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Lonely Crowds

By Stephanie Wambugu
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Brief Description
Ruth's life changes the day she stands in line with her mother to buy a new school uniform and sees another girl and her aunt turned away, unable to afford one. The girl, Maria, meets Ruth's stare without shame, and from that moment, Ruth can't stop... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$2799
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Luster meets The Idiot in this intimate, piercing debut centring on the glamourous 90s NYC art scene and a friendship teetering on the obsessive

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Ruth's life changes the day she stands in line with her mother to buy a new school uniform and sees another girl and her aunt turned away, unable to afford one. The girl, Maria, meets Ruth's stare without shame, and from that moment, Ruth can't stop thinking about her.

When school begins, and they turn out to be the only two girls attending on scholarship, Ruth musters the courage to introduce herself. A friendship forms—not by choice, but by something stronger. Ruth is drawn into Maria's orbit, always circling: never too close, never quite able to pull away.

As they grow up like sisters, attend the same college, and eventually move to 1990s New York to chase dreams in the art world, the bond between them begins to buckle under the weight of ambition and rivalry. Their lives continue to converge and diverge—until they meet in one final and momentous confrontation.

Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu captures the complexity of friendship against the backdrop of ambition and art.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781837266432

Publisher: Canongate Books

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 09 April 2026

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Canongate Books

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 18.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 211g

Pages: 304

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Stephanie Wambugu

About the Author

Stephanie Wambugu was born in Mombasa, Kenya in 1998 and grew up in Rhode Island. While completing her MFA at Columbia University, she also worked as a bookseller. She continues to live and work in NYC and is an editor of Joyland Magazine. Lonely Crowds is her first novel.

@stephanienjeriwambugu | stephanienjeriwambugu.com

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