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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
funny
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Review: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood by Quentin Tarantino
Tarantino’s debut novel is a rich, swaggering companion to his 2019 film—less a straight novelisation, more a parallel universe where characters expand, timelines loosen, and the mythos of late-60s Hollywood deepens.
For fans of the director, it’s a gift: the dialogue crackles, the mood oozes cool, and the detours into forgotten film lore are delivered with obsessive, almost boyish enthusiasm. Occasionally, that enthusiasm threatens to tip into indulgence. The pages brim with obscure actors, lost B-movies, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes, which may test the patience of those less enamoured with the era. But even the most esoteric tangents feel like part of the world-building—dense, detailed, and lived-in.
The characters benefit from this looser format. Cliff Booth, in particular, gains layers of menace, charm, and quiet reflection that the film could only hint at. Rick Dalton remains a tragicomic figure, clinging to relevance with desperation and heart. Their arcs hit familiar beats from the film but with added shading and emotional payoff.
Tarantino maintains the postmodern flair you’d expect: the shifting structure, the fictional interviews, the mash-up of fact and fantasy. But above all, it’s readable—surprisingly so. There’s a passion coursing through every page, a deep affection for the time, the place, and the people who made it shine, however briefly.
A bold, idiosyncratic novel. And a fitting addendum to one of Tarantino’s most wistful films.
Tarantino’s debut novel is a rich, swaggering companion to his 2019 film—less a straight novelisation, more a parallel universe where characters expand, timelines loosen, and the mythos of late-60s Hollywood deepens.
For fans of the director, it’s a gift: the dialogue crackles, the mood oozes cool, and the detours into forgotten film lore are delivered with obsessive, almost boyish enthusiasm. Occasionally, that enthusiasm threatens to tip into indulgence. The pages brim with obscure actors, lost B-movies, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes, which may test the patience of those less enamoured with the era. But even the most esoteric tangents feel like part of the world-building—dense, detailed, and lived-in.
The characters benefit from this looser format. Cliff Booth, in particular, gains layers of menace, charm, and quiet reflection that the film could only hint at. Rick Dalton remains a tragicomic figure, clinging to relevance with desperation and heart. Their arcs hit familiar beats from the film but with added shading and emotional payoff.
Tarantino maintains the postmodern flair you’d expect: the shifting structure, the fictional interviews, the mash-up of fact and fantasy. But above all, it’s readable—surprisingly so. There’s a passion coursing through every page, a deep affection for the time, the place, and the people who made it shine, however briefly.
A bold, idiosyncratic novel. And a fitting addendum to one of Tarantino’s most wistful films.
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
I'd be lying if I said I got nothing out of this book - there's a lot of great extra backstory and internal monologue that helps to flesh out what was already an incredible movie. But I'd also be lying if I said this book was perfect, or even close to it. It occasionally devolves into Ready Player One style "listing things I know" and the writing... I can't tell if it's supposed to be an homage to the books like the one Rick Dalton was reading on set or if he's just not very good at writing novels, but just so you know Quentin you are allowed to make improvements to the things you like when you homage them!
funny
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
NO WORDS NECESSARY. CULT CLASSIC. AMAZING. SIMPLY
THE BEST.
THE BEST.
dark
funny
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
funny
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The world building was rich and realistic, captured perfectly in the tone of writing. The time-hopping and tense didn't totally work for me, plus it felt like the plot was never really nailed down.
If you love the idea of Tarantino riffing for 300 pages on old Hollywood, with just a sketch of a story to tie it all together, this book is for you! (It was for me). Kind of a mess but a fun mess. Also, it only really works as a companion to the film so do not read before having seen the film.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is an in-depth story based on the famous QT movie. While the characters and story follow the film, QT spends more time with Dalton and Booth in each scene. Unlike the movie, where its crescendo is the Manson family invading Dalton's home, those events are a throwaway memory 1/3rd through the story. Instead, the story's arc focuses on Dalton's self-actualization as a declining former actor. In addition, we also uncover more about Booth, which makes him much more unlikable than in the movie.
I loved OUTH as a movie, so having the opportunity to spend time with some of my favorite characters was enjoyable. The beginning of the book paces quite slowly, but it picks up at the end and leaves me wanting more. This book was another cinephile flex from QT, and I would love to read similar books based on his other movies (Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, etc.).
I loved OUTH as a movie, so having the opportunity to spend time with some of my favorite characters was enjoyable. The beginning of the book paces quite slowly, but it picks up at the end and leaves me wanting more. This book was another cinephile flex from QT, and I would love to read similar books based on his other movies (Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, etc.).