Reviews tagging 'Sexual content'

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

6 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

horizonous's review against another edition

emotional inspiring 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism

Moderate: Death of parent, Misogyny, Hate crime, Bullying, Violence, Infidelity, Car accident, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Cancer, Eating disorder, and Sexual content

naturally's review against another edition

emotional informative 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? Yes

4.75

all of the characters (bar sunny) are so fleshed out and rich in detail that i felt as though i was reading a non-fiction piece in a magazine publication or a documentary transcript. opal, pearl, rosemary and virgil were standout voices to me. i adored opal's POV in particular, her story feels like an ode to all the black musical legends who have been used and thrown aside by the music industry and whom haven't been given the opportunity to tell their own stories.

typically, i find song lyrics in books cringey, but nev's knack for songwriting and lyricism come across well on the page, and further illustrate his quirks. 

the commentary on race, gender, politics and the music industry are real and raw without coming across as preachy. 

my only criticisms are that i would have liked to have read more about how nev handled the fallout of his and opal's reunion concert. i also felt that, despite having such a personal stake in the story, sunny's editor notes felt very distant and impersonal? as a character, her personality just felt a lot flatter than everyone else's...

overall, this is an amazing debut by dawnie walton - i'll definitely be reading another book by her! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Death, and Violence

Minor: Sexual content, Drug abuse, and Drug use

prettycloud's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

This book is so compelling. So concise and yet with such gorgeous visuals and descriptions of music, so focused and yet so devoted to the nuances of the story and the supporting cast. It reads like a book written by a journalist, asking important questions and pushing the reader to think critically, but never dragging the way more self-indulgent literary books do. It focuses on racism, sexism, misogynoir, and the far-reaching effects of structural inequality and subcultural resistance, and yet it comes off emotionally real rather than preachy. If you liked "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," you're likely to get a lot out of this one too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Police brutality, Sexism, Violence, Death of parent, Infidelity, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Blood, Cursing, and Addiction

Minor: Abortion, Car accident, Medical content, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Sexual harassment

This book is ultimately more adventurous than dark in tone, so though it shows racist violence and bigoted attitudes, it lingers more on subcultural connection, healing, and inspiration. The book centers around the death of the narrator's Black father during the riot that launched the eponymous band to stardom, and the narrator's ongoing quest to learn more about that night and its key players. One of the key players is at the time of narration dying of cancer. There is a twist related to that night, but no surprise violence or illness or anything.

katymat18's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Sexism, Misogyny, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, and Infidelity

internationalreads's review against another edition

adventurous inspiring tense fast-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Infidelity, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and Violence