The Final Revival of Opal and Nev - Dawnie Walton

 I believe that this narrative style is called oral history in the literary biz. A debut novel that demonstrates a detailed knowledge of the myriad workings of the rock music industry. And a story that has race relations and civil rights as a theme running through the entire story.

Our two protagonists are an unlikely pairing on paper but the suggestion of a sustained connection is a dynamic that runs through the entire book. It’s almost tantalising as you sometimes feel that neither of them really get off the fence and say how they feel about each other.

But it is Opal who dominates the entire book. And in a sense it is more Opal’s story than Nev’s. Through the very clever technique of listening to what everybody else says about her we are treated to a portrait of this unusual lady. She is larger than life in some ways but not in a brash, pointless way. You get the feeling there is much consideration behind her actions that somehow balances out with a passionate spontaneity. How she looks, how she behaves has thought and depth behind them.  But that’s not to say she doesn’t have her own voice. She does. And she tells it like it is.

The novel spends several decades looking at the genesis of Opal and Nev through to what is their “final revival“. A pivotal event occurs in the early days of their career that has far reaching effects and conclusions on the rest of their lives, let alone their careers. And the narrator is a subtle part,  certainly, of Opal’s history.  It’s a clever technique which gives us a subplot almost, someone else’s life story that has a connection to Opal and Nev and it is this narrator who manages to expose a revelation that changes perception. I’m unwilling to give too much away.

The book comes at a time when it is pertinent and relevant within the context of #BlackLivesMatter but it also examines the place of black women in a creative industry that seems dominated by both money and men. But throughout Opal shines as a woman of passion and dignity, true to herself.

It’s an absorbing read on several levels. You can enjoy it as “just“ a story but you can dig a little deeper and look at some of the issues explored in the book which certainly give you food for thought long after you’ve reached the final full stop.

Stylistically it’s a intelligent and clever book. Character expositions are created purely from a kind of documentary type approach where the characters talk about themselves. And other people talk about the characters! Apart from the narrator. Another subtle move. For you learn about the narrator from the narrator herself. 

It’s an impressive debut novel. As a reader your emotions seesaw, for there are some very moving moments but there’s also some subtle humour. Dawnie Walton is a name to watch. And I shall be watching. My thanks to Quercus books for a gifted proof of the story.