The Final Revival of Opal & Nev

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The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
AuthorDawnie Walton
Audio read byJanina Edwards, Bahni Turpin, James Langton, Gabra Zackman, Dennis Boutsikaris, Steve West, André De Shields, Matthew Lloyd Davies, David Sadzin, Fiona Hardingham, George Newbern, Leon Nixon, Ines del Castillo, Jackie Sanders, Pete Simonelli, Priya Ayyar, and Robin Miles
LanguageEnglish
GenreHistorical fiction
Publisher37 INK
Publication date
March 30, 2021
Media typePrint
Pages368
ISBN9781982140168

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is a 2021 historical fiction novel by Dawnie Walton published by 37 Ink. It received the 2022 Virginia Commonwealth University Cabell First Novelist Award, the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize, and was nominated for the Women's Prize for Fiction.

Reception[edit]

Reviews[edit]

The Final Revival Of Opal & Nev was well-received by critics, including starred reviews from Booklist,[1] Library Journal,[2] and Publishers Weekly.[3] On the review aggregator website Book Marks, it received "rave" reviews.[4]

Multiple reviewers highlighted aspects of the novel related to race and gender. Kirkus Reviews called the book an "intelligently executed love letter to Black female empowerment and the world of rock music,"[5] while Publishers Weekly called it "a firecracker," saying, "Walton pumps up the volume with a fresh angle on systemic racism and freedom of expression."[3] Booklist said it is a "cinematic, stereophonic, and boldly imagined story of race, gender, and agency in art."[1] NPR's Maureen Corrigan noted, "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is itself anything but 'regular.' A deep dive into the recent past, [the novel] also simultaneously manages to be a rumination on up-to-the-minute themes like cultural appropriation in music, and the limits of white allyship."[6] 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."[7]

Reviewers also commented on the book's realism. 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. Walton has penned a true wonder of a debut novel, bringing real events into her story."[2] 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."[6] The New York Times Book Review said the book "feels truer and more mesmerizing than some true stories."[8]

Also highlighted was Walton's writing style and the atypical format of the book. 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. The book bursts with fourth wall breaks and clear-eyed takes on race, sex, and creativity that Walton unfurls in urgent, endlessly readable style."[9] Library Journal said, "Walton has a true storytelling voice, and her writing is impeccable.[2] The New York Times Book Review said the book is "[i]ngeniously structured."[8]

Awards and honors[edit]

In 2021, Barack Obama and Booklist included The Final Revival of Opal & Nev on their list of the year's best books.[10][11]

In 2022, Walton won the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award for The Final Revival of Opal & Nev.[12][13]

Awards for The Final Revival of Opal & Nev
Year Award Result Ref.
2021 Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize for Fiction Longlisted [14]
Goodreads Choice Award for Debut Novel Nominated [15]
Goodreads Choice Award for Historical Fiction Nominated [15]
2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize Won [16][17]
Audie Award for Best Fiction Won [18]
First Novelist Award Won [19]
Hurston/Wright Legacy Award Nominated [20]
Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award Won [21]
Women's Prize for Fiction Longlisted [22][23]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Bostrom, Annie (2021-03-01). "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev". Booklist. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  2. ^ a b c Rohrbaugh, Lisa (2021-04-01). "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev". Library Journal. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  3. ^ a b "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  4. ^ "Book Marks reviews of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton". Book Marks. Archived from the original on 2022-10-07. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
  5. ^ "The Final Revival Of Opal & Nev". Kirkus Reviews. 2021-02-10. Archived from the original on 2022-06-24. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  6. ^ a b Corrigan, Maureen (2021-04-13). "'The Final Revival Of Opal & Nev' Is A Faux Music History That Rocks". NPR. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  7. ^ Evans, Danielle (2021-03-31). "Review | 'The Final Revival of Opal & Nev' is a dazzling debut full of unforgettable characters". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 2021-04-20. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  8. ^ a b Jacobs, Alexandra (2021-03-30). "A Musician's Daughter Faces His Music — and His Choices". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  9. ^ Canfield, David; Greenblatt, Leah (2021-03-01). "'Open Water' and 'The Final Revival of Opal & Nev' are two hot — and very lyrical — debut novels". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  10. ^ "POTUS44's Reading List: Obama's Favorite Books of 2021". Shelf Awareness. 2021-12-16. Archived from the original on 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  11. ^ Seaman, Donna (2021-11-01). "Top 10 First Novels: 2021". Booklist. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  12. ^ Mechler, Anita. "Dawnie Walton's 'The Final Revival of Opal & Nev' Wins VCU Cabell First Novelist Award | Book Pulse". Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  13. ^ Brogan, Mary Kate. "Dawnie Walton wins the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award for 'The Final Revival of Opal & Nev'". VCU News. Archived from the original on May 26, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  14. ^ "Longlist for the 2021 Brooklyn Public Library Literary Prize Announced". Bklyner. 2021-08-26. Archived from the original on 2022-05-24. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  15. ^ a b "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev". Goodreads. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  16. ^ Anderson, Porter. "Dawnie Walton Wins the 2022 Aspen Words Literary Prize". Publishing Perspectives. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  17. ^ Mechler, Anita. "Oprah Picks Viola Davis's 'Finding Me' for Book Club | Book Pulse". Library Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  18. ^ "2022 Audie Awards®". Audio Publishers Association. Archived from the original on 2022-10-29. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  19. ^ Brogan, Mary Kate (2022-07-01). "Dawnie Walton wins the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award for 'The Final Revival of Opal & Nev'". VCU News. Virginia Commonwealth University. Archived from the original on 2023-05-26. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  20. ^ "The Hurston/Wright Legacy Award". African American Literature Book Club. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  21. ^ "Awards: Mark Twain American Voice Winner; Readings Winners". Shelf Awareness. 2022-10-31. Archived from the original on 2023-02-09. Retrieved 2024-04-30.
  22. ^ "Awards: Women's Fiction, Plutarch Longlists". Shelf Awareness. 2022-03-09. Archived from the original on 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
  23. ^ "The Final Revival of Opal & Nev". Women's Prize for Fiction. Archived from the original on 2022-08-30. Retrieved 2022-08-30.
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