The Transfer - By: Veronica Roth

The Transfer: A Divergent Story
(Divergent #0.1)
by: Veronica Roth

5 of 5 stars

More Four! Fans of the Divergent series by #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth will be thrilled by "The Transfer," the first of four new short stories told from Four’s perspective. Each brief story explores the world of the Divergent series through the eyes of the mysterious but charismatic Tobias Eaton, revealing previously unknown facets of his personality, backstory, and relationships.

my thoughts

Four’s point of view has always shock me and this time was not the exception, but not like the first time. This story was kind of sad, but leaves you with the feeling that there will be more. And I want more, I don’t know you, but I do.

Now, let’s talk about this short story, with a lot of details and spoilers, this review I only recommend it to people that have read the story. If you have not, then I totally recommend you to read all the Divergent books and short stories. Beware spoilers ahead!

You, who have read already the short story, did you compare somehow Tobias Choosing Ceremony and all with Tris story? I did, like I didn’t compare the family thingy, but their emotions and other things, totally yes. Here are some points:

• Aptitude Test Day – They both were “helped” by Tori. She gave them the test and some “comments”. When they (Tris & Tobias) got their results, they went alone to their houses and in the way, they passed the Factionless area. While there, they both find this factionless guy. I’m beginning to think if it’s the same one for both, but we don’t know for real. Like, why Tris and Tobias found themselves in Factionless area after their aptitude test?
•  The Factionless guy – Now, let’s talk about this encounter with more detail. If you compare Tris and Tobias stories, both (or maybe the same one) factionless guys talk about different things, but they have something in common. The Choosing Day. Both recommend them to choose very well.
• Choosing Ceremony – They were very aware that being in Abnegation was not an option. Not for Tobias, and neither for Tris, no matter what she said I know that she was not for Abnegation. Both choose Dauntless. Great choice!
• Stiff thingy – Not a surprise, both were called ‘stiff’ until they became ‘someone with name’. The difference is that Tobias did not care about it, in the beginning. But Tris didn’t like that well, but nothing she can do stopped that.

You see, this is a very short story, but everything from Divergent begin to form the puzzle from my head. Missing pieces come together and that make me happy. I got so many thoughts of this story, do you want to know another aspects?

•  I wonder if Tobias thoughts about leaving Dauntless and being Factionless years later (in Divergent book) has something to do about this meeting with the Factionless guy. I mean, I know it was thanks to Tris that he didn’t go, but before that. Maybe this “meeting” has something to do too.
•  It’s very shocking to know why, like the very exact reason, of why Tobias left Abnegation and become Dauntless. It was his only and true choice. He cannot choose Amity because he was too broken to find peace there. Neither Candor, because he thought that ventilating his biggest secrets about his father was not the solution. Abnegation was a no no, for obvious reasons and Erudite was not for him because he is too volatile to be there with all the nerds.
•  About not saying the name… Applause for Tobias, Tori and Amar (I will talk about him later)! I clap for Tobias because it was very genius of not saying the name, I’m proud. Tori and Amar, I clap for them because they did know his real name, but did not say anything. Clap, clap, and clap!
• Amar! Oh my God. I swear that I love him and I really don’t know why he doesn’t appear in Divergent or Insurgent. Did he die? Veronica Roth, you will kill him in another short story, right? Damn woman! Stop killing my faves. I love him even more when I noticed that it was him who named Tobias with the “Four” name. Genius! Four fears. *thumbs up for Amar*
• We meet someone people for Divergent and Insurgent! Like Tori, Eric and Zeke. Tori… I already talk about her. Zeke introduces himself and it’s the first person to jump to the net. Sadly, Tobias was the last one. Now, Eric is very… Erudite. He thinks he knows everything and I seriously ask myself why he transfer to Dauntless, but then I imagine already why. The master plan of Jeanine, tada! I hate him and even more when everyone thought that he was someone dangerous and he kind of is, but hell! Tris beats him, so he is not invincible.
• Four Fears:

1.       Heights – We see the origin of his fear. He was afraid to be a “stiff pancake”. And you may think, what a ridiculous thought! But hello, jumping to a dark hole and you don’t know what it’s at the end or even if it have end… its scary.

2.       Claustrophobia – As we know, nothing new, but this time there IS something new. He is in the same box, he is very desperate to get out and instead of calm himself, and he just pushes the wall and free himself. VERY divergent Tobias. The origin is simple and sad. There was a time when Tobias was little that Marcus, his father, grounded him and closed him in the closet below the stairs of the house. Very creepy. I hate Marcus!

3.       Kill someone – You know this fear changes and Tobias say it some things in Divergent. Now we see a woman that he doesn’t know and he needs to kill her. This fear origin is that he is scare of what can Dauntless make him do. We read in Divergent how this fear changes a little or a least I guess that instead of the unknown woman is Tris. Believe me, I would be scare of killing the love of my live.

4.       Marcus – Maybe being scared of Marcus, when they have the same height and Tobias is “more” strong sounds very ridiculous. But when you are a child and your father raised you with his knuckles, makes the move on and fight more hard. Hell! It’s impossible. We see how that affects in Tobias later on in Insurgent.

•  The “you fucking kidding me?” time! Which involves Marcus all the way. I just hate Marcus so much and I found all his lines of this short story very fucking hilarious, but not in the funny involvement, more like… if I need to choose between cry and laugh, I will choose laugh. I cannot express how much hate I feel inside me towards Marcus. Like I said, he is the fourth fear of Tobias landscape. The fear of being beaten until blackout is so scary that I just scared myself. Something I didn’t understand is why so many Marcus? With just one was freaking scary, with a lot more was a fucking nightmare.

So yeah. That’s all I will talk about or maybe about the story perse. Now, I will write you some quotes I like or found very interesting and my thoughts about them:

•  “The man whose knuckles I know better than his embrace.”

o   By Tobias.

o   I don’t like it and it’s not favorite. It’s a sadly quote. What it’s the role of the father? Beat his sons until blackout or embrace them with love? God! I hate him so much.

•    “Beautiful things always do.”

o   By Tobias mom, Esther.

o   We don’t see her in this story and I think (my guess) that we will not see her in the other short stories, but I’m not sure. I really don’t like her, thanks to how she acts in Insurgent, but in this story… We see how little Tobias saw her and she looks lovely, like a mom. I liked that.

•         “This is for your own good.”

o   By Marcus.

o   This was the line that make me say: “you fucking kidding me, right?” I was like this can’t be happening. It was not real and Tobias knew this, but fear froze him. I feel sad and angry about the whole situation.

•  “My name is Four,” I said. “Call me ‘stiff’ again and you and I will have a problem.”

o   By Tobias.

o   FUCKING PERFECT! We see how Tobias accepted his new nickname. He is not Marcus Eaton son anymore. I was so proud and happy for him.

• “Someone who’s finally ready to fight. Four.”

o   By Tobias.

o   This were the last words of the whole story and I must confess that, like the whole story, I love it. I cannot express how much I love it or I did already?

Yup, NOW that’s it. You love it, you like it? Something to add? Feel free to comment!

PS, if you read all this, you my friend deserves a hug.