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First Impressions
The box it’s in is dazzling. It’s shiny, and designed to withstand repeated use. The cover seals with a magnetic tab, and a satin ribbon is useful for opening the box.
The book inside is full-color and very high-quality pages. The images are rich and evocative. The descriptions are thorough, with useful details to interpret the cards.
The cards are absolutely the best I’ve seen. The card stock is sturdy. The finish is impressive. The cards are exactly the right size.
Clearly, Llewellyn spared no effort or expense to make this one of the very best tarot decks, ever. I’m very grateful to them for sending me this deck as a gift, with no requirement to write a favorable review, or any review at all.
Testing the Cards
To test this deck, I tried some comparative readings. The decks I chose were The Wizard’s Tarot, the Grail Tarot, the Gateway Tarot, and Doreen Virtue’s Goddess Cards.
Each has a different sense of style:
- The Wizard’s Tarot seems to get straight to the point, but is surprisingly gentle at times.
- The Grail Tarot is steeped in history and King Arthur’s world. It can be cryptic. Sometimes, what you think the cards tell you isn’t clear until a little later, when more in real life is revealed.
- The Gateway Tarot is one of the most powerful decks in my collection. I read it only when I want a blunt, laser-focused reading, even if it challenges me or the client, or both.
- The Goddess Guidance Oracle Cards are very simple. I’m not sure if it’s because the theme is entirely feminine, but the messages can confuse me at times. Usually, I use it as a “second opinion” to give clarity to another reading.
I did two three-card readings with each deck. My reading included a past card, a present card, and a third card that shows the immediate future.
Each deck presented a similar message: That I was going through a time of change, and I needed to remain strong and true to myself. Most of the decks emphasized healing, as part of this process.
Here’s what the Wizard’s Deck said (8 of Cups, Ace of Swords, and Strength):
You’re grounded in a sense of having to take chances, despite your current comforts. Currently you’re working to see through confusion, including your own confusing thoughts. Immediately ahead, you may realize the wounds you’ve received, but it’s important to heal them with love, compassion, and understanding.
As usual, the Gateway deck was the most dramatic of the readings, revealing the Two of Swords, Ace of Wands, and Three of Coins:
You’ve felt as if this has been a moment of peace, but you also know this has been a form of truce. It’s temporary. Do not squander it by alienating those whose power you rely upon, or may want to remain close to in the future. Use this time to regroup and build your sense of power. Then get started on new projects. Build them in small steps. Pay attention to details. Hard work may be necessary. Don’t rush things. Stability will lead to rewards.
The Goddess Guidance deck was the most gentle, showing me Sige, Sedna, and Isolt:
You have been wise to take your time. It was not a time for action, yet. Now, focus on yourself. Relax. Connect with yourself and with nature, and the things that are your personal touchstones, your bedrock. There may be some difficulties ahead, and perhaps some losses. Your heart will mend.
For me, the Wizard’s Tarot was a nice, balanced deck between those two extremes. I’d continue to use it regularly, especially for daily readings.
Links to Amazon: the Wizard’s Tarot, the Gateway Tarot, and the Goddess Guidance Deck.
review by Marc Quinn, 27 July 2020
