What do you think?
Rate this book
Divergent #0.2
Four: The Initiate
The Initiate provides readers with a glimpse into Tobias's Dauntless initiation experience, including an epic game of late-night Dare; his first tattoo; the beginning of his passion for training new initiates; and his nascent understanding of the danger of being Divergent.
30 pages, Unknown Binding
First published July 8, 2014
About the author
Veronica Roth
56 books462k followersVeronica 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.
Sign up for Veronica's newsletter to hear news, writing thoughts, book recommendations, etc.!
Sign up for Veronica's newsletter to hear news, writing thoughts, book recommendations, etc.!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 798 reviews
July 22, 2014
Old review: stop rating before reading
EDIT: You may now start rating as it has been published!
EDIT: You may now start rating as it has been published!
November 3, 2017
"I may have chosen Dauntless as a haven, but I’m not just surviving here, I’m excelling. I stare at Eric’s blood on my knuckles and smile."
We get to know the full story behind the Four - Eric feud, and it goes far deeper than I had imagined.
Where Tris never really felt or acted like someone from abnegation, Four truly struggles with the changes and how to simply interact with others.
“It’s okay to not be okay, you know.”
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.
I liked this short-story a lot, mostly because of Fours internal struggle and character building!
"I am not Tobias Eaton, not anymore, never again. I am Dauntless."
We get to know the full story behind the Four - Eric feud, and it goes far deeper than I had imagined.
Where Tris never really felt or acted like someone from abnegation, Four truly struggles with the changes and how to simply interact with others.
“It’s okay to not be okay, you know.”
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.
I liked this short-story a lot, mostly because of Fours internal struggle and character building!
"I am not Tobias Eaton, not anymore, never again. I am Dauntless."
February 18, 2020
Q: “Guess you were born Dauntless.” (c)
Q: It never even occurred to me that I could be one of them, or that I should try to be. ...
It’s camaraderie and friendship and flirtation, and none of it is familiar to me. (с)
Running wild. Jumping free. Getting 'train legs'.
Some social-mingling with the 'Dauntless-born' (in soul only) Four.
Q:
“Joining a faction is about more than getting through initiation, you know...
For most of the Dauntless, they meet their best friends during initiation, their girlfriends, boyfriends, whatever. Enemies, too. But you seem determined not to have any of those things.” (c)
Q:
In her free hand is a silver flask. It explains a lot. (c)
Q:
Abnegation-born, Abnegation result, in a Dauntless haven. (c)
Q:
“So we have a masochist in the chair tonight. Lovely.” (c)
Q:
I know that for every good thing that comes along, there is always a cost. What is the cost of being Dauntless? (c)
Q:
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. (c)
Q: It never even occurred to me that I could be one of them, or that I should try to be. ...
It’s camaraderie and friendship and flirtation, and none of it is familiar to me. (с)
Running wild. Jumping free. Getting 'train legs'.
Some social-mingling with the 'Dauntless-born' (in soul only) Four.
Q:
“Joining a faction is about more than getting through initiation, you know...
For most of the Dauntless, they meet their best friends during initiation, their girlfriends, boyfriends, whatever. Enemies, too. But you seem determined not to have any of those things.” (c)
Q:
In her free hand is a silver flask. It explains a lot. (c)
Q:
Abnegation-born, Abnegation result, in a Dauntless haven. (c)
Q:
“So we have a masochist in the chair tonight. Lovely.” (c)
Q:
I know that for every good thing that comes along, there is always a cost. What is the cost of being Dauntless? (c)
Q:
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. (c)
February 5, 2017
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.
August 20, 2020
This book is a great book. It's cool that they have four's POV and his life story. Also in the book it Talks about how four became a dauntless and why he is. It's just good to read about how he felt when he was divergent and how he felt when he meet tris. It's also another great book to add to the divergent if you really like it.
August 15, 2019
4
I am Dauntless ★'s
“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!
On to #0.3 The Son Woohoo!
“I may have chosen Dauntless as a haven, but I’m not just surviving here, I’m excelling.”
“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!
On to #0.3 The Son Woohoo!
“I may have chosen Dauntless as a haven, but I’m not just surviving here, I’m excelling.”
Want to read
March 6, 2017Do yourself a favour and don't buy this ebook if you don't want to waste your money.
As of 10th September it will cost you £1.99 for this ebook but if you wait until January you can get this and 4 other short stories (all priced at £1.99 each when purchased separately) in one print bind up that is currently available to pre-order for just £4.99 (versus the £9.95 it would cost you for the 5 ebooks!!!)
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
5. Free Four: Tobias Tells the Story
As of 10th September it will cost you £1.99 for this ebook but if you wait until January you can get this and 4 other short stories (all priced at £1.99 each when purchased separately) in one print bind up that is currently available to pre-order for just £4.99 (versus the £9.95 it would cost you for the 5 ebooks!!!)
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
5. Free Four: Tobias Tells the Story
May 27, 2021
The Initiate is even better than The Transfer. Four and Eric's initial story is told and how their feud started. Four's struggles and Four's emotions and Four's development and Four's first tattoo and Four's first drink and Four Four Four.
I also liked the insight into other characters. Honestly, I liked everything about it.
Not Four but Five Stars.
I also liked the insight into other characters. Honestly, I liked everything about it.
Not Four but Five Stars.
October 24, 2020
One thing this novella doesn't explain is why the other initiates don't know Four's real name. Even if he gave "Four" as his name when introducing himself, how did he know he had four fears back then?
December 24, 2021
Liked it
February 13, 2016
Can't get enough of Four, especially when I picture him as Theo James.
January 3, 2016
“How to Be Dauntless: An Introductory Course,” she says. “Lesson one: It’s okay to hug your friends here."
I really liked this one.It was a bit longer than the previous short story and we get to read about Four's initiation and how he handled it.Amar is such a cool character,I really liked him and the fact that he really cared about Four.And...Four gets his first tattoo!
May 13, 2015
I JUST LOVE MY FOURRRRRRR!!!
July 11, 2014
APRIL 16, 2014 REVIEW:
I have mixed feelings about this. Mainly because of the author. Yeah, she completely ruined me. The ending of Allegiant <<<<<<< Cleaning 10000 year old outhouses.
Seriously though.
But there will be none of the characters that died in the Divergent trilogy (hopefully!) so i think i may okay but seriously: Veronica Roth<<<<<<<<< Justin Bieber
JULY 10, 2014 REVIEW:
I have mixed feelings about this. Mainly because of the author. Yeah, she completely ruined me. The ending of Allegiant <<<<<<< Cleaning 10000 year old outhouses.
Seriously though.
But there will be none of the characters that died in the Divergent trilogy (hopefully!) so i think i may okay but seriously: Veronica Roth<<<<<<<<< Justin Bieber
JULY 10, 2014 REVIEW:
April 5, 2015
«The Abnegation say, in hushed voices that the problem with many Erudite is their selfishness, but I think it is their arrogance, the pride they take in knowing things that others do not.»
I loved that I got an insight on some characters we don’t really get to know well in the Divergent trilogy, like Amar, Zeke and Shauna - however, I was expecting more.
Four was fully committed to his initiation - so immersed in it that he didn’t really do anything else.
«“See, I spend a lot of time trying to figure out what your deal is, so I’ve been asking around. Turns out you’re in here every morning and in the fear landscape room every night. You never spend time with the other initiates. You’re always exhausted and you sleep like a corpse. (…) Joining a faction is about more than getting through initiation, you know,” Amar says.»
Amar was a lovely character in Allegiant, and I had always wondered what his story and mainly, his relationship with Four before he was supposedly killed was like. He was funny and protective of him, and I ended up really enjoying their exchanges.
«“Let’s see which of your four fears comes up first,” he says. “You know, I’m getting kind of bored of them, you might try to show me something new.”
“I’ll work on it,” I say.»
We also get to see him getting his tattoo, and learn the motivations behind them, as well as the reason for the body part choice.
«I want to have some kind of reminder that while wounds heal, they don’t disappear forever - I carry them everywhere, always, and that is the way of things, the way of scars.»
Also, Four finally understands that not everything is black and white, and that even though his father did hit him and treat him very badly, he might also have tried to protect him. This leaves him conflicted.
«It feels strange, to know that he must have been trying to protect me. Like he’s not quite the monster I imagine, the one I see in my worst nightmares.»
The one thing that did not come out as believable to me was his fight with Eric, and mostly because of how it was described.
«My eyes are blurry with half a dozen different kinds of pain. I didn’t know it came in so many varieties, like flavours, acid and fire and ache and sting.»
I mean, honestly? You’ve told us over and over again how you suffered through constant beatings from your father, and only now are you discovering real pain? In a fight that hasn't even taken up a whole of five minutes? Shouldn’t he be used to pain by now?
January 29, 2020
3.5 stars
“I am not Tobias Eaton, not anymore, never again. I am Dauntless”.
Four is going through his time as an initiate, and seeing some of his insecurities, and his fears gives me such a bigger insight into this character. This time in his life was a big part of building his character and I really enjoy these little snippets of his life.
Read: 29/01/2020
1st rating: 3.5 stars
Genre/sub-genre: Dystopian/YA
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Single -1st person (Four)
Will I recommend: Yes
“I am not Tobias Eaton, not anymore, never again. I am Dauntless”.
Four is going through his time as an initiate, and seeing some of his insecurities, and his fears gives me such a bigger insight into this character. This time in his life was a big part of building his character and I really enjoy these little snippets of his life.
Read: 29/01/2020
1st rating: 3.5 stars
Genre/sub-genre: Dystopian/YA
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Single -1st person (Four)
Will I recommend: Yes
May 27, 2018
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!
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!
August 7, 2014
The second installment in the Four quartet of novellas was a decent read. However I did find my mind wandering at times, it just didn't hold my attention as well as "The Transfer". It's been a while since I have read the Divergent trilogy and I might have enjoyed this story more if I remembered all the characters from before. 3/5
November 21, 2023
4 Stars for Four: The Initiative: Divergent, Book 0.2 (audiobook) by Veronica Roth read by Aaron Sanford.
I really enjoyed getting back into the Divergent world. It was great getting to learn Four’s backstory.
I really enjoyed getting back into the Divergent world. It was great getting to learn Four’s backstory.
August 27, 2014
The Initiate
4 Star - Four is learning to be himself, in a world that is not wanting to accept him.
This short has Four training, making friends, making enemies and standing out as the toughest sob there is.
I enjoyed this short because of the struggle Four deals with in learning how to interact with others, it is kind of sad, but has a real world understanding of what happens with the struggle one has when trying to venture into interactions with others, when the only previous relationship was to that of a an abusive person.
Four pushes himself to the point he must walk away at one point, as he is really finding his own boundaries and limits in this one.
Written for fans of Four, he makes friends and enemies here.
"His eyes are glassy and unfocused. His blood is bright against his skin. It occurs to me that I did that, it was me, and fear creeps back in, a different kind of fear this time. A fear of what I am, what I might be becoming." - pg 81
4 Star - Four is learning to be himself, in a world that is not wanting to accept him.
This short has Four training, making friends, making enemies and standing out as the toughest sob there is.
I enjoyed this short because of the struggle Four deals with in learning how to interact with others, it is kind of sad, but has a real world understanding of what happens with the struggle one has when trying to venture into interactions with others, when the only previous relationship was to that of a an abusive person.
Four pushes himself to the point he must walk away at one point, as he is really finding his own boundaries and limits in this one.
Written for fans of Four, he makes friends and enemies here.
"His eyes are glassy and unfocused. His blood is bright against his skin. It occurs to me that I did that, it was me, and fear creeps back in, a different kind of fear this time. A fear of what I am, what I might be becoming." - pg 81
May 21, 2014
I like Tris's perspective more
December 30, 2014
Aw. Poor Amar.
Read
May 16, 2023I missed the Divergent vibes (book 1 I mean)
It was sweet to be back to initiation and all that
It was sweet to be back to initiation and all that
July 27, 2019
I am all in on anything Divergent. I loved The initiate. It is a collection of stories told completely from Four's POV and it really does fill in the blanks on alot.
I loved reading this and I'd suggest any fan of the series check this one out. There are several other short little books in the Divergent series but this one is up there as it is told completely by Four and you will not be able to put it down.
I loved reading this and I'd suggest any fan of the series check this one out. There are several other short little books in the Divergent series but this one is up there as it is told completely by Four and you will not be able to put it down.
July 30, 2015
I love reading from Four's POV so much. I loved this read because I am getting more insight of what is going on in his mind. It was very different seeing Four go through his Initiation process is so amazing. It is so different than Tris's which is cool to see from a different perspective. I love learning more about Four! I love Zeke and Shauna they are so cute. I also love Amar.
January 1, 2019
It was good :)
June 6, 2024
4 ⭐️
Three words : I LOVE FOUR 🫶🏻
Three words : I LOVE FOUR 🫶🏻
Read
October 19, 2018Excellent novella. If you're a Four fan. You'll want to read each of these.
January 28, 2024
The Initiate starts strong, tackling Four's trauma and his obsessive need to prove himself:
Divergent creeps in between the cracks just as I'm enjoying myself. Here, Amar doesn't just bring up elderly Dauntless killing themselves, he describes a common method as "taking a flying leap into the unknown of the chasm." The problem?
That's what Al did in Divergent and this relevant detail isn't brought up then, not once, not even as Eric himself eulogized him. This gives the act a greater significance for the faction and there was nothing. Why?
Because Roth hadn't thought about elderly Dauntless death rituals when she was writing Divergent, and the retconning — despite being better — rankles, especially as its about a particularly awful couple of chapters from that book.
Four's experience of Dauntless initiation shouldn't retread Divergent as much as it does. The entire suicide and mourning is repetitive in the worst way. Also, in Allegiant, the relationship between Four and Amar was implied to more personal and impactful than anything we got here.
I'm actually shocked at how lacklustre it was.
Overall, this is the superior rewrite. The pacing is better. Roth was a little more creative with dealing with the simulations. And even with a fraction of the time, Four and Shauna's interactions are a thousand times better than any of the relationships in the series.
But that voice, the one that says "should," now sounds to me like my father's voice, requiring me to behave, to isolate myself. And I came here because I was ready to stop listening to that voice.Unfortunately, this story can't exist in a vacuum, however much I wish it did.
Divergent creeps in between the cracks just as I'm enjoying myself. Here, Amar doesn't just bring up elderly Dauntless killing themselves, he describes a common method as "taking a flying leap into the unknown of the chasm." The problem?
That's what Al did in Divergent and this relevant detail isn't brought up then, not once, not even as Eric himself eulogized him. This gives the act a greater significance for the faction and there was nothing. Why?
Because Roth hadn't thought about elderly Dauntless death rituals when she was writing Divergent, and the retconning — despite being better — rankles, especially as its about a particularly awful couple of chapters from that book.
Four's experience of Dauntless initiation shouldn't retread Divergent as much as it does. The entire suicide and mourning is repetitive in the worst way. Also, in Allegiant, the relationship between Four and Amar was implied to more personal and impactful than anything we got here.
I'm actually shocked at how lacklustre it was.
Overall, this is the superior rewrite. The pacing is better. Roth was a little more creative with dealing with the simulations. And even with a fraction of the time, Four and Shauna's interactions are a thousand times better than any of the relationships in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 798 reviews