This Is an Actual Tragedy

In this astonishing debut novel, four unlikely friends meet at the University of Chicago’s “Scholars of Color” program and form an unbreakable bond—until they’re drawn into a dangerous campus game that ends in catastrophe.

It’s the fall of 2013, and Darwin Harrington—a physics geek determined to level up his life—is on his way to orientation. Soon, he’ll meet the friends who will split and rearrange the atomic bonds of his existence. There’s Nat: an adrift, aspiring writer, who enters an illicit romance that’s all fun and games until it isn’t. Stephanie: the campus It Girl who’s guarding a secret that threatens to shatter her carefully-crafted sense of self. And Jordan: the golden boy, a six-foot-four basketball star who’s earned the nickname “Young Barack,” but struggles beneath the weight of expectations.

When Darwin receives an invitation to participate in the most notorious and nerdy secret society at school, revolving around an elaborate tradition called Scav—an unhinged scavenger hunt that requires students to perform absurd, often illegal, stunts—Nat, Stephanie, and Jordan roll their eyes. But over the next four years, as they navigate the widening gap between who they feel they really are versus how others perceive them, each of them will join the hunt for different reasons. One won’t live to see graduation.

Provocative, profound, and deeply, darkly funny, this marks the explosive arrival of a brilliant new voice in contemporary fiction, about the perils of trying to find yourself in a world that’s lost its way. Both a razor-sharp satire of college life and a sweeping coming-of-age story, This Is an Actual Tragedy asks: Who gets to play the game? And who suffers the consequences when the game goes awry?

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs