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caseythereader's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
- THE FINAL REVIVAL OF OPAL AND NEV is one of those books that feels so real you can't believe it's fiction. I kept wanting to listen to these songs and look up the photos and album covers described.
- I listened to the audiobook, which is read by a full cast: a uniquely all-encompassing experience for a book written in an oral history format.
- It's funny and glam, and also serious and sad. So much is covered in this book that's ostensibly about rock and roll excess. You'll be thinking about Opal and her life for years to come.
- I listened to the audiobook, which is read by a full cast: a uniquely all-encompassing experience for a book written in an oral history format.
- It's funny and glam, and also serious and sad. So much is covered in this book that's ostensibly about rock and roll excess. You'll be thinking about Opal and her life for years to come.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Addiction, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Murder, Alcohol, Death, Infidelity, Blood, Grief, Violence, Cursing, Police brutality, Racial slurs, and Racism
tiff_reads_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Cursing
sarahholliday's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.75
Holy crap.
I'm honestly upset that this was marketed so explicitly as a read-alike to Daisy Jones and the Six, because the two novels are in completely different leagues, in my opinion. On the surface, sure, they're both oral histories of flash-in-the-pan bands plagued by interpersonal struggles, but that's where the similarities stop.
Though the title includes both Opal and Nev, it becomes clear as you move through the story that Nev is not a "main character" in the way Opal and Stormy are. This is a story about black artists, especially black female artists, and the choices they make (or are forced to make) in order to carve out a place for themselves in a world that is at best uninterested in them, and at worst outright hostile.
Walton has crafted a completely immersive book that feels as if you're reading a true non-fiction title. The structure of the novel, the way she slowly teases nuance out of her cast of characters, and the freedom she gives her characters to make mistakes and be utterly human made this a novel I couldn't put down. I read it almost entirely in two sittings, and I was sad to turn the final page.
I'm honestly upset that this was marketed so explicitly as a read-alike to Daisy Jones and the Six, because the two novels are in completely different leagues, in my opinion. On the surface, sure, they're both oral histories of flash-in-the-pan bands plagued by interpersonal struggles, but that's where the similarities stop.
Though the title includes both Opal and Nev, it becomes clear as you move through the story that Nev is not a "main character" in the way Opal and Stormy are. This is a story about black artists, especially black female artists, and the choices they make (or are forced to make) in order to carve out a place for themselves in a world that is at best uninterested in them, and at worst outright hostile.
Walton has crafted a completely immersive book that feels as if you're reading a true non-fiction title. The structure of the novel, the way she slowly teases nuance out of her cast of characters, and the freedom she gives her characters to make mistakes and be utterly human made this a novel I couldn't put down. I read it almost entirely in two sittings, and I was sad to turn the final page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual harassment, Violence, Grief, Alcohol, Death, Drug use, Hate crime, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, and Racism
Moderate: Addiction
laguerrelewis's review against another edition
emotional
funny
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
5.0
This book pulls you IN. As a documentary lover this was a new kind of reading experience for me, but I hope to find more books in this style—and hopefully on a similar level of craft. Walton’s use of history, both real and fictionalized, is masterful. This really does feel like a tell all that would blow up and be the talk of twitter for weeks on end. If you like documentaries, Black activism, rock, music, or stories about making sense of your past, Read This Book!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Alcohol, Grief, Sexism, Cursing, Hate crime, Racism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Sexual harassment, and Police brutality
katsbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
"I believe in myself above all.”
“I got a better question for you. Why are you so deeply invested in proving I'm scared? Does a Black person showing they're scared make you feel safer? I suggest you sit back and interrogate that.”
The format of this book was super cool and intriguing. I really loved how it made me feel like I was really hearing the characters and getting to know them yet somehow also kept them at arm's length. It was hard to truly like any of the characters. I felt like it helped it feel like they were real people. Every person had their own imperfections and flaws that made them feel more realistic. I felt like the social commentary was really impactful, as well. It was really interesting to read a story about the artistic and creative labor of black women and how it's been exploited throughout history. I struggled with the ending a little bit. I wanted a bigger conclusion and resolution. I wanted everything for Opal. But on the other hand, would that have made it less realistic? This isn't one of those books that necessarily has a nice happy bow tying up all the loose ends. It's fiction but I've already stated that I liked how realistic it was. Perhaps, the real world is what actually disappoints me.
“I got a better question for you. Why are you so deeply invested in proving I'm scared? Does a Black person showing they're scared make you feel safer? I suggest you sit back and interrogate that.”
The format of this book was super cool and intriguing. I really loved how it made me feel like I was really hearing the characters and getting to know them yet somehow also kept them at arm's length. It was hard to truly like any of the characters. I felt like it helped it feel like they were real people. Every person had their own imperfections and flaws that made them feel more realistic. I felt like the social commentary was really impactful, as well. It was really interesting to read a story about the artistic and creative labor of black women and how it's been exploited throughout history. I struggled with the ending a little bit. I wanted a bigger conclusion and resolution. I wanted everything for Opal. But on the other hand, would that have made it less realistic? This isn't one of those books that necessarily has a nice happy bow tying up all the loose ends. It's fiction but I've already stated that I liked how realistic it was. Perhaps, the real world is what actually disappoints me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Hate crime, Cultural appropriation, Infidelity, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Violence, Gaslighting, Racism, Addiction, Murder, and Misogyny
Moderate: Cursing, Grief, and Alcohol
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
mrl_skyrabbit's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing and Drug abuse
foreverinastory'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
4.5
4.5/5
Really enjoyed this one!
Rep: Black female MC, famous Black female MC, gay Haitian-American male side character, Black male side character, supporting Black characters.
CWs: Graphic: Addiction, alcohol consumption, cursing, death, drug use/drug abuse, infidelity, injury/injury detail, misogyny (mainly misogynoir), murder, racial slurs, racism, sexism. Moderate: xenophobia, violence, police brutality.
Really enjoyed this one!
Rep: Black female MC, famous Black female MC, gay Haitian-American male side character, Black male side character, supporting Black characters.
CWs: Graphic: Addiction, alcohol consumption, cursing, death, drug use/drug abuse, infidelity, injury/injury detail, misogyny (mainly misogynoir), murder, racial slurs, racism, sexism. Moderate: xenophobia, violence, police brutality.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Xenophobia, Violence, and Police brutality
seawarrior's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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 a brilliant book from beginning to end. The characters and the influences they created in their world read so realistically that at times I had to remind myself that this wasn't a biography. This is a book about music and journalism, and the combination of the two, but primarily this is a story about Opal. Each of the characters presented have their own complexities, but Opal seems most lovingly depicted. She's both courageous and terrified, heroic and disappointing, wise and ignorant. It felt impossible to not love her right back, to understand her and root for her, and wish for her a more loving world.
So many lines in this story really resonated with me, but my favorite had to be Opal's statement, "He saw me as I was, and still he seemed to be choosing me. It's a basic thing, but I had never in my life been chosen before. You understand what that means? I'm saying here was this stranger, clearly as crazy as I was, this person who dropped into my life out of nowhere, and he was reaching out his hand. What could I do but take it? What could I do but choose him back?". These few lines were so affective, and pulled me into Opal's view even deeper. When they were echoed near the end I nearly held my breath, all while reading towards the fate of Opal & Nev's final revival.
I would recommend this book to other readers. I found the interview format it was written in really interesting, as it provided space to hear many different characters' voices and perspectives on some of the same events. I also recommend going through the content warnings first though. Scenes of the racist violence Opal, Jimmy and Sunny were made to endure were devastating to read, especially since these characters felt so real. There's definitely much more that can be said about this story and how well it's told, and I'm sure it will stick in my memory for a long time
So many lines in this story really resonated with me, but my favorite had to be Opal's statement, "He saw me as I was, and still he seemed to be choosing me. It's a basic thing, but I had never in my life been chosen before. You understand what that means? I'm saying here was this stranger, clearly as crazy as I was, this person who dropped into my life out of nowhere, and he was reaching out his hand. What could I do but take it? What could I do but choose him back?". These few lines were so affective, and pulled me into Opal's view even deeper. When they were echoed near the end I nearly held my breath, all while reading towards the fate of Opal & Nev's final revival.
I would recommend this book to other readers. I found the interview format it was written in really interesting, as it provided space to hear many different characters' voices and perspectives on some of the same events. I also recommend going through the content warnings first though. Scenes of the racist violence Opal, Jimmy and Sunny were made to endure were devastating to read, especially since these characters felt so real. There's definitely much more that can be said about this story and how well it's told, and I'm sure it will stick in my memory for a long time
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Body shaming, Cancer, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Hate crime, Infidelity, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, and Violence
Moderate: Police brutality and Self harm
andrewhatesham's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Violence
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
A better, more heart wrenching version of Daisy Jones and The Six - which I honestly thought was a little predictable - with a diverse characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Death, Violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Blood, Cancer, Cursing, Hate crime, Murder, and Police brutality
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