Fruits Basket – Thoughts from the halfway point.

These won’t be anything profound or particularly coherent, but I thought I’d at least check in, since I think there are at least a couple of people waiting to see what I think of Fruits Basket.

Last night I finished volume ten, and I’ve paused at this point (SPOILERS AHEAD) mainly because I want to just enjoy Yuki’s beautiful confession to Tohru before having to really think about all the potential consequences of it. It was such a nicely written scene, leaving me with stars in my eyes and a flutter in my chest, just like that kind of scene should. It’s been obvious to me (and every reader ever, every other character in the book, and the cat who is sitting in my lap while I type this) that Yuki and Kyo both love Tohru, and I figured one of them was going to admit it eventually. I’ve kind of dreaded and hoped for that all at once. I mean, it’s a wonderful thing that leads to scenes like the one at the end of volume ten, but it also is complicated and potentially (inevitably?) hurtful for someone, maybe everyone, I don’t know. Obviously there are ten volumes still to go, so I can count on plenty of twists being thrown in that will alter the landscape, but that doesn’t ease the tension of this moment and what must surely follow.

For now, however, I will just enjoy the starry-eyed sweetness of that last scene, and pause the story there, at least until later tonight.

For those who have wondered, I am really enjoying the story. There are characters I love, and characters I fear. Right now, I hate Akito with just about the same amount of fiery passion with which I love Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, and quite a few of the other characters. There’s so much I don’t know yet, but the story is well-paced, and I don’t feel impatient to find it out. I’m content to let things unfold as they may. I think the story is exceptionally well-paced in terms of how smoothly it has transitioned from something pretty light and fun into something much deeper and with many more dark corners to deal with. I’m impressed with Tohru as a character, because I think it is very difficult to present someone like her in a way that doesn’t seem cloying or overly Pollyanna-ish. The fact that she feels so genuine really shows off the skill of the writer. I really never had much interest in Fruits Basket until certain friends began recommending it so strongly, and now I’m embarrassed to have waited so long. It really is a charming, thoughtful, well-told story. I look forward to the next ten volumes!