A review by anglefish
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective medium-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

This book was INCREDIBLE! Couldn’t put this book down.  From the first few pages, I was googling to make sure that this was actually fiction and I hadn’t missed out on a badass Black woman like Opal Jewel. I wanted to go to a record store and find this music to listen to with my own ears. It honestly makes me sad that she’s not real 🥲 I loved how immersive this book is, the interview style let’s you do exposition in a different way that I really enjoyed. Opal and Nev as a duo in the early 70s really had my heart, I was sure that they might’ve been romantically involved. 

But after learning about the Confederate flag allegation, and seeing his reaction to what happen to Jamilah at the reunion concert, I can’t look at Nev the same. I personally feel like he did it, he’s always been so motivated by the music and fame that he would do what he had to do to get ahead. 🤷🏾‍♀️ It could’ve been his jealousy of Jimmy , who knows. Even if he didn’t do it, his reaction at the concert speaks a lot to his character and a lot of people’s attitudes when it comes Black Struggles. They claim to be there and support when they can but when it’s time to put your money where your mouth is, this alleged support is nowhere to be found.


Getting to know this cast of characters was a beautiful experience that I’ll keep with me for a long time and recommend to anyone who’ll hear me!!
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