Book review: The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett

Genre: Historical fiction

Release date: May 5, 2026

Goodreads rating: 4.41

My rating: 4

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If you enjoy longer immersive historical fiction stories with memorable characters, this one is absolutely for you!

Set in Depression-era Mississippi, the story follows Meg, a young orphan whose life becomes intertwined with a group of women navigating fighting for survival and their place in society. The novel does a great job capturing the plight of women and the many ways they had to adapt, endure, and fight for their space in a societal model designed to limit them. There’s also thoughtful attention to racial divisions and social hierarchies, and how those systems shaped everyday life.

This is a slower, character-driven novel, which I enjoyed. It takes its time building relationships and tension. But that slower pace pays off because I found myself genuinely getting attached to the characters. Each day, when I was returning to the book, I felt like I was stepping back into their world.

It’s a long novel, over 650 pages, so it’s important to go in expecting a saga. If you prefer short, tightly plotted books, this may feel like a commitment.

The writing felt flawless to me: smooth, clear, and I felt like it captured the voices of each person.

Overall, I found Calamity Club moving, absorbing, and well worth the page count.

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

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