The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

The Final Revival Of Opal & Nev by Dawnie Walton

I enjoyed this but admittedly wasn’t reading it with a critical eye.

When this book was first published in the US last year, I picked it up and flipped through it and decided that it wasn't really for me, so I put it back down. I just finished reading it last night, and I was right the first time. I didn't dislike it, but I thought it was surprisingly derivative of Taylor Jenkins Reid's Daisy Jones and the Six, which was, I thought, a better version of the music aspects of the story and a much better executed form of the "interview" style of novel. Daisy Jones lacked the racial aspects of Opal & Nev, and I thought those in Walton's novel were interesting but a bit heavy handed and over done. There were some touching moments scattered throughout the novel, but otherwise this did not do much for me.

I just finished it now - enjoyable enough but didn’t wow me.

I fear that may end up as a review of the whole longlist.

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "I fear that may end up as a review of the whole longlist."

Yes, I fear that as well.

I read it almost a year ago but I remember the racial aspects being heavy handed. In fact, a lot of it is over done like the sister’s religious temperament and the overt backwardness of the white band. A lot of the characters felt like cartoons, but I thought Opal herself was a fantastic character.

Finished this last night and agree this is a book clubby choice: it's easy reading, for sure. Yes, we can't have enough books calling out racism and racist violence, but this doesn't say anything new. Opal is a fantastic character all the same.

I started this last night - only 100 pages in but have to say I currently have no interest in it at all. Sure it will get more engrossing. I think currently I can’t get beyond the idea of why I would want to read a fictional biography of a made up band describing when I would not even read the same non fictional book about my favourite band (where at least you can switch to you tube to watch the songs or performances described) - but I am assuming this becomes about a lot more than the non existent music.

I listened to this, and I enjoyed it much more than if I’d read it, I think. It was entertaining.

The longlist this year seems more focused on entertainment than in past years. Or I’m getting more picky.

Is it multi narrator. I could see that working

It would be even better if they had excerpts of the songs on the audio.

Ultimately this feels like it would work much more as a film or mini series

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "I think currently I can’t get beyond the idea of why I would want to read a fictional biography of a made up band describing when I would not even read the same non fictional book about my favourite band"

Actually a fictionalised biography of your real-life favourite band could be a Goldsmiths contender, You could have two competing narrative voices to mimic the two vocalists, two drummers, two guitarists, and two bassists in Showaddywaddy.

I liked them growing up in the 1970s/very early 80s while you liked Darts and Status Quo - what is the relevance to this thread?

I have to say I am 150 pages in now and still completely uninterested

I feel about rock/pop songs the same as I feel about sausages

I like consuming them but I really don't want to read about how they are made

Just thinking a rock biography in the style of a band could be interesting. A fictional biography of Radiohead where the first chapter is very popular but the author hates it, and it gets increasingly more obscure as the book progresses.

We could have a whole thread.

Sounds like it would be more interesting that this book.

Actually my love of Darts got me pulled over by the police last month. But that’s another story.

That would make the audio book of Milli Vanilli’s autobiography, read by them, problematic.

Haha!!

Very good!!!

My third one star of the longlist to date

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

The famous curse of the Golden Reviewer Prize of the Year!

Actually not many contenders for that prize in 2022 so far.

Folio Prize.

1*! I already wasn’t interested, your review tells me I made the right choice.

I hated this - poorly written, clichés piled on top of each other, characters I didn't care about. I just don't see the sense of creating a band when the real ones have more interesting stories - you want Afro punk then you have Algiers , Acoustic ladyland , Melt Yourself Down , Bob Vylan , X- ray Spex , Ho9909 - there's many - Sorry but this is for the dumpster

And you enjoy music biography Robert - I think I disliked it even more than you (if that’s possible) as I would not read even a non fiction version.

Gumble's Yard - Golden Reviewer wrote: "And you enjoy music biography Robert - I think I disliked it even more than you (if that’s possible) as I would not read even a non fiction version."

That what upsets me about these types of books - They are pointless, why not just write an actual biography and then incorporate the journalistic angle.

I admit I wasn't too crazy about Daisy Jones but ,at least, the info is lifted from the Fleetwood Mac story so it gave it a bit of credibility but I ask, why not just write a book about Fleetwood Mac?

This was such a frustrating read! I disagree somewhat with the comments so far as I thought there was huge potential here (I love this kind of fictional oral history) but the structural/character choices messed it up.

You’re not alone in this opinion, Laura. This was not a popular book in this group.

I finally got around to reading this. I put it off given how negative everyone was. I read it in audio and found it quite enjoyable. It kept me entertained as I pounded the pedals on my indoor virtual bike ride and the pavement on my hike around Wildwood Park. It was not in my top reads in this year's Women's Prize longlist but it did hold my attention. Opal was a great character but I am glad I did not hear her music, as I'm not a punk rock fan! Give me Joan Baez or Aretha Franklin! My review -- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Not a punk fan? Not even Public Image Limited?! :)

Never heard of Public Image Limited. Last live concerts I loved were Dar Williams and Leonard Cohen. Last songs I bought from Apple store were two by Elvis Perkins.

LindaJ^ wrote: "Never heard of Public Image Limited. Last live concerts I loved were Dar Williams and Leonard Cohen. Last songs I bought from Apple store were two by Elvis Perkins."

PiL is the band Sex Pistols Johnny Rotten formed - whilst the Pistols were a pioneering punk band, PiL mixed elements of dub, reggae, hip hop, disco grooves and, in one case. classical music into their sound, thus becoming a pioneering post punk band in the process. I think Metal Box is a good starting point.

I have heard of Sex Pistols but your description, Robert, of Public Image Limited will keep any curiosity I might have at bay!

I used to have every single LP of PiL, including one with 4 different versions of Rise. No two albums are the same.

I listened to this on audio and was glad to get to the end. There were interesting bits, I liked Opal as a character, I liked the multiple narrators, it just somehow felt too long and could all have had a good edit. I felt quite similar about Daisy Jones, which seems to get rave reviews.

WndyJW wrote: "I used to have every single LP of PiL, including one with 4 different versions of Rise. No two albums are the same."

Saw PIL many years ago at the Reading Festival, they were great.

I’m jealous! I haven’t seen John Lyndon for decades.

I saw him fronting the Sex Pistols in Finsbury Park in 1996 for the Filthy Lucre tour.

Anyone watched the Danny Boyle series Pistol which has just come out. I flicked through a few episodes. Chrissie Hynde played more of a role than I had expected.

I never saw the Sex Pistols. I saw PiL here in Cleveland over 30 years ago and made eye contact with John Lyndon as he walked up to the stage.

My favorite recordings are Album (or Disc depending on if you have an album or CD,) The Flowers of Romance, This is What You Want… My favorite songs are https://youtu.be/7lqjteqkGas
https://youtu.be/jBaQOdsTAKo
And of course https://youtu.be/7OeqLjJtj48