Review: The Final Revival of Opal and Nev 3.5/5

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev chronicles a punk rock band’s rise to fame including all the highs and lows (and disappointment, racism, and tragedy) along the way. The story is told from several characters’ POVs in a journalist style narrative, tied together with notes from “the editor” (Sunny), who has an odd connection to the band’s lead singer and icon—Opal Jewel (this aspect of the story gave me serious 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes).

As the narrative unfolds, the dark truth behind the band’s history, and a cataclysmic and tragic riot during one of their live performances, comes to light. The plot is a great mix of historical fiction and present day reality, making the themes and struggles very relatable, or at least familiar, especially today.

What I liked:

*Journalist style narrative with snippets of interviews from each character; also the Editor’s Notes from Sunny

*The endnotes to each chapter—fascinating and so creative

*The connection between Sunny and Opal ... this gripped me from the start

What I disliked:

*I wish the book explored more of (or spent additional time on) Opal and Jimmy’s relationship before the riot

*A few parts in the middle dragged a bit and could have been shorter

Thanks to Simon Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC ... Publication date is March 30!

Art Imitates Life. The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is wrapped around a fictional 1970’s musical duo: Nev, a white British songwriter, and Opal, a Detroit-based artist, who at times appears to be ahead of her time with her Afro-punk stylings and progressive views. An editor (S. Sunny Sheldon) of a modern-day magazine opts to write an expose about the couple, their music, and their experiences in the music business. The reader quickly learns that Sunny has a vested interest in Opal which fuels a sort of mystery-solving vibe which propels the story.

The first third of the book moves a bit slowly; however, it's necessary - the main characters are fleshed out with backgrounds that feel organic, we see their insecurities, vulnerabilities, and it is easy to forget these are fictional characters. While I enjoyed the rise to stardom, there was a sense of dread (for me) knowing it would crash at some point -- especially when it is shaded by the politics and business practices of the day -- the overt racism, misogyny, and greed within the entertainment industry forces the reader to question how far we’ve evolved since that era.

There were quite a few characters to keep up with and the pacing was a bit slow in parts; however, I think a patient reader will be rewarded with this offering. This is a solid debut that left me with anticipation for the author’s next release.

4.5 --
Several chapters in and I could tell this book was gonna be great. The oral history format really works for me (and yes, this book reads, at first glance, similarly to Daisy Jones).

This book delivers everything you'd expect - the wild, cinematic frames of rock and roll, strong characters, the social commentary, and most surprisingly - suspense.

I loved and rooted for the women in this novel, Opal, Sunny, Corrine. There were times I wished we got to know Nev, but reminded myself that this is her story.

Thank you Simon & Schuster, Dawnie Walton & NetGalley for an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I think this will be on a lot of people's favorites of 2021 lists!

Opal and Nev were a small rock band from the 70s who might have fallen away off everyones radars if not for one fateful performance that led to a clash of cultures and their drummer dead. Their drummers now grown up daughter is interviewing everyone involved in the start of Opal and Nev to find out the real story.

The oral history style works so well in this. The characters come to life so much, i found myself wanting to google them and forgetting I was reading a work of fiction. Dawnie Walton somehow keeps all of their voices so distinct and clear through her style and writing.

This was touted "for fans of Daisy Jones and the Six" and I can tell you, if you like the style of Daisy Jones, you will be so invested in this story. But this felt like so much more than Daisy Jones. This book took a deep dive into issues like racism that still impact society today and the author held nothing back. Although this is set in the 70s, it is insanely relevant for today. I loved her style, loved her writing and loved the characters.

Everyone should pick up a copy of this as soon as its published 3/31

I can’t remember the last time I completed a novel and just sat for a moment smiling, but the warmth and characters that flowed off these pages gave me an inside hug. Like Daisy Jones & the Six, Opal & Nev is an oral history about two musicians but it goes in depth in areas that DJ just couldn’t reach. I cannot believe this is Walton’s first novel. It is beautifully written, relevant in today’s current political climate and isn’t schmaltzy. My favorite part of the novel was the relationship between the author of the oral history, Sunny, and Opal Jewel, the subject- the queen bee. Opal had so many layers and dimensions as did Sunny. I highly recommend this book to music fans as well as fans who want to read from a Black perspective.

I am absolutely obsessed with this book. A new fan of the oral history style that I've seen so few books do, I knew I had to pick his up as soon as I saw it. I was drawn into the fictional history this book sets up for you immediately, and the characters just felt so REAL. I enjoyed this entirely and I can't wait for it's release and to get the audiobook and truly experience it all over again.

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is a compelling and provocative reflection on the history of fictional musical duo, Opal and Nev. Not just another 'sex, drugs & rock and roll' story, it also addresses racism, racial prejudice, sexism, feminism as well as ideologies during different time periods of the past fifty years.

Due to the oral history format and the fact that it's centred around music, this book is already being compared to Daisy Jones and the Six however I find it to be more reminiscent of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

It's the 1970s and British singer/songwriter Nev, with his fiery red hair is looking for a musical counterpart. The moment he meets Opal Jewel - a vibrant and bald black woman with a strong sense of social justice - he's as captivated by her as he is with his desire for fame.

Without getting into spoiler territory, this story shifts when a significant event results in the death of a character and we begin to question the motives of others.

While I loved the oral history formatting of this book, we also have intermittent editors notes as well as personal reflections from Sunny's character, which took me out of the story and slowed down the pacing. I think the story could have been stronger if it relied solely on the oral history formatting with perhaps an epilogue told by Sunny. Again, avoiding spoilers, I also would have loved a more concrete resolution and to see one of the characters face the consequences of their choices.

In saying that, Dawnie Walton created a truly believable piece of music history and Opal's dynamic character brought so much life to these pages! I loved Opal's friendship with Virgil LaFleur and the descriptions of Opal's wild and colourful ensembles.

Setting the 'present day' parts of the story in 2016 was very clever and worked well with the themes of the book. Similarly, the seamless medley of fictional and non-fictional historical events really brought more nuance to these more difficult issues and themes - an incredible and impressive debut novel!

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev is a a fascinating oral history style book about a fictional musical duo. I loved the way it was written, makes it feel like you are reading about real events, even though in the back of your mind you know it’s fiction. This book has been getting a lot of hype and I think it was well deserved! Wouldn’t be surprised to see this making the book club rounds this spring

I love the oral history format and it was perfect for this fictional story about a provocative, iconic, 1970's rock duo, told by the journalist daughter of Opal & Nev's drummer. It's a darker, grittier Daisy Jones & the Six with a serious racial message. The beginning is a bit of a slow build, but stick with it. The build really picks up and I was quickly engrossed. Walton uses an iconic photograph that took on a life of its own following a riot (in which Opal takes center stage) at a showcase by Opal & Nev's label to examine how many people dissect a provocative event in different ways and project deep meaning onto it...whether deserved or not. And, she uses it to tell the arc of Opal and Nev's tumultuous pairing. Opal is a singular, memorable character. She’s extremely provocative, yet also incredibly vulnerable.

As soon as I saw this book compared to Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I knew I had to read it. While it is an oral history that includes sex, drugs, and rock and roll, it is important to note that this is not the same story as Daisy Jones. It is well done and completely stands on it’s own. I was entranced by the atmosphere the author created and I missed the charters when it ended. This one gets four stars from me. Thank you Netgalley for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review!

Hard to believe this is a debut for this author. Written as an oral history of a fictional Afro punk rock n’ roll duo of the 70s, this story sucks you right in. A journalist, Sunny, leads this narrative and she is closely involved in Opal & Nev’s tragic past. Although similar to Daisy Jones & the Six in style, I found one big difference. Here the heroes and villains are very clear cut. Opal is an amazing character who practically leaps off the page. This is really her story for better or worse, a black woman navigating the music scene of the US and Europe in the 70s and beyond and the heartbreak and joy that goes with it. Thank you Net Galley and Simon & Shuster for this preview.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuester for the pre release copy of this book

WOW WOW WOW!!! A fabulous fictional history of Opal and Nev, a duo who became famous in the 1970's. Nev, a ginger oddity from England, and Opal, a gorgeous Black goddess who got chosen by Nev to record on his record when he sees her perform at an amateur night. Opal becomes a sign of power for both women and Black people and when she sets off a riot the night of the Rivington Records concert over a rival band touting a Confederate flag andchanges the lives of both her and Nev.
Years later a music journalist, Sunny Shelton, finds out Opal and Nev are doing a reunion concert for a large music festival and decides to write a book about them and their musical history. Sunny finds out answers to her burning personal questions and Opal finds out just exactly what kind of a friend and partner Nev really is.

TL;DR - this book is absolutely engrossing, a must read that will challenge your mind, encourage you to speak up, and break your heart.

I heard about this book probably the same way others did: with comparisons to Daisy Jones and the Six. The only way Daisy Jones and Opal and Nev are the same is that it's set in the 70s and is about music. Daisy Jones is all about love, heartbreak and addiction. Opal and Nev is about what it means to be Black in the US, what it means to be a woman in a world run by men, finding our chosen family and living with grief. There is so much depth to Opal and Nev and I honestly hope it doesn't struggle due to comparisons.

Opal is a young Black woman trying to survive and thrive when she is found by Nev and asked to partner in music. Opal then has to navigate being a Black woman in this very white very male world. She is also extremely young, struggling to find her place, making bad decisions and being alive for the first time. Nev is such an interesting character - lonely but also extremely smug and overly confident in the way that white men often are. His trajectory was surprising but also perfect for the story that Walton was telling. And although there are great side characters (Bob, Jimmy, Rosemary) and some not so great ones (Howie UGH, Lizzie) - this is a story about Opal Jewel and Sunny, the woman that Opal asks to tell her and Nev's story.


I had over 30 highlights in this book. It's mindblowing quote after quote. Dawnie Walton has created a beautiful story and it is a must read.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and 37 Ink for my copy to review

Some writers just have a way of putting words and ideas together that make it so effortless and exciting to read.
'The Final Revival of Opal and Nev' is a riveting story that is chock full of politically relevant messages woven into the story expertly that were just as important in the 70s rock and roll era of the USA and are still relevant now. This is a story of Opal jewel, an afro punk singer, fierce, independent, strong, and how she navigated the music industry in the 70s when the up and coming Irish immigrant musician Nev Charles spots her singing at a bar and thus forms the unusual but dazzling, heavy on the rebelling.

Things unravel though for the duo when at a showcase, disaster strikes in the form of bike riding confederate flag toting hooligans, a riot, racism, police brutality, and the death of Jimmy Curtis, the act's black drummer. Jimmy Curtis also happens to be in an affair with Opal Jewel as well as the father of Sunny Shelton, the journalist researching and creating a book about the Opal and Nev story in the year 2016 when they are on the verge of a long impending and hyped reunion

In her investigations, she discovers the hidden scandals, blatant racism, misogyny, ambition, ego, and shadiness of the music industry of the era and how its still present today. The book is a reminder of how Black women in all walks of life are underestimated, abused, misjudged, and misconstrued at every turn and yet show strength and perseverance in the face of it all.

Thank you to @simonandschuster for the egalley.

'The Final Revival of Opal and Nev' was an interesting, refreshing, and beautiful fictional oral history of an afro-punk/rock n roll duo in the 70s. The first 2/3 of the story felt much stronger and cohesive of a story than the last 1/3. Yet, the story has a resolution that is satisfying and complete and I have a hard time imagining the story being any different while still being true to its plot and purpose.

As a duo, 'Opal and Nev' were short lived and only experienced a modicum of success at the time. The story starts with a potential reunion tour almost half a century later. The story is told in the form of interviews and short narratives by the 'author'. There is a lot going on here- politics, race, gender norms and roles, music and the music industry, history, identity. Author Dawnie Walton does an excellent job of weaving it all through interviews, newspaper clippings, and commentary. 'Opal and Nev' reads easily as a book-within-a-book.

There are SO many great discussion questions that could come out of this book- the questions that really struck me: for all that is supposedly done to support black lives and communities, for all the effort made to help women succeed in the past 50 years-- how much as changed? What needs to happen to create a better future for black lives/minorities/ women?

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This is both a heavy and a light read- and an excellent debut by Dawnie Walton. Thank you for writing such a thought-provoking read!

I read this synopsis and was instantly reminded of Daisy Jones and The Six (read my thoughts here), a book I read last year and absolutely adored! At first, I was a bit hesitant these two books would be too similar – and they are – but there are enough major differences that it makes them both worth reading!

Before Daisy Jones, I had not read an oral history book. It worked really well for me with Daisy, and again with Opal and Nev. I appreciate how it feels like I’m watching a documentary – almost like I’m a part of the story rather than just reading or watching one. I also love how the format allows deeper nuances to be revealed that’s much more complicated to accomplish with a tradtionally relayed story. I’m not sure how long this style will hold my attention, but so far, so good!

While Daisy Jones focused more on the relationship between Daisy and her bandmate, Billy, Opal and Nev took on a much bigger issue that feels incredibly timely: social justice. While it feels new to those of us currenly living through the race riots of 2020, the idea that Black people are not treated as equals in American society definitely is not. Opal has grown up and felt that suppression all her life and when she’s finally given a platform to bring awareness to the issues facing Blacks in the 1970s, she wants to use it.

Through Opal, Walton gives us a stong, independent Black woman – something that is missing in so many stories. I loved the shell Opal created around herself – both as a protection shield around her heart, and as her armor in the battlefield of social justice. She is very clear on what she believes is right and wrong and she fiercely stands by her convictions regardless of the repercussions. When many would choose fame and/or fortune, Opal chooses her morality.

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev expands the oral history genre and gives fan of 1970s rock and roll another book to get immersed in!

What happens when an unknown young black singer from Detroit is hand-picked by a young white red-haired singer from the UK to be his unlikely partner in a musical rock duo? Grab some popcorn and sit back, because this is the compelling story of Opal & Nev.

This engaging fictional story of 70’s Afro-Punk rock duo Opal & Nev explores how these two misfits from different worlds found each other against all odds, and what happened not only to launch their short-lived musical journey together, but the racially-charged events that ultimately tore them apart and sent their lives in different directions.

What I liked:

Style: Author Dawnie Walton has created an interview style oral history - a la Daisy Jones & the Six - that seamlessly blends real, recognizable names from the 70’s up through current music and culture with her fictional duo of Opal & Nev, et al. It’s so effective, in fact, that I initially double-checked to make sure Opal & Nev and the remaining cast of characters weren’t actually real! This gave it the feeling of a legitimate memoir, which in turn gave it more depth, and I enjoyed seeing names I recognized scattered throughout. In that vein, the book spans several decades, so it offers a nice historical overview of what was going on in America, including the changing of presidents and ideologies of those times.

Characters: Opal is one fierce, intelligent, strong-willed woman who doesn’t back down in her desire to see her fellow African Americans treated with dignity and fairness, even when some of those actions cost her or those around her. The story really belongs to her, even if she shares title credit with Nev. Speaking of Nev, this ginger-haired, caucasian Brit is the more elusive and mysterious member of the duo. Less focus is devoted to him, but his laid-back, seemingly good-natured personality was the perfect counterpoint to Opal’s vocal, creative, free-spirited ways. A couple other standouts were Opal’s entertaining bestie and stylist, the flamboyant Francophile Virgil La Fleur, and S. Sunny Shelton (aka SarahLena Curtis), the interviewer/author of the story within this story and the daughter of Jimmy Curtis, a drummer who Opal had an affair with and whose death plays a central role in this story.

Relevance: The book explores or touches on timely and relevant social issues including the seedlings of the Black Lives Matter and Me Too movements regarding racism, racial justice, and sexism, and the advent of legalized gay marriage. It also looks at some of the greedy and questionable practices of the music industry and the temptation of the media to represent certain popular narratives at the exclusion of truth. This gives the book some meaning and heft, rather than just being a standard sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll story.

Where I struggled:

Pace: As much as I enjoyed the story, sometimes it felt like the narrative was starting to drag a little or feel redundant. Some (OK - most) of that is a “me” thing: I get bored with listening to people talk. Ask my poor husband - he knows what I’m like when my eyes start to glaze over. Whether they actually were long, these chapters felt long, like my progress to the finish line was turtle-level slooooooow.

Conclusion: All things said, those who are patient readers who enjoy a historical fiction/interview-style rock ‘n’ roll memoir should enjoy this very good, extremely well-written story. Kudos to Ms. Walton for her stunning debut!

★★★★

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and author Dawnie Walton for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions. This will be published on March 30, 2021.

I enjoyed this book overall. I found I engaged with the book most when reading the editor's notes, which is when it read more like a traditional novel. While I liked the creativity of the oral history format, sometimes it was harder for me to connect with the characters in this way and I think I personally do not prefer that style. I also wish the characters' voices within the interviews would have been more distinct; often I would find myself losing track of who was who. I think this book would be great as an audio book!

That being said, the story itself was very beautiful. I loved the way it tackled issues of race and discrimination. It had great commentary on societal issues and interesting characters. I loved the relationship between Opal and Sunny. I loved how complicated Nev was. I believe this will resonate with many people!

This was a little hard for me to connect with. But that’s not to say it wasn’t absolutely beautiful. The writing was real, raw and personal. I could feel the hype and the excitement about Opal and Nev, and even picture their fictional characters making history alongside The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. I think the only thing that made it a little more difficult of a read for me was the format. I heard comparisons to Daisy Jones, and I can see how, but let Opal and Nev stand alone. It’s worth the read. I look forward to hearing more from the author.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for honest review. The characters were incredibly interesting. The oral history format made it hard to get into for me. I think I would have liked the audiobook version of this more to really experience the characters and get to know them even more. A lot of people compare this to Daisy Jones due to the content - I would say this one is a bit more slow paces and takes a bit longer to get into.