The Calamity Club

by Kathryn Stockett

The multi-million copy selling author of The Help returns with a bold, big-hearted novel about a group of unbreakable women, fighting for what’s rightfully theirs—and the power of friendship to change everything.

In 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, Prohibition is on the wane, and the Great Depression is tightening its grip. Poor and rich folks alike have fallen on hard times, even as the old social order remains. For women on the margins, the options are few and the price of dignity and self-determination is unbearably high.

Eleven-year-old Meg, one of the unadoptable “big girls” at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, fights each day to keep her spirit unbowed. Birdie, unmarried and outspoken, has come to Oxford on a mission to ask her social-climbing sister to help the struggling family she’s left behind. And Charlie is a woman with a past, running low on luck but driven by fire, fury, and grit. When their fates converge, they come up with an audacious plan to take back control of their lives. Together, they form an unlikely sisterhood—but in a place and time where hypocrisy is rife, women’s freedom is fragile, and making an enemy can have dire consequences, will the price they pay for their outrageous risk-taking be too high?

The Calamity Club will make you laugh, cry, and cheer—an epic testament to resilience, friendship, and the fierce, funny women who know that calamity can be the spark of new beginnings. This is Kathryn Stockett at her most confident, heartfelt, and hilarious—the triumphant return of one of the most beloved storytellers of our time.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Book Club, Literary Fiction, Adult, Southern

656 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication May 5, 2026

About the author

Kathryn Stockett was born and raised in Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in English and creative writing, she moved to New York City, where she worked in magazine publishing for nine years. She currently lives in Mississippi and New York City.

Reviews

[Maven_Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Calamity Club by Kathryn Stockett is a sweeping historical fiction set in 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, about three very different women whose lives collide during the Great Depression, forming an unexpected sisterhood as they each fight to reclaim agency, dignity, and hope in a time when the social order feels unforgiving and fraught with hypocrisy. The story follows Meg, an eleven-year-old labeled “unadoptable” living in an orphanage, Birdie, a determined woman seeking help from her affluent sister for her struggling family, and Charlie, a woman shaped by loss and grit, as they join forces with other underestimated women to take bold risks that might change their lives forever. This novel marks Stockett’s long-awaited second book after her breakout success The Help, and it highlights resilience, resilience found in friendship and defiance, and the struggles for self-determination against the backdrop of economic hardship.

Reading about these women stirred a deep emotional cadence in me, from Meg’s fierce will to survive despite constant setbacks to Birdie’s blend of hope and frustration as she confronts family divides and societal expectations. What resonated most was how each character carried her own burdens yet found, in each other, sparks of empathy and courage that felt both tender and invigorating.

Stockett balances moments that made me laugh quietly with others that pulled at my chest, particularly in how she portrays the fragile nature of women’s freedom in a world that often underestimates their strength and resourcefulness. I also appreciated the narrative’s blend of heartfelt seriousness and dry wit, reflecting Stockett’s skill in creating characters who are real, flawed, and deeply memorable. I found this to be a bold, warm, and funny story with emotional depth.

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars. I am giving this book 3 stars because it felt profoundly human and richly imagined, offering powerful takes on friendship, resilience, and the courage to confront injustice; I also found myself wanting even more immersion in some of the supporting lives that orbit the central trio. Still, The Calamity Club left me thinking about its characters long after reading, and I would happily recommend it to anyone who loves character-driven historical fiction with heart, humor, and grit.

[Karson]

Pre-release:

I’m SO excited for this book to be released!!!!

[Kristen Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Calamity Club is Kathryn Stockett's second novel, set in 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, following her debut The Help. It's a historical fiction novel about a group of women—including a well-intentioned, church going Birdie Calhoun, some prominent socialites, a group of desperate prostitutes, and a charming, honest and innocent young orphan, whose lives intersect during the Great Depression as they form an unlikely sisterhood and take a dangerous risk to earn some desperately needed cash, right some wrongs, and for many of them, start a new life..

How many years have we had to wait for Kathryn Stockett to gift us with a new novel? TOO MANY! Let me tell you, THE CALAMITY CLUB has been worth the wait! I just finished reading an advanced reader's copy (thank you, NetGalley!), and I absolutely LOVED it. This story has quite a cast of interesting characters, some lovable and some not. Stockett gives us multiple protagonists and antagonists in this 650+ page novel. One of my favorite things is that the story is told from two different perspectives; Birdie Calhoun, and 11 year old Meg LeFleur, and we get to know so many different characters along the way. I only hope we won't have to wait so long for another novel by Kathryn Stockett, and I especially hope THE CALAMITY CLUB will be made into a movie as was THE HELP!

[Mary Fabrizio · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sprawling epic that could have been trimmed in spots, but overall was a good yarn. It's populated by sassy women like in The Help - women you want to root for, surrounded by men you mostly wanna hate. That card is played a little heavy handed, truth be told, but the ending is so very satisfying, it's easy to let that slide.
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lucy Ellis-Hardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this novel by Kathryn Stockett and was keen to read The Calamity Club after enjoying her previous book, The Help.  The Calamity Club is a compelling, immersive read that I couldn’t put down. I read this 600 + pager in just three days!

Set in Oxford, Mississippi, in 1933, during Prohibition and the Great Depression, the novel explores the financial struggles and constraints shaping the lives of its characters at a time when many families were barely surviving.

The story centres around Birdie, Frances, Mrs Tartt, Charlie, as well as Meg aged 11 who lives at the County Orphan Asylum, each battling in different ways to take control of their lives and futures. The characters are deeply believable, and I loved how the novel unfolds, with the meaning of the book title becoming clearer as the story progresses.

The novel explores themes of grief, love, female friendship, identity, and courage. It made me feel a wide range of emotions, and I was completely engaged and often moved.

The characters are well developed, the pacing felt just right, and the world is vividly described, making it easy to lose myself in the story.

I adored this book, and I thought the ending was fabulous; deeply satisfying and emotionally resonant. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

I received a free advance review copy from NetGalley and the publisher, and this is my honest review.

[Rebecca Palmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in 1930s Mississippi, this is an amazing story of a woman and an orphan girl who connect.

Birdie is often overlooked, the spinster sister from the back of beyond. She is a wonderfully rounded character who you can not but fall in love with.

Meg is an orphan who seems to be singled out by the manager of the orphanage. She has such spirit that you root for her to the end.

There are such wonderful side characters that it seems impossible for them to even be considered 'side characters'. Colourful, strong women are aplenty.

The Calamity Club is beautifully written and it will stay with me a long time.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity of this ARC.

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited when I found out Kathryn Stockett was coming out with another novel! I loved The Help, and I see a lot of parallels between it and The Calamity Club. I think readers who enjoyed The Help will like this one as well. This story is told from two different perspectives, and I was invested in them both. It took me a little bit to get into the story, but once I was in it I kept wanting to pick it up and read more. 4 stars!

[Flannery Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 Docked a little for dragging on a smidge in e last third. But otherwise GREAT characters: women who would normally be counted our but are the heroines of the story. My favorite.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau.

You read this book from the eyes of two main characters - 11-year-old Meg, who was abandoned and sent to an orphanage where she is treated more harshly than other orphaned girls and Birdie Calhoun, outspoken, single, daughter and sister who is trying to care for her mother and grandmother. Their stories intertwine when Birdie visits her sister who volunteers at the orphanage.

This is a story of female persistence, strength, and grit in a time when women and girls were told they weren't supposed to possess those traits. It gives readers a glimpse into the time after the Great Depression in 1933. It's sisterhood. It's blood family and found family. It's closed minds and what it takes to fight those in power when some are "different" than others.

Very well done.

[Mayleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like The Help this is another character-driven novel. It is set in Oxford Mississippi during the Great Depression —a time when woman’s rights were challenged. Great cast of characters. Most of them will stay with me. Heartwarming and at times funny.

[Brenda Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book by the author of Help. It’s 1933 during prohibition and it’s hard times for everyone. Birding goes to Oxford MS to check in on her married sister and to ask for help for herself and her mother and grandmother. While fixing the books at the local orphanage, she meets .Meg, who’s having a rough time due to one of the women. Charlie comes looking for Meg, but Meg has been adopted. The story is broken into Birdie and Meg”s journeys during this time period.

[Donna Krutsinger - Mockingbird Musings · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to receive this ARC by the author of 2008's best seller, The Help. Like The Help, Kathryn Stockett sets her second novel in the deep South, this time Oxford, MS. Also, like in The Help, her new one, The Calamity Club, centers around strong, outspoken women trying to right wrongs dealt to people in an oppressive 1930s Southern society.

The book is told in dual perspectives. First, by Meg, an intelligent, inquisitive 11-year-old orphan who wound up at a dreadful orphanage in Oxford (and who is the nemesis and target of the authority figure's wrath). Garnett, the woman who is in charge, plays out to be a well hated antagonist. Our other voice is Birdie, older sister to Frances, who is unmarried and has chosen to stay in Foote to help her mama and mammaw.

The story opens when Birdie travels to Oxford from Foote to try to secure money for herself, her mama, and mammaw so their house won't be foreclosed on due to back taxes. After all, younger sister, Frances, married into the prestigious Tartt family in Oxford, and her husband, Rory, is a successful banker. Meanwhile, the remaining family in Foote is in dire straits after the loss of their husband and father. We soon find out, however, that there is so much more going on in Oxford than meets the eye.

Birdie meets Meg at the orphanage as sister Francis volunteers there several days a week (to give a boost to her own social climbing). Birdie is really taken with Meg because of her wit and resilience, but Meg will soon be shipped off to a cannery to begin her work program.

The wheels really start falling off as Rory, Francis' husband, is not at all who they thought. He has lost his job weeks ago, robs his own family, and runs away and abandons his wife. Wife Francis and Mrs. Tartt, who lives with them in the Tartt mansion, take off to try to find him. I found Mrs. Tartt to be a delightful character. In fact, she turned out to be one of my favorites.

What ensues after the two women take off is definitely the crux of the story. Some of the things we are treated to - extreme racism; lessons in economics about the Great Depression; prohibition; houses of ill repute; and mostly, delightfully, colorful characters.

This is a story of resiliency, friendship, oppression, and scraping and fighting just to survive. It's about endurance, both physical and mental. It's a story about those who will pull you up by your boot straps and those who will stomp on you when you're down.

I found the story to be so engrossing. Reading this book is going to be a commitment because it is 650+ pages, but I found it to be well worth it. I love historical fiction and strong women characters, and this book actually had parts in it that reminded me of two previous historical fiction ones that have been two of my favorites. Because of the orphanage and adoption, it brought up memories of Before We Were Yours (2017 by Lisa Wingate). Because of the house as the main setting - the Tartt mansion - and the robust, funny, but vulnerable women characters, it reminded me of Kate Quinn's, The Briar Club, even though the time period is two and a half decades apart.

For lovers of historical fiction, Southern fiction, and tenacious female characters, definitely look for Kathryn Stockett's new one, The Calamity Club, which hits shelves May 5, 2026. Thank you, NetGalley and Spiegel Grau, for the opportunity to preview this delightful story. 4.5 stars

[Fay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Spiegel & Grau for my #gifted copy of The Calamity Club! #SpiegelandGrau #TheCalamityClub #KathrynStockett

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐲𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐭
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟓, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔

𝟱★

Kathryn Stockett has done it again. After seventeen years, The Calamity Club was more than worth the wait! With her signature blend of humor and heart, Stockett delivers the story of a group of women who will do whatever it takes to fight for what’s theirs. At its core, this novel is a powerful celebration of resilience and found family. I completely fell in love with these characters: their strength, their loyalty, and the way they show up for one another makes this story both unforgettable and deeply moving.

Meg is an eleven-year-old orphan at the Lafayette County Orphan Asylum, labeled “unadaptable” and kept apart from the other girls under the watchful eye of Miss Garnett. Isolated and treated differently, Meg’s world begins to shift when she forms an unexpected connection with Birdie, who is in Oxford visiting her sister, Frances. Birdie initially plans to stay only briefly, hoping to ask Frances and her husband for financial help for her struggling family back home, but life has other plans.

After Meg is adopted, Birdie meets Charlie, a woman in need of help, and what begins as chance encounters slowly unfolds into an unlikely and powerful friendship. Together, they set bold plans in motion to support a group of women determined to take control of their own futures. The stakes are high, but there is no stopping a group of resolute women who refuse to back down.

Stockett tackles several difficult topics in this novel, and it’s nearly impossible to discuss them fully without giving too much away. What stands out most is the depth of her research and the care she takes in portraying these complex issues. Even in the heaviest moments, her signature humor shines through at just the right time, creating a perfect balance of heart and levity.

I quite literally hugged this book after turning the final page. Thank you, Kathryn Stockett, for this unforgettable story. It was absolutely worth the wait. It made me smile, cry, and laugh. It broke my heart and then put it back together again. I’m already calling it my top book of the year.

📖Found Family
📖Humor & Heart
📖Bravery
📖Friendship
📖Strong Women
📖Resilience
📖Dual POV

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚕𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚎𝚍-𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚏𝚒𝚝𝚜 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕, 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚍. 𝙷𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕, 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍, 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝙸 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚜𝚘 𝚕𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚢? (𝙿𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝟼𝟷𝟿)

[Mana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stockett understands that the 1930s South was a mess of heat and performance. In 1933 Mississippi, the Depression is stripping away the layers, but the elite in Oxford are still clinging to their masks. The story hits its stride when Meg, an orphan who’s seen too much for an eleven-year-old, and Birdie, a woman with a backbone her socialite sister lacks, get tired of waiting for crumbs. They team up with Charlie, and suddenly the "unadoptable" and the "unmarried" are the ones holding all the cards.

Meg is the story's central character. She is hardened but not broken, and her transformation from a lonely child to an important member of this temporary clan feels deserved. Birdie is the ideal counterweight; she is forthright and incisive, creating the kind of friction that those constraining social conventions require. While Frances and Mrs. Garnett are inevitably annoying, Stockett is perceptive enough to give Mrs. Tartt some depth. She is far more empathetic than she appears, illustrating that sometimes the best allies are those who don't feel the need to smile all the time. I liked the interaction between them.

This truly comes to life in the discourse. There is a surprising amount of humor woven into the tension, so it's not all gloomy survival. These women are witty, and their lighthearted conversations prevent the narrative from being overly serious. Because these relationships, rather than just story elements, drive the tempo, it reads effortlessly. Stockett knows this territory to her core, and it shows in how she handles the cultural hypocrisy of the time.

The emotional impact here is genuine since it is not manufactured. It earns a solid 5/5 from me since it tells the narrative of resourceful women who quit asking for permission. The power structures they were fighting in 1933 haven't disappeared; they've simply been repackaged. Seeing them navigate their "calamities" with such determination is an excellent reminder for anyone coping with their own problems today. It's honest, hilarious in the right places, and avoids sentimentality.

Take a page from this book the next time someone wants you to be silent. We could all use some more of that defiance.

[Bonny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Help, so I was both excited and a little anxious to finally read another novel by Kathryn Stockett. The Calamity Club marks Stockett’s long-awaited second book after her breakout success, and happily it delivers much of what I was hoping for: big-hearted storytelling, memorable women, and a deep affection for flawed characters trying to survive in an unforgiving world.

Set in 1933 Oxford, Mississippi, this novel brings together an unlikely group of women, each marginalized in different ways, whose lives intersect at just the right (or wrong) moment. Meg, Birdie, and Charlie are all compelling in their own ways, and Stockett does a particularly good job showing how class, gender, and circumstance limit their options while never fully extinguishing their grit or humor. These main characters join forces along with other underestimated women to take bold risks that might change their lives forever, forming a sisterhood rooted in defiance as much as friendship.

That sense of resilience, especially resilience found in friendship and shared defiance, is the emotional core of the book. Stockett vividly portrays the struggle for dignity and self-determination against the backdrop of the Great Depression, where economic hardship sharpens every choice and raises the cost of every mistake. It’s hard not to root for these women and their audacious plan, even as the stakes rise and the consequences loom.

These are women you want to root for, surrounded by men you mostly want to hate. That contrast is played a little heavy-handed at times, and while I admired the novel’s ambition and heart, some of it was a bit overwritten. Still, Stockett’s warmth, wit, and compassion shine through, and the ending is so very satisfying that it’s easy to let those flaws slide. This is a rewarding, engaging read and a welcome return from an author I was eager to visit again.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and Spiegel & Grau for providing me with a copy of this book. It will be published on May 5, 2026.

[Meliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ ARC Review ✨

Firstly, I think this book absolutely has the potential to be 5 stars, with a bit of refinement and shortening during the final edits before publication, it can get there 🤩

If you love character-driven stories about messy friendships, second chances, and women figuring things out together, this one will totally be your vibe! 🩵

This is a warm, sharply observed novel that blends humour, HEART and social insight.

The characters feel lived-in and distinct, and their relationships—MESSY, affectionate and occasionally exasperating—ring true. The dialogue is often funny without trying too hard, and there’s an undercurrent of empathy that keeps the story grounded.

The standout for me was MEG—no contest. Her chapters were honestly 5-star material!🌟 She felt layered and emotionally compelling, and absolutely easy to root for the whole way through. She was so FUNNY and I found myself flying through her sections way faster than the others! 💨

Some of the other POV chapters though could’ve used a bit of tightening ✂️—they dragged in places and didn’t always hit with the same impact… My main drawback was the pacing which I found to be uneven.

The first chapter fully HOOKED me, an incredibly humorous opening! 😅 Then the introductions to each of the characters was enjoyable and the first part of the book laid out a great foundation.

Around the 50% mark, things slowed down noticeably with parts being longer than felt necessary and almost repetitive in places. Then the ending felt a tad rushed... I wanted just a bit more breathing room at the end and a bit less lingering in the middle.

That being said, the ending still brought TEARS to my eyes and it was immensely SATISFYING! 🥹

The writing is witty and full of heart. It was entertaining, emotional, thoughtful, and well worth the read. 🥰


Thank you Penguin Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review 🙏🏼

[Rae | The Finer Things Club CA · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has been seventeen years since Kathryn Stockett’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘏𝘦𝘭𝘱 was first published. Because of its immense popularity and the fact that almost two decades have passed since its release, I was immediately curious about her newest novel 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣. It is also a piece of historical fiction set in the South, but in a different era with a brand new cast of characters. At more than 600 pages, it was at first an intimidating tome, but I found the book engaging, nicely paced, and skillfully composed—Stockett isn’t so much telling you a long story as she is enveloping you in her own version of 1930s Mississippi, an environment ripe for drama with the Great Depression, Prohibition, and class, racial, and gender divides at the fore.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣 has two different narrators: Birdie Calhoun, a smart, capable, but apparently destined-for-spinsterhood 24-year-old woman who has been sent by her mother and grandmother to borrow money from her newly married, newly wealthy younger sister Frances; and Meg Lefleur, a precocious, bullied, and lonely 11-year-old girl who resides at the orphanage where Frances volunteers. Naturally, the two are kindred spirits with their cleverness and resolve to get out of their respective predicaments. Birdie and Meg’s paths collide and then diverge, but the plot remains compelling even after they branch off into individual storylines. Stockett’s descriptive, immersive writing and excellent characterization keep you invested in both of their journeys to friendship, love, and self-realization and bond you to the memorable people they meet along the way.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘊𝘭𝘶𝘣 is a captivating novel that has moments of both humor and poignancy as well as interesting sociopolitical commentary. I recommend this novel to those who enjoy historical drama with strong female characters. Thank you to Spiegel & Grau for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been ruminating on this review for a bit - I’m conflicted. This is a wonderful story that took me quite some time to get through. At 656 pages there were times where I felt that more editing would have been helpful - about midway through the story lagged a bit for me.

PROS:

*This can really be considered historical fiction and family drama. Set in 1933 Oxford, Mississippi - poor and rich alike are suffering through depression.

*A great example of what women, when banded together, can accomplish. With different backgrounds the characters help each other make a living - IN WHATEVER WAY THEY CAN!!

*I liked the atmosphere of the small community that Birdie comes from which is in a poor farming area. Oxford is a small city with a collection of some wealthy homeowners and the help that they hire for upkeep and housework.

*The characters were great and the novel is told from two points of view. Birdie who goes to Oxford to see her sister, Frances, who has married into a wealthy family. All is not what she expected to find. She is hoping that Frances will loan her family money as they are struggling.

Meg LeFleur is an orphaned girl living in a horrible orphanage where she is considered unadoptable because she is one of the “older girls”. Her POV is both difficult to read at times but shows what great grit and intelligence she has.

CONS:

*The book is very long at almost 700 pages. There were times the story grew repetitive.

*The ending felt abrupt and I wanted more.

This is a good story with some wonderful writing. I think fans of Ms. Stockett will love this one! Her characters are, as always, very unique, interesting, at times funny and you will find yourself rooting for them!

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley. It was my pleasure to read and review this title.

[Andi · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. THE CALAMITY CLUB is the author’s second novel, written 17 years after her first, THE HELP.

The story takes place during the Great Depression and
follows two (poor white) main characters, twenty-four-year-old Birdie and eleven-year-old Meg. Birdie lives with her mother and grandmother, barely making ends meet after losing her father to a heart attack. Meg lives in an orphanage for a reason unexplained until later in the story.

Birdie and Meg cross paths when Birdie visits her younger married sister, who volunteers at the orphanage where Meg lives. Birdie ends up helping with the orphanage’s books where she meets Meg.

Both characters are remarkable for their inner strength and resilience. Birdie’s story especially comes to life through her chapters…BUT, I really disliked the turn in her story in the last third of the book.

Another complaint was with the length of this book. THE CALAMITY CLUB definitely could have been trimmed two hundred pages or more without any impact to the story. Even so, I still flew through the pages.

But as a story overall, this one was a winner. Told with much humor and resilience of spirit, THE CALAMITY CLUB was exceptional, and will likely be on all of the bestseller lists.

🌟Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.🌟

[Susan McBeth (Adventures by the Book) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kathryn Stockett, author of the blockbuster novel, The Help, returns to the Deep South with The Calamity Club, a big, immersive novel that takes place in 1935 Mississippi. Her sophomore work of fiction showcases her gift for creating richly drawn characters and placing them inside a story that feels both intimate and expansive.

Set against the charged social and economic backdrop of the Depression-era South, The Calamity Club centers on a small circle of women bound together by friendship, loyalty, and unspoken rules. As personal ambitions collide with rigid expectations, long-held secrets surface and quiet acts of defiance ripple outward, revealing how private choices can carry public consequences. Stockett weaves themes of class, gender, power, and belonging into a narrative driven as much by emotional tension as by plot, illuminating the fragile balance between survival and self-determination in a world resistant to change.

Yes, it’s a long read—but it reads fast because you’re invested. You want to know what happens next, not just plot-wise, but emotionally. Fans of The Help will recognize Stockett’s voice and ambition here, while new readers will find a deeply satisfying, absorbing novel that rewards the time spent with it.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is 1933. Meg's Mum did not come home one day and she ended up at 'The Orphan': a home for orphan girls. Birdie travels by train to visit her married sister to ask for money for her family, and ends up meeting Meg when she goes to do accounts at the orphanage. Meg is being kept in the small office where Birdie does accounts all day, the windows boarded up and mould proliferating on the ceiling and walls. When Birdie leaves the orphanage, accounts up to date, the remainder of the novel follows Birdie and Meg's stories as they travel off in surprising directions they could not have foreseen.

I loved 'The Help' and so had high hopes for this book. The beginning is a little slow and I was not at all convinced that I would enjoy the novel. How wrong I was! There is humour and heartbreak, larger than life characters that never descend into caricatures. Kathryn Stockett brings empathy and understanding to all her characters and brings all of them along on the journey, all of them ending the book in a different (and better) place than where they started. She is not above sneaking in the odd twist either. This book is so quirky and so life affirming - I thoroughly recommend that you read it.

[Val Millard · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s 1933 and the middle of depression. Birdie’s family have sent her to visit her recently married sister, Frances, in Oxford Mississippi to ask if she can lend them some badly needed money to settle their debts. They have tried to contact her but had no reply.
Birdie arrives and soon realises that things are not what they seem. The Tartt family used to be rich bankers but since the death of Mr Tartt senior his son seems to have gambled nearly all the money and now has debts all over town. Birdie has been helping out at an orphanage looking at their accounts. She come across dreadful cruelty towards a bright young girl Meg who has been stopped from going to school and is waiting to be old enough to send her to work in a factory.

Slowly Birdie works out what has been going on in her sister’s marriage and the orphanage. She knows she can’t go home while Frances needs her and she’s also very worried about Meg.

The book is wonderful to read and I’m so pleased I was allowed a proof copy to review. I look forward to the film as I’m sure there will be one made in the future.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kathryn Stockett does it again with a powerful and heartfelt work of historical fiction that is nearly impossible to put down. From the very first pages, I was completely pulled in by the beautiful writing and vivid details that bring the 1930s South to life.

The story is told through the perspectives of a Southern woman and a young orphan, and both voices feel authentic, layered, and deeply engaging. The author’s rich description of the time period adds depth to the plot and makes each scene feel immersive. The character development is especially strong, and I quickly found myself emotionally invested and rooting for each character to succeed.

This is the kind of book that sparks strong opinions and meaningful conversations, making it an excellent choice for a book club. I couldn’t wait to turn the pages and often found myself reading “just one more chapter.” I can’t wait to recommend this book to friends and fellow readers.

I was fortunate to read an advance copy through NetGalley as a librarian.

[AnnaAlwaysReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Calamity Club by Katherine Stockett

If you liked The Help, this is a must read for you!

The Calamity Club is everything I hoped for—sharp, heartfelt, and packed with unforgettable characters. Katherine Stockett has a gift for capturing complex friendships, social tensions, and the messy, meaningful moments that define people’s lives, and this novel delivers on all fronts.

The story balances humor and heartbreak beautifully, with rich Southern atmosphere and layered emotional depth. I found myself fully invested in the characters—their flaws, their secrets, and their growth—and I didn’t want the book to end. Stockett’s writing feels both accessible and powerful, with moments that made me laugh, reflect, and linger long after turning the final page.

This was a standout read and one I’ll be recommending to fans of character-driven, thought-provoking fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to find out the author of The Help had written a new book. I couldn’t wait to delve into this one! The whole time I was reading it, I was imagining this as another blockbuster movie! The characters were so well developed that I could just picture each and every one of them. There were so many hilarious moments and descriptions that I couldn’t avoid sharing. There is a very serious aspect of this book as the author describes the hardships endured during the 1930’s. The camaraderie of the many women and their need for survival moves the story along. I just loved the book and will be highly recommending this to all!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced eGalley of the book. All opinions expressed are truly my own.
#TheCalamityClub #KathrynStockett #NetGalley #Spiegel&Grau

[Amy Gebhardt · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thrilled to hear that Kathryn Stockett had a new book coming out. The Help was a high school book club pick for us, and it’s universally loved, so my expectations were high. While The Calamity Club includes some content that would keep it out of our high school library, I loved it all the same.

Stockett writes with her trademark heart and humor, tackling difficult subjects in a way that feels honest. Her distinctive voice comes through loud and clear. It reminded me of The Help while still being a completely different story.

I adored Birdie, Meg, Charlie, and the rest of the women. When they came together, they were an unstoppable force. Mrs. Tartt had my heart as well (along with Picador and Polly). A wonderful, memorable read.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy*

In Depression-era Mississippi, a too-wise for her years young girl trapped in a Dickensian orphanage, and an awkward young woman who is trying to lift her family out of financial ruin cross paths in this intriguing followup to "The Help."

With a large cast of unique characters, lots of historical detail, and a very readable writing style, this will find a ready audience.

My main criticism is the length....at almost 700 pages, the plot did begin to drag. I feel that it would have benefitted from a bit of streamlining.

Still, very grateful for the opportunity to get an advance copy!

[Shirley Sinha]

I loved this book and felt totally immersed in 1930's depression-era Mississippi. The characters are so vivid they leap off the page. The star for me was Meg- bright as a button, cheerful and resilient despite her hardships. The strength of the female characters shines through as they battle poverty, oppression and prejudice. There is plenty here for bookclub discussions. Funny, poignant and heart-warming, this is a book that stays with you long after you finish reading it and a book that you want to read all over again.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exxchange or an honest review.

[Chingo Dental]

Các yếu tố quyết định tổng chi phí thực tế so với bảng giá bọc răng sứ Hà Nội ban đầu
Tổng chi phí bọc răng sứ trên thực tế thường có sự chênh lệch. So với bảng giá bọc răng sứ Hà Nội niêm yết ban đầu. Sự chênh lệch về giá không chỉ đến từ loại sứ. Mà còn phụ thuộc vào nhiều yếu tố cốt lõi khác. Việc hiểu rõ những yếu tố này sẽ giúp bạn đánh giá được giá trị thực sự mà bạn nhận được. Dưới đây là những yếu tố chính quyết định sự khác biệt này. Giúp bạn hiểu rõ và dự trù ngân sách chính xác hơn.
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[Keeley Ribchester · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Calamity Club is classic Kathryn Stockett immersive, character-driven, and emotionally resonant. Fans of The Help will instantly recognise her signature voice, strong female friendships, layered storytelling, and themes that quietly pack a punch.
Well paced, beautifully written, and deeply engaging, this novel will appeal to readers of Little Fires Everywhere and thoughtful, women centred contemporary fiction.

A highly recommended read that’s sure to be popular with book clubs and fans of literary fiction