Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

21 reviews

music_girl84's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Violence, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Sexual content, Racism, Murder, Hate crime, Drug use, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Cursing, Death, Addiction, Alcohol, Grief, and Drug abuse

bg_oseman_fan's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I really liked the framing structure of the book and the way the narrator became part of the story. i liked the synergy between the past and present. i liked how the incident at the core of the story drove the characters and how it seeped into their life. perhaps the reason it’s not five stars is i felt that something’s could have been explored more explicitly in the story. i wish we could have seen more of Opal and Nev’s interactions with one another than we got in the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Hate crime, Pregnancy, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Death of parent, Addiction, Cursing, Death, Racial slurs, Drug use, and Police brutality

Minor: Grief

wellreadmegs's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

First of all let's start with the fact that everyone compares this to Daisy Jones & The Six - which I also loved but besides the time period and the style in which this book is written, that's where the comparison stops. I believe both books can really stand out on their own & this one respectfully has a lot more substance & I had to google so many times to convince myself this wasn't a real story because it felt like it. 

The way Walton incorporated real references and storylines (especially in the footnotes) with such detail - it felt impossible that it wasn't based on a true story. On top of that, add the personal layer of why Sunny wanted to interview and write this book in the first place, and I was convinced it was real life. 

There are so many layers to this book and the perfect microcosm of society not only in the 60s & 70s but as the book references in 2016. The intersectionality of race, politics, & music were all touched in this book. 

I listened to the audiobook while reading along and I simply cannot recommend the audiobook enough. It was done by a full cast & even some of the songs were sung instead of just reading the lyrics. It made for such an impactful and immersive read. I cannot recommend it enough. 

I will say there were a few slow parts in the beginning and keeping the characters straight at first was confusing but mid-way through you understood everyone's role. I think that's also what helps with the audiobook - to distinguish voices and accents. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Racial slurs

Moderate: Cursing

Minor: Xenophobia

bethyj's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Cursing, Racism, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Hate crime, and Violence

Moderate: Sexual harassment and Police brutality

Minor: Sexism and Self harm

annabulkowski's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Alcohol, Classism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Cursing, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Slavery, Xenophobia, Death, Misogyny, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Addiction, Hate crime, Mental illness, and Racism

phoebemurtagh's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark inspiring reflective tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Violence, Cursing, Death of parent, Racism, and Death

Moderate: Toxic relationship

alomie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was such a fabulous book, like a avant-garde punk version of Daisy Jones and the Six, with so much more to say. 

Steeped in conversations about race and gender, the winners and losers and who should be getting the spotlight, and how so many times the system fails women and people of colour. 

Nev is still a highly successful, white "rock star" but with all the ego and none of the sparkle, a talented musician sure, but a man who is willing to step on anyone to get the fame, and who allegedly started a riot, that ends up killing a man. 

Opal is by far the stand out of the pair, vibrant, powerful and with a richly layered past, brings a fire to the music and performance Nev can only wish, but as is the way, Opal is the one who is sidelined and not taken seriously, and ridiculed. 

I really enjoyed this book, and I understand why this was on the women's prize shortlist. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Drug use, Grief, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death of parent, and Drug abuse

kimveach's review against another edition

adventurous emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was amazing!  I loved it.   Please listen to it.  I'm sure it's good in print, but the full-cast audio makes this a performance.   The book is in a similar documentary style as Daisy Jones & The Six, but it's also different in so many ways.  I loved this one a little more.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racial slurs, Violence, Death, Drug use, Medical content, Cursing, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Addiction, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Grief, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, Medical trauma, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts

laurataylor's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, Cursing, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Addiction, Drug abuse, Drug use, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Abandonment, Alcohol, Cancer, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Murder, Police brutality, Racism, and Sexism

sib_reads's review against another edition

emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Cancer, Homophobia, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Sexism

Minor: Alcohol, Car accident, Cursing, Gun violence, and Religious bigotry