Do you love epistolary fiction? Would you love a book that looks at racial injustice and sexism in the music industry? Then check out my review of The Final Revival of Opal and Nev!

What is the Final Revival of Opal and Nev About?

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev by Dawnie Walton. Published on March 30, 2021 by Simon & Schuster. Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance review copy.

Synopsis: Coming of age in Detroit, Opal 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.

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