This was an impressive debut from a rising talent, and I can’t wait to read Walton‘s next book!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for gifting me a digital ARC of this amazing debut novel by Dawnie Walton - 4.5 stars rounded up!

It's 2016 and Sunny Shelton, new editor of a music magazine, is writing an oral history of a 1970s duo who are rumored to do a come-back tour. Sunny has ties to the duo's past but as she does her interviews, she discovers things she never knew. In the 1970s, we meet Opal who grew up in Detroit and wants to be a star. When British songwriter, Nev, discovers her singing in a bar, he knows she is the one he wants to pair with. Nev's label, Rivington Records, is small town and desperate for a hit and the pair moves to NYC to become part of the music scene there, What happens at a promotional concert when Opal and Nev are scheduled to perform along with another Rivington band will change everyone's lives.

This is written in a style very similar to Daisy Jones and the Six - the story is told by way of Sunny's interviews with all the main and many small characters who had a part in the story. But this book tackles even more difficult topics. Taking place in the 1970s, we see through Opal's eyes all the racism that went on then and is still so relevant in the 2016 time period of the book. These characters are completely real - you can see them while you are reading this book. You will feel the injustice, the hurt, and be transported back in time. Bravo for an amazing debut that will definitely become part of today's conversation into racism, sexism, white privilege, and so much more.

I was so excited to get this as an Arc because it has a similar format to Daisy Jones and is about the music industry. However, I ended up DNFing at 36%. Something about this book wasn’t capturing my attention and I found myself getting bored halfway through every chapter. I liked the aspect of a Black woman and White man duo in the 70s and that was the reason I kept going but somewhere along the way I realized it felt like a chore for me to read this book so I decided to allow myself to not finish it.

I got totally caught up in this story of two fictional rock stars of the 1970's. The writing is exceptional and the powerful backdrop of race relations from the sixties to the present make this a very worthwhile read. It wa so compelling that I felt like it all actually happened. Highly recommended.

The Final Revival Of Opal and Nev is a novel about a fictional singing duo from the early 70’s. Similar in style to Daisy Jones & the Six this is from the POV Sunny, a journalist that has direct ties to the duo and is created from her observations and interviews and plus past media coverage. Now over 40 years later Opal and Nev are considering reuniting and Sunny is in the middle of it all. But what she discovers as she delves into Opal and Nev’s shared history could blow everything up and have consequences for her both personally and professionally.

Like the aforementioned Daisy Jones and the Six the music this novel blurred the line between the real and imagined so much that I found myself wanting to reach for Google to have a look or listen. Dawnie Walton did an incredible job weaving in the duo into the 70’s music and fashion scene by creating fictional interviews with everyone from Gloria Steinem to Quentin Tarantino to Questlove. She also showed great skill at creating a rich origin story for each character. Nev, the son of a chip shop owner and beautiful aspiring actress who showed an early gift at music. And Opal, the daughter of a Detroit cafeteria worker who never knew her father and found herself out of step with her more religious sister. Opal is also small, dark in complexion, suffering from hair loss due to Alopecia and searching for a way to turn that into the bigger than life person she feels like inside. When these two find each other in a Detroit bar both of their lives will never be the same.

Walton also uses these two characters to explore the subjects of race in the 60’s, 70’s and beyond. By contrasting their 70’s era showcase that exploded into violence with the present-day tense performance at an outdoor music festival we see how far we have to go. Both Nev and Opal are complicated, ambitious and selfish. The most gut wrenching scenes are Sunny having to navigate interviews that showed how unconcerned Opal was with the heartbreak her affair with a married man would have on his family. And Nev would prove to be a difficult man to interview about the past as he used his power, privilege, publicist and memory loss to cover up his culpability in the deadly night of the showcase.

I highly recommend The Final Revival of Opal and Nev for music fans and readers looking to explore the subjects of race, feminism and the power that a single image can have. I know I’ll be thinking about this novel for years to come (plus I’m already casting the movie in my head).

5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My copy of The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton was provided by NetGalley and the publisher for review purposes

I enjoyed this book. It is told through interviews and author/narrator notes. It paints a picture of race in the past and the present. Very thought provoking and emotional.

This rocking and provocative read certainly had comparable vibes to Daisy Jones & The Six as both used the fresh oral history and retelling of a bands past approach but this story takes on a whole new meaning and message.

It dives headfirst into the politics of the music industry and general culture of the 1970s as it explores systemic racism and sexism.

I enjoyed that Sunny chose to interview so many different characters to get stories from so many contrasting aspects of Opal & Nev’s lives.

While this was definitely a slower read that took me a decent amount of time to get into it, I was still so intriguing and found it incredibly thought provoking!

3.5 stars rounded up


Opal and Nev were a very unlikely pair; Nev a British singer/songwriter, and Opal a bald Black woman from Detroit. They come together to form something fresh in 1970’s rock n roll in New York.

In a promotional concert, the headlining band flaunts a Confederate flag. Opal makes a bold statement during their set, and the violence that follows changes everything. Opal and Nev go their separate ways, until there’s talk of reuniting for a 2016 reunion concert.
There were definitely some Daisy Jones vibes as it’s written in interview format, told in several perspectives, and that of journalist Sunny Shelton who has a unique connection to the band.

A bit of a slow burn, but It did all come together at the reunion concert, which is the most important part of the book. I didn’t feel very connected to any of the characters, or really get a sense of Opal and Nev’s connection or musical journey together.

However, I loved the issues it brought up regarding racism, violence and injustice against POC, which is very relevant today.