The Final Revival of Opal and Nev

 

I'm sure I'm not the only one who bought this book because it sounds a lot like Daisy Jones and the Six. 

I'm sure I'm also not the only one who found it to be similar in style only, but was a rich and powerful read on its own.

The Final Revival of Opal and Nev is told as an oral history of a group that had a moment of glory in the 70s. Opal was a Black woman from Detroit; Nev was a nerdy musician from England. Together, they found a unique chemistry that brought them close to musical stardom. But what people actually ended up remembering them for was the aftermath of a violent riot provoked by race.

The story is told through many characters, thanks to interviews done by a magazine editor who is writing a story about the duo and a possible return to the stage for the first time in decades. She happens to be the daughter of a drummer killed in that riot, who was having an affair with Opal. You read the story from the perspectives of the major players in their musical rise and fall.

It's a story about racial tension in the 70's, music, family and - more subtly - the appropriation of Black pain for entertainment. A picture of Opal and Nev during the riot took on a life its own and it was that picture and people's interpretation of it that carried their legacy forward.

I liked this book when I read it. I like the style. I connected with the characters. But, it meant something more after I heard the author on Fresh Air with Terry Gross. It brought to light a perspective I missed the first time through. 

A solid read with a deeper meaning, this book resonates with where we are right now.