Shop Jurassic World Rebirth!
Limited Time Offer
3 months free
$0.00
  • For a limited time, get Audible Premium Plus free for 3 months.
  • Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection—yours to keep (you'll use your first credit now).
  • Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, podcasts, and Originals.
  • Auto-renews at $14.95/mo. after 3 months. Cancel online anytime.
Learn more about membership
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company
List Price: $22.49
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible’s Conditions Of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Sold and delivered by Audible, an Amazon company

The Final Revival of Opal & Nev Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Dawnie Walton (Author), Janina Edwards (Narrator), Bahni Turpin (Narrator),
4.2 out of 5 stars 2,499 ratings
Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction

2022 FICTION AUDIE AWARD WINNER!

An electrifying novel about the meteoric rise of an iconic interracial rock duo in the 1970s, their sensational breakup, and the dark secrets unearthed when they try to reunite decades later for one last tour.

A GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK
NAMED A BEST BOOK OF 2021 BY BARACK OBAMA * THE WASHINGTON POST * NPR * ESQUIRE * ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY * GOODREADS * THE MILLIONS * READER’S DIGEST * PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER * EERIE READER * PUBLIC RADIO TULSA * CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY * KIRKUS REVIEWS

“Feels truer and more mesmerizing than some true stories. It’s a packed time capsule that doubles as a stick of dynamite.” —THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

Opal is a fiercely independent young woman pushing against the grain in her style and attitude, Afro-punk before that term existed. Coming of age in Detroit, she 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.

Provocative and chilling, The Final Revival of Opal & Nev features a backup chorus of unforgettable voices, a heroine the likes of which we’ve not seen in storytelling, and a daring structure, and introduces a bold new voice in contemporary fiction.

Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Listening Length
    13 hours and 17 minutes
  2. Author
    Dawnie Walton
  3. Narrator
    Janina Edwards, see all
  4. Audible release date
    March 30, 2021
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Simon & Schuster Audio
  7. ASIN
    B08CS2782C
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
Next slide of product details

Read & Listen

Switch between reading the Kindle book & listening to the Audible audiobook with Whispersync for Voice.
Get the Audible audiobook for the reduced price of $12.99 after you buy the Kindle book.
Prime Day Offer
Get 3 months of Audible FREE. Terms apply. Try now.

Product details

Listening Length 13 hours and 17 minutes
Author Dawnie Walton
Narrator Janina Edwards, Bahni Turpin, James Langton, André De Shields, Dennis Boutsikaris, Steve West, Gabra Zackman, full cast
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date March 30, 2021
Publisher Simon & Schuster Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B08CS2782C
Best Sellers Rank

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
2,499 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers praise the book's storytelling, with one noting how seamlessly it weaves history into the narrative. Moreover, the writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer highlighting its interview-style format. The characters are vivid, and the book effectively addresses racial issues. Additionally, customers appreciate the emotional depth and creative approach, with one describing it as a love letter to rock and roll.

Select to learn more

Story qualityReadabilityCharacter developmentWriting qualityRacial tensionEmotional contentCreativityMusic content
37 customers mention "Story quality"35 positive2 negative

Customers find the book's story compelling and well-woven, with one customer noting how it seamlessly incorporates historical elements.

"...The highest praise I can give is that it doesn’t feel like fiction." Read more

"...and in most ways it IS true because it is emotionally true and historically true. this book covers far more than the storyline of two individuals...." Read more

"...This was a human story, of not fitting in and still making a place for oneself...." Read more

"...The story was great - even though I felt it dragged at times- and I loved the interview style and the writing...." Read more

31 customers mention "Readability"31 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and entertaining, with one describing it as their favorite read of the year.

"...This is an amazing book. It digs into the soul of what it means to be creative and what it means to be a black woman in the music industry...." Read more

"...in that way, this book is important. i enjoyed the delivery method of this book, the various interviews and voices...." Read more

"This was actually a damn good read shout out to Sunny and Opal! I’d read this one again! This book feels really!..." Read more

"...Dawnie Watson has crafted a truly enjoyable debut novel in the form of an oral history using interviews from both Opal Jewel and Nev Charles, an..." Read more

20 customers mention "Character development"20 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, finding them vivid and indelible, with one customer noting they could see and hear the characters.

"...i enjoyed the delivery method of this book, the various interviews and voices...." Read more

"...The characters are well-drawn, the plot engaging, and the messages of racism and inequality are timely both in the context of the 70s when Opal and..." Read more

"...Even the more peripheral characters are so well crafted that it feels as though you have known them for years...." Read more

"...Walton’s writing is intelligent, poignant, and nuanced. Her characters are so real that you can't believe they don't exist." Read more

19 customers mention "Writing quality"19 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one customer noting it reads like a nonfiction novel, while another appreciates the interview-style format.

"...the author did a great job of convincing me each person speaking was that person! everyone had their own voice...." Read more

"...I really loved the format of the novel, written as both memoir and article...." Read more

"...was great - even though I felt it dragged at times- and I loved the interview style and the writing...." Read more

"...Mixed in are primary source materials and editor’s notes from the author who just happens to be the daughter of Opal’s late drummer and lover...." Read more

15 customers mention "Racial tension"15 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's treatment of racial tension, with one customer noting its nuanced approach and another highlighting how it weaves facts throughout the narrative.

"...This is an amazing book. It digs into the soul of what it means to be creative and what it means to be a black woman in the music industry...." Read more

"...This book feels really! Like this is someone’s story, somebody’s life. It gives you all the feels!" Read more

"...are well-drawn, the plot engaging, and the messages of racism and inequality are timely both in the context of the 70s when Opal and Nev were a short..." Read more

"...to this one as an audiobook, as it is a lyrical story of fame, race, love, and legacy. Do yourself a favor and read this book." Read more

9 customers mention "Emotional content"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally true, with one review highlighting its thrilling power of live music and another noting how it keeps readers fully engaged.

"...wanted this to be true, and in most ways it IS true because it is emotionally true and historically true...." Read more

"...So much importance is placed on sound, music, voice and vibe that I just wanted to hear it...." Read more

"...Like this is someone’s story, somebody’s life. It gives you all the feels!" Read more

"...to this one as an audiobook, as it is a lyrical story of fame, race, love, and legacy. Do yourself a favor and read this book." Read more

6 customers mention "Creativity"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's creativity, with one describing it as an amazing piece of art and another noting its refreshing style.

"...It’s gritty, beautiful, and like reading a behind the music documentary...." Read more

"...that dissects issues of sexism, racism, artistic freedom and artistic identity. I really recommend this for the writing and the attention to detail...." Read more

"What an amazing piece of art, for someone who only reads nonfiction, this historical fiction book read like a nonfiction novel...." Read more

"What a truly excellent novel. Refreshing style and beautifully realized characters." Read more

6 customers mention "Music content"6 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the music content in the book, with one describing it as a real Behind The Music kind of documentary, while another notes how it showcases a perspective of rock and roll.

"...This was more than a book. It was a love letter to rock and roll...." Read more

"...So much importance is placed on sound, music, voice and vibe that I just wanted to hear it...." Read more

"...It’s gritty, beautiful, and like reading a behind the music documentary...." Read more

"...This felt like a real Behind The Music kind of documentary. I enjoy the usage of real world history infusing it with Opal &Nev's history...." Read more

Get this book!!!
5 out of 5 stars
Get this book!!!
Thank you to Netgalley, 37 Ink, and Simon and Schuster for an eARC of this wonderful book! Do you ever get giddy while you’re reading a book? During the ‘Editorial Notes’ introduction to Dawnie Walton’s The Final Revival of Opal & Nev I was full of giddiness. It was like Opal Jewel was a musician that I loved and I was finally getting her full story. While I’m sure most reviews of this book will compare it to Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Daisy Jones & the Six, these books tackle different topics and emotions. Yes they both center strong, fierce women. But the stories of these women, Daisy and Opal, shine spotlights on overlooked histories. Had I gone completely unaware into this book, not having read Daisy Jones or read anything about this book, I’m positive I would have been bamboozled and thought this was a book based on non-fiction. This book feels so REAL. The mix of fictional characters and rock and roll icons creates such a realistic world. This book is so cinematic and Walton creates such a vivid world. Virgil and Opal’s fashions jump off the page. I wish these characters were real, I would love to see these looks in real life. And would LOVE to see this book adapted to film or TV! And I’m sure the audiobook of this one will be incredible!
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • barbara a. trumpinski (kitten)
    5.0 out of 5 stars Dawnie Walton strikes a chord
    Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2025
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I honestly wish I could remember who recommended Opal & Nev to me, because I owe them a debt of gratitude. This is an amazing book. It digs into the soul of what it means to be creative and what it means to be a black woman in the music industry. The highest praise I can give is that it doesn’t feel like fiction.
    Helpful
     Report
  • drinking tea with mittens on
    4.0 out of 5 stars more than a story about opal and nev
    Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2021
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    i wanted this to be true, and in most ways it IS true because it is emotionally true and historically true. this book covers far more than the storyline of two individuals. through the story of their lives, we experience the actual history of the times. not just the history of rock and roll but the history of civil rights (and the lack thereof). in that way, this book is important.

    i enjoyed the delivery method of this book, the various interviews and voices. the author did a great job of convincing me each person speaking was that person! everyone had their own voice.

    the lack of one star is because i personally felt a bit let down at the rushed ending. it felt somewhat contrived and not as fully developed as the rest of the book. the tension wasn't maintained as well as it was maintained in the first 80% of the book. i could see where the story was rushing to and felt slightly disappointed that once the ending was figured out, the story line was not as fully fleshed out. but a small matter, really. the book was still a wonderful experience.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kymberlyn A Reed (The Fountain Pen Diva)
    5.0 out of 5 stars A Fantastic Rock and Roll "Memoir" From the 60's and 70's
    Reviewed in the United States on April 5, 2021
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I. Absolutely. Loved. This. Book!!!

    If Opal Jewel wasn't real, she damn well should be. She's like if you took Memphis Minnie, Rose Stone, Poly Styrene, Gladys Bentley, Tina Turner, Nona Hendryx, Nina Simone, Merry Clayton, Janelle Monae and Sister Rosetta Tharpe. She's rock, punk, soul and everything.

    This was more than a book. It was a love letter to rock and roll. You know, the genre that Black folks invented only to be edged out and also edged ourselves out of? We NEED an Opal Jewel to come along and shake rock up because it desperately needs it. When asked why I'm a rock/metal fan, I merely point out that without the Blues, jazz and Black gospel, there wouldn't have been a British Invasion, much less guitar heroes as we know them.

    Thank Sister Rosetta Tharpe for the latter.

    This was a human story, of not fitting in and still making a place for oneself. Opal refused to bend or break simply because the rest of the world hadn't caught up to her sheer awesomeness, a situation many Black women can relate to. And yet, the book challenged me as a reader to discover just who Opal WAS in her own words and not as some mythical icon. She's complicated and messy at times. Her story read a little like Nina Simone's in that she was "too Black" for both Black and white worlds. She went bald after discovering she had alopecia. She wore colorful clothes thanks to her best friend and personal stylist, a gay Black man who was as unapologetic in his presentation as she was.

    Yes, there's Nev Charles, the red-headed lad from Brummie who saw Opal as his version of the iconic Merry Clayton (and if you don't know who she is, shame on you, lol. I mean she literally steals the spotlight from Mick Jagger on the classic 'Gimme Shelter'. She's also the background lead on 'Sweet Home Alabama' which is just so very fitting when you think about it. Watch '50 Feet from Stardom' on Netflix to see her and other amazing background vocalists of so many hits whom you may not know by name). Nev sees Opal as his muse, which of course never works out well, especially one as driven to carve a niche for herself as an equal.

    I really loved the format of the novel, written as both memoir and article. Sunny Curtis is the journalist/protagonist with a complex and uncomfortable tie to her subject, Opal Jewel. Sunny, like her subject, is a Black woman in a highly visible position that sometimes causes her to dim her shine or question herself. Another thing that made this novel stand out was how real life musicians/producers were interwoven into the narrative - I'd like to think Henry Rollins really would have admired Opal as a performer and provocateur.
    51 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • jhen
    3.0 out of 5 stars 3.25 stars. I enjoyed this
    Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this story but I genuinely feel like the audiobook would have been the way to go. So much importance is placed on sound, music, voice and vibe that I just wanted to hear it. The story was great - even though I felt it dragged at times- and I loved the interview style and the writing. I kind of felt like a lot of things weren't wrapped up but in a way I can't fully explain you know? Like the ending needed a little bit more or - and I can't believe I'm saying this - an epilogue. Just a little bit more than we got but all in all I had a good time.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Amazonjunkie
    4.0 out of 5 stars for me
    Reviewed in the United States on June 6, 2023
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This was actually a damn good read shout out to Sunny and Opal! I’d read this one again! This book feels really! Like this is someone’s story, somebody’s life. It gives you all the feels!
    Helpful
     Report
  • Richard W. Hudson
    5.0 out of 5 stars Reminder of a time when music mattered
    Reviewed in the United States on June 21, 2022
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Opal and Nev reads like a reminder of a past when music mattered because everyone seemed to be listening to the same songs. Dawnie Watson has crafted a truly enjoyable debut novel in the form of an oral history using interviews from both Opal Jewel and Nev Charles, an interracial rock duo from the 70s, along with a host of interviews with others connected to their stories. Mixed in are primary source materials and editor’s notes from the author who just happens to be the daughter of Opal’s late drummer and lover. It’s easy to forget that all of these characters and all of the events in the novel are fictional because it all seems so real. Opal and Nev are not always likeable but then most celebrities tend to be that way. The fictional author, S. Sunny Shelton has to deal with the egos of the two musicians whose careers have gone in opposing directions. Opal is the center point here. She’s has a lot more conviction than Nev who has gone on to become commercially successful.

    This book made many Best Of lists from 2021 and it’s easy to see why. The characters are well-drawn, the plot engaging, and the messages of racism and inequality are timely both in the context of the 70s when Opal and Nev were a short-lived duo and today. Barack Obama listed this as one of his favorites of 2021. I was a few months behind but it was also a big hit for me.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Luke Dennison
    4.0 out of 5 stars More than a fictional biopic
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 26, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Pretty much every review I have read of this book, references and compares this to Daisy Jones and the six, and I can see why. That was a blockbuster, a book that became the trendy book to read amongst social media casual readers. I read it because I love a rock biography and thought it sounded intriguing.and a novel it was readable but empty, exciting but derivative, and in summary, a rip off of Fleetwood mac.

    When I started reading this, on the surface an oral history, in the same format as aforementioned book, I was thinking it's more of the same.

    However, as time went on and pages turned this became some thing much more. It touches upon rock stardom for sure but it is about so much more. Loss, trust, the underdog, being and outsider and especially the challenges black people have put up with through history to the modern day.

    Like it's main protaginist, this book is brave, challenging, interesting and entertaining.

    Good stuff.
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable read.
    Reviewed in Canada on July 27, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Was totally engrossed in the book.
    Report
  • D. Norman
    5.0 out of 5 stars ..stunning last sequence...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Opal Jewel, born in Alabama US,is a black, gifted vocalist and with a determination to become a successful singer. She teams up with Nev Charles, a talented vocalist/song writer. And are assigned to Rivington studios and promotion. Their second and biggest gig at Rivington Showcase , ends in a riot. Aimed mostly at Opal, involving a Confederate flag, it is promoted entirely by racial hatred, sexism. Jimmy Curtis, drummer of the band is killed.
    The reverberations of the riot continue throughout the story. To be taken up later, by Sunny Shelton, Deputy Editor of the Aural magazine, daughter of the drummer Jimmy Curtis.
    The stand out part of this book, (for me,) is in the last chapter, After pursuing their own separate careers for several years, Opal & Nev give their first live open air arena concert . The arena is packed with over 20,000 fans. And narrated by Sunny Shelton - six rows in front of the enormous stage. I have never attended a live outdoor rock concert. But the action was so vividly described, so intense i felt I might just have been there.
    Opal is a brilliantly portrayed character. Through her, and especially regarding the Rivington riot, it again focuses on the mindless cruelty of racial discrimination.
    The book reads rather like a journal. As well as individual chapters, the pages are sub headed, by characters at that point in time in the story, relevant to the story, and driving the story forward. I really enjoyed it.
    Report
  • Craig F.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book
    Reviewed in Canada on May 15, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This is an amazing story that really touches me in many ways. I couldn’t recommend it more to anyone that loves music or simply, a great story told really well
    Report
  • Kee Lady
    3.0 out of 5 stars A fun read
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 21, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    The Final Revival of Opal & Nev is a fun and entertaining read - I liked it but I wasn’t gripped by it. I’m not sure what but there was something missing for me. I can’t pinpoint exactly why I feel this way since all the ingredients are there; an iconic music duo, rebellion, racism, and sexism to name but a few. I think perhaps it’s because outside of Opal Jewel, I didn’t care much for the other characters, so I didn’t feel invested. Opal is a brilliantly realized, vibrant character full of wit, sass, and talent. For me, she is undoubtedly the best thing about this book (although special mention must go to the fabulous Virgil). Nev was just a shallow, David Bowie wannabe and I don’t think the other characters were fleshed out enough. Having said that, I wouldn’t not recommend this book. It’s a fun read and I know there are many people who will enjoy it. Indeed, Opal Jewel alone is reason enough to pick this up.
    Report