A review by bizarrebrunette
Critical Role: Bells Hells — What Doesn't Break by Cassandra Khaw

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

3.5 stars 

"What doesn't break can always bloom."

CW: Abuse, violence. 

Critical Role: Bells Hells is a prequel novel that follows Laudna, a sorcerer/warlock before Critical Role's third campaign starts. The book details how Laudna met The Briarwoods, waking after being hung from The Sun Tree, and how she interacts with Delilah. 

OOF, this was a heavy read. Laudna was one of my favorite characters from Bells Hells, so when I heard about this book, I knew I wanted to read it when it was released. This book does not hold back in Launda's brutality

The beginning is about Laudna attending dinner with The Briarwoods. There is a lot of detail about Laudna, seeing her dead parents and being killed.

While I wouldn't say the descriptions are graphic, it is enough that I found reading this part mildly upsetting. I'm not saying that as a critique because I think if you're going to tell Laudna's story, it's setting up Delilah to be the villain. My favorite moments from the book were the beginning and the end. I thought it was interesting to get more of a timeline for when Laudna heard Delilah in her head and the ending leads right into where campaign #3 begins.

I loved the Imogen reveal and how Imogen protects Laudna from the mob of people.

 

In the middle part of this book, I felt the pace slowed considerably. It felt like things were being repeated over and over again

Laudna shows up in an area, she does something, she's chased out of the town. I get it because Laudna looks like a walking corpse, but can there be more to the story than that?

There were things I would have loved to see included in this book that weren't

I would have loved to see more of Laudna and who she was as a person. I liked reading about the sections where Laudna would take care of affairs when a person died. I think that's interesting! It gives Laudna more personality and what motivates her.

I understand this was meant to be a short story, but I wish this would have been longer and focused less on Laudna's connection with Delilah, but what motivates Laudna and what she was up to before the campaign began. 

I liked this and I'm glad I read it. I could see myself re-reading or relistening to this before I rewatch campaign #3. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent, and Gaslighting