deck review – Maenad Tarot

The Lonesome World Tarot Deck Review

The Lonesome World Tarot by Jessi Knight drew me in right away with its simple, yet powerful artwork. The visual style gives off a bit of a groovy 70s vibe, in the best way. On the Kickstarter page, Knight reflects on creating the deck from a place of solitude, which led to the crucial question: “What do you find within yourself when nobody else is around?” Without any people, animals, or humanoid figures, the deck gives one the feeling of being able to step into the world of the deck as a protagonist, or, alternatively, of wandering through a strange landscape and encountering powerful symbolic forces.

Deck Review: The Pathfinder Oracle

I adore Andrew Swartz’s artwork, and I own all of the Skullgarden decks. The Earthbound Oracle was my first oracle deck, I’ve been slowly learning Lenormand using the Seeker’s Lenormand, and when I backed the Pathfinder Oracle Kickstarter, I chose the tier that came with a copy of the Wooden Tarot. The collection is complete (unless Swartz makes another deck, which I would immediately buy)! With the Pathfinder Oracle, Swartz has created a truly unique deck.

Majestic Earth Tarot Review

I recently got my copy of J.D. Hildegard Hinkel’s new deck, the Majestic Earth Tarot: Storm and Wonder. I’d been eagerly awaiting this deck since I backed the Kickstarter, and I’m already loving it. As in Hinkel’s out-of-print Tarot of Delphi (which, side note, I want so bad), the Majestic Earth Tarot uses pre-existing art pieces to illustrate the deck. Hinkel uses late 18th century to early 20th century landscape paintings here, to wonderful effect. Human figures, when they appear at all, are small parts of the larger world they inhabit. The deck showcases both a deep understanding of the tarot and a thorough knowledge of this art period. Hinkel has chosen art that is stunning both in itself and in its ability to evoke the meaning of the cards.