Courtesy Nudity Warning! Naked people are in the cards ahead!
When I started writing about Tarot my goal was to provide a platform to post reviews in new and interesting ways of decks I own (or have owned) for fun, but also to help others make informed purchasing decisions. I told myself that I was going to post reviews of decks in the order of which I received them, to not only give me ample time to use and test them, but also let the excited honeymoon phase wear off. Which, I’ve been overall good about, but that means I got to go through some decks that I just don’t regularly use, and kinda don’t like.
In my personal experience, when most people think Tarot, they will think of the Rider-Waite-Smith tradition. Some people adore this deck SO MUCH they will collect multiple variations and copies of it. More power to you! And I will admit, there is something very timeless, vintage, and classic about this deck, but, y’all—
I never use this deck.
I (almost) never use it for myself, I certainly don’t use it for others, and it usually only gets pulled out to argue over a “classic” RWS symbol or to compare to “standard tarot size.” So, please take this review with a grain of salt and remember this is just one person’s opinion of arguably the most well know and purchased Tarot deck on the market.
I wanted to do a five card draw for this review, and I typically use jumpers as my cards. I got to card four and thought “hmm, well, maybe this deck isn’t so bad after all! And then it spat out two jumpers for card five–classic S-W Centennial had to end the draw on a happy note!
Overall: 5/10 I use this as a reference deck. My copy has a history of being very mean-spirited, so after a serious bumpy first few months where I really wanted to be that classic tarot reader with my worn-in copy of the classic Smith-Waite Centennial, it was simply not to be. I’m not inclined to use it for readings, and it has become a dust collector on my shelf. Now, there is something to be said that this deck is very much “the mother deck” of many modern Tarot, and has had arguably more influence on modern tarot and the new wave of tarot interest than any other deck. There is endless history to talk about regarding the esoteric choices of art and symbols for this deck (of course many were chosen by Waite, but Pamela Colman Smith’s was heavily influenced by the historic Sola Busca Tarot) but that’s for more scholarly reading that what I can offer here.
Card Quality: 3.5/5 Great balance of resistance and usability. Extremely easy to shuffle. Soft in hand. I wish all decks of this price came with such no-nonsense cardstock.
We have the OG RWS to thank for our modern illustrated “pips”!
Readability: 3/5 This is a very dated deck in that there are (A LOT OF) other decks out there available for the modern Tarot reader that are more user friendly, more relevant, etc. But, this is the baseline for many other decks so it is not a bad idea to become familiar with the original RWS imagery. Though this is a “modern” deck, I find it difficult sometimes because I know there’s historical significance in the symbols that I’m missing.
There are some cards that are so symbol rich its easy to quickly get “lost in the sauce,” at least for me.
Art: 4/5 I love the art-nouveau kitch—it’s very internally consistent, I love the details and the symbols, I mean, it’s a classic for a reason! Obviously printing wasn’t what it is today and some of the line work can feel heavy.
Favorite Card: Queen of Wands–love me the little black cat. The Fool is so iconic and classic. Death—death and his horse are rad
Least Favorite Card: Eight of wands, I feel like this card ruined all other eight of wands to follow. Nine of Cups, the guy just looks so smug XD. Two of Pentacles, the guy has a condom on his head and you cannot convince me otherwise
Boxes it Checks: RWS, traditional, old school, classic
Similar decks: I mean, most decks? There’s a million and one RWS clones out there, but for something “similar but different” The Harmonious Tarot looks very nice
What are your feelings around the Wait-Smith deck?
Technically Tarot over Turkish Coffee and a Valentine’s cookie!
This is a bit belated. I wanted to let 2023 sink in so I could look back with a more critical eye rather than rushing onward towards the new year, which I am wont to do!
This is a tag I fist watched Coyote Tarot post (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyU7z6IUtIM) and I think it’s a great end of year summation. I believe there are many Tarot-Tubers out there that have done this tag, so go watch a few!
So, unless I’m doing a deck review and am referencing specific cards, I randomly draw cards to share. I feel this is fair to the decks rather than letting my bias show through. However, upon reflection, one of these cards is not like the other and that devastating Knight of Wands feels a little, violently, out of place.
Deck you used the most: The Slavic Legends Tarot
I will admit it took me a while to break down and buy The Dark Mansion Tarot deck, but once I got a copy in hand, I fell absolutely head over heels and it remains to this day my favorite read- for-others deck. When I heard the same makers and publishing house was ready to release a new deck, I didn’t even have to see any specs or sample images to know I was going to pre-order The Slavic Legends Tarot; but don’t get me wrong, I spent an hour drooling over the card photos they had released! I knew was going to love this to pieces, and I could not help myself but use it continuously throughout the year. It’s so lush, both in artwork and in cardstock that it’s hard to NOT reach for it! The deck is conscious of the seasons so no matter the time of year you’ll find seasonal themes represented in various cards throughout the majors and minors. I love that the images all are very consistent in art style and theme and are extremely detailed—in fact, I’d worry that the standard size version might lose some of that fine work! It is RWS without feeling boring or clone-like. This deck is not nearly as jovial as the Dark Mansion, and there are some heavier themes of war, fears, challenges, etc, but it also has a lighthearted moments. There are rumors that a collection of all the various legends and myths that are represented in the cards are being compiled, which would have to be my one gripe with this deck. It would be great to have a card by card explanation or better yet, BIG BOOK telling us all about the stories portrayed. I’d say this is my Deck of 2023!
Deck you didn’t use at all (in 2023): The Endless Oracle
I focused in January using this deck, but given my excitement to see it arrive once the Kickstarter ended, I was shocked I didn’t seem to find the time to work with it in 2023! This was not at all a case of I didn’t like this deck, to the contrary, I think it’s a really neat deck, but rather I had so many other things planned for the year it kinda fell off the to-do list, oops. I am a huge fan of Maille’s art, so of course I enjoy this deck, but I will admit that it was a challenge for me to use it seeing as it was so outside of my normal “oracle” style deck. I really enjoyed it though and now feel quite confident pulling it off the shelf!
Most recent addition: 1999 Bizarre Summer Lenormand
This weird little deck cracks me up, and really is the reason I decided I need to up my Lenormand game. The premise is looking back at the age between child and teen, as a girl growing up in the weird, turn of the 21st century. That would be me! So there are some funny, retro-manga style images that really hit home. Oh, and the deck has a MINI version, and rocking cardstock. What else can you ask for? It is not at all a “traditional” Lenormand image-wise, but it feels very accessible and I cannot wait for the creators to release their tarot they have in the works!
Deck you re-homed (or put in purgatory): Threads of Fate Oracle
Ah, I wish I would have taken more pictures of this deck. There were a handful of beautiful cards in this deck, but it really did not speak to me and also made me a bit Oracle-scared for several years after my failure with it. It was gifted to someone else who LOVES it and has a better home!
Favorite pairing: The original Citadel Deck with literally any other deck
A variety of different decks paired with The Citadel.
So I had some serious salty feelings when I saw Liminal 11 was coming out with a rebooted, bigger better spot-lighted Citadel (oracle) Deck. I aggressively used my “limited print” version I got with their special fancy-pantsy Seed and Sickle oracle as much as I could to try and convince myself I didn’t need the new edition. I discovered I really, REALLY dig this deck; I love how it will read with ANYTHING, and I really like its structure and the companion booklet. I eventually broke down and bought the newer, fuller edition and I love that as well, but there’s something funky and special about this little do-it-all deck.
Favorite mod or bag made (or any accessory): I made a Tarot reading/wrap cloth for a friend’s birthday!
That’s five different pieces of fabric! I’m really pleased with how well I was able to get it to turn out, especially how sewing is NOT my forte!
What deck do you want for Christmas: Le Authurien Tarot!
I had NO IDEA Ana Tourian had released this deck until I read her newsletter in December. I immediately had to share with my French bestie seeing as she’s a tarot enthusiast as well. She was immediately on the ball, and snagged me a copy in France! What a wonderful gift!
I have yet to work much with this deck, but I already am in love with it—it is not at all your typical RWS, and I find the images very intriguing, like all of Tourian’s art. The Arthurian theme is perhaps over-done in tarot, but somehow this is very fresh feeling. This deck may well be a favorite, if not THE favorite of 2024!
Deck you’d gift others: Ephemere Tarot
As I was an early-bird Kickstarter backer, I was able to snag a second deck on discount and it went to my bestie (see above) for her holiday gift. This is certainly NOT a deck for just anyone, nor an easy or “beginner” deck, nor does it even follow a traditional system (Arthur Wang really remade the system for himself and I love it), but it IS a great gift for the seasoned tarot reader who has it all. Its simple, lux, beautiful, haunting, ethereal, and unique.
Deck you fell in love with: Silver Acorn Tarot
I mean, don’t call me shallow, but one would have to seriously work hard to not fall in love with this deck. It was a deck I bought because it was so dang cute, but it is a great RWS reader. It makes me laugh every time I take it out. It is sweet, and wholesome, and doesn’t have a mean bone in its body. What more can you want?
Which card sums up this year as a whole: Knight of Wands
This one, that’s the bastard right there!
I pulled this card continuously in the early start of last year and it continued to haunt me (still does, tbh). Let me tell you, it was spot on. I’ve been charging forth on new adventures left and right all year—it’s been exhausting!
Pull a card for the new year: Knight of Cups
Oh boy…I seem to be in my Knight phase! Year three of knights! At least this one is calmed down!
Mass Market Borderless Edition, Acquired 2020, Learn to Dance with your Devils
This deck review does contain some nudity in the card images, you have been warned!
For a hot moment, you weren’t a Tarot reader of any clout until you had used and studied this deck. Thank goodness that has ended! But because of its explosion in popularity, there’s a million and one reviews about this deck. I debated even posting a review of this deck seeing as it has been done to death, but it is a deck that I reliably reach for again and again, so that makes it a worthwhile deck! That being said, NONE of my in-real-life Tarot reading friends like this deck, all on the premise that the frightening moon-people are too distracting or scary for them. And that is a totally valid opinion too–this is a disturbing deck, no joke!
While I personally don’t believe that you “must” study any one deck in particular, I will say that forcing myself to use this admittedly uncomfortable deck did teach me a LOT about reading tarot. When I first bought it, I thought I’d be getting rid of it because I too did not enjoy this deck, but now I could never imagine re-homing it.
There is a bit of a nightmare-circus feel to the themes in this deck!
Overall: 8/10 I once had a mentor tell me that to make any progress in any art, I had to learn to “dance with your devils.” For me at least, this deck was one stepping stone in my tarot journey that does just that.
This is a “Keep it Real” deck. The figures and situations in each card are blunt, brutally honest, and they often show the cost of choice represented in various card situations, or even the lack of choice. The artist Patric Valenza is prolific in macabre art, but this deck has to be some of his apex work. That being said, the colors are bright and interesting and the imagery is engaging.
Equal parts whimsy and macabre make this such a unique deck.The pops of color really stand out in an otherwise bland neutral color scheme.
While the hard cards are really hard, and some typically happy cards like the 10 of Pentacles show the hidden darkness (the black sheep of the family who is hidden and ignored), and there are also some lovely and unexpectedly whimsy cards (like the King of Wands).
This is a stellar reader and just rock-solid consistent in how it treats each and every card. The card emotions are amplified to the max and there’s never an image that really leaves me guessing (well, except perhaps The Chariot). Anyone who wants to work with multiple tarot decks should consider this one because it’s so unique and does its job so well. There’s a reason nearly everyone has heard of this deck and either has it, or knows someone who has it. It works amazingly well for dealing with inner turmoil and shadow work without feeling judge-y but still being quite blunt and abrupt (but don’t get me wrong, this is a pretty judgmental deck, but in that unbiased, don’t give a flying f#ck, sort of way). That being said, I wouldn’t necessarily say that if I had to use only one deck, I’d chose this one. This one is intense.
Card Quality: 2.5/5 I adore the odd length to width ratio—it makes these cards really easy to shuffle and I feel like I can know them even with my eyes closed, which is kinda intimate. They began to fray almost immediately, but luckily it doesn’t ruin them since they have a bit of a “worn” aesthetic already. Over all I wish they were better cardstock.
This deck does not do subtle…
Readability: 10/5 The meanings, good and bad of each card, are really clear, like kick-you-in-the-face clear. They do roughly follow the RWS system (though eight is Justice and eleven is Strength and there are subtle nods to the Toth and Marseille system here and there throughout the deck), but they also go beyond the traditional RWS symbology. The images are jarring, and they’re totally unapologetic.
I must say, this is NOT AT ALL a deck that is going to give you the warm fuzzies–even the 10 of Pentacles, a classic warm fuzzies card, also portrays this family’s secret of the abuse of the black sheep. There is no ugly side of society that slips by this deck; you cannot escape your inner demons with this one. Like a wicked comedian, this deck will get under everyone’s skin. You can totally make a story out of even a short spread, which is lovely.
A random draw
Art: 5/5 It’s strange–I didn’t like the art, not even when I bought this deck. But it just HAUNTED me and my thoughts. Now I love it. I love that the artist is so sure you’ll know certain cards, he didn’t even bother labeling them (oh, you’ll know them too when you see them!). There’s a whole book about this art (that I’ve held off purchasing but I might end up breaking down eventually) but the images are based off of tombstones and childhood dreams and that’s a totally accurate description. The childishness of the art does two important things, in my opinion: 1) it socially allows some really “scary” imagery to be seen (like mental illness, abuse, evils of consumerism) under the cloak of “cartoonish,” and 2) it taps into our vulnerability as children which opens us up to allowing ourselves to feel things more strongly and honestly.
Favorite Card(s): X of Pentacles, XIII (call me a basic, but come on, this is fantastic), II of Cups, which is arguably the best EVER, II of Pentacles
Least Favorite Card: XVI The Tower–I dunno, I want more? Compared to the originality and sheer emotional weight of the rest of this deck, this feels a bit mellow. And VII The Chariot also doesn’t seem to click with me.
Season: Halloween, and general spooky season!
Boxes it Checks: Unique, Shadow Work, Charming, Cohesive, Story-Telling, Dark, Witty, Blunt, Humorous, Masculine, Personal
Similar Decks: Tarot Nuages, The Yokai Yochi Tarot, Le Tarot Noir, Trionfi della Luna (same artist), Wayward Dark Tarot
The Ink Witch Tarot in custom box (plus the first additional card booster set) acquired 2021. A Modern Bard Deck
When The Ink Witch first came out it had a brief wave of popularity that I think ended far too soon. While it followed a trend of modern tarot decks that utilize a relatively simplistic artistic style, there is a certain something in the vignette of stories this deck encompasses, from the mundane to the supernatural, that make this deck stand apart. I think that of all my decks, this is one of the most original in its RWS portrayal. I find that I reach for it again and again. It’s versatile in that it reads great for personal use but also is a great reader for other querants as well. I love this deck so much it is the only deck I bothered making a wooden box for to replace it’s original tuck box that I wore out.
The magical and mundane coexist together
Overall: 9/10
I’m a lover of “the story” and this deck tells one hell of a story. Usually, I like to see the fool’s journey through a deck, and thus like a degree of consistency. But this deck doesn’t give a flying fuck about how traditional time and space functions, and I like that. This tells the collective stories of the now, spanning from very common, modern, relatable images (the cat trying to catch the bird who is both trapped and protected in a cage, the car ride out of the city, the atomic bomb explosion), to very mythos steeped images (Odin hanging from Yagrissel, Persephone eating the pomegranate of the dead).
I get major summer camp, gathered around the bonfire–vibes from this deck.
This deck is all over the place in regards to subject matter! I love it!
Each card tells a story, big and small, that span written history and live asynchronously together in this shockingly cohesive deck. Unlike similar decks like The Starspinner Tarot, The Tarot of the Divine, etc, this deck doesn’t necessarily highlight the myth or hero itself, but rather the snapshot/moment in time in the myth. These stories each human contains and carries with them, whether we know it or not, and the stories chosen for each image really resonate with, if not the hard standard RWS, then the general traditional theme of each card.
My only real gripe with this deck is that a large portion of the stories are very European mythos (or American experience) centric, however I don’t feel the artist should be at all faulted seeing as he is portraying his personal experiences in these cards. That being said, those of other cultural experiences may feel this deck lacks inclusion.
A random draw I did for the day–the limited color choices help pull together this deck.
Card Quality: 3/5
The cards are very thin and bendy and a bit more frail than I like, but the imagery is so wonderful that I’m by and large ignoring the lacking cardstock.
Some unexpected imagery
Some expected imagery
Readability: 4/5
This is a strange deck in that for about 85-90% of the cards this is really a totally-new-to-tarot friendly deck, while the rest are some rather obscure references in other cards that are not at all apparent unless you know the myth/story behind them. If you have basic knowledge of western myths, you’ll be able to pick this deck up and run with it. Some of the more obscure references, (like the hanged man who is represented by Odin and Huggin and Munnin) might go over a reader’s head, especially since there is not a little white book provided with the first edition (though I did purchase the book he wrote, which is wonderful), but by and large the images are very accessible and the meaning is easily interpreted, even by people who have NO tarot experience at all.
This is a very loose RWS deck, but the art used to portray the meanings are really made their own by the artist (especially the 5’s in the minor arcana–they are really a different flavor than I typically see). I think this deck is possibly one of the most original readers I have and I adore it for that. This deck, while really being very present in the modern mindset, is incredibly gently without being fluffy, like a camp councilor.
Original cards vs additional cards–I end up using both in the deck seeing as they tend to give very different vibes, even the King of Swords has a distinctly different feel
Art: 4.5/5
I will say that some of the cards feel a bit pixelated and at times, as if the artist zoomed in on his original and cropped the image. The additional booster deck that provided some card variation is much more finished and refined. But by and large the art is really stellar, if a bit simple compared to my standard fare. Some people might feel as if images are immature and unfinished in the art style (for example, the original king of swords that the artist redrew), but I find it a charming feature, not a bug. The black, white, sepia tones with soft pops of color really brings everything together and makes this a stunning deck to behold.
The additional cards from the booster pack are much more finished and refined and in a way kinda stand out from the rest of the art, but I like what the artist did with them and I include them seeing as they tend to give a different meaning to the different cards.
A sample of cards I especially like
Favorite Card: The Hanged Man (Odin). While this isn’t the most original take on a Hanged Man, I do like the inclusion of the two Ravens (Thought and Memory), Odin’s sacrificed eye, the actual hanging from a tree, and Odin being stabbed by a wicked polearm. These little (gruesome) details really bring home the reflection of the Hangman, the high price of wisdom, and a very human story of struggle.
Least Favorite Card: I don’t really have one, I like them all!
Card I Identify As: Ace of Wands
The deck Identifies me as: the deck kinda chose my card identifier–also the Ace of Wands
Boxes it Checks: Youthful, road trip, travel, myths, modern, simple
Seasons: I definitely get some summer road trip vibes from this little one!
Similar Decks: Tarot of the Abyss, The Moon Void Tarot, The Tempest Tarot, Tarot of the New World, The Star Spinner Tarot (in fact, these two decks of mine really like working together!) The Sasuraibito Tarot
aka The David Attenborough’s Tarot, acquired 2020, first edition, independently printed, book purchased separately
Some of the really charming and cute cards in this deck!
Important Note: The card colors appear brighter (and slightly redder) on the computer screen than in real life, but they are still quite vivid in reality! I find IRL they are just the right balance of color, where they are a bit too bombastic on the screen :-).
Overall: 10/10 Animals (that the artist thoroughly researched that actually make sense with the meaning of the tarot card)? Cosmic aesthetics? Compass Rose? Vivid colors? Crazy details? HOLOGRAPHIC EDGING???? F*CKING REALISTIC AMAZING SWORDS SUIT?????! Holy Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, was this deck made for me? For a person who actually is very scientific/logical minded and maybe a little emotionally stunted, this is a 10/10 deck. For people who love animals, and looking for animal spirit guides in tarot form, this might not resonate with you because the meaning of the cards are really tied to the animals biology rather than human cultural meaning. We’ll talk more in a sec.
Card Quality: 5/5 Amazing. I read once upon a time that someone said they were disappointed with the card quality but I seriously do not get that at all. What the heck do you want out of your cards, person?!? These are perfect!
I love that this deck includes unusual animals that you won’t find in other tarot decks!
Readability: for me, 4.5/5 but I do not think this is universal. This is definitely either in your camp or not sort of thing. The card meanings graft onto the nature and behavior of the animal, NOT what is popularly represented as the animal in culture. I can imagine this feeling very alien to people. There are animals that a person who isn’t a die-hard Attenborough fan might never have encountered before–all the more delight! There definitely are cards that I really have to study (and read the artist’s notes which are copious and illustrious) to fully understand, but I did it once, and it’s second nature after that. Also, because these are animals, there’s a sense of aloofness to them that if you really dig people-centered artwork, this might make it difficult for you. The book (which I had to buy separately when this was still an indie deck) is AMAZING and is a great casual read if you want to know more about animals all on their own.
Very sword, much wow!
Art: 10/5 This is right up my alley. The animals are of course incredible, the style is very unique and while portraiture-esque, there’s still movement and esoteric things of interest going on in the cards. A note—for those of us who are sword and pointy object freaks, I have mad appreciation for the artist getting the various swords and knives correct in proportion and design. OMG, much sword, very wow! Some are obviously extra decorated, but still, the artist learned the rules and tastefully broke them.
Favorite Card: There’s a TON that are amazing and I tend to change my mind a lot, but immediately I fell in love with the Ace of Cups–an adorable otter looking up from floating on his back. I also drew the Empress and the Emperor in my deck interview and they have stuck in my mind since. And the 10 of cups? Divine.
Least Favorite Card: Six of Swords—a lion fish being “impaled” but not really? I don’t find this the image of safe passage that I tend to associate with this card. The artist explains it, but the reasoning never seems to stick.
Card I identify as: I think I’ve kinda always identified with the High Priestess with this deck fairly strongly. I remember lingering with II for a long time when I first flipped through the cards. Of all the high priestess’s I’ve encountered this one felt “right” with me.
The Deck Identifies me as: Knight of Swords (I see a trend, the spirits of Tarot are trying to tell me something D:). A vermilion fly catcher (something we don’t have where I live, but if this is the animal the deck chose for me I’m not complaining) and a one handed sword with a disk pommel.
I’ve been looking for a long time for an ocean or water themed deck, but its hard to beat these incredible water critters in this deck!
Season: Winter/Summer I originally thought this was called the Orion’s deck, which here is a winter constellation, but since we get some of our most fabulous star gazing in the winter I can’t help but associate this with winter with all the stars/space theme art. But there’s also a good dose of water animals which makes me think beach time/summer!
Similar decks: Guardians of the Night Tarot, The Wild Unknown, The Crow Tarot, Spirit Song Tarot, Animal Totem Tarot, Oak Ash & Thorn Tarot, The Hush Tarot, The White Sage Tarot, Tarot Familiars, The Foragers Daughter, the Brady Tarot, the Wooden Tarot
Have you ever started a project, with a really simple idea in mind of how it would look, but once you’re 90% of the way done with it, you decide well, hell, that was easy, lets make this twice as hard! That’s how this tag went for me. What started out as an easy, fun conversation with Val, my fellow tarot aficionado, turned into a whole afternoon of hysterical laughing and not a small measure of inappropriate conversation.
Part of why I am so late to this Tarot-tube tag is I simply went overboard. Not only did I follow the prompts of the tag, but Val and I stole additional ones from others, and made up a bunch of our own.
The Fling: A deck with which you had a short period of wild times.
The Medieval Europe Tarot
I’m grabbing on to the “wild” part of this prompt–I FORCED myself to stop using this deck because from the time I got it to about a month in, it was the ONLY deck I wanted to use. Now I try use it in pretty specific situations. It’s good in that Game of Thrones its-so-violent-you-can’t-look-away good. It’s darkly funny, has wonderful hand-feel, and kinda not nice!
Puppy Love: A deck with which you were infatuated, but couldn’t make a long-term commitment to.
The Oak Ash and Thorn
I don’t think I’ve wanted to love a deck more than I wanted to love this deck. I actually waited a YEAR before finally breaking down and getting it, but when I got it, it was NOT AT ALL a soft fluffy sort of deck! It is really blunt, gets right to the point, and nothing like I imagined it to be. Its a great deck, make no mistake, but I’m still a little butt-hurt it wasn’t what I imagined.
Friends with Benefits: A deck you care about, but sometimes get extremely passionate for.
The Llewellyn Tarot
When I have really vulnerable emotional questions for Tarot, I typically reach for my Llewellyn Tarot. It’s truthful like a friend, but gentle like a good lover. I find that really does it’s job well AND I will linger with it for a long time. What might be a three card reading turns into a multi long spread that I spend time with soaking up the various imagery and thoughts that come from the spread. I also tend to find its readings are eerily true.
Love At First Sight:A deck you loved from the start. (Self explanatory)
Seasonal Fox Tarot
That was the shortest amount of time I’ve ever took to think of purchasing a deck! It just includes so many things that I love, it was a no-brainer. Foxes? Check. Japanese myth and cultural references? Check. Bright colors? Check. TWO DECKS IN ONE WITH A DARK AND LIGHT VERSION??? Yes ma’am! Corresponding seasons with the various major and minor arcana that can make a panorama? OH HELL YEAH!
One Night Stand:A deck you tried out, but moved on from almost immediately. Sometimes, you still think about that deck.
The Threads of Fate Oracle
It was so beautiful. I tried to love it! I tried for nearly three years, but I couldn’t. I just did not connect with the imagery nor the keywords nor the messages. I sent it to a long deserved loving home.
“We Were On a Break!”: A deck you’re separated from for any reason.
Moonlight Tarot by Inessa Bondarenko
We shouldn’t be on a break! I don’t know why we are–I think I was trying to use other decks more and set this one aside. I freaking love this deck! It’s going into my April monthly decks!
Marriage Material: A deck that has proven its value to you.
Ask The Witch Tarot
I feel like I have an unfair amount of decks that I can slot into this category! Even though I’ve had this deck for a very short time and I haven’t used it nearly as extensively as other decks, AND the cardstock leaves much to be desired, I just cannot get over how wonderfully unique the art of this deck is. It marches proudly to its own beat even though it is still traditional enough to be a super easy and blunt reader. I find this deck both fascinating and down to earth and very funny. It is a deck I could bring on a three month vacation and never get tired of it.
Happily Ever After: Your true love in a deck.
The Slavic Legends Tarot
Its beautiful, it feels GREAT, it’s compassionate, its complex, its a little mysterious, it’s the deck out of fairy tales! I could spend hours looking at all the art and images and am always wanting more. I’ve heard there’s a fan who is compiling all the stories she’s familiar with and I’m ecstatic to read them one day!
And this is where the official tag ends and we became unhinged. Val and I had such a good time with this tag, we borrowed some suggestions others made and came up with several of our own:
Friendly Ex: A deck who is still a reliable friend even though you are no longer in love.
Trionfi della Luna, Illustrated pips edition
I purchased this deck last year and I was just OBSESSED with its silly, devil may care attitude. I loved it so much I got both the standard and the black inverse edition. It has such a shameless humor it makes me smile even when the reading is bad. While I’ve moved on in my obsessions, it is still very dear to me, and it always brightens my day when I use it.
Soul Connection: The deck you thought was only a crush and ended up connecting more deeply with.
The Oriens Tarot
This animal deck just really tickled a lot of my fancies in art and tarot. It is not what I’d consider an easy reader, but it really helped me develop my tarot reading skills and bring them to the next level. I find that of all my decks, this one is the most accurate reader and it’s very neutral and beautiful. I would never have guessed that I’d so completely fall for this deck.
It’s Not You, It’s Me: The deck whose value you see, but just cannot connect with.
Visconti di Modrone Tarot
This deck is arguably the most beautiful deck I own, and, I’ll be honest, I dislike pip decks. I thought that its historical intrigue and significance would lead me to start learning it and push through the difficulties like I did with the Sola Busca, but I just can’t. I like to look at it, and I’ll ask it financial related queries, but that’s about it.
Platonic Love Pact: The “if we’re still single at 40 we’ll get married” deck XD!
The Spacious Tarot
I am so fond of this deck, loyal, simple, honest, it’s my Samwise Gamgee deck. While I’m not head over heels in love with it, it’s so reliable and personable, I’ll certainly have it at 40!
Enemies to Lovers: A deck you hated, now love
The True Black Tarot
I really loved it when I first saw it, my husband bought it as a gift to me and my first reading with it was SO TRUE AND SO MEAN! It took me some diligent work and time, but now I freaking love this deck. It would be a deck I save from a house fire no doubt.
The Failed Relationship: A deck you had such high hopes for but it let you down in every way imaginable–its not you, its THEM!
Sefriot Tarot
I feel like I need to write a whole rant review about this fricking deck/game/Kickstarter fail. This deck had such potential and promise that I put good money into, and the developers just totally dropped the ball and as a result it’s a POS that I vindictively hang on to so as to write a review some day. The art work is great, but everything else was such a huge FAIL it’s hard to get over.
The One That Got Away: You had a chance to get this deck, but you didn’t and you regret not taking a chance.
I mean, the title is pretty self-explanatory. I waffled because I’d never had a deck that was so quirky. Major loss on my part.
The Widow Deck: The deck you got because you lost a person in your real life, or the deck reminded you of them or otherwise helped you move on from a relationship ending.
The Forhaxa Tarot
This strong, feminine deck helped me process and move on from my mother’s death. I still think of it as a “Mom” deck.
The Slow Burn: A deck that takes a lot of time to get you “warmed up” but is well worth the wait!
The Nameless One Tarot
I’ll keep saying it, this deck requires time and effort, but it is so worth it! A wonderful, witchy, symbolic-rich deck that still is rather simple in its imagery. It’s definitely not a deck you can do a “quick-ie” reading with, but if you need something deep late at night to help you get to sleep with a clear head, this is my deck.
Out of My League: A deck that you’re simply not a skilled enough as a reader yet to grasp.
The Mary El
Maybe one day! In a way, I’m glad I have this deck because it reminds me that there is a point in which I give up trying to understand a deck, and this reminder prevents me from buying other modern, heavy handed esoteric decks I really want to be able to read but won’t put in the effort to learn.
The Toxic Relationship: A deck that you’ve done stupid things for or because of, or has otherwise elicited bad emotions/behaviors.
The Fyodor Pavlov
Let me explain myself…I wanted this deck SO BAD, and I was not using Kickstarter when it was on Kickstarter, so I had to buy it when it was limited indie print released prior to US Games releasing the deck. The decks sold INSTANTLY on Etsy, and thank goodness he did staggered releases because I’d hit the refresh and it would say SOLD OUT. It took me FOUR tries, setting my alarm to get up or set aside my work and try to snag a copy. Honestly, while the indie version is slightly nicer cardstock, I should have just waited for the mass market release.
Left You at the Alter: A deck that consistently leaves you hanging unresolved in a reading no matter how many cards you pull.
The Cosma Visions Tarot
Okay so perhaps I haven’t dedicated the time to learning this decks own unique structure, but that is due to, at least in part, the fact that this beautiful tarot/oracle deck never gives me even a remotely straight answer! It’s so fricking whimsy and all over the place and not at all rooted in any system I’m familiar with and so handwave-y, every reading I do I end up feeling frustrated and let down. But it’s SO beautiful!
Look but don’t touch!: The deck you have fantasies of using, but understand its very surface level and risks turning into a fling.
I’m not a Thoth gal. I have only minimal Thoth decks (ah-hem, Mary El), and it’s not exactly a system I’m chomping at the bit to learn, but gosh darn it am I so intrigued with the Tabula Mundi!
The Kink: A deck that toes the line of too edgy for you to feel totally comfortable with, but you still like using to experiment.
The Lost Hollow Tarot
This is a deck of radical acceptance and totally turns traditional ideas of gender and sexuality on its head. I find it a deck that asks me “but what if…” and I love it for that! And it does suggest various “kink” flavors in a very respectful way. It’s kind of a bad ass deck, imo.
The Hot and Cold Lover: A deck that waffles between extremes and you are uncertain what it will give you.
The Fantastic Menagerie
I mean, this should not surprise anyone. This wry deck spares no one from its scathing remarks, but it also is dead honest and isn’t afraid to tell you good job, and when you hear that, it means all the more because you know how nasty it can get.
I Can’t Take You Anywhere!: A deck that is so over the top dramatic you don’t feel comfortable using it for reading for others.
The Bloodmoon Tarot
I love this deck. A lot. Perhaps more than I should. But I’ll be honest, it is so raw and over the top that I cannot use this in the public sphere. It hits so hard in every card, I could easily see this deck making someone cry. Not for the faint of heart at all.
My Secret Lover: A deck you don’t want to share with anyone and are even hesitant to tell others you have.
The Lubanko Tarot
Like the Bloodmoon Tarot, this deck is very raw. To me, it’s almost as if the deck means the reversal or “dark” meanings to all the cards. It’s the shadow-self deck in a way. It really challenges me and lets me safely explore, but it is very edgy and I feel like I might be judged by other tarot nerds if I mention I have it and use it.
You Could Do Better: A deck that is undeserving and you’ve probably already ditched.
The Tarot of Cloister (knock off)
I don’t have this in my possession any more, but I purchased this knock-off deck through Etsy. I learned a valuable lesson: if a deck price is too good to be true, it probably is a knock off. Yep, I got scammed! I can do better than that ;-).
First Love: The first deck that made you fall in love with Tarot.
The Shadowscapes Tarot
I had to pick the lovely large Czech version to highlight here. I was introduced to this deck by Val, and after watching her for years use it, I received a copy from my partner and then my obsession for tarot and card art began!
Did anyone else do this tag? What decks are you crushing for these days?
When you’re kawaii on the outside, but metal AF on the inside. Purchased 2020
Overall: 8/10 This was my first deck I purchased for myself—I saw someone using it on YouTube and I HAD TO HAVE IT! Who knew the artist and I live in the same city—that just made it all the more appealing and I bought a copy for my friend too to support local art! Adventurous and sweet it has a SUPER KAWAII! color pallet that would make this unpalatably fluffy if it wasn’t steeped in dark worldly fairy tales. I find this a very gregarious deck, approachable, with a very good sense of humor, like your friend who’s down for brunch or bar food at any time of the day. It’s incredibly friendly and very personal, but happy to lay on bad news when it needs to (and it will deliver in the cutest way possible!).
I take issue with some of the wand cards being pip-ish, and I wish there were as cohesive “stories” in the wands that we see in the pentacles, swords, and chalices. But after using this for such a long time, this feels like a very minor complaint because the wands do have their own subtle story, if you pay attention.
I have to admit, that when I need a pick-me-up I reach for this deck–it’s such a happy, vibrant deck that even when it lays on the bad news, I still leave the reading feeling uplifted.
Card Quality: 3/5 Better than the standard Llewellyn. The edges tend to want to fray a bit, but the back has a metallic lavender pearly sheen that is quite pretty, and the silk finish matting is easy to shuffle. There was some very minor damage when my new, unopened cards came but I didn’t bother asking for an exchange because I knew with use this would be no longer noticeable.
The Star Spinner has some of the most beautiful backs of all my decks! I just love it!
Readability: 4/5 Okay, so the wands feels like the neglected suite of the cards since nearly everything else has quite a rich fairy tale vibe if not direct reference and interesting color story. It’s really easy to interpret the standard meaning from the artistic spin, with the exception of the wand which is the suite dominated by fairies. They don’t have the same sort of story and detail dedicated to each card, and to me that’s a huge let down. The chalices seem to be the most integrated, following just the singular (dark) story of the little mermaid, while the swords and pentacles draw from a variety of different folk lore. There’s plenty of things to notice and observe in each card to help make the reading very intuitive.
The Wand Court; one of these things is color-theme not like the others…
Art 5/5: I got a lot to say here so hold on! This is an inclusive deck with a LGTBQ focus and I love using all the lovers cards. I do think the variety of cards makes me focus on what parts of my masculinity/femininity are in play. This deck has received some criticism for not having “enough” representation (perhaps in light of the Modern Witch Tarot?), but I guess I was very pleased with the representations, and I don’t think the artist should be faulted here. Also, I view most of the mermaids to be “thicc” women, and I don’t think people are seeing them in that light.
The colors are stunning, very fluffy, expressive, and rather bombastic which works well with the otherwise simple art style. There’s a lot of symbology, but not nearly as much as Shadowscapes, but certainly enough for me to work well with. People who are very organized and sensitive to color-use will be mad that the king of wands is a different color scheme than the rest of the suit–I noticed it right away but it didn’t bother me, but it DOES piss my friend off.
Favorite Card: So far its a tie between the charming Page of Chalices, a mermaid speaking to a puppy with a sunset and mountain cabin in the background, and the Knight of Swords. This amazing knight is very feminine with wings starting intensely at their longsword—I sense a trend of loving sharp pointy things…
Least Favorite Card: The Eight of wands—I need something here, I feel this was a “I give up” on the artist’s part.
Card I identify as: I have to say, I feel really drawn to the 4 variations of the lovers–I feel as if all these iterations speak to my inner female/male duality and how this plays out in the world with my relationships–I really “get” the art.
Card the deck identifies me as: The Queen of Swords—she’s very unnerving, with a white snake of wisdom draped over her shoulders (my Chinese zodiac, and also a common eastern witches’ familiar) she’s BITING PETALS OFF A ROSE! JEEZUS THAT’S METAL A.F.! She’s also the scariest card, maybe followed by the seven of swords which is delightfully dastardly.
Boxes it Checks: Fairy tale, Mermaids, Cute, Bold, Feminine, Bright, Diverse, Simple, Love Readings, Personal
Seasons: Late Winter/Early Spring: the pastels and brilliant colors really make me think happy Ostara thoughts!
Similar Decks: Cosmic Slumber Tarot, The Tarot of the Divine, The Modern Witch Tarot, R.Black Tarot, Silicon Dawn Tarot, Next Word Tarot, Fairy Tale Tarot (Korean publisher), The Ellis Deck Tarot, The Wandering Star Tarot, The Luna Sol Tarot
I do my best not to judge a deck by it’s box, but lets just take a moment to appreciate this incredible art!
or Running House Press “Tarot” mini deck. Review by Stacy
Is this even Tarot?
Acquired 2011. There are two versions, one with ultra mini folded accordion cards and a large book, and this semi mini version with a (admittedly really tough) tuck box, a LWB, and an absolutely useless paper foldout spread.
Overall: 5/10 Well, yes, this IS Tarot, despite first glance! This was my first deck of Tarot cards. My mother bought these for herself from Barns & Nobel to play a fortuneteller during a Halloween Party. I ended up “inheriting” them (i.e. saved from the landfill) when she was done. I didn’t “understand” the cards at the time and after flipping through them maybe a dozen times, they ended up collecting dust on my bookshelf for several years. Now with some Tarot under my belt I find this quite a cheeky little deck.
Size comparison to a standard tarot deck.
This works well as a very compact traveling deck since I cannot bring myself to purchase another mini version of a deck I’d otherwise want in full size. It does its job. While it’s my “first” deck and I’m not going to get rid of it, I also don’t reach for it in my normal daily readings and sentimentality keeps it on my bookshelf.
At first this deck comes off as childish, but the more you work with it, the more mature and clever you realize it is. Much in the way fairy tales are “meant” for children, the themes can be quite dark. It has a sort of “comic strip” feeling to it as you read from one card to the next, like a medieval stain glass comic, with some Punch and Judy feel. There’s also quite a bit of myth/story lore embedded in the images.
I always think of the Redwall book series when I use it, though I cannot say why. Would I buy this deck again? Probably not. Am I going to get rid of it? Ungh…
I appreciate the suits being organized by color. Also, you can see how there are typical RWS imagery in some cards (like the VIII of Pentacles and IX of Cups) but then the VIII of wands is a ship’s helm and the King of Swords is referencing Aesop’s fable the Fox and the Grapes . This deck is all over the place.
Card Quality: 2/5 The compact size, more of a square than rectangle, is really pleasant to use and the card stock is very durable. And that’s kinda where it ends—these things STICK to one another and shuffling is incredibly difficult. BUT they are fairly waterproof because of the heavy, weird coating, so there’s that. This does loan itself well for jumpers so I don’t have to sit around waiting for cards to appear.
You can see here some cards are very RWS reminiscent (like Temperance and The Tower) and others are completely doing their own thing (The Fool and The Star)
Readability: 2.5/5 I’m a bit on the fence. The deck seems to use some Thoth and some Rider-Waite interpretations, and other cards are just totally “Eh…?” But, on the other hand, the major and minor divisions are color coded on the corners so it actually is pretty easy to see at first glance what “corners” your issue is coming from, which is awesome.
The back design is arguably the best part of this deck—its SO charming!
Art: 4/5 I actually have learned to really like this folksy art style. The images are very simple with bright colors, and the backs are GORGEOUS! Some of the more non-traditional images are delightful to sit with and see where your intuition takes you, other cards I simply just don’t “get.” I will admit that I’m really fond of the backs of these cards!
The delightfully violent V of Swords and the odd Emperor.
Favorite Card: I really like the five of swords with this one!
Least Favorite Card: IV The Emperor–does anyone know why he’s a boot??? Can someone help me out here?
Season: Late Summer, Early Fall (got that old time harvest folksy vibe going for it!)
Boxes it Checks: Folk Art, Fairy Tale, Odd, Mini, Charming, Travel
Similar Decks: The Kawaii Tarot, Trungles the Very Little Tarot (which if I had the choice I’d get this one instead)
The Tarot Tarts 