The Efficient Man

Firstly, while he is the central character, I didn't know Jahar & never will. There are many real-life names, places, events, quotes, & various other facts that pop up throughout the story. *It still remains a purely fictional work.*

The format of the story is as follows:
The first & alternating chapters are told from the first-person POV of the eloquent, thoughtful, smart, and beautiful Zara. She is a girl who resides only in this fictional world. She's the childhood friend & high school sweetheart. Set in present day, Zara sits in an undisclosed location talking to a mysterious figure. Where, with whom? The details may unravel. Zara's chapters are a reflection of sorts from her high school relationship spanning '09-'11, flashbacks to a long-gone past. Zara remembers and weaves snippets of the real, raw, enchanting, enthralling, confusing, disheartening and, sometimes even, chilling memories of her almost two year relationship with Jahar, whom the world now calls the Boston Bomber.

The second/alternating chapters are told from a third-person POV, following the protagonist/antagonist through his short-lived college years, in the months leading up to the tragedy. The reader becomes almost omniscient, catching rare but not-too-close-for-long insights into his fleeting inner thoughts & emotions, carefully tucked away. A glimpse into the enigmatic mind and conflicted personal world of J. Will he leave us fooled & blind-sighted? Or will he even give us a chance to get some answers to our endless questions of HOW & WHY?

**Lastly, I know the evil, callous, & reprehensible nature of what both brothers did. My sympathy and well-wishes lie with the victims and survivors. I am not trying to soften or romanticize J. My main goal is to shed some light or understanding, in my own way, onto who this paradoxical young man was, could have been, and what could have possibly led up to him making that terribly wrong turn one fateful April day in Boston.**
xx, Natalie