The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

The book bursts with fourth wall breaks and clear-eyed takes on race, sex, and creativity that Walton unfurls in urgent, endlessly readable style.' Library Journal said, 'Walton has a true storytelling voice, and her writing is impeccable. Entertainment Weekly explained, 'Walton's debut novel uses oral history as the form for her kaleidoscopic tale, though she can hardly be contained by it. Walton has penned a true wonder of a debut novel, bringing real events into her story.' Corrigan indicated that she 'had to stop and double check to make sure that this wasn't a true account of a real-life rock duo from the 1970s.' The New York Times Book Review said the book 'feels truer and more mesmerizing than some true stories.' Īlso highlighted was Walton's writing style and the atypical format of the book. Library Journal wrote, 'The characters seem so real that readers will find themselves searching the internet, hoping to find that Opal and Nev are actual people. Reviewers also commented on the book's realism. Kirkus Reviews called the book an 'intelligently executed love letter to Black female empowerment and the world of rock music,' while Publishers Weekly called it 'a firecracker,' saying, 'Walton pumps up the volume with a fresh angle on systemic racism and freedom of expression.' Booklist said it is a 'cinematic, stereophonic, and boldly imagined story of race, gender, and agency in art.' NPR's Maureen Corrigan noted, ' The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is itself anything but 'regular.' A deep dive into the recent past, also simultaneously manages to be a rumination on up-to-the-minute themes like cultural appropriation in music, and the limits of white allyship.' The Washington Post wrote, 'It is refreshing to read a book that centers a Black woman who has this many layers, a book that seeks neither to save her from nor punish her for the flaws that make her human.' Multiple reviewers highlighted aspects of the novel related to race and gender.

On the review aggregator website Book Marks, it received 'rave' reviews. The Final Revival Of Opal & Nev was well-received by critics, including starred reviews from Booklist, Library Journal, and Publishers Weekly. The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is a 2021 historical fiction novel by Dawnie Walton.

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton