Four: A Divergent Collection

Divergent #0.1-0.4

by Veronica Roth

Fans of the Divergent series by No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth will be thrilled by Four: A Divergent Collection, a companion volume that includes four pre-Divergent stories told from Tobias Eaton’s point of view.

DIVERGENT – a major motion picture in 2014.

Readers first encountered Tobias Eaton as "Four" in Divergent. His voice is an integral part of Allegiant. Readers will find more of this charismatic character's backstory told from his own perspective in Four: A Divergent Collection. When read together, these long narrative pieces illuminate the defining moments in Tobias Eaton's life.

The first three pieces in this volume – "The Transfer," "The Initiate," and "The Son" – follow Tobias's transfer from Abnegation to Dauntless, his Dauntless initiation, and the first clues that a foul plan is brewing in the leadership of two factions.

The fourth story, "The Traitor," runs parallel with the events of Divergent, giving readers a glimpse into the decisions of loyalty – and love – that Tobias makes in the weeks after he meets Tris Prior.

Exclusive scenes included!

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction, Romance, Short Stories

309 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 8, 2014

About the author

Veronica Roth is the New York Times best-selling author of When Among Crows, Arch-Conspirator, Poster Girl, Chosen Ones, the Carve the Mark series, and the Divergent series. She lives in Chicago, Illinois with her husband and dog.

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Reviews

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Because no. Just no.

FOR GOD'S SAKE WHEN A SERIES IS DONE JUST LET IT BE F-ING DONE!!!!!!!

No more novellas. No more telling the story from a different character's perspective. No more "where are they now" (or "where were they before"). NO MORE!

EDIT: I'm a mom to a teen (as of today - waaaaaaaah). Whining on my review of how I'm a "big meanie" or how I "just don't get it" is something I hear on the regular, so save your breath. This is MY review and MY opinion - if you're a Roth superfan go post your own review. I cross my heart I won't come spam it.

EDIT #2: WARNING THE COMMENTS GET ALL SPOILERY, SO ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK : )

[Federico DN · Rating 3 out of 5]

1, 2, Tris, Four.

The 4-part prequel story of Tobias Eaton, better known as Four; the young, brave and nearly fearless instructor from Dauntless. From the beginnings in Abnegation with his father Marcus, until his departure; the initiation, training and formation in the Dauntless faction along with Eric; the uncovering of the secret dealings with Jeanine and Erudite, and Evelyn and the Factionless; his rising and becoming of instructor, and his meeting with Beatrice Prior, the new recruit from Abnegation.

Overall this was a nice, engaging and decently entertaining little prequel. A rocky start vastly compensated by a solid middle and a fantastic final installment. It was very interesting to get to know in full detail Four’s journey through his pov; and so amazing to see Tris again, however briefly, bringing all those feelings that made Divergent so great.

I don’t think the four little chapters work at all as standalones, but as a novella and a whole, I think it’s more than worth the time. Forever Tris & Four <3

Highly Recommendable, for the Divergent fan.



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PERSONAL NOTE :
[2014] [285p] [Dystopia] [YA] [Recommendable]
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★★☆☆☆ 0.1 The Transfer [2.5]
★★★☆☆ 0.2 The Initiate
★★★☆☆ 0.3 The Son
★★★★☆ 0.4 The Traitor
★★★☆☆ 0.1-0.4 Four
★★★★★ 1. Divergent
★★★☆☆ 1.5 Tobias Tells the Divergent Knife-Throwing Scene
★★★★☆ 2. Insurgent
★★☆☆☆ 2.5 The Path to Allegiant [1.5]
★★★★☆ 3. Allegiant
★★☆☆☆ 3.5 We Can Be Mended [2.5]

-----------------------------------------------

1, 2, Tris, Cuatro.

La historia precuela en 4 partes de Tobías Eaton, mejor conocido como Cuatro; el joven, valiente y casi totalmente intrépido instructor de Osadía. Desde los inicios en Abnegación con su padre Marcus, hasta su partida; la iniciación, entrenamiento y formación en la facción de Osadía junto a Eric; el descubrimiento de los secretos tratos de Jeanine y Erudición, y Evelyn y los Sin Facción; su ascenso y conversión en instructor, y su encuentro con Beatrice Prior, la nueva recluta de Abnegación.

Dentro de todo esta fue una linda, atrapante y bastante entretenida pequeña precuela. Un comienzo débil ampliamente compensado por una sólida media parte y una fantástica entrega final. Fue muy interesante conocer en gran detalle el viaje de Cuatro a través de su punto de vista; e increíble volver ver a Tris nuevamente, aunque brevemente, trayendo todos esos sentimientos que hicieron tan genial a Divergente.

No creo que estos cuatro pequeños capítulos funcionen en absoluto de forma independiente, pero en su conjunto y como novela corta, creo que más que valen la pena el tiempo. Por siempre Tris y Cuatro <3

Altamente Recomendable, para el fanático de Divergente.



-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2014] [285p] [Dístópico] [Joven Adulto] [Recomendable]
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[Miranda Reads · Rating 1 out of 5]

Overwhelmingly underwhelming.

And that is as about as positive as I can get.

It felt more like the author was frantically filling in plot holes rather than writing something new.

The Transfer - Was this one reallllly necessary???

From the main books, we already know that Four picked Dauntless because he wanted to escape his abusive father.

And this short story....told exactly that. I suppose, it was just a really, really drawn out version... but still. Felt like a waste of page space.

The Initiate - This was a bit interesting.

We see some of the main players from Divergent (mainly Eric and the Dauntless-born initiates) as Four comes to terms with his new life.

But honestly, it feels like we already lived through this.

Divergent - A Stiff enters dauntless, gets ridiculed but manages to come out on top.

The Initiate - A Stiff enters dauntless BUT he's like, super nervous and stuff, gets ridiculed and manages to come out on top.

And we see how he gets his tat. That bit bugged the ever-living daylights out of me.

He goes on and on about how NO ONE CAN KNOW HE'S DIVERGENT. And what does he do? Literally gets the most divergent possible tattoo on his body ever. I mean, honestly. This kid.

The Son - Four trains for a leadership position.

He spends most of the time waffling on whether or not he wants to do it. Then decides not to "because reasons."

Four is all like, "oh no, I don't like that my faction is corrupted. Whine whine whine."

Then he abandons the leadership position thus allowing the corrupted guy to get the spot. NO WONDER YOUR FACTION FALLS APART.

The Traitor - honestly just filling in plot holes.

How does he get into the computer room?

How does he know about the abnegation attack?

Then, he meets Tris and falls in love with her because reasons. Blah blah blah.

Extra scenes from Four's perspective - talk about a waste of paper. No inner revelations, no big reveals.

Honestly, I think I preferred it when we weren't in his head. He seemed much more interesting that way.

The Finer Books Club 2018 Reading Challenge - a book with a number in the title

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[Ida · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh how I've missed the Divergent universe and all of its characters!

Four, Tris, Zeke, Shauna, Uriaha, Christina, Marlene and Lynn. If it's one thing Veronica Roth is the master of, it's creating realistic and likeable characters that you'll end up caring for. ..and then ripping them away one by one! .



Four: A Divergent Collection includes four short stories, all told from Tobias POV, and three exclusive scenes from Divergent.

The short stories:

Four: The Transer ⭐⭐⭐⭐ You can read my full review: here
The transfer follows Tobias from the day of his aptitude test, though his Choosing day and until the moment he's given his infamous nickname- Four. It gives you a better understanding of the choice he made, and why he chose dauntless as apposed to any of the other factions.

Four: The Initiate ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You can read my full review: here
The Initiate follows Four through a series of events, like his first time drinking, getting his first tattoo, making friends, training and fighting. You also get more insight in some of the characters that appear in the Divergent series, like Amar, Zeke and Shauna.

Four: The Son ⭐⭐⭐⭐ You can read my full review: here
The Son follows Four as he struggles to find his place in the hierarchy of Dauntless. We see him train for a leadership position mentioned in Divergent, and why he really made the choice of becoming an instructor instead.

Four: The Traitor ⭐⭐⭐⭐ You can read my full review: here
The Traitor follows Tobias as he struggles with revelations from the previous stories, as well as some new information, while he's getting to know Tris Prior.

The exclusive scenes:

First jumper - Tris
I´m so happy Veronica included this in the book, as it's one of the scenes I really wanted to read from Fours POV.

This way, they’ll remember her, not for the gray she wears but for her first act of bravery. Or insanity. Sometimes they’re the same thing.

Careful, Tris

“Were you a transfer too?”
“I thought I would only have trouble with the Candor asking too many questions,” I say. “Now I’ve got Stiffs, too?”
“It must be because you’re so approachable. You know. Like a bed of nails.”
“Careful, Tris,”

You look good, Tris

“You look good, Tris,” I say, because I’m not sure she knows it, and she should.

One thing I know: For helping me forget how awful the world is, I prefer her to alcohol.

If you're a fan of Divergent, you'll probably like this book. If you're not a fan, then you'll probably find it unnecessary as it doesn't really offer any new information.
If you haven't read Divergent yet, just do it! They are AMAZING and so emotional!

[Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

”I don’t care what she says – this isn’t a safe room. There are no safe rooms, no safe truths, no safe secrets to tell.”

I was always intrigued by Four and his history before he became a Dauntless, so when I found this little gem in the YA section of my library I actually let out a little squeal. Apparently it was loud enough to cause a few raised eyebrows and disapproving looks, but hey this girl here just couldn’t contain herself. XD In my defence: It’s rare to find a book you wanted to read for ages and I certainly didn’t expect my library to actually have it. *lol*

Well anyway, I loved “Divergent” and even though the series lost its appeal during the second book I’m still a huge fan of Tobias and Tris. =) Of course I immediately borrowed the book! ;-P

”I wince as his fingers stabilize my head, and hope he doesn’t see it, doesn’t see how even his slightest touch terrifies me.”

I really liked those additional stories from Four’s POV and the only reason I gave it a 3 star rating (I really would need half stars here because it would actually be 3,5) is the simple fact that not a lot is happening. I suppose this was to be expected because it are merely four (haha Four) short stories that give us a better insight at Tobias life before Divergent truly happened.

”I struggle for air, but it’s not because of my aching legs; it’s because of my weak heart, growing stronger with each passing second.”

Still, those stories were interesting to read and kind of caused me to remember why I loved the first book so much! XD Poor Tobias though. He’s such a broken boy and to read about his struggle to become a part of Dauntless strongly reminded me of Tris initiation in the first book. Which might have been Veronica Roth’s intention all along but who knows? *shrugs*

”I’ve learned to be stronger, but one thing I haven’t learned, won’t let myself learn, is how to enjoy causing someone else pain. If I’m going to become Dauntless, I’m going to do it on my terms, even if that means that a part of me will always be a Stiff.”

Anything else I need to tell you?
Yep, I almost forgot that Eric, that little numpty, was an Erudite before he transferred to Dauntless. Who would have thought it? *lol* AND I was surprised about Amar’s little role. I mean after reading the trilogy I really would have thought that Four and him were closer. For me this wasn’t consistent and so I was a little confused about why Tobias trusted him so much.

”I will not be molded and shaped by Jeanine Matthews. I will not be a pawn, not for them and not for my mother and not for my father; I will not belong to anyone but myself.”

Conclusion:
I enjoyed reading “Four” and I’m sure everyone who liked Tobias will be happy to read those stories as well. They are a nice addition to the Divergent universe and I’m glad I stumbled upon them in the library. ;-)
Enjoy!

[Diana]

I AM SO EXCITED FOR THIS IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY!














This is going to be my face until the book is released:

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this short book about Four (Tobias).

The book explores his early life with his father and the reasons he picked Dauntless as his faction. It tells of the different trials and tribulations he went through in the first couple of years.

Then is tells of his first meeting of Tris. I was glad they added that little tidbit in there. Especially after reading the last book in the trilogy. But nothing will ever be the same in this world. No matter how many times you read these books, they will always end the same unless you want to write some fanfiction and change it =)

Overall, a great little book! ♥

[Roshni Ajmal · Rating 4 out of 5]

And i fell in love with Four all over again

Reading Four made me feel this weird feeling, That feeling you get when you watch your old photos or videos like. I was not prepared for this.

There is nothing new.... Its more like behind the scenes. We get know that what Four was up to all along. like. how he discovered about the attack on abnegation. It was good that it was not divergent all over again.

We get to see his friendships with Zeak, Shauna and others. and his Hateship with Eric too.

Four is one of my favourite character of all time. (forgetting the fact that allegiant ever happened). I loved him in divergent and same for this one. I got the same old feeling of liking him.

In Allegiant Four's voice was too similar to Tris's and I disliked it. But here Four's voice sounded orignal. It really felt like it was HIM speaking.

When i read divergent i felt that i was right there in the dauntless sector. This one also has that power to make you feel you are present right there.

Last three scenes from Fours POV were the best parts of this book.
First Jumper—Tris
Careful —Tris
You look good—Tris
When i closed this book all submerged feelings of Divergent came back on the surface all over again.

Fav Quote :

“One thing I know: For helping me forget how awful the world is, I prefer her to alcohol.” — Four

Because it was the last line of book and i had this big giant smile on my face.

If you loved Four like i did then read it. If you didn't then leave it.

I will leave you with these gif.




------------------
I swear i didnt wanted to read anything from Veronica Roth. But common how can i resist these quotes and our good old Four.
AHhhhhh

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this! I am beginning to think I end up liking Novella collections more than the actual series they belong to

[Alexa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just love Four so much, seriously, my love for him is ENDLESS. I soaked this goodness right up and I couldn't help this surge of devastation and sadness as I closed the book one final time. It made me want to jump up and re-read Divergent immediately (Divergent only, reading the other two would be much too painful), and it made me realize how much I love Tris and Four's relationship as well. Aaaannd then of course there's Veronica Roth's beautiful writing.

Just, so much love.
___
mmmm that cover
me likey.
___
SO EXCITED FOR THIS FOUR MY BABY

[karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

hahaha kelly's review for this cracks me up.

and i totally agree with the fact that sometimes when something is over, you just have to let it be over. make a clean break. but i am, in many ways, a completist. i have seen all the movies in the saw franchise, i keep getting wicked excited every time i see there is a new newsflesh short story available, just when i thought i would never get to revisit that world, and i will read any and all retellings of wuthering heights, no matter how dreadful.

so i get the impulse that leads to the perpetuation of a series, even when it might not be "necessary" in terms of addressing unanswered questions or filling in any timelines. because this one isn't, really, except for giving fourgasms to the fangirls:



i thought it was interesting when roth made the move in Allegiant from tris-centric narration to a tris-and-four split-narrative. it was intriguing to get another perspective to the events, and to gain insight into four's mind, rather than just seeing all of his actions through tris' eyes. and, well, obviously there was more of a structural need to give him a voice in that third book. this collection reads like a bunch of "what-if" writing exercises. what if we'd had four's voice all along? what if this scene had been seen through his eyes in Divergent? what if we knew his motivations from the very beginning? these stories end up being fun without being particularly illuminating. we get more reasons to hate eric and marcus, we get a little more texture to four's relationship with evelyn, and we get a little more uriah ♥.



but honestly, part of what made four compelling as a character was his secrecy. he was enigmatic, troubled, hard to predict. his POV in Allegiant was compelling for the novelty of it, but it took some of his power away as a character, because his weaknesses were more exposed. sure, it was humanizing, but sometimes it's better not to know all the dopey-moony things your tall dark and handsome is thinking, yeah?

but, overall i enjoyed it - i did like the details and the dovetailing it did with the things that were already known to readers, and in the bound (non-digital) edition, there are an additional three scenes after the four four novellas, which is even MOAR FOUR for your buck.

thanks to greg for buying me a book about FOUR!!!

come to my blog!

[Sarah]

Four: A Divergent Story Collection contains all of the following short stories:
1. The Transfer: A Divergent Story
2. The Initiate: A Divergent Story
3. The Son: A Divergent Story
4. The Traitor: A Divergent Story

[Kai Spellmeier · Rating 5 out of 5]

“That's what I really want - to shed all the people who want to form and shape me, one by one, and learn instead to form and shape myself.”

4.5 out of 5

I had a great time with this collection of Divergent short stories. Reading about this universe from Four's POV was really fascinating. It was nice to get to see what he thought in those situations. Of course, I already knew a lot of what was going to happen so there were not too many surprises in this book. I just really loved reading scenes with Four and Tris in particular.

Apart from that I can't get enough from Veronica Roth. She should consider writing faster, cause I'm desperate for more. Veronica is seriously one of the most amazing writes in YA today.

Find more of my books on Instagram

[Lazaros · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't help sobbing right now because I just realized that I've read about everything Divergent as of now. I can always re-read the books and novellas but I'm not ever going to read about Tris or Tobias in new adventures. I've loved this characters for so long. I've cherished them for so long. They both hold a place in my heart. It's been a year since I read Allegiant and I'm still sad and stunned about it. With these novellas a chapter just closed, I think.

Tobias is one of the most incredible characters ever written. He's not just tough as nails, he's also sensitive and he's not just loving, he's caring. He is a character with a lot of shit in his past, I think we all know that. Despite that, he didn't let it pull him down. He grew past his problems and he became an amazing human being.

In these novellas, we see his progress into being a human. He is hateful in the beginning, he doesn't crack a smile, he doesn't laugh, he doesn't love but we learn that in time he changes into someone with not just a past, but into someone who knows he's got a future. He is not a delusional character, he know who he is, he knows what he is and what he's about. He doesn't just stand by and watch everything go down in flames, he does something about it instead.

Just like Allegiant, I loved loved loved the way Mrs. Roth presents us his mind. I love his point of view more than anything. I love his beliefs, and I love who he is and I love the fact that he is not afraid of being afraid.

In the last novella, The Traitor, we see how he falls in love. How it's not just beauty that sings to him but also the personality, he falls in love out of the pure emotions that girl, Tris, triggers in him. He doesn't find her gorgeous, he finds her interesting. His first instinct isn't that of protection, he wants to push her until she breaks just so see how brave and tough she is. She is the first person he felt emotions towards to, and by that I don't mean friendly feelings. He learned to love. He and Tris learned to love each other, together. No, no, they didn't learn to love each other, they just loved each other more by loving one another. That's what it took for them to fall in love together, a brush of their hands, a gentle move.. This is love.

At some point I'm going to grow so homesick of this series and I'll grab them and read them again because I just can't not love them as much as I do.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

It should come as no suprise that I rated this book as a 5. I have always dubbed Four as my fictional husband will always continue to do so.

I loved this entire book and devoured it within hours. I loved learning about Four's past and how he came to be Dauntless and even meeting Tris.

There's not much else to say really. I don't want to spoil the Divergent trilogy for anyone who hasn't read it. I will say you have to read it though! It's one of my favorite series, ever!!

All I gotta say is- MORE FOUR!!!!

[QueenMasako]

Wait. We can have ALL FOUR short stories in Tobia's POV. ALL IN ONE???!!! I think I'm going to die. No wait... Buy the book, read it, love it then die.
That ferris wheel.
7/11/14
Well. I bought the book. I'm gonna die soon.

[Josu Diamond · Rating 2 out of 5]

Me ha costado, de alguna manera, verme atrapado en la novela. Cuatro es una sucesión de relatos que no aportan apenas ningún dato relevante a la historia, y que no creo que se salven con el protagonista... El único motivo que tenía para leer esta novela era por él, Cuatro, pues me parecía un personaje muy interesante. Sin embargo, no creo que las historias le hagan justicia como personaje. Son historias muy simples, que sí que es verdad que arrojan ciertos datos a la historia, pero que no consiguen plantear una trama interesante. Me costaba coger el libro para leerlo, y me he tenido que obligar en ocasiones a terminar alguna de las historias.

Las dos primeras son sin más, relleno. Las dos siguientes me gustaron bastante más, en especial la cuarta historia (justamente la más larga). Las tres escenas con Tris contadas desde el punto de vista de Cuatro son un contenido extra bastante... sobrante. Tampoco aportan gran cosa, aunque sí que es más interesante que las dos primeras historias.

En definitiva, no son historias del todo malas, pero no aportan nada. Entretienen ligeramente aunque la trama no tenga nada interesante más que ver cómo se comportan los personajes o cómo evolucionan sus relaciones. Si eres muy fan de la saga, quizá te guste. Como dice Goodreads con esta nota: it was ok.

[Stepheny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I know.

I know what you’re thinking: 3 stars? Really, Stepheny? You? The psychotic Divergent fangirl that turns into a squealing 13 year old every time Four’s name is even mentioned? You’re only giving this 3 stars?

*sigh*

I had to show some extreme self-control in this rating. Part of me wants to give it 5 stars just because. The logical side of me that is trying to look at things objectively says otherwise.

Here are the facts: this book gives us little to no new information. The little bit of new information we get is great for a fangirl, but just ok for your every day read. I guess I was expecting some more insight into Four’s life prior to him meeting Tris. (You see what I did there, right? Right?) Anyway, we do get a couple stories that show us what his life was like and why he changed factions. But we already kind of knew it. It elaborated points already covered in the Divergent series. And it also gave us snippets of scenes from Divergent but from Four's perspective that made me giggle incessantly. If I've said it once I've said it a hundred times, Roth makes me relive my teenage awkward first love like no other author has done before her.

If nothing else, this was an awesome guilty pleasure read! Sometimes you need these types of books just to fill a void you didn’t know you had. Four can fill my void anytime Wait, what?



For Divergent junkies like me, you will probably love it. For people who hate the series, avoid it like the plague. For people who enjoy the series and wouldn’t mind a little indulgence- you might enjoy this as well. But just know this: there is nothing new and ground-breaking in this book. It’s strictly entertainment value.

[Srikari · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first reaction to the book.....



While I was reading.....



After reading.....




Yup that sums it up.

[Natalie Monroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I look down at her. She has that side, too, she must have it. I saw the way she looked when she beat Molly, like she was going to keep going whether her opponent was unconscious or not. Maybe she and I are the same. "

You are, Four, just not in the way you think.



We all remember the disaster that is Allegiant. Tris and Four's voice are totally indistinguishable. Reading a novella entirely in his POV has made me all the more sure.

I don't think it's Roth being unable to write a believable male POV. It's a narrative problem; she is incapable of changing style. Of course, we won't know for sure until her untitled duology comes out, but it's my verdict for now.

What's there to talk about in this collection of short stories? The complete and utter pointlessness. We don't learn anything about Four the original series hasn't told us. He's selfless, a Tris carbon copy, yadda, yadda, yadda.

We get the Midnight Sun treatment during romantic scenes between him and Tris. I don't know if it's an Abnegation thing, but his thoughts are far too clean for an 18-year-old boy.



Uber Divergent fans will gobble this collection up like cake. For the casual reader, a.k.a me, it's a waste of time.

[Mariah Roze · Rating 5 out of 5]

It had been an long time since I read the Divergent series, so it is nice getting back into it :)

When reading the Initiate these were the thoughts that were going through my mind. "I really enjoyed this part of the book, Four by Veronica Roth. I do wish there was more development in the extra characters in the story. I wish I knew their histories and backgrounds more, but I understand that Four was an introvert and didn't interact with them much, so it makes since that he wouldn't know this information about them. Also, in Divergent some people did not make the cut, some were hurt outside of the designed fights, some left to become factionless, etc. and in this book none of that happened. I wish a little bit of this would have happened just to keep it even more interesting."

When reading The Son these were the thoughts going through my mind. "So before I reviewed the last book/part I should have read this one first. I am so impressed by Veronica's writing ability. Everything that I wish was different because it was "boring" or "simple" had a purpose behind it and was explained in this book. Wow! She is a great writer and this book is very addictive. I like these books way more than 2nd and 3rd books in the trilogy."

This was a great book! I loved reading about Tris and Four meeting and getting to know each other from his perspective :) Very cool!

I love this story and it was such a nice taste to read a book that I really enjoyed from a different main character's perspective. Authors should write more of these :)

I suggest this book to anyone who has read Divergent.

[Khurram · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories. It was nice to read stories from 4's perspective. The only reason I could not give this 5 stars is because, in Roth's own acknowledgment page, her writing is better through Tris' voice.

Anybody who has read Divergent would know why 4 needed to leave the Abnegation, his trials through Dauntless, to making becoming the legend that is 4. The second, third and fourth story add to work well along side the Divergent book. They show 4's own investigation into the Dauntless conspiracy.

The last 3 stories are passages from Divergent rewritten from 4's perspective, they are good, i did like the way way 4 tries to emulate his mentor with the new initiatives. Also the way he puts on a face on for the students but shakes on the inside after a confrontation. Great book a touch below Divergent but still great and and a good compliment to the first book.

[Emma Giordano · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I finished Allegiant, I needed more divergent. But now I need more Four! I LOVED reading this, out of all of my booktubeathon reads so far, this was my favorite. It took me a while to get into divergent at first, so I didn't have high expectations for starting Four, but it was absolutely phenomenal. I only have one complaint: IT WAS WAY TOO SHORT! :)

[Dana (Dana and the Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

I think I enjoyed this more than the Divergent trilogy!

[Louie the Mustache Matos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four: A Divergent Collection by Veronica Roth is an anthology that fits well as the final installment of the Divergent storyline. The anthology collects three of the epiphanous moments in the saga, telling them from the point of view of Tobias Eaton.

The stories amplify what the reader has come to understand, especially since Allegiant (the third novel) really portrays the character Four in a negative light. By providing context, this final book gives nuance to the previous ones, and serves to repair what might otherwise seem like a final and negative characterization.

[mors · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a dumb ass who started reading this novella before reading the whole series 💀. Yesss I spoiled myself about Four and it's not ok. Bye, let me sob 😭


~~~~~~~~~
I've heard this trilogy has the same vibes as fourth wing 👀

[♥ℂĦℝΪՖƬΪℕÅ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always loved Tobias Eaton "Four" in the Divergent series and I always wanted his story. How did I not know this existed? I know, I'm really late to the party but I'm here now, that's what matters right? I really enjoyed reading this and I absolutely love having his POV it was great being inside his head.



[0.1] The Transfer ★★★★
I have to get out.

“You’re the one who has to live with your choice. Everyone else will get over it, move on, no matter what you decide. But you never will.”

It was nice getting more back story on Tobias's relationship with his father Marcus too, who may I remind you is a complete POS!!! It was really kinda strange to see such a vulnerable side to him and to see the fear and the struggles he had. I liked seeing this thought process on the whole Choosing Ceremony and how he came to the decision to join Dauntless. Though I do think this was a lot like Tris's story once Tobias joined Dauntless. Wish it would have played out a bit different but nonetheless, it was still interesting. Most of all I loved the bit at the end, finding out how he got his nickname FOUR.❤


[0.2] The Initiate ★★★★
I am Dauntless

“While wounds heal, they don't disappear forever—I carry them everywhere, always, and that is the way of things, the way of scars.”

“Abnegation-born, Abnegation result, in a Dauntless haven”

OH, THIS WAS SOOO GOOD!!! It's even a bit longer than The Transfer which is always a good thing am I right? I can't get enough of Four's POV and I love all this back story. It shows a whole other side to him which makes me love him all the more. Like his initiation and how he trained hard every day and every night he'd go into the fear simulation. I loved glimpsing the struggles he had connecting with others and watching him learn how to interact. It's actually pretty heartbreaking to see. But when your only real interaction is with an abusive father...you have to adjust, and learn how to navigate in this new life (alcohol helps lol). I really love that we got some insight into some other characters that only make an appearance in the Divergent series such as Amar😭, Zeke, and Shauna♡. I really liked Amar's character, he was such a great guy and he generally cares about Four. Such a tragic end. Zeke and Shauna are adorable, I love them! Shauna was cool and I love the whole dynamic with Four teaching her to fight. We also finally get the whole story behind Four and Eric's hostility toward each other. It runs darker than I ever dreamed. Ugh, what a bastard!! I hate Eric so much more now if that were even possible. Anyone up for a little game of DARE? Four gets his first tattoo!

“I may have chosen Dauntless as a haven, but I’m not just surviving here, I’m excelling.”


[0.3] The Son ★★★
What I hate, What I love, What I fear

“Our city is changing...Sometime soon, everyone will have to choose a side”

“That’s what I really want—to shed all the people who want to form and shape me, one by one, and learn instead to form and shape myself.”

The Son was not nearly as good as the first two. It's my least favorite thus far. It was really slow, unexciting, and to be honest, it was very boring. But... it wasn't horrible either. This takes place right after he becomes a Dauntless member and gets his apartment and chooses his career path. This novella includes the moment that Four finds out that his mother Evelyn is still alive. But most importantly it shows that Four found out that Max, Eric, and Jeanine were planning something BIG against Abnegation (which all goes down at the end of Divergent) two years prior. And he does absolutely NOTHING to prevent it. Wow, that's some heroicness right there 😠. This just didn't seem very Four like to me. Oh, and he also acknowledges the fact that Dauntless won't be his home forever. I really really didn't like that it changed my opinion of Four even in the slightest and changed the facts I thought I knew in Divergent and Insurgent.


[0.4] The Traitor ★★★
Faction before Blood

“Panic and terror aren't the only kinds of fear. There are deeper kinds, more terrible kinds. Apprehension and heavy, heavy dread.”

“I need to talk to someone. I need to trust someone. And for whatever reason, I know, I know it's her.”

The Traitor run parallel to the first part in Divergent. I enjoy reading these novellas from Fours POV but damn... These last two were boring and make Four look/sound weak which contradicts everything he was in the Divergent series. It was nice reading about how Tris and Four met and them getting to know each other but through his eyes. Four struggles with the decision to either betray his faction and warn Abnegation about the upcoming attack or to betray his former faction and tell Abnegation.

[Carmen de la Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mi amado Cuatro...
PORQUE VERONICA TE TUVO QUE HACER SUFRIR ASÍ?!!!! PORQUE?!!
NO LO MERECÍAS... NUNCA LO MERECISTE....

Estoy fascinada con este libro, debido a que Cuatro acá Tobias es mi personaje favorito de la saga, fue de mis primeros amores literarios, Cuatro es una compilación de 4 historias y 3 microhistorias desde la perspectiva de Cuatro, todas son especiales.

La primera es The Transfer (Divergent, #0.1)
Es un hecho que Cuatro es mi personaje favorito en la serie y leer un poco sobre su pasado me hizo comprenderlo más.

No es que encontremos algo nuevo, en absoluto, pero es su voz, con sus inseguridades y esperanzas y miedos. Podemos ver dos lados de él: el niño que era y el transferido que es ahora, uno que puede decidir quién quiere ser, cómo los demás lo verán, lo aceptarán, lo respetarán ... y por qué no, le tienen miedo.

Dicho eso, fue tan reconfortante volver a encontrar al Cuatro del que me enamoré en Divergent y no a ese extraño adolescente que encontré en We Can Be Mended. Encontré un agradable recuerdo de quién era Tobias y cómo se convirtió en uno de mis primeros crush de libros. Era duro, fuerte incluso cuando su padre era un idiota y estaba decidido a reescribir su propia historia.

La segunda historia es The Initiate (Divergent, #0.2)
The Initiate sigue a Cuatro a través de una serie de eventos, como la primera vez que bebe, se hace su primer tatuaje, hace amigos, entrena y pelea. Entramos en las profundidades de cómo Cuatro desafía su iniciación, cómo atraviesa las tres etapas: el entrenamiento físico (peleas y todo), la simulación del miedo y finalmente el paisaje del miedo. Cuando se da cuenta de que es un Divergente (los Divergentes saben que solo están en una simulación y no es real cuando se les inyecta el suero), trata de ocultarlo, de lo contrario, Jeanine podría descubrirlo. Pero Amar, que también era un Divergente, es asesinado por los Eruditos (por miembros de Jeanine) mientras buscan a rebeldes divergentes.

Conocemos la historia completa de la disputa entre Cuatro y Eric, y va mucho más allá de lo que había imaginado.

También obtienes más información sobre algunos de los personajes que aparecen en la serie Divergente, como Amar, Zeke y Shauna. Ojalá supiera más sobre sus historias y antecedentes, pero entiendo que Cuatro era introvertido y no interactuó mucho con ellos, así que desde entonces no sabría esta información sobre ellos. A diferencia de Tris nunca se sintió o actuó como alguien de abnegación, Cuatro realmente lucha con los cambios y la forma de simplemente interactuar con los demás.

Cuatro está trabajando duro todo el día y la noche para encajar en Osadia e incluso está ayudando a Shauna con las lecciones de lucha. Lo único que quería Cuatro era sobrevivir en el intrépido complejo, pero se dio cuenta de que estaba sobresaliendo.
Me gustó mucho esta historia corta, ¡principalmente por la lucha interna de Cuatro y la construcción del personaje!

La tercera parte es The Son (Divergent, #0.3)
Finalmente, Cuatro ha alcanzado el estado intrepido que él considera como un refugio en comparación con la vida que tuvo bajo la sombra de abnegación de su padre.

Él explica su primera cita, que salió terriblemente mal y no duró ni cinco minutos. Eso fue graciosísimo. Quería el trabajo de un instructor, enseñando a los iniciados, pero Max pide su candidatura para el puesto de uno de los líderes de osadía.

Al principio decide aceptar, pero Cuatro luego se entera de que Jeanine y Max eran un equipo y solo están buscando un peón para manipular. Así que decide ser instructor y trabajar en la sala de control de las computadoras porque no quiere que nadie más lo manipule.

También se encuentra con su madre, Evelyn, quien le pide que se una a ella (sin facciones), por supuesto el se opone. Fue un gran shock leer esta escena ya que hasta el libro de Insurgente nos enteramos de que ella esta muerta, junto con él todos pensamos que ella estaba muerta, pero eso era una mentira.

La cuarta historia es The Traitor (Divergent, #0.4)
Debido a que este libro corre paralelo con los eventos tempranos en "Divergente", pueden ocurrir spoilers menores. Algunos de los eventos que suceden en Divergente han sido relatados aquí desde el punto de vista de Cuatro, con la oportunidad de verlos bajo una luz diferente, y algunos eventos han sido agregados mostrándonos los movimientos de Cuatro cuando no estaba en el centro del foco en la historia.

La trama comienza con el día de Visitas y cubre el resto de los eventos de la iniciación como salvar a Tris de Peter, el ataque de Drew y Al, llevar a Tris a su paisaje de miedo, como confía en Tris con todos sus secretos y como se da cuenta de que la ama, y al último, besar a Tris bajo el abismo, seguido de ir a abnegación para advertir a su padre sobre un posible ataque a su antigua facción, planificado por Jeanine y Max (erudición y osadía) para derrocar a la abnegación. Su padre no le cree, por supuesto.

Tobias se siente como un traidor a la facción de Osadía porque esta traicionando tanto a su facción anterior como a la actual, pero finalmente ha tomado la decisión, que es salvar a los inocentes.

Las últimas 3 historias en realidad son minihistorias, son pasajes de Divergente reescritos desde la perspectiva de Tobias, son buenos, me gustó la forma en que Cuatra trata de emular a su mentor con los nuevos iniciados. También la forma en que le pone cara a los estudiantes pero tiembla por dentro después de un enfrentamiento. Y por supuesto la ultima historia es la mejor, es la escena donde Tobias esta borracho y le dice a Tris que se ve bien, lo cual hizo que me diera un vuelco el corazón.

[Hailey (Hailey in Bookland) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved seeing Four's journey to divergent. It was great and made me love him so much more

[Kash · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in four's point of view,
Which of course I knew,
I read it in a day,
There is nothing much to say.

Just FOUR lines for this book..lol
Thank you!!