Fruits Basket by Natsuki Takaya

A family with an ancient curse...

And the girl who will change their lives forever...

Tohru Honda was an orphan with no place to go until the mysterious Sohma family offered her a place to call home. Now her ordinary high school life is turned upside down as she's introduced to the Sohma's world of magical curses and family secrets.

My thoughts

Note: This is a review of the whole series, but it won't include any spoilers.

There are 23 books in this series and I can honestly say that I enjoyed and loved all of them! This was simply an amazing series and I had a hard time putting the books down, which meant I read all of them in a just few days.

The story follows Tohru who has recently lost her mother, and since her father died when she was small she had to go live with her grandfather. When her grandfather announces that he wants to renovate the house, Tohru has to find another place to live for a while. Not wanting to bother anybody, she ends up living in a tent in the woods. She soon meets to members of the Sohma family and when her tent is ruined in a landslide, they offer her a home in exchange for her being sort of a housekeeper for them. But all is not what it seems with the Sohmas and she soon learns that there's an ancient curse on the family and she might be their only hope.

It sounds like a story we've all read before, but I really think it wasn't. Takaya has created an impressive and magical story that had an unexpected depth to it, and with characters so rich and lively. The first five or so books are very lighthearted, but later on it turns much darker and get a more serious feel to it. But even in the midst of this, there always seems to be a little to smile or laugh at.
I really was surprised by the depth of it, and how relatable the story was. Sometimes I just had to stop and think about the thinks spoken and the truth behind the words. Like how we shouldn't constantly agonize about the unknown future, but just take a step at a time, and eventually everything is solved by itself. 

I loved, loved all the characters in the series. There's a huge cast of characters, but I was never once confused by who was who, and what their story was or anything the like. I was wondering who was my favorite when I realized that I simply just love them all equally. They all have their own stories and struggles and we get to see them all, so that we can truly understand every one of them. They made me laugh and cry, made me happy and worry, and generally just wanting to hug them all. 

The main character Tohru has to be one of the most loveable main characters in any story. I know some people think she is a bit of a Mary Sue, and maybe she is, but I loved her and her ability to always smile and always be there for other people. She never, ever complains, although she has had a really tough time in life and has to face a lot with the Sohmas. 

Bottom line, this is one of the best series I've ever had the pleasure of reading and I sense a lot of re-reads in the future. I highly recommend this series, as well as the anime based on it. It has everything you could want in a story and much more. 

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆