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Title details for The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton - Wait list

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev

by Dawnie Walton
Janina Edwards
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2022 FICTION AUDIE AWARD WINNER!
An electrifying novel about the meteoric rise of an iconic interracial rock duo in the 1970s, their sensational breakup, and the dark secrets unearthed when they try to reunite decades later for one last tour.

A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2021 BY BARACK OBAMA * THE WASHINGTON POST * NPR * ESQUIRE * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY * GOODREADS * THE MILLIONS * READER'S DIGEST * PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER * EERIE READER * PUBLIC RADIO TULSA * CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY * KIRKUS REVIEWS
"Feels truer and more mesmerizing than some true stories. It's a packed time capsule that doubles as a stick of dynamite." —THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
Opal is a fiercely independent young woman pushing against the grain in her style and attitude, Afro-punk before that term existed. Coming of age in Detroit, she can't imagine settling for a 9-to-5 job—despite her unusual looks, Opal believes she can be a star. So when the aspiring British singer/songwriter Neville Charles discovers her at a bar's amateur night, she takes him up on his offer to make rock music together for the fledgling Rivington Records.

In early seventies New York City, just as she's finding her niche as part of a flamboyant and funky creative scene, a rival band signed to her label brandishes a Confederate flag at a promotional concert. Opal's bold protest and the violence that ensues set off a chain of events that will not only change the lives of those she loves, but also be a deadly reminder that repercussions are always harsher for women, especially black women, who dare to speak their truth.

Decades later, as Opal considers a 2016 reunion with Nev, music journalist S. Sunny Shelton seizes the chance to curate an oral history about her idols. Sunny thought she knew most of the stories leading up to the cult duo's most politicized chapter. But as her interviews dig deeper, a nasty new allegation from an unexpected source threatens to blow up everything.

Provocative and chilling, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev features a backup chorus of unforgettable voices, a heroine the likes of which we've not seen in storytelling, and a daring structure, and introduces a bold new voice in contemporary fiction.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    March 30, 2021

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781797118505
      • File size: 382621 KB
      • Duration: 13:17:07

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from December 21, 2020
      Walton’s spectacular debut pulls off a polyphonic oral history of a fictional proto-Afro-punk performer and her white musical partner. The novel begins with the sensational origin story of unlikely duo Opal & Nev, described by magazine editor S. Sunny Curtis in 2017 as the “progenitors of dissidence and dissonance.” After Opal Jewel arrives in New York City from Detroit in 1970, where she’d been an outcast for her radical politics, fashion, and musical style, she meets “goofy white English boy” Nev Charles, a songwriter from Birmingham, at an open mic. Nev is impressed by her performance, and the two team up to produce a phenomenally successful sound. Their star quickly rises, but after a photo appears in 1971 showing Opal blanketed in a Confederate flag as Nev carries her away from a gig turned riot, their career flames out in controversy. The novel’s diverse group of voices are cobbled together by Curtis as she searches for the truth behind the iconic “picture of chaos.” The story is also personal for Curtis—her father, a drummer, had been having an affair with Opal, and he was killed in the melee. The novel is bookended by an equally violent reunion that confirms a shocking secret, and Opal proves herself the champion of the “marginalized, bullied, discriminated against.” Walton pumps up the volume with a fresh angle on systemic racism and freedom of expression. This is a firecracker. Agent: PJ Mark, Janklow & Nesbit Assoc.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      This engaging audiobook is narrated with energy and style. The debut novel, a well-imagined take on the music scene of the 1970s, is packed with insights on the time and the real inequities that existed for Black performers. Janina Edwards, who plays S. Sunny Curtis, the central character, is convincing, thoughtful, and measured. Both Bahni Turpin (Opal) and James Langston (Nev) give their idiosyncratic '70s rockers nuanced portrayals. Gabra Zackman and Dennis Boutsikaris enliven the proceedings with well-delivered New York accents. The plot concerns a drug-addled Brit, Nev, and a bald African-American diva from Detroit, Opal. The story hinges on a horrific concert during which Sunny's father, a drummer, was murdered in a racist brawl. Despite that, it is often laugh-out-loud funny--a grand listening experience. A.D.M. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2022 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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