The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis

I quickly requested this book from our library system once I saw it was Oprah's next book club pick. I don't read all of Oprah's book club choices, but this one looked interesting based on Oprah's interview with the author and a summary included in O Magazine.

Hattie is the matriarch of a large, dysfunctional family - the twelve tribes are her children and one granddaughter. Each chapter takes the reader into another character's life. One review of the book noted that it was heartwarming and redemptive... well, it is that in the same way that The Pursuit of Happyness (sic) was a happy movie. There's about 5% happy and redemptive in this book. That said, I was impressed with the author's debut - it moved right along and spanned many years without making it feel like an epic novel. I don't know if I would make the comparisons to Toni Morrison that many seem to do in their reviews - but Morrison's influence is definitely present in this book.

I'd recommend this book if you like stories based in gritty reality and don't mind that things won't get much brighter at the end. I give it 8 out of 10.