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sarahlawton's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
When I started listening to the first parts of this book, my first thought was Daisy Jones and the Six with a bit of the structure of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo thrown in (younger journalist interviewing someone intimately connected with a missing father). However, this book is so much more than that. It’s a fantastic look into a fictional 1970s Afropunk icon that also reflects on race in the United States in a nuanced way. I highly recommend picking this one up - or listening to it on audiobook as I did.
bhnmt61's review against another edition
4.0
As almost everyone has noted, the format of this novel is almost exactly the same as Daisy Jones and The Six—interviews and snippets of books, journals, and articles about a once-famous rock group. (There’s a minor spoiler for Daisy Jones ahead, so don’t read this review if you haven’t read Daisy Jones yet.) If you’ve read them both, it’s almost impossible not to compare them.
At first I thought Opal & Nev suffered in the comparison, because Daisy Jones immediately drew me in, while Opal and Nev started much more slowly. But once the characters are established and the story really gets started, Opal & Nev becomes entirely its own thing. I was fully immersed. It’s a compelling story, and in some ways, it ends up being a better novel.
For one thing, the strong social commentary means that it feels like a richer, more complex story. And for another, in at least one aspect, Dawnie Walton doesn’t make the same mistake as Taylor Jenkins Reid (the author of Daisy Jones): she reveals early on that her narrator has a personal stake in the story. In Daisy Jones, the narrator’s relationship to the story isn’t revealed until late in the game, and the more you think about it, the less sense it makes given the way the story has unfolded. Walton avoids this by being upfront. You know from the first chapter why the (fictional) narrator is particularly interested in this story.
My one gripe with Opal and Nev is something that isn’t going to bother many people— as someone who was alive in the late sixties and seventies, she really did not get the feel of the times right. She’s telling us that it’s 1971, but it felt like the late 2010s. That’s only a problem in that section, though— it’s not enough to ruin the book because much of the book takes place in 2016, and Walton has that part nailed. (And also, probably most readers of this novel aren’t old enough to remember the 70s, anyway.) I enjoyed it. Great story.
At first I thought Opal & Nev suffered in the comparison, because Daisy Jones immediately drew me in, while Opal and Nev started much more slowly. But once the characters are established and the story really gets started, Opal & Nev becomes entirely its own thing. I was fully immersed. It’s a compelling story, and in some ways, it ends up being a better novel.
For one thing, the strong social commentary means that it feels like a richer, more complex story. And for another, in at least one aspect, Dawnie Walton doesn’t make the same mistake as Taylor Jenkins Reid (the author of Daisy Jones): she reveals early on that her narrator has a personal stake in the story. In Daisy Jones, the narrator’s relationship to the story isn’t revealed until late in the game, and the more you think about it, the less sense it makes given the way the story has unfolded. Walton avoids this by being upfront. You know from the first chapter why the (fictional) narrator is particularly interested in this story.
My one gripe with Opal and Nev is something that isn’t going to bother many people— as someone who was alive in the late sixties and seventies, she really did not get the feel of the times right. She’s telling us that it’s 1971, but it felt like the late 2010s. That’s only a problem in that section, though— it’s not enough to ruin the book because much of the book takes place in 2016, and Walton has that part nailed. (And also, probably most readers of this novel aren’t old enough to remember the 70s, anyway.) I enjoyed it. Great story.
jkull_10's review
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
katiegilley's review against another edition
4.0
I borrowed The Final Revival of Opal & Nev from Libby twice, and both times thought, this would be amazing on audio! I kept waiting for my state to purchase an audio copy of the book and they never did, so I decided to use an Audible credit. And I was right: this book is amazing on audio! It’s a mock-documentary about Opal and Nev: musicians in a rock band in the 70s. Opal is a young black woman who grew up in Detroit and Nev is a skinny, red headed Brit. I think you can do the math, especially when the multiplier is the 1970s.
This reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones and the Six, but really dug into race in America. Opal is a fascinating character and I enjoyed listening to her tell her history and her side of the story. This book asks us to think about what we’re willing to tolerate and what we’re willing to sacrifice to ensure equal treatment in the US. The ending is heartbreaking and superb. Totally worth waiting for on audio!
This reminded me a lot of Daisy Jones and the Six, but really dug into race in America. Opal is a fascinating character and I enjoyed listening to her tell her history and her side of the story. This book asks us to think about what we’re willing to tolerate and what we’re willing to sacrifice to ensure equal treatment in the US. The ending is heartbreaking and superb. Totally worth waiting for on audio!
shikwe's review against another edition
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
reflective
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
4.75
shewhoturnsallpages7834's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
coralreef's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
slow-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
lisamchuk's review against another edition
4.0
The obvious comparison here is Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid - but this story is maybe better? While the comparisons are strong, Opal and Nev seems to infuse more current societal influences that make this a read for the times, both a song and a story. I found it a bit of a roller coaster, enjoying certain parts more than others, but overall it was a good read.