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Four: A Divergent Collection - Veronica Roth

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Brief synopsis (no spoilers):
Giving further voice to Four (Tobias Eaton), this collection of seven short stories provides the backstory of the "Divergent" trilogy... Fans of the novels are given access to the thoughts and emotions of one of their favorite characters, while also learning more details about secondary characters like Eric, Zeke, and Shauna. Listeners will better understand how Tobias was raised by a tyrannical father and an absent mother and how joining Dauntless was a life-changing decision that catapulted Tobias from a fearful and withdrawn boy to become Four, a strong and confident leader. Two years pass within this collection, from the first story of Four's initiation into Dauntless until he meets Tris in the final stories. - Amazon Review

Category: YA
 
Why I chose this book: It's an extension of the Divergent Series
 
My personal opinion (the review): This set of stories really gives insight into Tobias and his background. We see into some of his inner thoughts and the situations that have turned him into the character that he is when we first meet him in Divergent. Some of the scenes included are Four's aptitude test, his training, his chance to be a Dauntless leader, and his administering Tris' fear simulation. There are also some very short scenes from Divergent, but told from Four's perspective including the knife throwing scene and Tris' jump into the Dauntless cavern.

In a note in the beginning of this collection, the author says she almost wrote Divergent from Tobias' perspective, but ended up not being able to do it. Because she spent so much time writing about the character of Four she already knew his personality by the time she got around to writing from Tris perspective. I feel very much that this collection of stories gives the reader much needed insight into Four for his character to make more sense and to justify some of his actions throughout the trilogy.

It's a fun, easy read that I would recommend to anyone who has read the entire Divergent trilogy.  

Warnings: Death, violence, and drinking are mentioned, mostly in passing.

Movie rating equivalent: PG-13

Protagonist description: In these stories we see Four decide who he wants to be and make choices that develop him into that person. He changes from an unsure, abused "Stiff" into the confident leader.

Point of view of story: 1st person

Book length: Very quick, short stories

Story flow: Thought each of these were short stories, they were well composed enough to feel complete and whole. Each story also integrated very well with each other and the overall Divergent storyline.

Grammar and spelling issues: None.

Character connection: 

For series:
Independent or integral: Integral
If you only have time for one, read: Divergent, but this is a close second.
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