Play Book Tag discussion

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton - 4* - My Review

Contemporary story in the form of an oral history, chronicling the rise and fall of a (fictional) groundbreaking 1970s rock duo, Opal and Nev. Neville Charles, a white British musician, hears Opal Jewel, a Black American singer, in bar in Detroit and asks her to join him. Together, Opal and Nev challenge societal norms and racial prejudice. Their collaboration creates a musical sensation, but it is cut short after a violent incident at one of their concerts. Decades later (2016), music journalist S. Sunny Shelton, daughter of a drummer who was involved in the incident, decides to revisit the story of Opal and Nev. She conducts interviews and researches their history, uncovering long-buried secrets, controversies, and the real story behind their final performance.

The storyline starts with Nev, but soon focuses more on Opal and Sunny. Short explanatory notes written by Sunny are inserted sporadically after a series of direct interview quotes. The storyline contains elements related to the freedom of artistic expression, power dynamics in the music industry, impact of racism and sexism, and enduring influence of revolutionary figures in popular culture.

The characters are well developed and believable. The voices of the interviewed individuals are distinct and consistent. The structure reminds me of Daisy Jones & the Six, but this book contains much more searing social commentary. It points out the similarities between racial issues today and those of the 1970s. In addition, it explores art, activism, feminism, gender identity, social justice, and the complexities of human relationships. It is an impressive debut and look forward to reading this author’s future works.

PBT Comments: I read this book as an "extra" based on a special roll for our Subdue game. I found it on Teodora's Clerk Board.