Four: A Divergent Collection (Divergent Series)

by Veronica Roth

Overview

Fans of the Divergent trilogy by #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 plus three additional scenes from Divergent, all told from Tobias's point of view. 

This collection also makes a great pick for fans of the blockbuster movies who want to delve deeper into the character played by Theo James.

Readers first encountered Tobias 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'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.

Also includes three additional scenes from Divergent, told from Tobias's point of view!

And don't miss The Fates Divide, Veronica Roth's powerful sequel to the bestselling Carve the Mark!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062345219
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	07/08/2014
Series:	Divergent
Pages:	304
Sales rank:	165,739
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.20(d)
Lexile:	850L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Veronica Roth is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Divergent, Insurgent, Allegiant, Four: A Divergent Collection, and Carve the Mark. Ms. Roth and her husband live in Chicago. You can visit her online at www.veronicarothbooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

A Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2014

Roth’s Divergent series ended last year, but this collection of four stories plus exclusive new material revives one of its most beloved characters, giving him a story that stands on its own. Four follows its namesake character from his life-changing decision, at age 16, to join Dauntless and change his name, leaving behind his harsh family life and the child he was. But everything changes with the arrival of Tris, the girl who can help him reclaim his past and lay the groundwork for a brighter future. This collection has all the adventure, romance, and twists that carried fans through the bestselling trilogy, and lots more insight on its intriguingly opaque male lead. See all of the Best Teen Books of 2014.

07/21/2014
Four's story is already achingly familiar to fans of Roth's Divergent—his close relationship to protagonist Tris Prior in the author's original trilogy allowed readers to grow fond of this fiercely protective yet guarded character. In this aptly numbered collection of four stories, all told from the perspective of Four (aka Tobias Eaton), readers receive an inside look at how he came to be a Dauntless instructor in the first place, got his name, uncovered the plot by Jeanine Matthews to attack the Abnegation faction, and fell in love with Tris. Divergent fans will thoroughly enjoy this extra bit of backstory, which is filled with names and places that became beloved in Roth's bestselling trilogy. Roth's storytelling retains the same mix of tension, uncertainty, and hope that made the original stories irresistible. For those who were brokenhearted to find themselves at the last page of Allegiant, this brief look back through Four's eyes will be a welcome trip down memory lane. Ages 14–up. Agent: Joanna Volpe, New Leaf Literary & Media. (July)

Publishers Weekly

Fans of Divergent who can’t get enough—and maybe even the rare reader who missed the first rush—will snap up this relatively stand-alone story collection told from the perspective of Tobias (aka Four).”

ALA Booklist

2014-06-30
Roth returns to her wildly popular Divergent series with four prequel stories from Four's viewpoint.Before he was "Four," he was Tobias Eaton, the abused and alienated son of Marcus, leader of the Abnegation faction. The stories (really one episodic novella) trace his path from the choice to join Dauntless to his first encounters with Tris, heroine of the trilogy and love of his life. Sufficient information is interwoven to make the world accessible to new readers, while fans will find a surreptitious thrill digging into a taciturn hero's back story; still, little of real consequence is added to the overall plot. Devotees will undoubtedly relish cameo appearances by several beloved (and loathed) characters, and they will squee over such iconic moments as Four's earning his nickname, getting his tattoos and learning the dangers of being "Divergent." More compelling is his gradual transformation from an angry, manipulated and vulnerable victim to a badass loner—still angry and bitter but now tough and determined. Unfortunately, this narrative arc is undercut by the final story and the three rewritten short scenes from the first book, which read almost like bad fan fiction: Once Tris appears, the love-struck Four becomes dithering and goony, gushing about her all-embracing awesomeness and explaining that all his harsh words and actions really meant their exact opposite.For fans only; but their number is legion. (Dystopian romance. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews