The grinding is manageable if you concentrate character development on a few (8-12) good characters.
Yes, I do so nowadays, trying to catch all major weaknesses in bosses. It is difficult to decide which character to take against which boss, though.
I'm so much glad that I got Bailu as a healer so early in the game. Her ability to revive party members is imho priceless.
Well, I must admit that I played through the story when the theme of
remembering was very much prominent for me. When I browsed through old items in boxes at that time, I found items I had taken and kept from my grandparents - in some cases just for the sake of remembrance. Old letters, even old toys, from I don't know whom. Old photos showing relatives whom I knew, but who are dead for decades now.
A really sad story was that of Coconia, an NPC. I could resonate so much with her struggles, and at the same time I instantly knew what I had to do - because I had experienced some parts of it myself, in person.
Her story is really, really grim. And it requires a LOT of effort to bring it to an "happy end" - which is possible. But it shows also, how demanding the Real World can be. (One name : Robert Enke.)