<i>The Final Revival of Opal & Nev</i> starts off strong. The voice of Sunny, reporter, struck me as so real that I looked up the famous Opal Jewel... only to realize she was a fictional character and this was a novel. Yet, throughout, she remains entirely believable. Dawnie Walton interweaves fiction and fact in a way that is remarkably fluid, historic events and figures seamlessly woven into the fictional story of Opal Jewel.

I can imagine some reviewers will say, "for fans of <i>Daisy Jones and the Six</i>" because the writing style is similar. Quickly changing perspectives, all linked to the heroine, telling different parts of the same storyline about a rock-and-roll phenom. I love this kind of storytelling and the layers it brings. However, this story, unlike <i>Daisy Jones</i> is very much about race.

Opal Jewel is a fierce black woman from a working-class Detroit family. When she moves to New York City to make music with the quirky, white Nev Charles, she revels in flamboyance, color, and outlandish personality. And Opal is acutely aware of how she is treated in comparison to Nev, or other white people. There is violence, policy brutality, blatant racism, and the finger always points back at Opal or her black friends--the white perpetrators sliding out of the same predicaments easily.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about this book. Several times it slowed enough that I wanted to put it down. Then, there'd be a an absolutely stunning line or paragraph that hit me deep in the belly--almost always about racism--and made me think. That kept me reading. This novel is timely, credible, and powerful. But I can't quite bring myself to rate it more highly because it was too bloated and bogged down for me.

Thank you to publisher & author for the NetGalley.

This book was hard for me to get into, mostly the style didn't work for me personally though others have liked it a lot. So while the topics were things that interested in me and it was a time i lived through, i felt more detached and less involved than i wanted to be reading a book

I was immediately intrigued by this book when I first heard about it - I was a big fan of Daisy Jones and the Six, and was eager to see how this book would handle the "oral history" format. Walton takes that format and adds so much more to the story - while it is a story around a musical duo, it goes so far beyond the music they made and tells a gripping story that, while primarily set in the 60s/70s, still reflects similar racial issues we are still grappling with today.
Considering we go into the story knowing the pivotal moment in the story basically from the first few pages, there was still a great element of tension and suspense as we approach that moment in the timeline. And even though you think you know what happened by the time we get to that day, Walton still manages to knock you over with some revelations from the characters retelling the story. And the ending was an excellent mix of realism and satisfaction.
The writing in this book is beautiful. I enjoyed it immensely, and cannot wait for it to hit the shelves so everyone can enjoy it!
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an ARC.

As much as I wanted to love this book, as a music fan, I didn't. I am 100% sure that I will be in the minority here. The writing style is journalistic, behind the scenes, just like Daisy Jones. So many people loved Daisy Jones, but I didn't. I think that this style of writing is not for me. I never feel like I can really settle in when the narration and perspective is constantly changing. That said, the content is very interesting. If a reader is a fan of the style, I think that they will love this book. I just can't get passed the style; it doesn't work for me individually.

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev presents a fictional oral history of the titular duo and the famous photograph taken during a violent, racially motivated riot at one of their shows in the early 70s. While Nev goes on to have a kind of fame most reminiscent of a Billy Joel or Elton John-type, Opal is the standout character, a wholly unique punk rock, black power, feminist creation by the book’s author, Dawnie Walton. Interspersed with a first-person narrative by Sunny, the editor of a Rolling Stones-esque magazine who has a personal history with Opal, Walton has a lot to say about race, white allyship, and the capitalist structures that prop up our cultural institutions.

Walton’s choice to present three-quarters of the book in each character’s voice as they relay the beats of the story to Sunny makes the book reminiscent of Daisy Jones & the Six, but The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is far deeper and better executed than Taylor Jenkins Reid’s crowd pleaser. I hope that this book finds a similar sized audience, even if the style of a written oral history was off putting at times and made the book more laborious to read than if Walton had opted to go for a more traditional first- or third-person narrative. Still, there is much to like here, and the narration from Sunny set in early 2016 are poignant and intriguing. I’m excited to see what Walton does next in a more traditional narrative.

I received an advanced reading copy through NetGalley.

I was absolutely thrilled for The Final Revival of Opal & Nev; it was probably in my top 5 most anticipated books for the year. So I think part of my problem was that I probably had set my expectations much too high for it. Another part of the problem, based on quick skimming of other reviews, was that I have not read Daisy Jones and therefore was completely unfamiliar with the oral history writing style.

I recognize that Sunny needed to insert her voice somehow throughout the book, but I didn't particularly enjoy the use of the "Editor's Note" feature. It felt a little heavy handed, and like she was doing a lot of telling us vs. showing us what was going on. It also contributed to a weird flow throughout the novel. The pacing felt off to me, with nothing happening for long stretches, or a ton of buildup only for the big event to happen within a page or two, and then back to long stretches of very little going on. I struggled to stay super engaged with the book throughout.

I do think Walton did a great job of writing in the voices of the different characters; it never got confusing whose point of view she was writing from and each character's voice felt very unique. That being said, the character development of characters across the board fell just a little bit short for me. I was never quite able to get myself fully emotionally invested in their arcs. The points of the story that hit on Jimmy were far and away the strongest.

Not by any means a bad read, and wow do I wish Opal Jewel actually existed in our world, but it just didn't quite check all of my boxes.

I don't know how to review this book, because while I recognize its incredible writing, well-drawn out characters and important subject matter, for some reason it didn't captivate me. Walton is a gifted author and she writes beautifully, but her words could not capture my attention. Perhaps it was because of inevitable comparisons to Daisy Jones, a similar book that I loved, but I kept feeling like something was lacking, even if I still can't put my finger on it. Rounding up from 3.5 because the novel is impressive in many ways and perhaps I was just not its target reader. Thank you for the early copy.

Not reading the other reviews, because I can already guess that they all draw comparisons to Daisy Jones. This reads exactly like Taylor Jenkins Reid's bestseller, but with a 2021-woke/racial angle. Not that that's a bad thing-- TJR is one of my favorite contemporary authors, and while I wouldn't recommend reading this directly after that one, it's entertaining and, if not wholly unique, exceedingly well written. The novel is one of epic proportions, creating a landscape that feels at once familiar and new, and tracking along multiple timelines, from multiple points of view. All of the characters are dynamic, though none more so than the titular Opal Jewel, who is complex and jumps off the page. She is ahead of her time, though she still manages to feel 'real', in her day.
Would definitely recommend to fans of A Visit from the Goon Squad and, obviously, Daisy Jones & the Six.

(3.5 stars) In my opinion, this book suffers by comparison to Daisy Jones & The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Not because it’s not as good…it’s actually better as it deals with other issues (race especially) in addition to drama surrounding the band. But being so similar in structure and subject to Daisy Jones, I felt as if I had read it before. Opal IS Daisy as a POC with fashion flair and a bald head that she decorates with wild wigs. Nev is similar to Billy, leading the band and dealing with crises with his lead singer. Opal and Nev’s story is told from the point of view of a female journalist whose father played drums for the band. This was an interesting way to narrate the story, and gave an added dimension to the tale. Still too similar to Daisy Jones for me, though.

This is a very creatively written story of Opal, a talented young black woman who found fame and fortune singing with the up and coming English singer, Nev, in the 1970s. The book combines elements of reality (singers and songs that we all will recognize) with the fictional musical work of Opal and Nev. Their lives and careers together are wonderful and horrible, and their story is told by a young black journalist, with a special connection to Opal.

I loved the first part of the book when Opal and Nev are first starting out - so entertaining and compelling. I wondered how the horror of certain events would be settled - how would Opal and Nev would resolve their differences, both musical and personal. The ending seem to drag on just a tad - I might have edited it down some. I'm not sure I would have ended the story this way. And I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the relationship the journalist had with Opal, finding it not especially believable, given the nature of the relationship.

This book will appeal to those of us who grew up in the 1970s and listened to great music on the radio, and had the opportunity to go see nascent bands perform in small clubs, and then got to appreciate reunion tours of those same bands years after they had achieved musical fame.

Thank you, NetGalley, for allowing me to read this book.

Is "fake rock biopic" a genre of fiction? If not, can we make it one? Either way, Opal & Nev was a truly original take, and it will easily hold its own against the inevitable comparisons to "Daisy Jones and the Six." For one thing, Opal and Nev themselves were such a unique creation - such an unexpected musical duo. I didn't even try to imagine what their music might have sounded like, I just accepted that people heard something special in it. Luckily, the stellar writing is all the evidence readers will need.

3 stars
This has all the Daisy Jones vibes. I absolutely loved how that story was told, but I love how this author did their own interpretation. It’s a oral history this characters giving their takes on events.
I thought the characters felt real and genuine. I thought the setting was spot on and I loved the weaving of real world events.
It didn’t capture me as much as I thought it would. I wanted to be emotionally invested, and that took me awhile.
It fell off a bit at the end, but overall, a great debut novel.

I think this faux musician/ celebrity trend should continue forever. I absolutely love it.
I definitely think of you appreciated Daisy Jones, you will appreciate this story!

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev, a debut novel, wrote in oral history format, is the story of the rise and fall of a unique pairing of band members. Of course there will be comparisons to Daisy Jones because of the format and storyline. But where Daisy went light and fluffy, Opal & Nev tackles social issues present during the times, continuing into today's reality. I really enjoyed the book, although pacing throughout the book slowed a little to much for my liking. Characters were really well fleshed out, I really enjoyed the interview style of the writing. Dawnie Walton brought such detail to this novel that I had to remind myself that Opal & Nev were fictional. I think this book would make for a great book club selection. Thank you to netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me an advanced readers copy.

This book is so well written that I wish it was a fiction novel. I loved the style.of Daisy Jones so I couldn't wait to read this one.
There's enough real world people and characters to make Opal (a young Black woman) and Nev (a British singer/songwriter) feel like they fit right in the time-line. It's relevant to the 70s and now with the abuse of power from cops and record albums. Go put on some punk rock and read this book.

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is like reading a biopic of a band that you love/loved! Several times throughout I had to stop myself from Googling the relevant participants or parts of the story because Walton is very skilled at weaving her characters into the fabric of the contemporary music scene. If you enjoy "Behind the Music" stories and learning about the lives of musicians and other artists, then this fictional bio is for you! RECOMMEND! [Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in order to review the book.]

After reading that this was the next Daisy Jones & The Six I was looking forward to diving into the music life of Opal and Nev. The first half caught and held my attention, but the second half fell flat. I found myself not really caring about the characters or feeling invested in their story. Opal was the most interesting in the beginning, but by the second half even she lost some of her luster.
If you are looking for the next Daisy Jones, you'll have to wait a little bit longer.

I really enjoyed this book & how it was written in the oral history style. It reminded me of a book version of VH1’s Behind the Music. You get to learn about the chaotic ride of Opal & Nev, a fictional 1970s rock duo, from many different perspectives. I also enjoyed the historical & political undertones throughout the story. Very unique & engaging.

It's good. It's not Daisy Jones and I'm sure the author is sick of hearing the comparison but I don't see that going away anytime soon. It's fiction that reads like nonfiction about made-up musicians. See why they're being compared?

Where Daisy Jones is a white cast of characters, Opal & Nev speaks to race in way that make you sit back and think about if we've made any progress at all. At times the commentary felt forced and so in your face obvious that of course maybe that was the point.

Throughout the book, I found myself wishing I could hear Opal & Nev's music because I couldn't quite grasp what it sounded like in my head.

It's one I can't wait for more people to read because it lend itself to great discussion. Definitely a good book club pick and I hope the find a stellar ensemble cast to narrate an audiobook version.

Thanks to Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book interested me before I picked it up--the setting of Detroit, music, the 1970s...Everything about it indicated I'd be interested. There is a lot that Walton does well in The Final Revival of Opal & Nev. I enjoyed how the history of the 1970s was woven in, and the way in which the journalistic form of writing made the book read almost like non-fiction. The latter made me double check a few times that Nev & Opal are fictional. The characters were intriguing, and the book highlights a important facets of the Black American experience of the time.

However, it fell flat for me. Perhaps I could not get invested in the story, or perhaps it was that I thought there would be more focus on the history of the time within the story (the latter of which I would have especially enjoyed). Perhaps it could also be my general disinterest in the showbiz industry. I can't really place it on only one thing but I felt bored reading it, and after getting through part one I was not interested enough to continue reading. It is for these negative points & my reading experience that I rate it so.

All that being said, if you do enjoy pop culture, reading about a band in the style of an interview, and also learning about the racial history of the time, I highly recommend reading The Final Revival of Opal & Nev.

Thank you to Net Galley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is a brilliant debut that adds a bold new voice to the conversation regarding systemic racism not just in the 1970s, but today as well. The story starts with the origin of Opal Jewel from Detroit, and Neville Charles, an English singer from Birmingham and how they came together. When in Detroit one night, music producer Bob Hives is trying to find someone worthy enough to duet with his latest protégé. When Opal and her sister, Pearl, perform, Nev Charles is awestruck by Opal. The way she carries herself, her style, her voice. She's exactly what he's been looking for.

This one took me a while to really get into in the beginning. It's a lot slower paced than I'm used to, so that maybe played a part, but the first half was a bit confusing for me up until near the end of part one and the small twist that reared its head at the end. The book was easy to read and digest, but seeing as this genre and style of writing is new to me, so I maybe didn't get as much out of it as is potentially possible.

I did enjoy the writing style, because it helped to move things along and it was definitely easy to follow with the interview format of this fictional oral history. As new to this style as I am, I think I especially enjoyed it because you really get a sense of each character being interviewed for this fictional book within a book. The world building in here, while it takes place both in the past and the recent past, is so well done that there were quite a few times where I forgot I was reading a fictional novel and thought that I was reading someone's memoir or autobiography. I almost Googled these two main characters thinking I must have missed something, but luckily, I didn't.

For a debut novel, this is brilliantly written, and the conversation is starts is an important one. Tackling systemic racism is going to be uncomfortable, that's the point. There is no sugarcoating it. If we want to continue to have this conversation and dismantle the system, and we definitely should, we're going to have to feel uncomfortable. Fighting for equal rights has never been easy, and as indicated by this novel, the job is never finished.