Four by Veronica Roth
FOUR: A DIVERGENT STORY COLLECTION
BY VERONICA ROTH
PUBLISHED: 2014
AVERAGE RATING: 4.15
208 PAGES★★★★★
Four is a Divergent story collection, all from Tobias Eaton’s perspective. It contains five smaller “books,” and was a way for Veronica Roth to make us understand both Four’s background, and his thoughts.
The Transfer #0.1
First of all we have “The Transfer” which is the story of when Tobias took his aptitude test and his results and reactions there, further on the Choosing Day - for what he felt when he chose to join Dauntless and the moment when he’s given his nickname “Four.”
I have to say that while reading Divergent it annoyed me to never know what Tobias was really thinking, and all the mystery around him made me wonder even more. Maybe that was the thing that made me fall completely in love with his character, but then I read “The Transfer”. This story takes us to a higher level of really understanding Tobias and why he chose the way he chose. It also introduces us to characters we know very little about from the beginning, and because of this story - I kind of understood why Tobias was the way he was when we first met him in Divergent.
Four: The Initiate #0.2
This story give us a glimpse into Tobias’ initiation experience. An epic game of Dare, his first tattoo, the beginning of his passion for training initiates and his understanding of the dangers of being Divergent.
From the beginning Tobias seems like the sweetest boy ever, he’s quiet, a little dorky even - and when he plays the “epic game of Dare” we see another side of him. His first tattoo is probably the coolest part, because it tells us so much about his personality, and his thoughts and even maybe “dreams”. This is also where he gets to know Tori Wu’s story, and it being told through her point of view, which is much more detailed here in “The Initiate” than it is in Divergent.
The Son #0.3
Little do we know about Tobias and his background, we know about his father, his mother and we know about his struggles throughout his youth. But this story gives us a glimpse into the background of Tobias Eaton, his life in Abnegation and why he ended up the way he did.
We were probably all wondering, did Tobias leave Abnegation and his father behind him forever? Or did he really go back there? Well, “The Son” gives us the answer to that, and a little more understanding about what really happened to his mother, and the stories behind her death. We also get to understand that Tobias was even a little selfish when his mother died, and in that moment of weakness, we get to know the truth about his father’s abuse.
Four: The Traitor #0.4
This story takes place two years after “The Son”, and runs parallel with the early events in Divergent. We follow Tobias to how he uncovers the details of an Erudite plan that could threaten the faction system, and how he makes plan on his own to keep Abnegation safe. At the same time, Tobias is getting to know a new transfer initiate, Tris Prior.
As we read this story, we draw the things that happen between the books, and it becomes so much more complete. We get to know how Tobias knew about the Erudite plan, what he does as a Computer tech at the Dauntless compound, and we also get to know why he knew that Tris was about to thrown into her death by Peter and Al.
Free Four: Tobias Tells the Divergent Knife-Throwing Scene #1.5
In chapter 13 from “Divergent” we read the scene where Tris takes Al’s place - and Tobias throws knifes at her. This is from Tobias’ point of view, revealing unknown facts and details about Four’s character, his past, his own initiation, and his thoughts about the new Dauntless initiate Tris Prior.
Free Four: Tobias Tells the Divergent Knife-Throwing Scene #1.5
In chapter 13 from “Divergent” we read the scene where Tris takes Al’s place - and Tobias throws knifes at her. This is from Tobias’ point of view, revealing unknown facts and details about Four’s character, his past, his own initiation, and his thoughts about the new Dauntless initiate Tris Prior.
This story is pretty much the summary of what I love about these stories, because it tells us more about Tobias and what he was really thinking during Divergent, and especially during this scene. I can’t even begin to explain why this story is so important to get to know through Tobias.
First of all I want to state that I used 10 hours to read this book, I did not sleep, eat, drink or do anything but lay in my bed and read. It’s a beautiful compilation of stories, and as I’ve said a hundred times already, it gives us a real opportunity to get to know the Tobias before Dauntless, and the Tobias he became. Why he made the choices he did, and why his interest in Tris started.
I can’t even imagine not reading this book after reading the trilogy, because this book just gives us a more complete understanding of the characters, and I have to recommend this to everyone that’s reading Divergent, read this, love it, and embrace Tobias because after reading this I really wanted to give him a big bear-hug and tell him that everything was going to be okay.