Showing results for 'magic realist press' in images. - Tarot, Tea, & Me

Verdance Tarot Changes in majors: mostly traditional names (II Magus instead of Magician) Suit names: Wands, Cups, Swords, Coins Court cards: Page, Knight, Queen, King Card backs: fully reversible Cardstock: thin, matte, flexible Extra cards: two information cards (about the artist and her earlier deck, the Shadowscapes Tarot) Additions: a simple, sturdy carton card stand for one card, dark blue with a half-moon symbol The Verdance Tarot is a stunningly beautiful deck with an interesting name. It combines the lushness and abundance of the verdant world with the flow and movement of dance, not only in its name but in every card. Stephanie Pui Mun-Law’s first deck, the Shadowscapes Tarot, has been praised for its gorgeous art and atmosphere of magic. Could we imagine that this artist has developed and grown to become even better? No, but she has done it. The only point of critique frequently mentioned about the Shadowscapes Tarot is its size – it’s a bit too small to see the exquisite details properly, and while its silvery-lavender borders are beautiful, they take up valuable space on the cards. The Verdance Tarot is borderless, and the card names are inserted into small, transparent banners at the bottom of the cards. The card names and numbers are set in a small, brown font that doesn’t disturb the atmosphere at all. Laid out next to each other, the cards merge into a rich tapestry. When we look at this world, we seem to acquire a new set of eyes, allowing us to see more than we usually do, to see deeper, to get a glimpse of the truth behind the beauty. Most of the deck’s protagonists are animals. The few human figures are not actually humans but fairies or nature spirits, and very few look at us and notice us (like the Nine of Coins). The Knights ride on mythological animals, and the Kings and Queens contemplate the world they are ruling. All these wonderful creatures are shown in their world and reveal it to us. Mythological creatures like the unicorn, hippogriff and phoenix blend seamlessly with the warbler, maple tree and blackbirds. The full-page, full-colour illustrations of the excellent book allow us to see the cards in detail, and they are extremely detailed. Wherever you focus your eye, more and more details appear. It reminds me a bit of fractals with their endless complexity. There is a lot of movement in these cards, but it’s never hasty or disruptive. It’s a serene, elegant movement in waves, spirals, arches and complex patterns. The book is a valuable addition to the deck. It lists the symbolic meanings of the animals and plants that appear in the deck, along with the cards on which these animals appear. The dragonfly, for example, stands for transformation and spiritual growth, and it shows up in no less than ten cards, from the High Priestess and Temperance to the 10 and Page of Cups. If you want to study this deck, I’d suggest you group together all the dragonfly cards, all the dandelion cards, or all the starfish cards, and see them as a whole. These motifs bind the deck together. Even without the book explanation, you can feel intuitively what these animals and plants want to tell you. The watercolour art of this deck is masterful and inspired. The compositions seem to have endless depth and complexity, and while the focus of each card is painted in a highly controlled and detailed manner, there are areas in each card where the artist has let the paint and water interact more freely. These are the areas I love especially. The colouring is rich, with translucent washes that unite the whole deck. Blues, greens, purples and yellows flow into each other. These are not card illustrations but visionary works of art, inspired by the tarot and inspiring to the reader. The book offers three spreads for this deck: the Inner Garden spread, the See the Forest for the Trees spread, and the Sacred Grove spread. This deck is ideal for meditation, deep personal insight, and gaining a new perspective on life. It’s not a beginner’s deck; I imagine a beginner would be overwhelmed by the richness of the art and the symbolic meanings of each detail, but if you know the tarot archetypes and love the magic of nature, this is a deck you won’t wish to miss. I keep mine in a piece of silk that I painted many years ago with purple hues, and some of the card backgrounds remind me of silk paintings.

From the album: Historical Decks

This colorful 78-card deck by Liz Dean, illustrated by Emma Garner, is accompanied by a 64-page full-color booklet that includes five diagrams of spreads. The deck blends classic symbolism with simple, modern, almost minimalist illustrations; the Death and Devil cards have been re-interpreted using gentle, non-confrontational imagery. Pips are non-illustrated. ISBN: 978-1-78249-721-9 Available at Barnes & Noble (bn.com)

January 2, 20215 yr

Tarot of the Secret Forest Changes in majors: traditional names Suit names: Wands, Chalices, Swords, Pentacles Court cards: Knave, Knight, Queen, King Card backs: black-and-white drawing of the card image, not reversible There are many decks that depict the forest – a beloved metaphor of the soul and its secrets, of life’s journey with its challenges and surprises, and the place untouched by the cultivating hand of humans. Fairies, gnomes and mythological beasts live there, Hansel and Gretel got lost there, and in many cultures, the forest is the wild, untamed paradise that we long to go back to. Simon Schama writes beautifully about the forest as a national origin myth in “Landscape and Memory”, if anyone is interested in that topic. However, while there is no lack of tarot decks depicting the forest, the Tarot of the Secret Forest is unique in its blend of the natural and supernatural world. Other decks show the forest as an idyllic, enchanting place where you always feel safe. Some of these decks, beautiful as they are, present the forest like a public garden where you walk through and look around, enjoying the beauty but never feeling lost or confused. Lucia Mattioli, the artist of the Secret Forest Tarot, lives next to a wild forest, and this is what she paints. There are brambles, insects (yes, also spiders, not my favourite animal), and the fairy creatures we encounter when we follow her are neither cute nor inviting. It feels as though they’d rather be left alone. We are strangers in that forest, and we have to respect this wild world that we have left behind us when we started to build houses and cities. There are many painted forests that you leave with clean hands and feet, but in the Secret Forest, you’ll get spiderwebs in your hair, dirt on your feet and knees, and scratches on your arms and legs. Lots of brambles, and the few traces of human habitation look as though they have been left ages ago. In the Six of Chalices for example, a dog sits in front of a half-open garden gate, but the garden looks wild. Nature has taken it back. In the Seven of Wands, lizards crawl on a sarcophagus-shaped stone that must have been sculpted centuries ago. It all feels a bit like Frodo and Sam in the Mirkwood. I love Mattioli’s art style. She works with oil colours and builds them up to a thick impasto, giving her pictures a three-dimensional, tactile quality. Even in the reproductions, you feel that build-up of colour, and it gives the deck a strong sense of atmosphere. Not everybody may like it, but I find it very evocative. The colours are murky, muddy and earthy, with some highlights, but most scenes appear to take place in the dense shadows of a wild, uncultivated forest. Your eyes have to get used to this colour scheme, just like they have to get used to the uncertain light conditions when you walk through a dense forest. Some areas will be dappled with light, but others will feel really dark. The black borders, with a lighter, thin inner corner, frame these beautiful images very well. (Not everybody will call them beautiful, but I certainly do; I love landscape paintings and Mattioli takes the forest seriously). There are smudges of colour on the top and bottom of the frames: yellowish for the Majors and Coins, red for the Wands, blue-greenish for the Chalices, and grey for the Swords. Over these colour spots, the card numbers and suit symbols are printed. There is not one written word on the cards; even the court cards are represented by easily identifiable symbols. Even the font is rough, as though painted with a thin brush and oil colours. The special touch is found on the backs of the cards. The artist has re-created the scene on the card in a black-and-white ink drawing. These are not simply reproductions of the card image but new works of art that focus on the main motif. These card backs have the same black borders and numbers, but without any colours. The images look even starker and bolder in black-and-white. This is the most non-reversible way of presenting a tarot deck I have ever seen, and it might irritate some users. I personally never saw a problem in non-reversible card backs – all you have to do is close your eyes or simply not look at the cards, and that’s it. However, this deck really turns the non-reversible into a unique characteristic because you actually have two decks to work with. You can switch between the fronts and backs when doing a reading, or you can simply disregard the backs. Another way of incorporating these double-image cards would be by shuffling them wildly, mixing up the coloured and b/w sides, and reading them differently. The b/w images can represent the shadow side of the card. Lucia Mattioli’s second deck, the Fairy Lights Tarot, is much more upbeat, has simple card backs and uses a much livelier colour palette. I like it as well, but I prefer the Tarot of the Secret Forest for its earthy honesty and ability to see the magic of untamed nature, even where it’s frightening or strange, or the brambles scratch your ankles. And the fairies have a life of their own. They don’t wait for us. Some don’t notice us, others are busy, and those who welcome us, like the Page of Cups, may have sinister purposes. The Page of Swords even seems threatening. This deck reads well for me, especially for uncomfortable topics, self-reflection or thorny relationship issues. When you find yourself in a place in life where you’re not sure how to go on, when you tread carefully because you don’t know what’s going to crawl, fly or jump at you next, this deck will give you an idea how to go on. The LWB won't give you much to work with, but if you like this deck, your intuition will kick in strongly, and the basic RWS meanings will also help you with this deck.

From the album: Oracle Decks

Author - Steven D. Farmer Artist - Each card beautifully illustrated by different artists Publisher - 2010 Hay House, Inc. Box Set Edition ISBN - 9781401925352 Weight - 13.4 oz Card Size - 12.2cm x 9cm Box Size - 13.9cm x 9.9cm Language - English Purchase here - https://www.amazon.com/Earth-Magic-Oracle-Cards-Guidebook/dp/1401925359

From the album: Artistic Decks

The Enchanted Tarot Creator: Amy Zerner (artist), Monte Farber (writer) Year/Publisher: 1992 / St. Martin's Press Availability: original edition is OOP but available at Amazon; 25th anniversary edition also available at Amazon. This deck has been revised and remixed into the Zerner-Farber Tarot by the creators.

From the album: Esoteric Decks

Artist - Aleks Samoylov Publisher - Cloud Monster Press First Published - 2023 (Originally a Kickstarter) Card Size - Standard 2.75 inches by 4.75 inches (70 mm x 120 mm) Purchase here - Gamecrafter Details - From the box: "The experience of reading and browsing this deck was always meant to feel just a touch... dreamy, a bit like looking through and exploring a set of overlapping openings (windows, gateways, keyholes, passages}, glimpses into worlds within worlds, messy, surreal multivalent non-places or hyperspaces full of competing forms, organic and synthetic, alien and mundane." All painted - no AI or collage. Suits are Beacons (Wands, fires), Vessels (Cups, water), Tines (Swords, air), and Seals (Pents, earth). Some majors and all courts have been renamed to remove gender and rank. The Emperor is The Alchemist; the Queens are Oracles, etc. The parts of paintings that look like torn strips of paper are meant to show,"boundaries, liminal states, and thresholds." (from the lwb) Samoylov is a professional digital artist who visualized the cards' places on the Tree of Life in combination with the 4 elements. Artistic, Esoteric, Borderless

May 13, 20251 yr
- 1

The Idiosyncradeck is an independently published deck by the graphic artist Jessica Bott. It's out of print now, but the artist has since launched a new deck, the Cracked Amethyst deck, and also a number of botanical-themed decks in the same style. Let's start with the name - I confess I'm not enamored with it. The pun with idiosyncratic is a bit too heavy-handed for my taste, especially for a deck that's so light on its feet like this one. Privately, I always referred to it as Cracked Amethyst Tarot, the name of the artist’s shop and blog, and I smiled when I saw that this is the name she chose for the reworked new deck. It is a beautiful deck, and that's what attracted me at first. Each card has a large white border and a dotted frame that separates the border and the image. The picture/frame ratio is elegant, frame and border are rounded like the cards' corners, and these cards are very pleasing to the eye, even of unscrupulous trimmers like me. The majors bear a Roman numeral on top and their name in simple, elegant, slender uppercase font on the bottom. The minors have Arabic numbers on top and the suit names in the same slim font under the picture. The suit names are Arrows (for Wands), Cups, Swords, and Stones (for Pentacles or Disks). The court cards are named traditionally: Page, Knight, Queen and King. There is one added major called Magic; instead of a number, it bears a question mark. Under a full moon, a colourful cauldron fills up with magical ingredients. It's surrounded by suit symbols, candles, and a skull - a vivid, striking image of a tarot deck and what we can do with it. This card would have served well as Magician, too, but then, the artist chose to depict natural phenomena on the major cards, and the cauldron suggests human activity (even if no human appears). Accordingly, the Magician is depicted as an oyster with a beautiful pearl within. The result of a long process of perfection. The artist's choices for the majors are inspired and inspiring - a stone circle under the magical light of aurora borealis for the High Priestess, an energetic waterfall that rushes from snow-capped mountains under a clear sky for Chariot; a fruit tree where birds nest for the Empress, and a volcano for the Tower are some examples. Most mysterious is Temperance - glowing stars and planets in the sky, glowing fungi in earth, near and far, all connected in a web of associations like astrology and alchemy. I confess that I was charmed into buying this deck by the Hanged Man, a sloth that looks into our eyes with a mischievous, knowing smile. From a tarot point of view, this choice is a bit limiting - the sloth is in its natural posture and not undergoing any uncomfortable growing pains. Its world is not upside down, this is its normal world. And yet, it invites us kindly to share its view. This invitation from a sloth takes the sting out of the card and adds a little challenge. Learn from the sloth, don’t be frightened to put your world upside down and check how it looks that way. The deck doesn't shy back from stark images for Justice (a sapling growing through a skull), Death (skull, bones and fungi) or Judgement (a storm with high waves and lightning next to a lighthouse). The Devil is a spider about to jump on its prey. It's possible to interpret each of these cards without the LWB that's available as a PDF on the website, but if you do read the PDF, you'll find it's helpful. Each card is described, and the interpretation keywords are clear and concise. Nevertheless, I had fun trying to understand the artist's intention without the LWB first. And here, I have to say a word about the outstanding feature of this deck: its clarity. The vector graphics are simply lovely. You might think it's a contradiction in itself to depict nature in a medium so far removed from nature like computer graphics, but no. It works very well because the simple shapes, fresh expressive colours and intelligent compositions have inner harmony and cohesion. This deck absolutely speaks its own language. Now to the minors. While most majors deal with forces of nature, all minor suits show traces of humans. While sloth and volcano get along fine without us, nature doesn't produce arrows, swords or cups - and many of the stones show that they went through human hands, were used as pendants, arranged as spirals or bear inscriptions. That's a beautiful way of acknowledging the difference between the strong archetypes of the majors and the human element of the minors. I find the choice of suit symbols an intelligent compromise between tradition and innovation. Arrows, instead of Wands, have the element of speed, they contain dynamic energy even in their quiver - we see that they can fly even if they don't. The whole Cups suit is domestic and very lovely. We know that the world outside is alive without us, but to see the same anthropomorphic magic within the house, with tea cups and tea pots, is simply wonderful. The Swords have a more difficult task - they're outside, juxtaposed with trees and water, and they seem to bring conflict and tension to most scenes. Stones are again more tranquil, and even when they're used by humans, they fit into the landscape better. The concept of nature and culture (i.e., traces of human design and work) works great for majors and minors, but what about the court cards? The artist chose to depict a suit symbol in a very similar composition for each court card. The Pages have a background of rosy early morning, and the suit symbols are small and not yet very developed. The Knights are mature, large, full of energy and stand in the full daylight. The Queens are ornate and enchanting in the evening light. And the Kings radiate power - fully mature at night. The card backs are reversible, with a circle of crystals, flowers, stars and keys. In the readings I did with this deck, it worked very well. This is definitely a deck you can use for querents who feel intimidated by esoteric symbols, nudity or cruelty. This deck is very peaceful, but its scenes evoke intuitive responses. It lends itself very well to an intuitive reading style, and while it re-interprets RWS card meanings in a creative way, you can use it from the box if you wish to. The LWB is very good. The cards interact well with each other, which helps reading. Often, the horizons are at the same height, so you get a kind of storyboard where changes take place from card to card, scene to scene. I don't have the oracle deck, but from what I see, it can complement the tarot deck very well, for example, with clarification cards. I own a number of nature-oriented decks without humans and find the Idiosyncradeck a valuable addition. If you can find a second-hand deck, I would recommend purchasing it. Even though the creator doesn’t like it anymore, I still do.

The Victorian Romantic Tarot – Limited Gold Edition By Jewel Published in November of 2006, The Victorian Romantic Tarot was the fifth Tarot deck published by Magic Realist Press (MRP). The original release was published as a deck and book set, and a Limited Gold Edition was published as a set with a blank journal instead of a companion book. This review will focus on the Limited Gold edition as that is the version of the deck that I have. If you have read any of the previous reviews I have written about MRP decks then you know I am a huge fan of their decks and books, so yes, this will be a glowing review. I was not really into the Victorian era at the time the deck was released, nor am I really now either. To me it was just a gorgeous collector deck, so I purchased the Limited Gold edition only. Then one day a friend who loves and uses this deck called me up to get my input on a reading she was doing for herself and I pulled out my Gold VR, laid out the cards in the spread and …. magic happened. The deck just sang to me. Everything was so clear. From that day forward I was, and remain, a huge fan of The Victorian Romantic Tarot as a reading deck. I was not really expecting that, though I should have known better with it being a Magic Realist Press/Baba Studios deck! As with all their decks, Karen Mahoney and Alex Ukolov did extensive research and worked their magic in this creation. Karen and Alex don’t just pick a theme/idea and find things to fit it, they immerse themselves in the subjects of their Tarot decks and blend that immersive experience with Tarot knowledge and just wow me with every deck they release. No two decks are the same or have the same feel or voice. They have perfected this blending into an artform all in of itself. The Victorian Romantic was inspired by an old engravings book published in Germany in the late 19th century full of overlooked art or, as noted by Karen “denigrated by formal art history.” But Karen and Alex were impressed by the technical skill and “narrative flair.” From personal experience, I can say that the cards do have a narrative flair indeed! These paintings, being of the same time of Arthur Wait and Pamela Coleman-Smith, were art they would have been familiar with “European salon art at its most accomplished and popular.” Scenes that can be eluded to in the Rider-Wait-Smith (RWS) deck. This book of engravings started Karen and Alex on their path to collecting high quality books of engravings of this time period. Many of the books originated from Germany, the Czech Republic and England, encompassing artists from Europe and US. The more they found the more possibilities for a Tarot deck became a reality. As noted by Karen in the Introduction of companion book “We found engravings that were emotive, gorgeous and memorable, and as we began making them into sketches for the cards, we realized how strong this deck could be in cartomantic readings; these images not only spoke, they sang, laughed and cried. Their realism was to easy to relate to, but could be provocative and unsettling, as well as captivating and charming.” And the deck delivers on every single one these things that Karen mentions. The Victorian Romantic Gold came with 79 cards. It has 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana, the 79th card is a second Lovers card, a more sensual version of the card. This gives the reader a choice of which one to use, or they can include both and read them differently. Personally, I use the more sensual version. The Limited Gold edition of this deck was limited to a run of 500 numbered and signed decks. A gold overlay ink is strategically placed on the images under the varnish so that it does not chip or scratch. It is truly lovely, and as I use the deck and riffle shuffle I can tell you they were serious when they said it would not chip or scratch, I have been using this deck for over 10 years. To me the gold just adds to the elegance of this deck, and even once I realized I was going to read with this deck I did not purchase the standard edition because the gold just seemed to add to my connection with the cards. There have been three editions of this deck: The VR Gold Limited Edition, VR Standard, and most recently the edition with the metallic overlay which I would love to get my hands on! This new edition has several card changes and includes two Devil cards, as well as two Lovers cards (different from the extra Lover’s card in the Gold Edition.) As much as I love my Gold Edition knowing what their metallic overlay decks are like this one must be simply exquisite, and I would so love to get my hands on a copy of it. Mini-deck versions of this deck have also been published. The Major Arcana retain the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith titles, the difference lies in the Majors not being numbered so the reader can position Strength and Justice at position 8 or 11 based on personal preference. This is standard fare for Magic Realist Press decks. The Minor Arcana Suits retain their traditional names and elemental correspondences of Wands/Fire, Cups/Water, Swords/Air, Pentacles/Earth. The court cards are King, Queen, Knight, and Page. The cards do not rely on exact number of suit icons to tell you what card you are looking at, rather the picture itself sets the scene, tells the story, and conveys the meaning of the card. The card number and suit are included at the bottom of the card. The cards measure approximately 5” X 3” and have an 1/8” white border on three sides, a ¼” border on the bottom, and a thin gold line surrounding the picture. The card titles are included in the bottom ¼” of the card in gold lettering. The card stock is superb, something MRP is known for. These decks are easy to shuffle, durable, and just another sign of the quality that goes into them. The back of the cards are white with an elegant gold Victorian filigree design. The Center area of the card backs are denser in pattern, framed by a deep red line which is in turn framed by a less dense design, also in gold, with some small red hearts as part of the pattern, and finally a red outer border that goes to the edges. The deck is reversible. As noted, the Gold Edition did not come with a companion book. The original release of the standard deck set did. I purchased the book separately. The companion book, written by Karen Mahony, is 216 pages in length and includes the following sections: Acknowledgements, Introduction to the Victorian Romantic Tarot, A Short History of Tarot, Reading Styles, Spread Styles, Sample Spreads, The Major Arcana, The Minor Arana: Wands, Minor Arcana: Cups, Minor Arcana: Swords, Minor Arcana: Pentacles, The Court Cards, and last but not least a Bibliography. The Introduction section was really interesting to me because it shares Karen and Alex’s experiences as they amassed their collection of engravings, and served as a mini-lesson in Victorian art. You can almost hear the wheels turning in Karen’s head. The Reading Styles, and Spread Styles section is standard in MRP companion books, very detailed and helpful to beginners and intermediate level readers. Spreads are presented in the Sample Spreads section and include the One-Card Draw, four variations of The Three-Card Spread, a general five-card spread and of course their staple Tarot of Prague “Threshold” Spread (also five cards). Then you have two spreads specifically designed for the Victorian Romantic: The Romance or Relationship Spread (eight cards), and the Looking Back, Looking Forward Spread, which is a six-card spread. The Major and Minor Arcana card sections include keywords and phrases, suggestions for reversals, card description and pointers on reading the cards, and a sources section where they tell where the art used for the card is taken from. Overall the book is excellent, well designed, easy to read and follow, very complete. As with all of their decks I recommend getting the book. This deck is extremely readable and ignites your intuition. It is RWS based, so if you use RWS based decks you will have no problem reading with this one. This deck not only reads easily, it practically sings. One of the most beautiful and easiest decks I have ever read with. I had no frustrations what so ever with the Golden Victorian Romantic, and if anything it gave me a whole other appreciation for the expressiveness of Victorian art. If you are looking for diversity or esoteric trappings you will not find them in this deck. There is nudity in the deck, but it is artistic and elegant in nature. All versions of this deck are now out of print, with the metallic third edition selling out in August or early September 2019. I recommend this deck to everyone, with the caveat that beginners would really benefit from having the book because the imagery is different from the RWS imagery. Intuitive readers will really love this deck, like I said, it sings. I also recommend it to persons who enjoy the Victorian era, those who like art decks, writers, and to those who like beautiful elegant decks. No matter what version of the deck you get you cannot go wrong with this one. For MRP fans and collectors this is a must have deck, it is one of their finest and most popular. How would my good old Aunt Fifi react to it? Well she is a classy lady and this deck oozes class, so she would love it. She might blush at some of the nudity, but it would not deter her for asking for another reading with this deck.

September 13, 20196 yr
1 review
- victorian
- magic realist press
- baba studios
- out of print
- Tagged with:

From the album: Esoteric Decks

English Magic Tarot by Andy Letcher (Author), Rex Van Ryn (Illustrator), Steve Dooley (Illustrator), Philip Carr-Gomm (Foreword) Paperback: 160 pages Publisher: Weiser Books; Tcr Crds/P edition (October 1, 2016) Language: English ISBN-10: 1578636000 ISBN-13: 978-1578636006 Purchase at: Weiser Books I Amazon

Wizards Tarot By Jewel I have been wanting to write a review for this deck for quite some time, and decided to just sit down and do it. What deck you ask? The Wizards Tarot by Corinne Kenner and illustrated by John J. Blumen. Grab a mug of Butterbeer and come join me on a tour of Mandrake Academy. I am a current student here. Though the whole theme may seem gimmicky or hockey to some, I can assure you that the deck and book are incredibly well thought out, educational, and fun. The deck follows the general principles of the Rider Waite Smith (RWS). But we will get to that shortly. Suffice it say, Ms. Kenner has taken a cultural phenomenon and turned into something every Tarot enthusiast can enjoy and learn from no matter your age. If you can’t tell already, I am a huge Harry Potter fan, and a huge Tarot fan, so this deck was a must have for me. Intended or not, the theme and concept pay homage to J. K. Rowling’s wonderful imagination. Published by Llewellyn in 2011 as a deck and book set, The Wizards Tarot transports you to Mandrake Academy, a school of Tarot and magic where you are the Initiate, and the Major Arcana (Magician through World) are your teachers. Mr. Blumen’s digital art is wonderful and cohesive, and provides the atmosphere of an ancient school of magic that draws you in and captivates your imagination. Combined with Ms. Kenner’s concept and writing Mandrake Academy comes to life. Ms. Kenner’s writing style allows for some basic esoteric teachings to be explored and understood by the ley person. The deck is the standard Llewellyn sized deck (approximately 2 3/4" by 4 1/2" inches). The cards have ¼” borders in dark blue with a gold designs running through and a thin gold frame framing the images. Inside the border, at the bottom of the cards, are ¼” parchment scrolls with the card titles/names. The card stock is your traditional Llewellyn card stock, easy to riffle shuffle and of good quality. The gold design on the dark blue card backs make me think of astronomy for some reason, and though the top and bottom are not identical, reversals can be easily used. I love the deck structure of the Wizard’s Tarot. The deck has the traditional number of 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana (40 Minors and 16 Court Cards). So let’s step into the Great Hall and go over this together. The 243-page companion book that comes with this deck is my favorite companion book of all time. The Wizards Tarot Handbook, is designed as a course in very basic magic and Tarot all in one. It is fun, inviting, detailed, and the information can be applied outside of this deck. The Introduction of the book opens up introducing Mandrake Academy, describing the campus, informing you about the students, faculty, and staff, discusses the academic calendar (a year and a day), and needed school supplies which are the deck and book. I started in September of last year and I am on course to finish on time. I am not into magic, but who knows if this deck and book might not get me to give it a try at some point, but I digress. The next section is about the Major Arcana, followed by the Minor Arcana section. The Minor Arcana section opens up describing each School of Magic, number magic, and then moves into the cards. The final section of the book covers the Royal Families or Court Cards. Several of the Major Arcana have been renamed to fit the theme, but the meanings do remain consistent with the RWS. The Fool has been renamed The Initiate, and you, the new student, are the Initiate. The subsequent Majors are your teachers and are as follows: • The Magician – Professor of Basic Magic • The High Priestess – Professor of Divination • The Empress – Professor of Herbal Magic • The Emperor – Headmaster of Mandrake Academy • The Hierophant – Professor of Mythology • The Lovers – Professor of Spellcraft • The Chariot – Professor of Astral Travel • Strength – Professor of Familiar Creatures • The Hermit – Librarian and Professor of Candle Magic • The Wheel of Fortune – Guidance Counselor • Justice – Professor of Ethics • The Hanged Man – Professor of Runes • Transfiguration – Professor of Transfiguration • The Alchemist – Professor of Alchemy • The Dark Lord – Professor of the Dark Arts • The Tower – Visitor’s Guide to the Tower • The Star – Professor of Astrology • The Moon – Professor of Lunar Magic • The Sun – Professor of Solar Magic • Judgement – Professor of Final Exams • The World – Queen of the Witches The Major Arcana are not numbered, so you could place Strength and Justice per your personal preference, but they are placed in positions 8 and 11 respectively in the book. In addition, each Major has a familiar. Some of the illustrations are fabulous new ways of looking into the majors such as the Hierophant being represented by the Centaur Chiron, the wounded healer, and The Hanged Man by Odin and his two ravens. The Majors section of the companion includes information about each professor, a section pointing out all the key symbols included on the cards – which do include esoteric correspondences, a practical magic section which deals with magic related to the subject the professor teaches, and a Tarot spread that ties into the subject matter. Yes, that means there are 22 different spreads of all kinds in the book! The Minor Arcana use the four traditional suits and elements, but also correspond to a particular season, are represented by a color, symbol, and have an elemental guardian. Students of each house wear a vest or tunic of the color representing their House. Confused? No problem, here is the breakdown: • Wands/Fire/Summer. Color red, symbol lion, elemental guardian the Salamander. • Cups/Water/Autumn. Color blue, symbol angel, elemental guardian the Undine. • Swords/Air/Spring. Color yellow, symbol eagle, elemental guardian the Sylph. • Pentacles/Earth/Winter. Color green, symbol bull, elemental guardian the Gnome. The Minors section for each card includes the magic power of the card, magic charm section, and key symbols. The Court Cards are represented by the elemental guardians for each House and are called the Royal Families. Though they retain the traditional naming Page, Knight, Queen, and King the book gives you a little more detail into the function each position serves. Pages are Messengers of their element, Knights are Hero’s of their element, Queens are Guardians of their element, and Kings are Rulers of their element. I found the use of the elemental guardians and roles to be very helpful in better understanding the court cards not only by rank, but by rank and suit. As you can tell, I could go on about this deck and book for at least a year and a day. This is a great deck for beginners, intermediate and advanced Tarot enthusiasts alike. There is something for everyone here. If you wished you could attend Hogwarts, you will enjoy Mandrake Academy. If you want to dip your toes into astrology, numerology, elemental correspondences, or Tarot and the Hebrew alphabet you will enjoy this deck. If you just want to learn Tarot this is a great deck for that too, and one that leaves plenty of room for you to grow as you gain experience. If you are a Tarot enthusiast wanting to explore some magic basics you will enjoy this deck and book. If you like mythical and magical creatures, there is something in this deck for you too. This deck and book set is an interactive learning experience in the magical world of Tarot. Unfortunately, as of this writing the deck/book set are out of print, which is a real shame. If you are in one of the groups I mentioned above, and do have a chance to get it I do not think you will regret it.

BAROQUE BOHEMIAN CATS’ TAROT By Jewel Originally published in November of 2004, The Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Tarot was the second Tarot deck published by Magic Realist Press (MRP), and was published as a deck and book set. Those of you who have read my other Magic Realist Press (MRP)/Baba Studios reviews know I am a fangirl, and this was the deck that started it all for me, and yes, I own several versions of this deck … 3 to be exact. But I will confess, the first edition remains my favorite to date with its elaborate flowery borders and it’s Hermes card. The book is absolutely priceless with its “Cat’s Interpretations.” No review of this deck would be complete without talking about cats in clothing and cats in tarot as both of these have shown popularity across cultures. Cats in clothes have quite a long history dating back to over a century ago. Why would the review not be complete without this discussion? Because concept is key to the magic of MRP decks so it is integral to the creation process. MRP/Baba Studios is fantastic at identifying cultural and niche themes, researching them, and bringing them to us is the form of beautiful and well executed Tarot decks. The Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Tarot is no exception, and is backed by the history and tradition of cats in clothes in art across cultures from the anonymous artists in the 19th century, to the English Victorian cat artist Louis Wain, in the US Renate and Alfred Mainzer (1930’s and 1940’s), the Soviet Unions’ V. Konashevich in the 1970’s, the Pelorian Cats of Japan in the 1980’s, and UK artist Susan Hebert who Karen notes “in fact, in many ways they [Ms. Hebert’s cats] take us right back full circle to the days of Louis Wain – though with a refreshing modern sense of humor.” It truly is no wonder cats have captured our imagination with their attitudes and personalities they are perfect subjects, and they do look amazing in clothes. Like cats in clothes in art, cat Tarot decks have also been prolific though for far less time. There are at least 18 of them I know of (Tarot only decks and not including mini-versions) which no other animal can boast! Quoting Karen “… “cat tarot” has almost become a sub-genre of its own – and a very popular one.” One of my favorites is the Majors only deck Tarot for Cats; how can you resist a Tower card with a cat freaking out because of the vacuum cleaner? … But I digress as that deck belongs in a separate review. Getting back on topic … as I was saying, there are many cat themed Tarot decks on the market, some with clothes some without. Is it their magical mystique, or perhaps the archetypes cats bring to mind that make them so well suited to being represented in Tarot? As noted in the companion book “Another part of the reason may of course be the very ancient association of cats with magic and witchcraft.” There are some good cat decks of which the Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Tarot is one of, and art-wise - in my personal opinion - the most beautiful and elaborate of them all. I am sure you are tired of my rambling, so lets’ get on with more information about the Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Tarot deck. So now with some history on dressed cats and cats in tarot covered lets’ talk about how Karen and Alex made this deck. Did they dress and pose cats? No. All of the elaborate costumes these beautiful cats wear are real fabric costumes and were made by Anna Hakkarainen. Years’ worth of pictures were taken of cats, and then some dummy like dolls were dressed and posed to match the cats in the selected photos. Then Alex worked his magic to replace the dressed dummy cat image with that of the real cats in selected photos and adding the beautiful background art and architecture featuring the “Baroque splendor of Prague, Cesky Krumlov and other exquisite period locations.” Voilá! now you have beautifully dressed cats in beautiful Baroque settings. The First Edition deck has 79 cards, the traditional 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana, plus the Hermes card. The companion book does not address this card so you can either keep it in and ascribe some significance to it based on the God Hermes, or use it as a bookmark. The Limited Gold Edition and Second Edition replace the Hermes card with The Tarot Reader card. I am not sure if other editions use different extra cards. The Major Arcana retain the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith titles, the difference lies in the Majors not being numbered so the reader can position Strength and Justice at positions 8 and 11 by personal preference. In the Minor Arcana the Suits retain the traditional names and elemental correspondences of Wands/Fire, Cups/Water, Swords/Air, Pentacles/Earth. The court cards are King, Queen, Knight, and Page. Suit icons are included in the cards as part of the illustration in the same way that they are in the RWS. The Majors all boast the name of the Major Arcana card below the image. The Minor Arcana card number and suit are included at the bottom of each card but are presented differently depending on which edition of the deck you are using. The First Edition has a very elaborate Baroque themed flower border, so the suit symbol is shown on the right bottom corner and the number or notation (A=Ace, K=King, Q=Queen, Kn=Knight, P=Page) on the right bottom corner. The Limited Gold and Second Editions no longer have the elaborate borders and have the number or title spelled out and it is located at the center bottom of the cards. The second and third versions of this deck were the Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Limited Gold Edition and the Second Edition published in 2007. They are basically the same deck, just one has the gold ink overlay. There have been mini-decks and other editions and to be honest at this point I have lost count. Knowing Karen and Alex, it is no surprise that they have worked on perfecting this deck through the years because lets’ face it, it is no easy feat to make it appear as though real cats have been dressed in these elaborate Baroque outfits, and I am quite sure that as Alex perfected his techniques in photographic manipulation he found ways to make the deck look even more realistic. In some cards of the first edition you can see the photo manipulation to where in others it is very seamless, but that honestly is me nit-picking the deck for those reading this that are very sensitive to this sort of thing. Those visually annoyed by being able to detect the photo manipulation of the image you might want to look at later edition of this deck. As with all of their new deck editions they are always perfecting and making some changes to some cards, so no two editions are the same. I recall being quite upset when the yellow dress of the 2 of Swords was made blue! I associate the color yellow with the element of Air and Blue with Water so that was my beef with it. I will share photos of some of the changed cards in the versions of the decks I have. The cards measure approximately 5” X 3”, The card stock is superb, something MRP is known for. These decks are easy to shuffle, durable, and just another sign of the quality that goes into them. The back of the cards of all three editions I am mentioning in this review share the same Baroque design with a kitty face within a round wreath like frame with a maroon background behind the kitty face at the top and bottom of the card. There is an approximately ¼” white stripe down the center of the card with the deck name in mirror image. The cards are reversible. The First edition card backs are black and light cream colored with maroon lettering and background behind the kitty faces. The Limited Gold Edition and Second Edition share the same back design as the First edition but are gold where the First edition is black. The original set came with a 208-page companion book written by Karen Mahony. As noted in the first paragraph of this review, it is excellent, and a must have. Karen’s writing is very engaging. The following sections are included in the book: About the Authors, Acknowledgements, The Tradition of Cats in Clothes, A Short History of Tarot, Cats and Tarot, Major Arcana, Minor Arcana: Wands, Cups, Swords, Pentacles, Reading with the Cards, Keeping a Tarot Journal, Spreads, and Bibliography. Each main suit section, before the cards are presented, includes a comprehensive description of the suit and the Story of the Suit. I absolutely love how the card sections are laid out and presented. You have a brief description of the card, “A Cat’s Interpretation,” Keywords and Phrases, Keywords and Phrases for Reversed Cards, and then a very detailed description of the card, its meanings, and in general really gives you a good picture of what the card represents. Each card section closes out with Notes on the Source Material, which tells you about the cats photographed (i.e. the cat on the Ace of Cups is the real-life offspring of the cat depicted in the Queen of Cups!), as well as the information on the background or architecture and the actual suit icons used. But the cat interpretations steal the show, and if you ever owned a cat for a period of time long enough to get to know them you will absolutely love the added perspective this provides to the meanings of the cards. The Spread section of the book is also very nice. It opens up talking about spreads in general, Using a Significator, How to Begin a Reading, Seeing a Pattern - Making a Story, Reversals, The Reader in a Position of Trust, and then goes into the actual spreads. Spreads featured in the Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Companion include: The Three-Card Spread, Five-Card Spread, The Prague “Threshold” Spread (5 cards), The Cat’s Tale (7 cards) which is a more advanced spread as only 2 of the cards (1 & 7) are read using conventional meanings where cards 2-6 form a story narrative as a grouping. A couple of examples of how to read with this spread are presented as well. This deck is a solid RWS based deck. If you read with the RWS, one of its clones, or decks closely based on the RWS you will have no problem just picking up this deck and reading with it. If you are like me and could just never connect with the RWS itself this is a good alternative to it. The imagery is beautiful, though it is not like MRPs later decks that are more intuitive, it is straightforward RWS. As for ethnic diversity, all of the characters that populate the deck are cats. Not all breeds could be represented, and not all of the cats are of a specific breed, so there is nice kitty diversity. There is no explicit nudity unless you want to count the undressed kittens on the Aces as naked. I recommend this deck to persons who love cats and opulence, to those like me that wanted to connect with the RWS just never could but want a RWS type deck, to those who love elaborate costuming and beautiful colors, those who like “humanimals,”and those who like decks that just feel regal. This would also be a great choice for younger readers, especially young girls that like fairytales. Of course, it is a must have for fans of MRP decks just because they made it. This deck is well suited for readers of all levels and ages from beginner to advanced, as noted earlier it is straightforward RWS though with less esoteric symbolism. How would my good old Aunt Fifi react to it? Well she likes cats, opulence, beautiful costumes and loves regal things so she would really enjoy a reading with this deck.

The Fairytale Tarot By Jewel Published in February of 2005, The Fairytale Tarot was the third Tarot deck published by Magic Realist Press (MRP). It was published as a deck and book set. If you have read any of the previous reviews I have written about MRP decks then you know I am a huge fan of their decks and books, and this one is no exception. I will admit, I purchased the deck because I like Fairytales and whimsy and this deck includes Fairytales from all over the world. I also liked that this deck was drawn instead of photographed which was different than the previous two Magic Realist Press decks (The Tarot of Prague and the Baroque Bohemian Cats’ Tarot.) Because the deck goes back to the original Fairytales, several of which I only knew the Disney take or had never even heard of, the deck turned out to have a very unique feel and voice, different from any other Tarot deck by MRP or otherwise. There are other Fairytale Tarot decks on the market but this one is in a class all its own. It does not highlight the clichés. It captures the heart and soul of the Fairytales, not shying away from the darkness or pain inherent in some of them, it absorbs the richness of Fairytales adding depth and layers to the meanings of the cards. Due to my lack of familiarity with the majority of the tales I learned to use this deck with the companion book and by looking online for the stories and reading them for more insight. It took me some time to figure out how to use this deck, but it was well worth the effort. This deck is where Baba Studios really separated themselves from the pack in terms of Tarot creation. Unlike the majority of MRP decks which feature beautiful photo manipulation and other such techniques, this deck is drawn by Irina Triskova. The deck is Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) based but the imagery is very different. Instead of matching the actions we see in the RWS to a different setting, Karen Mahony matches the Fairytale stories and scenes to the meanings of the cards. The story the card tells is all you need to understand the meaning and symbolism of the card. As Rachel Pollack put it in the Fairytale Tarot Forward, in the companion book, “Karen has taken the concepts and themes of the [RWS] pictures and found particular stories that bring out those same qualities. Thus the pictures do not at first-glance resemble the well-known Rider scenes … but under the surface they will strike a chord with anyone who knows the Rider tradition.” As noted earlier in this review, there are other Fairytale decks on the market. In the companion book Karen notes that these decks are primarily geared towards children or our own inner child. Baba Studios wanted to do something very different, design a Fairytale deck for adults. A deck that would embrace the oral traditions of these stories, including their darker sides as well as the sensuality that is part of some of the tales. Fairytales that were not “sugared or censored.” In the Introduction section of the companion book Karen shares how personal creating this deck was for her. They were an inspiration to her and influenced her into going into Literary studies at the University. She also notes that “rigid psychological interpretation systems of analysis such as the strictly Freudian Bruno Battleheim are too neat and tidy to be at all convincing.” While “Many of the themes that come up time and again in fairy stories seem to bypass the rational and classificatory parts of our brains and work instead directly on our imaginations and, indeed, on our dreams.” This influence and perspective is the inspiration behind the Fairytale Tarot and why it is powerful and unique. The deck has 79 cards, you have the traditional number of 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana, and one extra card. The additional card is not titled nor addressed in the book, I use it as a bookmark. The Major Arcana retain the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith titles, the difference lies in the Majors not being numbered so the reader can position Strength and Justice at position 8 and 11 by personal preference. In the Minor Arcana the Suits for the most part retain the traditional names of Wands, Cups, Swords, the only exception Pentacles which are Coins. The court cards are King, Queen, Knight, and Page. The cards do not rely on exact number of suit icons to tell you what card you are looking at, rather the picture and the Fairytale tells the story, and conveys the meaning of the card. I usually include the elemental correspondences of the Suits in this section of my reviews, but in The Fairytale Tarot I do not see the elements or any other esoteric system really at play. In lieu of these you have the Fairytales themselves. The perspective of this deck is very different than what we traditionally see with Tarot but is very effective. The cards measure approximately 5” X 3”, have a 1/8” golden ornate frame-like border on three sides, a ¼” border on the bottom with a white scroll with the title of the card and below the title the Fairytale from which it came. The images are framed within an arch at the top, which gives one the sense that they are peering into the scene itself. The artwork is drawn and the colors are rich and vibrant adding to the Fairytale theme. Equal attention was given to the Major and Minor Arcana so the deck is seamless and cohesive. The card stock is superb, something MRP is known for. These decks are easy to shuffle, durable, and just another sign of the quality that goes into them. The back of the cards show an intricate ornate gold Victorian era design, framed by a ¼” equally intricate blue frame, which is further framed by a think royal blue line. The cards are reversible. The original set came with a 232-page companion book written by Karen Mahony. As all MRP companion books, it is excellent and honestly, I do not think I would have been able to understand or navigate this deck without it. But that is me. The book includes the following sections: Fairytale Tarot – Forward by Rachel Pollack; The Girl Who Was Too Shy, which is a story Ms. Pollack wrote taking a card to which she did not know the corresponding tale and made her own based on the image; Introduction; Major Arcana; Minor Arcana; Wands; Cups; Swords; Coins; Reading with the Cards; Reading With the Fairytale Tarot; Some Fairytale Spreads; and finally the Bibliography. Both the Major and Minor Arcana card sections include a summary of the Fairytale used for the card, Keywords and Phrases, and then Karen ties the story to the tarot card with detailed commentary. This is why I said I would never have really understood or been able to navigate the deck without the companion book. There are no key words or phrases for reversals. The Reading with the Cards section is excellent and applicable to any Tarot deck, but in all honestly with this deck being so different in approach I am not sure it covers the basis for reading this particular deck, again that is just my personal opinion. The Reading With the Fairytale Tarot speaks about how this deck is good for one-card draws, and also presents the following more general spreads two three-card spreads, a five-card spread, The Prague ‘Threshold’ spread (5 cards). This section is followed by a section titled Some Fairytale Spreads, here we have The Fairytale Fool’s Story (6 cards) of which Karen says It’s an excellent spread when, like the Fool, you feel you are leaving a comfortable situation to set out on a riskier (but more promising) journey, venture or adventure.” The second spread offered in this section is called Fairy Blessings, Fairy Curses (5 cards) of which Karen states “This is a spread designed to help you think about your basic good qualities, skills and talents – and your main ‘flaw’ or drawback in life.” Sample readings are provided for both of these spreads. Unlike all other MRP decks I have experience working with, this one was a bit tougher to read with at first. After all these years I still use the companion book to get the most out of each card before formulating the narrative of the reading in its entirety. This deck is more psychological and emotional than intuitive, though if you do not care about the fairytales you could intuitively read the imagery I suppose. I choose not to do this because after all the card choices came from the Fairytales and they do add layers and depth to the readings. This deck can be used for any type of reading and the readings do have a story quality to them. This deck is a story teller, not a linear card reader. There is no explicit nudity, and though the deck does not shy away from darker themes, there is nothing offensive here. I would not recommend this deck to a beginner despite how good it is, nor would I recommend it to traditionalists who are looking for esoteric elements within their decks as there are none. I would recommend this deck to persons very into, or very interested in, original Fairytales from around the world, readers who love creating a narrative story through the reading to answer the querents question, those who love literary based Tarot decks, those who do not mind using the companion book during the reading, and readers – like myself – that focus on the psychological aspects of tarot vs. the divinatory. Those of you looking for diversity what you will find here is cultural diversity as the tales are taken from various Fairytales from around the world. This is a deck of stories not races. For MRP fans this is a must have deck, I know I say this about all their decks, but seriously this is truly one of their finest and there is nothing like it on the market even today 14 ½ years later. I was lucky to purchase it when it was released, but like The Fantastic Menagerie, I consider it one that is worth every penny of its “Out-of-Print” price. How would my good old Aunt Fifi react to it? Well she loves Fairytales and stories so receiving a reading with this tone would be really enjoyable for her.

From the album: Dark Decks

ISBN: 9781905572076 Publisher & Year: Magic Realist Press, 2008 Authors: Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov Card Size: 5" x 3" Purchase at: Out of Print

Fantastic Menagerie Tarot By Jewel Published in March of 2006, The Fantastic Menagerie was the fourth Tarot deck published by Magic Realist Press (MRP). It was published as a deck and book set. If you have read any of the previous reviews I have written about MRP decks then you know I am a huge fan of their decks and books, and this one is no exception. I will admit, when I purchased the deck it was more because it was created by Baba Studios than my interest in the art, and I will also confess that it took me some time to warm up to this deck. In my desire to connect with it I chose The Fantastic Menagerie to complete both the Apprentice and Journeyman levels of “21 Ways to Read a Tarot Card” by Mary Greer, and worked with the deck for about a year and half solid. Needless to say, by the time I completed the work, I was in love with it. As usual, Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov did their research and worked their magic in this creation. They continued what French cartoonist J.J. Grandville started with The Metamorphoses of the Day lithographs in the 1820’s. If he could have seen this deck he would be proud. The companion book is written by Sophie Nussle, and is fantastic. As noted in the companion, The Metamorphoses of the Day were caricatures of half-human half-animals, all dressed up in their fashionable Victorian clothes – or lack thereof, with “…biting wit. The hint of scandal and the visual puns used to convey it turned the series into an international bestseller.” This deck is one that delivers its messages in a tone of social commentary with humor, satire, and at times even light sarcasm. It can cut right through ego and the masks we wear. It can really put reality into perspective. The deck has the traditional number of 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana retain the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith titles, the difference lies in the Majors not being numbered so the reader can position Strength and Justice at position 8 and 11 by personal preference. In the Minor Arcana the Suits retain the traditional names and elemental correspondences of Wands/Fire, Cups/Water, Swords/Air, with the exception of Pentacles which his titled Coins and still corresponds to the element of Earth. The court cards are King, Queen, Knight, and Page. The cards do not rely on exact number of suit icons to tell you what card you are looking at, rather the picture itself sets the scene, tells the story, and conveys the meaning of the card. The card number and suit are included at the bottom of the card. The cards measure approximately 5” X 3”, and have a 1/8” cream colored border on three sides, a ¼” border on the bottom, and a thin gold line surrounding the picture. The card titles are included in the bottom ¼” of the card in a black script. The card stock is superb, something MRP is known for. These decks are easy to shuffle, durable, and just another sign of the quality that goes into them. The back of the cards have a red background with an elaborate mirror image crest design in grey, white, with 4 mirror images of the King of Cups in black and red. The deck title is printed at the top portion of the crest in red. The mirror image work makes the deck reversible. The overall design has a mix of Victorian and Gothic feel to it. The original set came with a 240-page companion book written by Shophie Nussle. As all MRP companion books, it is excellent and a must have. Ms. Nussle’s writing style is easy to follow and engaging. Following the Acknowledgement section, there is 3-page section on the history of Tarot, then a section titled “Playful Paths to Wisdom” which includes information on the structure of the deck and some interesting information regarding Grandville. The next section is really interesting; The Metamorphosis of JJ Grandville which goes behind the scenes on his life, times, and work. It really gives some great insight into the man and his history, from his birth in Nancy, Lorraine to his move to Paris, to him becoming an artist, a revolutionary, a political cartoonist, to a bohemian and a husband. His transition from caricature to illustration, and much more. I find this section so important because it gives some real perspective and context to the imagery which ultimately sets the tone for the Fantastic Menagerie deck. The following sections of the book focus on the cards: Major Arcana, Minor Arcana and the Suits. Following the card section there is a section on “How to Use the Tarot”, which includes the following Tarot spreads: The Three Card Spread, The Classic Horseshoe Spread, The Humanimal Spread – designed to “explore your instinct vs. culture balance.”, and The Chalice of Choice Spread (by Dan Pelletier). The next section of the book is “Number Symbolism and the Tarot”, followed by “Sample Readings with the Fantastic Menagerie.” There is also an extensive Bibliography. Like all other MRP decks I have experience working with, this one is extremely readable and ignites your intuition. It looks at people from an instinctual point of view in contrast with the exterior we may present to the world. As noted earlier in the review, it will expose egos and open your querents eyes to the roles in situations being played out. I call the Fantastic Menagerie my “Social Commentary Deck.” Personally, I find this deck witty, honest, and great for all types of general readings, I find it particularly well suited to inter-personal relationships and career related questions or situations. Why? Because it shows the difference between how people may honestly feel, think, or be as compared as to how they act in a social situation. This deck is truly a visual deck, and is so expressive that it practically reads itself. By visual deck I mean the scene, clothing, actions taking place in the cards, etc. tell you the story of the card and often times the intentions behind or at play in them. As for ethnic diversity, all of the characters that populate the deck have animal heads. The animals tend to be representative of attitudes, thinking processes, or personal nature than anything to do with ethnicity. The lithographs used as the basis for creating this deck are from 19th Century Paris, so they are the lens through which this deck sets its tone in readings. There is no explicit nudity. I recommend this deck to persons who enjoy the Victorian era, “humanimals,” as well as to those who enjoy satire and political cartoons, as you will recognize, laugh and smirk at that “biting wit.” Writers would also really enjoy this deck for character building as it offers up our instincts, cultural biases, societal facades, and how we play them out. Intuitive readers will have a hay day with it. With the companion I would think beginners could learn with this deck, but it might not be the best choice if you are trying to establish Tarot basics that will translate from deck to deck. Yes, it follows the Raider Waite-Smith system, but the imagery is very original for a Tarot deck. For MRP fans this is a must have deck, I know I say this about all their decks, but seriously this is truly one of their finest. I was lucky to purchase it when it was released, but I consider it one that is worth every penny of its “Out-of-Print” price. How would my good old Aunt Fifi react to it? Well she has a great sense of humor, so she would most likely think it was a hoot and find the perspective quite honest and refreshing … though I am not sure how she would react when I reference her or someone she knows as a sheep, wolf, sly fox, or an ass!

From the album: Esoteric Decks

✧SKU: ToPKITfirst_edKIT ✧ISBN: 9780954500702 ✧Publisher and Year: The Magic Realist Press, April 2004 ✧Author: Karen Mahony; Alex Ukolov ✧Pages: 300 Available At: Out of Print

September 24, 20196 yr

Bohemian Gothic Tarot by Jewel The Bohemian Gothic Tarot, designed by Karen Mahony and illustrated by Alex Ukolov, is another baba studio Tarot masterpiece. Yes, I am a baba studios/Magic Realist Press (MRP) fangirl, but with very good reason. The quality and design of their decks puts them in a class of their own. The seed idea for this deck was found in dark stories, events, and images they came across while creating their first deck, Tarot of Prague (MRP 2004), then in macabre fairy tales when working on The Fairytale Tarot (MRP 2005), and became a major topic of conversation within the Aeclectic Tarot Community during their work on the Victorian Romantic (MRP 2006) as Karen shared information with us about some of the engravings and pictures they had run across that were too dark for the Victorian Romantic. We all started joking around about how after they finished the Victorian Romantic they needed to get to work on “The Dark Sister” of the Victorian Romantic. In 2007 baba studious/MRP gave us The Bohemian Gothic Tarot both as a Limited Silver Edition of 500, and a regular deck. To borrow a quote from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone a deck that will “bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses.” This review will focus on the regular edition as it is the most common. Though inspiration for this deck began during their work on previous decks, The Bohemian Gothic evolved and asserted its own voice and personality through the creative process. Alex Ukolov brought that voice to life through modern digital composition and painting techniques, ensuring the cards retained a very strong period feel. As Karen shares with us in the companion book “The cards are based on late 19th century photographs taken from “cabinet” (photographic studio) portraits and from the lyrical, romantic photographic postcards that were fashionable in Germany at this time.” I am not a huge fan of digital art, but Alex’s expert touch always leaves me in awe and wondering if this is really digital art or if I am actually looking at hand painted paintings made specifically for this deck. Yes, he is that good and that effort is put into each and every card. A true feast for the eyes. The Bohemian Gothic does not follow any one Gothic story or novel, though you will see the influences of Mary Shelley, Edgar Allan Poe, and others in the work. The genre is captured beautifully. The deck is dark, subtle, and has that eerie Gothic atmosphere permeating throughout. It was created with the intent to show the shadow side of life, and in readings it will reveal the shadows in your own or that of your querent. The deck has the traditional number of 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana retain the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) titles, the difference lies in the Majors not being numbered so the reader can position Strength and Justice at positions 8 and 11 by personal preference. In the Minor Arcana the Suits follow the traditional names and elemental correspondences of Wands/Fire, Cups/Water, Swords/Air, and Pentacles/Earth. The court cards are King, Queen, Knight, and Page. The cards do not rely on exact number of suit icons to tell you what card you are looking at, rather the picture itself tells the story and conveys the meaning of the card. The card number and suit are included at the bottom of the card. I love it when decks do it this way. The cards measure 5” X 3”, and are borderless. The card titles are included in the bottom ¼” of the card in a black band. The card stock is superb, something MRP is known for. These decks are easy to shuffle, durable, and just another sign of the quality that goes into them. The back of the cards are black with what look like silver Gothic architectural elements radiating from a skull. The backs are mirror image (top and bottom) and reversible. Due to its dark nature, the deck was not intended for the use of reversals, but the backs of the cards are reversible, and reversals can be used if the reader so desires. There is a 232-page companion book for this deck. Karen’s writing is as spectacular as Alex’s art. The Introduction tells you all about how the Bohemian Gothic Tarot was conceptualized and developed. It also includes a list of some typical Gothic elements many which you will see on the cards, and others you will sense while reading with this deck. This section is followed by a fascinating and educational section “A Short History of the Gothic” from its origins in the 18th century novel The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole to present day. The next section talks about the structure of the companion book, and gives some additional insights into the deck. Other sections of the book include: “A Short History of Tarot”; “Learning the Tarot” which includes some good information on court cards and numbers 1-10; “Reading Styles, Spread Styles” which talks about the different styles and approaches to reading tarot, introduces spreads, use of a significator, patterns and making a story, etc. The next section is “Sample Spreads” which includes the following spreads and sample readings: One-card Draw, Three-card Spreads (5 options), Five-card Spreads, The Prague “Threshold” Spread, and two spreads designed specifically for the Baroque Bohemian Gothic Tarot: The Secret Fears Spread and the Vampire Spread. So, as you can see, lots of spreads. The book moves onto a discussion of the Major Arcana, information on The Bohemian Gothic Majors and then into the cards themselves. Each card includes key words for lighter/conventional meanings and darker/shadow or hidden meanings, then a description of the card and more interpretive details, and finally some further ways to consider the card which includes questions and notes about shared imagery with other cards in the deck for you to look at and think about. Juicy stuff! Following the Majors we get into the Minor Arcana which has an introduction and then each suit has its section. The Minors get the same treatment as the Majors in the book. Lastly is the section on the Court Cards. The book also includes some additional genre based sections interspersed throughout: The Vampire, Evil from Foreign places and people, The Hauted House or Castle, Madness and delusion, and The Warewolf or Man-beast. Also of note is the “A Final Word” section of the book which features a piece written by Dan Pelletier titled “Working with a “dark” deck." This is not a deck for the faint at heart, those who do not want the cold hard truth, look at or admit to their own personal shadow, or those who like to sugarcoat things. There is no room for that with this deck and it can be emotionally demanding. This deck is a dark deck, and lives up to that billing plain and simple. It sets the mood, and activates the darker side of your psyche. Beautiful, check. Tempting, check. Mysterious, check. Unsettling, check. Haunting, check. To me one of the most beautiful and disturbing cards in the deck is The Devil card. It is sensual, seductive, and painful all in one. The horror of it. This is what this deck does so well. Like all other MRP decks I have experience working with, this one is extremely readable and ignites your intuition with its evocative imagery. Personally, I find this deck great for personal readings because well, in my personal experience, it will not allow me the luxury to delude myself or engage in the creation of false hope. The readings can be like ripping off band-aids, but the clarity allows you to face whatever is going on head on. If you do not want to really know, then do not pick up the deck until you are. You might want to warn your querents about the directness and light this deck will shine on their shadows when you read for them. If they have something to hide The Bohemian Gothic will be sure to shed a really bright light on it. Do not read with this deck if you are in a fragile state of mind. I recommend this deck to persons who enjoy the classic Gothic genre, like dark decks, want to rip away the shadows and expose the issues, those open to face the darker aspects of themselves, collectors, and MRP deck enthusiasts. The deck is sure to delight intuitive readers with an interest in the Gothic. The deck will likely appeal to persons interested in Gothic art, literature and classic horror films as it really captures the best of the genre. This deck includes a lot of Gothic symbolism, but not esoteric. I feel this deck could be read by readers of all levels because the art and book are just that good. You can definitely see the RWS influence and base, but it is not a RWS clone. I would not recommend this deck to persons suffering from depression or those that are mentally or emotionally fragile. There is no offensive nudity in the deck. This is a deck that might appeal to a lot of querents based on its esthetic, but I would recommend warning them that it will bring to light that which lies in the shadows, so to make sure they can handle the cold truths it might deliver. I would not offer up a reading with it to sweet little aunt “Fify”, but that is me. In Sum, this really is a stunning deck. It is very readable, eloquent and expressive. In my personal opinion it is a masterpiece like every other MRP deck I have ever had the pleasure to read with. Though I feel a responsibility to warn people of the impact it can have I am compelled to reiterate that it is a fabulous and perfectly executed dark deck. If you like dark decks, either for collecting or reading with, this is a must have deck.

The Alice Tarot by Jewel I am a confessed Baba Studios/Magic Realist Press (MRP) fan girl, and will never apologize for it. Karen Mahoney and Alex Ukolov made a believer out of me with their previous decks, and just when I think they can't top what they have previously done, they managed to surprise me yet again with The Alice Tarot. I know the deck is not new, it was originally published in 2014 and they are currently taking pre-orders for the re-release to come in March of 2019, but it is new to me and what a treat it is. In my personal opinion it is the crown jewel of their fabulous decks. From the fact that we have actual pictures of Alex as the Mad Hatter and his daughter as Alice, to the amazing costumes that were designed and created for the models photographed to create this deck. Not to mention Alex’s artistic brilliance. How he does what he does with the digital art to make people like me who are not into digital art love his work is mind blowing. Realistc and magical all in one. The quality and design of MRP decks puts them in a class of their own, but what I love most about MRP decks is the love and research that goes into them. How they gravitate towards the classical, and re-elevate it making it relevant today. Curiouser and curiouser indeed! Though Baba Studios makes it look so easy, quality themed Tarot decks are not easy to create. You have to reconcile the theme with the Tarot to produce a usable tool. To achieve this, there are certain compromises that must be made along the way and Baba Studios has made this an art form all in of itself. Always striving to do justice to the themes they select, Karen and Alex dove completely into the Lewis Carroll Books with passion and enthusiasm, then channeled the essence and whimsy of Wonderland and its denizens, creating a cohesive and masterful Tarot deck. It is important to note that this deck is based on the original books, not on Disney or any other iterations of Alice or Wonderland. The Alice Tarot is based on the real deal, and this deck will transport you to Wonderland without you even having to read the books! Illustrating this deck was feat, even Mr. Carroll, known for being fussy about illustrations, would have been proud and probably as excited as I am about the metallic inks used so flawlessly to enhance the images. There is a whole section in the companion book dedicated to the subject of illustrating this deck. We will discuss the book a bit later in the review. The deck has the traditional number of 78 cards, 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana retain the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith titles, the difference lies in the Majors not being numbered so the reader can position Strength and Justice at position 8 or 11 based on personal preference. In the Minor Arcana the Suits mostly retain the traditional names, one change being Pentacles being renamed Coins, and elemental correspondences of Wands/Fire, Cups/Water, Swords/Air, and Coins/Earth. The court cards are King, Queen, Knight, and Page. The cards do not rely on exact number of suit icons to tell you what card you are looking at, rather the picture itself tells the story and conveys the meaning of the card. The card number and suit are included at the bottom of the image in a scroll type box within the delicate thin gold lines that frame the image. The cards come in a beautiful, decorative and fully illustrated box with a flip top open on three sides so you can lift the cards out of the box. They measure 5” X 3”, and have ¼” borders, the pictures are delicately framed with thin gold metallic lines. The card stock is superb, something MRP is known for. These decks are easy to shuffle, durable, and just another sign of the quality that goes into them. The back of the cards look like a blue and white floral tapestry with a couple of small white rabbits and are reversible. The white flowers, leaves, and bunnies and all outlined in metallic gold ink. There is a 283-page companion book by Karen Mahoney that can be purchased in addition to the deck, and I would recommend you to do so to get the most out of this deck. As with their previous books you have the traditional RWS base keywords, and then you have the themed based keywords, in this case The Alice Meanings. Karen’s writing is as wonderlandiful as Alex’s art. In the Introduction you learn about The Alice Tarot and its essence. The next section is on Illustrating Alice, which talks about the creative process used for the cards, including some fascinating information about Lewis Carroll’s involvement in the illustration of the Alice books and his rigidity for artists conforming to the text. This is followed by sections on how to use and read the cards, a section on spreads, reading with The Alice Tarot, the card sections and ends with Abridged versions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and of Through the Looking Glass. Going back to the spreads section of the book, which is always of great interest to readers, this one does not disappoint. There are three variations of the three-card spread, there are the three variations of the five-card spread including “The Prague Threshold Spread” from their first deck The Tarot of Prague and then come the spreads specifically designed for this deck: “Down the Rabbit Hole”, “The Caucus Race”, “The Tea Party”, and “My Own Wonderland.” There are sample readings included. Five years in the making, The Alice Tarot thoroughly captures the lucid dream feel, the absurdity, the scariness, and the whimsy Wonderland has to offer. So how does it read you ask? This is a deck that focuses on making sense of what makes no sense of course! It puts you in Wonderland then spits you out initially wondering what the heck just happened, for you to then realize you have new understanding of what is going on. The cards have much of the essence of the RWS deck yet pulls on a different take of that essence, a side of the card you had not thought about. For example in the traditional RWS 5 of Pentacles you have this lady and child out in the cold trying to reach the sanctuary of the church for protection. In the Alice Tarot you have Alice and the Fawn (from The Looking Glass) in the Wood Where Things Have No Name, lost and confused comforting one another. Here the emphasis is on how companionship can make a hard situation more bearable. That theme is also inherent in the RWS 5 of Pentacles, but in the Alice Tarot it is the emphasis. The deck basically narrates a story to you via the spreads you use. I have found the stories and characters of Wonderland intertwined as part of the reading, and in the end it all makes perfect sense. It makes for lively, honest, and entertaining readings. Just when things seem topsy-turvy and absurd they fall into place and make sense. Strange but true. Reading with The Alice Tarot is an experience, and wonderful and magical one at that. I cannot say enough good things about his deck, and it has become my new primary reading deck. If there is such a thing as the elusive “The Deck” many Tarot enthusiasts are always looking for, then this is that deck for me. Like all other MRP decks I have experience working with, this one is extremely readable and ignites your intuition with its evocative art and in this case the story within. Personally, I find this deck amazing for personal as well as readings for others. Sometimes you will feel like the Cheshire Cat dishing out advice or asking questions to come full circle. It is hard to explain, but amazing to experience. It allows you to speak to things referencing a character that you and/or the querent know who you are referring to, but you put them in the context of the Wonderland character. I have also found reversals to not be important with this deck, the way the readings unfold seem to put the cards in the right context without having to reverse them, and yes, I do use reversals with many decks. The relationship between cards seems to play a significant role in the readings, which is basically how the story telling voice of this deck comes through. This deck combines elements of the Alice stories and characters with tarot to give its message. I recommend this deck to persons who enjoy the story telling aspects of tarot, and those who use Tarot with a psychological approach. What I mean by that is readers that weave story into their readings. Alice in Wonderland lovers will obviously love this deck as well. The companion book is extremely helpful, especially if you have not read the original books, as it provides you with the part of the story the image is using and how it fits within the meaning of the card. So people who enjoy using the companion books in conjunction with their readings will also love the deck. Even with the companion book, I do not think I would recommend The Alice Tarot to a beginner as The Alice Tarot is a deck with a twist. Having a solid base in traditional RWS meanings is really helpful as this deck often plays on aspects of those meanings that are not so obvious starting out. Baba Studios/MRP collectors will obviously want this deck, and those who love tarot decks based on classical literature will also want it. Honestly I have no clue why anyone would not want it, but I am biased. In Sum, this really is a stunning deck and the love, heart, sweat and tears put into resulted in a beautiful and well thought out themed deck that works. It is very readable. Because it expresses itself in a narrative story telling fashion it can deliver tough and harsh messages in a safe but very clear way … with Wonderland tact and Cheshire Cat flair. There is no nudity in this deck, and I would surely read for Aunt Fifi with it if she asked. Nothing offensive here except some occasional brutal or absurd honesty.

From the album: Artistic Decks

SKU: AliceTarot_1stEdition_deck Publisher & Year: Magic Realist Press, 2014 Authors: Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov Card Size: 3" x 5" Purchase at: Out of Print

From the album: Rare, OOP Decks

ISBN: 9780954500757 Publisher & Year: Magic Realist Press, February 2005 Authors: Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov Artist: Irina Triskova Card Size: 3" x 5" Pages: 232 pages Purchase at: Out of Print

From the album: Animal and Nature Decks

ISBN: 9780954500726 Publisher & Year: Magic Realist Press, November 2004 Authors: Karen Mahony and Alex Ukolov Card Size: 5" x 3" Pages: 208 Pages Purchase at: Out of Print

From the album: Animal and Nature Decks

SKU: FantasticMKIT ISBN: 978-0954500771 Publisher & Year: Magic Realist Press, March 2006 Authors: Karen Mahony & Alex Ukolov Card Size: 5" x 3" Pages: 240 pages Purchase at: Out of Print

From the album: Specialty Decks

The Poet Tarot & Guidebook: A Deck of Creative Exploration Cards by Two Sylvias Press (Author) Cards: 80 pages Publisher: Two Sylvias Press (2014) Language: English ASIN: B00NY8R5N0 Purchase at: Two Sylvias Press I Amazon

Nigel Jackson is a British artist with knowledge about (and, in all likelihood, experience of) some forms of Neopaganism, pre-modern European esotericism, Sufism, and dissident 18th century illuminist-theurgical Christian mysticism. The 22 trumps of Rose Tarot are useful for contemplative practice in my experience, and personally I find the artwork mild and harmonic, but your mileage may vary. Observant Jews and Neopagans may find the design of The Chariot (which here alludes to Ezekiel chs. 1 & 10) uncomfortable, but for opposite reasons. Users familiar with Agrippa-derived ceremonial magic will not be particularly surprised. The accompanying paperback book approach the symbolism of tarot ahistorically through the interpretive lens of Paracelsian mysticism of the 16th and 17th centuries and such esotericism, that existed in France, Great Britain and Germany in the 18th century, i.e. no deeper similarities with the trajectory English-speaking western occultism took after 1875 (Theosophical Society) and 1888 (Golden Dawn). Users who just expect a quick and handy guide to cartomancy will find p. 181-230 superfluous, but the matter contained in these pages certainly has its particular audience, I'm sure. If you are interested in pre-industrial mainland continental European esotericism, they may serve as a brief introduction to that matter. Pages 9-180 afford two pages to each card: One page focusing on divination, one page giving a more 'western esoteric' approach along the lines mentioned above. The court cards revive and preserve the French renaissance custom to associate the court cards of the 52 playingcard deck (French suits) with historical figures or literary characters, but Rose Tarot do this in a slightly different manner, than Dame Fortune's Wheel Tarot do the same. In DFWT Alexander is King of Coins and Julius Cæsar King of Batons, but their rôles (and all court cards in their respective suites) are switched around in Rose Tarot. The debate regarding the divinatory equivalents to clubs and diamonds in tarot decks goes back to the 18th century, and although their artistic counterparts undoubtly are clubs = batons; diamonds = coins, the debate, whether divinatory keywords follow the artistic counterparts or follow their own separate logic, will probably not fade out of existence any day soon. The four suits have the following correspondences in this deck: Swords: Justice, aristocracy Cups: Temperance, priesthood Coins: Prudence, merchants Batons: Strength (by which is meant Courage), the peasantry Although the Ace of Cups overflows of water, elemental symbolism isn't explicitly present in the design of the suite cards, which might comfort users, who doesn't wish to be forced into adherence to an unfamiliar system of correspondences. The suite cards are simultaneously non-scenic and scenic in a very clever manner, by using a mandorla-shaped insert into each otherwise non-scenic pip card.

From the album: Playing Card Decks

Playing Card Oracles (Alchemy Edition) Author: C.J. Freeman and Ana Cortez Card Size: 8.9cm x 14.6cm No. of Cards: 54 ISBN: None (Self-published) Language: EN Publisher: Two Sisters Press Purchase at Ana Cortez

The Magical Dogs Tarot By Jewel – March 11, 2020 The Magical Dogs Tarot, by husband and wife team Mickie and Daniel Mueller, was published by Llewellyn in September of 2018 as a deck/book set. In addition to this deck, Ms. Mueller has also illustrated The Mystical Cats Tarot, The Well Worn Path and Hidden Path oracles, authored the Voice of Trees: A Celtic Divination Oracle, as well as a couple of books for Llewellyn. There are no humans in this deck. Overall, we are seeing the Tarot from a dog perspective, which is great being that there are very few dog Tarot decks as compared to the plethora of cat decks. I purchased this deck because I love dogs and did not own a dog themed deck, but this deck has really blown me away. It is so much more than I ever thought it would be. I usually have to work with a deck for a month or so to get a good enough feel for it to write a review, but this deck in many ways was like coming home to my pups. There is an emotional honesty and warmth to this deck that is very hard to describe, the simplest way to say it is that it is pure dog magic. The art of this deck is simply beautiful and purposeful. Every detail contributes to the meaning of each card, from what the dog is doing, to each element in its surroundings. Every part of the card supports the meaning and can be used in the interpretation. It is very easy to become the dog as you gaze into the card and understand what it is feeling and/or experiencing. The watercolor paintings are rich yet soft and easily transport you into the scene. A few of my favorite aspects of this deck are that the dogs are not anthropomorphized, it is borderless, and that the same attention to detail and quality were given to the Major and Minor Arcana. The card titles are contained in a small gold metallic ink scroll with black italic lettering at the bottom each card which blends in nicely without detracting from the imagery. It is evident that a lot of thought and care went into the creation of this deck, and that Mickie and Daniel love and understand dogs and their magic. The suits are divided into four different types of dog packs, based on “the more primitive realm of the arcane canine, with its emphasis on a deep connection to nature…” Elemental pack or suit correspondences are your traditional Sea/Water, Fire/Fire, Sky/Air, and Earth/Earth. Here is what the companion book says about the suits or packs: Fire Pack (traditional suit of Wands): “Fire pack watchwords are expansion and energy. These canines are associated with primal forces, spirituality, and inspiration. Ever seeking to expand the borders of spiritual knowledge, they are great wonderers and explorers, not just of the physical realm but of the mind and the depths of the soul.” Sea Pack (traditional suit of Cups): “Emotions and instincts are the domain of the sea pack. They can be wise counselors, as they are gifted in intuiting of feelings and in navigating the complexities of relationships.” Sky Pack (traditional suit of Swords): “Power, force, and conflict embody the sky pack’s world. They are generally nomads, dogs of the wild places, who are perfectly at home under the open sky and do not shy away from danger. Independent creatures, these dogs often forge only temporary alliances to meet their immediate goals.” Earth Pack (traditional suit of Pentacles): “The earth pack primarily concerns themselves with matters of the physical world. They are a practical pack, wise in the ways of business and trade, in the knowledge of growing things, and in determining the times of sowing and harvesting. They are lovers of hearth and home and the material possessions that adorn life.” The imagery of the Major Arcana is quite different from the RWS but very reflective of it. Some of the Majors names have been changed: The Magician becomes The Mage, The Hierophant becomes The Shaman, The Hanged Man becomes The Seer, The Devil becomes The Trickster, The Star becomes The Dog Star, and Judgement becomes The Call. Strength is at position VIII and Justice at XI. The Trickster card in this deck focuses on the Coyote and freedom which is a deviation from the Traditional Devil card, but works really well in this deck. Though a significant amount of the imagery is quite different in the Minor Arcana cards 1-10, because we are dealing with dogs and what dogs do, they do follow the Raider-Wait-Smith (RWS) system and connections can be easily made. The Court cards elude to pack structure and their leadership role within the pack. Kings are Alpha Males, Queens are Alpha Females, Knights are Guardians, and Pages are Puppies and are the cutest things ever! The Alpha Males are the top dogs or leaders of the pack, the Alpha Females fulfill a similar role but in a more nurturing way, the Guardians are action oriented, and Puppies are symbols of inexperience and/or youth. Similar roles to your traditional Tarot Court cards so not a stretch to understand. In a sense I think this pack structure actually makes the Court Cards quite easy to understand and follow, so a beginner would not have any problem with these. The cards are your typical Llewellyn size (4.65” x 2.3/4”) and card stock, though they do feel a little more “buttery” when I riffle shuffle them than other Llewellyn decks. Maybe it’s the card stock, or just the warm and fuzzies this deck gives me. Who knows? I am not fussy about card stock so I like them, but some people feel the card stock is a bit thin. Personally, I like it. The card backs remind me of an Ocean Jasper crystal with its blues, rust, and gray banding, and has two mirror image leather shields with a paw print in the center. Overall the backs have a Native American vibe to them. The shields have four charms hanging from the bottom of them that correspond to the four elements or suits. The backs are reversible, and this deck was designed with reversals in mind. The shield motif with the paw print in the center is repeated in the Aces of each suit, but with charms corresponding to the pack it is representing. The deck comes with a 206-page companion book, titled The Magical Dogs Companion, written by Mickie and Daniel. The writing is clear, engaging, and you can tell these authors love and understand canines and Tarot. Unfortunately, the book is not full color. I would have loved to have had full page, full color, glossy pictures of these cards along with their corresponding text as Llewellyn has been doing with their companion books, but alas one cannot have everything. The Introduction really sets the tone of the deck, from the prehistorical bond between humans and canines to the structure of the deck, and how to use and care for it. I really love how the Introduction was laid out and presented. It made me want to jump right in and join these packs. The next section of the book is the Major Arcana “Dogs Deep Wisdom” and covers each Major Arcana card providing a description of everything you see in the card and its symbolism or meaning. The description is followed by “Paws for Thought” which ties in the description to traditional tarot meanings and some keywords. Lastly there is a “Reversed” section for each card and some keywords for the reversals. The third section of the book is the Minor Arcana or “Dog Packs.” Each pack or suit section starts with its Call of the Pack which describes the pack, who they are, the dynamics within the pack, what drives them, and ties these nicely into tarot suit correspondences. The same format used in the Majors is used with the Minors. The Fourth section is on Spreads and includes three canine themed spreads: The Paw Print Spread (5 cards) which is good to get the lay of the land; The Guardian Spread (7 cards) good to watch your borders and protect your territory; and The Hunt Spread (3 cards) to get a quick overview of a situation. At the end of the book there is an Appendix in which they share some of Mickie’s sketches and give a short explanation of the sketch. This book does not delve into Tarot History, numerology, or go in depth on how to perform Tarot readings, but it does give a nice overview in the Introduction and it is focused on using this particular deck and companion book. I actually really like this companion book. Like a dog it is friendly and unassuming but a great companion. This deck has the heart of a dog. In readings it is honest, and understands harshness and tenderness. The readings just brought out so much emotion in me. I have laughed and had tears well up in my eyes. I did not expect that. I would start reading and my heart would just flow. The imagery is powerful and will take you deep inside your heart and pull out things you did not even know were there. I released things in readings that I have held back from writing in my journal when reading with other decks, I just could not help myself. This deck brings out so much honesty and compassion at the same time. It brought out in me those feelings I have when I am hugging my Shih-Tzu, true raw and real emotion. The Magical Dogs is not “fluffy” by any means, and does not sugar coat anything either, but there is that empathy and sense of unconditional love that you can only get from a dog. It fosters courage and resilience, playfulness, and gratitude for the simple things in life. It is a reliable and trustworthy companion that you can count no matter what. This is a deck I will treasure and one I will turn to often, particularly in difficult or troubled times. This deck is a true delight. It is deep and oozes with canine spirit and magic. It is so easy to understand and relate to. If you are a dog lover, and like Rider-Waite-Smith based decks then do not pass this one up. I would recommend The Magical Dogs Tarot to all levels of experience with the Tarot despite that it is dogs and has changes to suits and Majors. The book provides any guidance needed to successfully use the deck. The tie into the Rider-Waite-Smith is there, just stripped of esoteric symbolism. The archetypes remain clear. I would recommend this deck to intuitive readers, empaths, and those that take a psychological approach to Tarot. If you are looking for a racially diverse and/or gender balanced deck, there are dogs of all sizes and kinds. If you are looking for esoteric symbolism this is not a deck for you. Would I read for my dear aunt Fifi with this deck? Absolutely, she loves dogs and will, without any Tarot knowledge, be able to pick up a lot from the cards and participate in the reading. I would be comfortable using it in readings for persons of any age. There is nothing offensive in this deck, and it is a great deck for squeamish querents, especially if they love or can relate to dogs.

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