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Divergent #1.5

Free Four: Tobias Tells the Divergent Knife-Throwing Scene

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#1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth retells a pivotal Divergent scene (chapter 13) from Tobias's point of view. This thirteen-page scene reveals unknown facts and fascinating details about Four's character, his past, his own initiation, and his thoughts about new Dauntless initiate Tris Prior.

43 pages, ebook

First published April 23, 2012

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About the author

Veronica Roth

55 books461k followers
Veronica Roth is the New York Times best-selling author of Arch-Conspirator, Poster Girl, Chosen Ones, the short story collection The End and Other Beginnings, the Carve the Mark duology, and the Divergent series. She lives in Chicago, Illinois with her husband and dog.

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5 stars
44,715 (46%)
4 stars
28,340 (29%)
3 stars
17,574 (18%)
2 stars
4,774 (4%)
1 star
1,736 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,865 reviews
Profile Image for Booknut 101.
849 reviews998 followers
January 10, 2014
I thought my Divergent obsession couldn't possibly escalate any further.

I mean Fourtris goodness? Check.
Kick-ass action? Check.

But a scene from Four's POV?



Well...check!

This scene (the knife-throwing scene) from Four's POV is perfect fangirling material. I read it, sat absorbed in the moment and then started sniffling at the fact Four wasn't real for a good hour...or two!

I love the complexity of his character and how real Four is. And sorry, I can't call him Tobias for some reason - it just sounds better as Four! I liked how it shows how his interest in Tris isn't purely "wow-she's-hot/pretty-romantic-wishy-washy", but deeper - how their two souls are so similar, how they are both fighters, survivors and how "looking at her was like waking up". That line was pure magic.

I LOVE YOU FOUR!!
Profile Image for Ida.
130 reviews237 followers
November 26, 2017
Looking at her is like waking up.

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This was short! Like 16 pages short.
Free Four: Tobias Tells the Divergent Story is Veronicas retelling of the knife throwing scene from Fours point of view. The kindle edition also includes the first two chapters from Divergent, the first two chapters from Insurgent, part of The Transfer and a chapter from Veronicas new series: Carve the Mark

I have to admit that Christina is good—though I don’t like giving credit to Candor smart-mouths—and so is Peter—though I don’t like giving credit to future psychopaths.

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“You about done, Stiff?” I say. Stiff. That’s why you’re strong, get it? She looks angry. “No.” Why on earth would she get it? She can’t read minds, for God’s sake.

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I can’t leave now. I like her too much. There, I said it. But I won’t say it again.


I enjoyed this story, but I don´t understand why it wasn´t just included in Four: A Divergent Story Collection when they published the short stories from Fours point of veiw. It´s cute, and you definitely get a better understanding of who Four is, but it´s not really necessary if you have the Story Collection. It did however make me want to reread the Divergent triologi. It really pulls you in from the very first chapter.
Profile Image for Aly (Fantasy4eva).
240 reviews122 followers
April 25, 2012
Oh man, this was awesome!

But I just wish there was more. Although it was quite lovely seeing things from Four's POV. You know, I've never really swooned over him or found myself connecting to him for some reason. But here I liked him a little more. I particularly enjoyed his observation of the other initiates. I thought that was pretty interesting and informative.

I like that she is not your typical pretty heroine but he finds her determination and solid strength attractive. I can love him a little more for that.

And Amar, guys! Doesn't he sound awesome? I really found myself wishing that he was still around. He seemed like a pretty badass and cool leader.

You know, I can really see a prequel series/book working well. Imagine reading the times when Eric and Four were initiates. And actually reading about times where the rules weren't as fucked up, where you can see Four more as a teen, rather than the adult he has been forced to grow into due to tough times. And Eric progressing from an asshole to the mentally unstable shit that he is. Sounds interesting, huh. This is a prequel (book or series) that actually makes sense to me.

And because I am kind. Here you are :)
https://www.facebook.com/DivergentSer...
Profile Image for Stacia (the 2010 club).
1,045 reviews4,060 followers
October 4, 2012
I just noticed for the first time that there's a comment directly above the review box which asks, "what did you think?"

Here's what I thought : Four! Four! Four! Four!

It's a short story. But man...is this a goodie. I hearts teh Four. That's my official stance.

Did I waste 99 cents on a 14 page story? Maybe I did (because really, this should have been a freebie for as short as it is), but his PoV made my night. I didn't realize he had a witty side hiding under all of that seriousness in book 1. I wouldn't complain if we got to be in his head more often. This short story covers the knife throwing scene - the one in which Four nicks Tris' ear on purpose. It's not a long enough story to really be a massive spoiler if you haven't read the first book, but it sure isn't going to be as enjoyable to read if you haven't read Divergent because you're being plopped down into a scene which takes place pretty far into the book.

She tips her chin up and looks at me with that Abnegation stubbornness I know so well. She may have left them, but they are what's making her strong.
I can't tell her that it will be okay, not with Eric here, but I can try to make her strong.

~

Looking at her is like waking up.

~

The other factions call us brutish, as if we don't use our minds, but that is all I do here.






Profile Image for Brooke.
1,067 reviews187 followers
April 24, 2012
OMGOSH, how do I love Four, let me count the ways...
It was so great to read this from his POV.
I loved remembering how Tris saw him, how she was annoyed with him because she thought he was being "mean" to her (when in actuality he was trying to save her!).
This just makes me want to read Insurgent even more...I cannot wait until May 1st!
Profile Image for karen.
4,006 reviews172k followers
May 27, 2020
one of the best things about having an e-reader are these groovy little splinter-chapters and novellas available digitally that are meant to tide you over until the next book in a series comes out or to re-tell something from another perspective, and it is all fangirl and -boy squee-ish and a really nice thing that authors can do for us.

like this one.

a retelling of a key scene in divergent.

but…here's the thing. while i have loved almost all of the ones mira grant has put out there, and the patrick ness one was great, and the ann aguirre one was fine, sometimes i don't feel they are really necessary. this one falls into that category. it is thirteen pages. thirteen. and while it was only 89 cents, and there's not much that's not worth 89 cents in this world, i just didn't feel satisfied, or that i had read something that really enhanced my enjoyment of divergent. it wasn't particularly illuminating. we get to see what four was thinking. big whoop. we got plenty of his character from the books themselves, and if she had wanted us to know what he was like in these early stages, she'd have written it in the first place, yeah?

i'm not saying this was a waste of time or anything, and especially considering this is a YA series, and at that age, i would have killed for extra chapters from my favorite books, like how i read H. The Story of Heathcliff's Journey Back to Wuthering Heights, so i get that it makes sense to offer these to readers, and i applaud the gesture, but i feel like this is only that - a gesture.

gimmie book three, already!!!

come to my blog!
Profile Image for  ♥ Rebecca ♥.
1,455 reviews469 followers
May 20, 2012
I love how Veronica Roth chose this scene for Four's POV. Most authors who have been releasing scenes from the guy's POV lately, always choose a scene where they were making out or something (in which case she probably would have gone with Chapter 31). Like Clare's An Offering of Moonlight, or Jennifer L. Armentrout's Daemon Extra from Obsidian, which is fun, of course. But this scene of Tobias and Tris is before all that happened. When they were still figuring each other out. It has a range of emotions instead of just the one, and it reveals much more about his character. Again Roth puts herself above the rest. I love it.
Profile Image for Sarah Ryburn.
659 reviews34 followers
September 2, 2016
I am rather surprised by the scene choice–in talking with others who've read and loved Divergent, our shared expectation overwhelmingly seemed to be that Roth would pick either "capture the flag/ferris wheel" or "the fear landscape." She mentioned both of these scenes as possibilities she considered. On further reflection, I'm thinking that the fear landscape scene wouldn't have given much insight into the relationship–I think Tobias would have told us alot about himself but very little about his feelings for Tris. Maybe, maybe not.

I will admit that I didn't love this scene. It seems to fall short of the quality of her writing in the novel. I am interested in the idea that Four had decided to leave Dauntless and become Factionless. Didn't see that coming, but it fits his character. His character until Tris shows up–once again love turns the world on its ear. My favorite part of the scene, knowing absolutely that Four meant what I thought he meant all along when he snears at Tris that he's fed up waiting for her to figure "it" out. Love me some Four...

5.12.12-So. Originally, I gave this three stars, but I've just revisited it after reading and rereading Insurgent, and now I think I really do love it. Five-star love it. This aspect of Roth's writing continually impresses and gratifies-it gets better the more I read it. Each successive reading reveals new depth, and this, I think, requires more than skill with words. She strikes me as such a "thinking" writer. In her blog–post about this scene, she commented that she really spends more time in Tobias's head than she realized and that writing the scene in his voice turned out to be less difficult than she had imagined. This is what I mean. She "spends time" in her characters' heads, and her writing has a quality in consequence that it could not have otherwise. That it could not have if the story relied merely on action and plot sequence. There's plenty of action, to be sure, but character drives the story. Grand.
Profile Image for ♥ℂĦℝΪՖƬΪℕÅ.
230 reviews3,951 followers
September 1, 2019
“Looking at her is like waking up.”

Meh, this wasn't too bad. It's just so damn short and because of that you really don't get much from it. This just gives you some very brief insight into the mind of Four, but otherwise, an unnecessary story. It would have been better as an additional chapter in the back of Divergent or maybe even as a flashback at some point throughout this trilogy. All of this information is already basically known and the difference in character POV didn't change it for me. I guess it was worth reading this to the extent of getting to see things from his perspective and his motivations. To see his reluctance to do/admit things. I read it because I really like the trilogy and I recommend this to any die-hard Divergent fan.


“I feel like someone is pressing me into a mold that does not fit my body, forcing me into the wrong shape.”
Profile Image for Danae.
40 reviews8 followers
March 24, 2013
Tobias <3 I loved him in Divergent but now I adored him. I thought he was just being mean so Eric won't suspect him, but he is so much better than that :)
Profile Image for Gabrielle Carolina.
1,278 reviews168 followers
April 24, 2012
Oh, wow.

Can we just have a book from Four's perspective?

No offense Tris, but I love your man...

Whoa, Tris, watcha doin' with that knife?

*flails*

*scampers back to Candor and reminds self to shut mouth around the Dauntless*
Profile Image for Micheline.
322 reviews154 followers
May 6, 2012

3.5 stars

This was much too short. Why do authors feel the need to tease us with the male's perspective? I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love reading a beloved female-driven story again from the male's perspective. It's my weakness.

Free Four an ideal excerpt to read before or after Insurgent as a way to better understand Four's character, his thought process and his feelings for Tris. He's a pretty great character, you have to admit and I'm thrilled at any kind of deeper insight into his personality. I can only hope Veronica Roth will give us more Four :)
Profile Image for Amber J..
78 reviews4 followers
April 25, 2012
Raise your hand if you were one of the 35,000 people that pre-ordered Insurgent to get Roth to reveal this Four POV scene.

Taylor says I

Four was my fave character from Divergent so I'm grateful we're given the chance to peer into his mind: to see what things were like when he was an initiate, what his plans were just before Tris arrived , and that he has...a fifth fear?


Profile Image for Prabhjot Kaur.
1,063 reviews198 followers
March 8, 2022
A short-story from Four's POV. How can I resist? Yeah, I can't get enough of Four. He's my favorite character from the Divergent series and I just love him. I'll read anything from his POV. I read this after I read the other short-stories from Four's POV (I didn't know this came out a long time before the other short-stories).

I loved Amar and Four together in this. A very interesting read and again I wish that if Divergent could have been from Four's POV.

5 stars
Profile Image for Bel Watson.
Author 30 books234 followers
December 5, 2015
I'm still screaming. I just discovered this now and I can't believe I didn't know about it before!! what kind of person am I?
I love Four, I love him so much, he is one of my favorite male characters ever and this scene in particular is so intense, so strong, so vivid that I felt like dying and screaming and jumping all at the same time!
Veronica Roth, again, has demonstrated how incredible she is, how talented, how great.
Tomorrow comes out Insurgent and I believe this little but perfect story was the thing I needed to survive till tomorrow.
I give it 5 millions stars. Yes, I loved it that much!
Profile Image for Taschima.
921 reviews448 followers
July 19, 2012
oooh Four, how I love you. This short story is awessome! I wish we could have the whole book from his perspective...

I feel like short e-novellas should have their own rating system, because sure they aren't the complete story but they bring something to the table. This story for example brought a LOT to the table when it comes to hundreds of beating hearts who lovingly wait for any mention of Four in Divergent. Free Four is a short re telling of Divergent through Four's eyes, and not just on any part but the knife throwing scene!! Let's just say it's incredibly nice to be inside Four's head at a time when you didn't know what the hell was going on through those parts. The e-novella is less than 15 pages, sad to say, but it will be a nice fix for those who have just finished Insurgent, or even Divergent, and need a bit more.

I give this E-novella a 5/5! Getting to look at some things through Four's eyes is amazing, in fact the only thing I am disappointed about is that we don't get the whole NOVEL through Four's eyes. What do you say guys? Let Veronica Roth take a step into the unthinkable and write Divergent again through Four's eyes?! YES?! Oh please do so, I would so buy that book.
Profile Image for Denisse.
516 reviews299 followers
July 5, 2020
A story about Eric, Al, Will or some character we don't know that well would've been better. I'll never understand Veronica's obsession with Four.



Aun recuerdo cuando creía que Divergente era genial *suspira*, que tiempos aquellos.
Que triste cuando algunas historias no las ves con los mismos ojos conforme pasan los años, supongo que le pasa a todo el mundo con algún libro. Verdad? Repito. Jamas entenderé la obsesión de la autora por Cuatro.
Profile Image for Ceilidh.
233 reviews604 followers
December 15, 2012
WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?!

Seriously, I was pretty horrified by the glorified violence in Divergent, but this manages to be close to psychotic. Am I supposed to sympathise with this man? He's nasty, completely incapable of making any sort of comment without immediately tacking on some sort of insult, has a very messed up moral core, and is incredibly whiny.

Here's my big issue with this and Divergent. They seem to think that violence is cool, and advocate its use pretty strongly. There's a horrific scene in the book involving a gun, which is the climax of the heroine discussing how secure and in charge she feels with a gun in her hand, that makes my blood curdle. Can we please stop it with this crap?

This is a short and utterly pointless piece of writing that serves absolutely no purpose. It's bland, clunky, questionable in tone and intent, and completely fails as a character exercise. Tobias/Four started out as a jerk and remains one throughout Divergent. Here, nothing changes. In fact, he comes out of it being somewhat more psychotic.
Profile Image for Carmen de la Rosa.
552 reviews367 followers
June 9, 2019
Relectura

Me he reencontrado con este relato, lo leí justo cuando acabe de leer la trilogía de Divergente hace más de 3 años, no fue lo mejor que pude haber hecho, especialmente por como termina de Allegiant y algunos momentos de este relato, no fue buena combinación, creo que este POV me destrozo mucho más.

En Free Four, tenemos el POV de Tobias del capitulo 13 de Divergente, este capitulo me hizo volver a enamorarme de Tobias, recordé porque me enamore de él y hasta el día de hoy sigue siendo de mis amores literarios y honestamente no creo que esto cambie en un futuro cercano.

Ame volver a leer su frustración, conocer sus sentimientos, entender sus acciones y decisiones, ver como piensa y se preocupa por Tris, por que no la descubran (esto incluye que Eric no descubra los sentimientos que esta teniendo hacia Tris), por que pueda vivir en paz como él (ya que sabe que es Divergente), pero simplemente fracasa porque justamente Tris no puede leer su mente. *Aquí es cuando finjo reír para no llorar*

Mi amado Tobias... siempre estarás en mi corazón.
P.D. VERONICA ROTH PORQUE DESTROZASTE A UN PERSONAJE TAN HERMOSO EN TU ESTÚPIDO EPILOGO DE MIERDA?!!!! TOBIAS NO LO MERECÍA!!!
Profile Image for Fenia.
290 reviews482 followers
January 4, 2014
OMG KILL ME WHY DON'T YOU??? Since I am too afraid to read Allegiant yet,i decided to read this,and OMG BEST CHOICE OF THE DAY!!! Tobias is so perfect!!! 'Looking at her is like waking up' he says,and i melt..Why does he have to be so perfect?? Ughh I hate that Allegiant isn't that good according to others. I need to know whats happening in the end,but at the same time i don't!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,865 reviews

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