The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton – 368 pages
ARC from 37ink and Netgalley for an honest review
Book Blurb:
Opal is a fiercely independent young woman pushing against the grain in her style and attitude, Afro-punk before that term existed. Coming of age in Detroit, she can’t imagine settling for a 9-to-5 job—despite her unusual looks, Opal believes she can be a star. So when the aspiring British singer/songwriter Neville Charles discovers her at a bar’s amateur night, she takes him up on his offer to make rock music together for the fledgling Rivington Records. In early seventies New York City, just as she’s finding her niche as part of a flamboyant and funky creative scene, a rival band signed to her label brandishes a Confederate flag at a promotional concert. Opal’s bold protest and the violence that ensues set off a chain of events that will not only change the lives of those she loves, but also be a deadly reminder that repercussions are always harsher for women, especially black women, who dare to speak their truth. Decades later, as Opal considers a 2016 reunion with Nev, music journalist S. Sunny Shelton seizes the chance to curate an oral history about her idols. Sunny thought she knew most of the stories leading up to the cult duo’s most politicized chapter. But as her interviews dig deeper, a nasty new allegation from an unexpected source threatens to blow up everything.
My Review: 4 stars
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev was certainly a book that offered more than the blurb implied. This book, reminiscent of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones and the Six, had big shoes to fill. The concept of the book was similar, both were written in interview style and through fictitious news articles. The major difference is that this book offered a lens into the social and societal issues from the early 1970s until current day 2016.
When Ned, a grungy, geeky British “ginger” chooses Opal, a black, bald, badass woman to be his co-vocalist, it causes quite an uproar from the label and others in the band. She’s not a great singer but she brings the “umph” that Nev needs for ultimate success. Add Sunny to the mix of characters, the daughter to a deceased bandmate, who is out to write Opal’s memoir before the comeback of Opal and Nev. Jimmy, Sonny’s dad, was the drummer in the band. He’s a major character yet one of the only ones that needed more fleshing out. I wanted to understand him more.
Sunny is the interviewer and researcher in the book, so we learn everything through her eyes. So much is covered in this book…race relations, white supremacy (yep, the confederate flag comes out in this book), sisterhood, infidelities, addiction, romance, intense friendships, the innerworkings of the music industry and also an underlying mystery about what really happened during a fateful concert.
I definitely like the oral history way of storytelling. It allows for a different reading experience. The book, rounding out at 368 pages felt longer; I’m not sure if that was a pacing issue or just me. This book will appeal to many readers and I look forward to what’s next from this author.
Quotes I liked:
I regret that the world can be so unkind, so ungenerous. That people still haven’t learned how to love, in 1971 or 2016.”
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