Showing posts with label Llewellyn Publications. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Llewellyn Publications. Show all posts

Everyday Witch Tarot Mini Cards by Deborah Blake & Elisabeth Alba

, 20 Dec 2021

 Deborah Blake, who has authored numerous fiction and non-fiction books on modern witchcraft, hit the jackpot with this Tarot deck, first published in 2017 and the mini format in 2020. This is one of my fav Tarot decks because of the general jolly vibe, the overall narrative, and the artwork.

I LOVE
> Elisabeth Alba's juicy imagination and artwork that adjusts to the structure of the RSWT Tarot but creating a wizard world that's unique and colorful not dark or gothic. We are allowed into a magic world of modern boho witches and wizards, whose lives are full of fun, adventures, dangers and challenges. Alba is an amazing illustrator and, if this wasn't a Tarot deck, this would make a stunning graphic book.
> The imagery is rich enough to get my intuitive juices flowing even if I didn't anything about Tarot.
> Good quality card stock.
> Great quality printing. 
> Cute card back illustration.
> The deck shuffles beautifully.
> Easy to carry in a small camera bag.
> Good for people with small hands.
> Children's friendly re size and imagery. 
> Cat lovers' delight. If you, like me, love cats, you'll be delighted with the important role that cats play in each card image, and with the way they are depicted.
SO-SO
> Bad quality box, which arrived with the corners squeezed and slightly damaged.
> No booklet/leaflet. I have the app with the digital book, so that's fine with me. However, if you aren't familiar with the deck, you might need to get the full size deck with the accompanying guidebook. 
> The card back gives away whether the card is coming straight or reversed.
> People with average-size hands might struggle with the sizing as this deck is more a tiny deck than a mini deck.
> Unlike Blake's Everyday Witch Oracle, this deck has no ethnic/racial diversity whatsoever, which is inexcusable as the deck was first published in 2017.
MIND
> Based on the RWST, with some adjustments in the imagery, the most noticeable being the female Hyerophant.  
> Teen and youngster vibe overall.

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Gilded Tarot Royale Mini Cards by Ciro Marchetti

, 1 May 2021

Ciro Marchetti is one of my favorite Tarot artists because he's not only a wonderful digital artist but he as a deep knowledge of the Tarot. I have several of his decks in digital app format and they are my go-to every time. I was really excited about getting this mini-deck not just because mini decks fit perfectly in my hands, but because it's a Marchetti's. Now that I have it in my hands, I have mixed feelings about it.  and I wish I had ordered the full size version so I could enjoy the colours and many details of Marchetti's imagery in full.

THE GOOD
> Wonderful artwork, with amazing colorful multilayered images full of symbolism, so they are perfect for strict Tarot readings or just intuitive symbolism.Said differently, each card is a world in itself, pregnant with meaning. 
> I love the way Marchetti portraits masculine and feminine energies (sexy, athletic rock-star warrior-like men, and sexy erotic dancing Venus-likes), that's personal, and not might be your case, but it's mine. 
> Amazing backgrounds and details in each image. The Gilded Tarot has a strong bucolic vibe and countryside scenes and small animals are a recurrence in most images. 
> Presence of characters of different ages an races, and, I'd dare to say, sexual orientation (see for example the Hanged Man and The Devil).
> Some of the imagery captures the meaning of the cards is not only explanatory and helpful for the newbie, but also absolutely artistic. Some images in this deck are among my favs in Tarot decks: The Strength, King of Cups, Nine of Pentacles, Ace of Pentacles, Two of Swords. or The Hermit, to mention some. 
 > Good for traveling and taking it around in your purse.
> Perfect for people with small hands.
> Lightweight deck.
> The cards shuffle wonderfully.
> Box looks flimsy, but it opens and closes well without getting damaged. 
 

THE NOT SO GOOD
> Tiny more than mini. You'll struggle shuffling these if you have large hands, or just not small hands.
> The many details and colors of the original are lost in this mini cards.
> Printing quality is just OK, not especially neat. This is a huge problem because Marchetti's images are baroque in a way. As I've mentioned above, they are full of details, symbolic elements and this size just washes away part of the wonder that the original deck has
> Not gilded or luxurious. Why did they called gilded to start with?
> No booklet/guidebook.
> No black characters in deck. There is just a couple of mulattoes, not black people.  

 


MIND
This is a RWS-inspired Tarot.  
Nudity. 

ADVICE
Get the full size version or the app format.



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Llewellyn's Classic Tarot Mini Cards by Barbara Moore & Eugene Smith

, 3 Apr 2021

I am in love with this tiny-winy Tarot deck. I am in love with this tiny-winy Tarot deck. Although this is a Rider-Waite-Smith deck in essence, the illustration style is more of my liking. This deck has the warmth,  playfulness and joi de vivre that the RWS lacks. Unlike the RWS, this deck has a more modern vibe, is more naturalistic, and the characters are more real, sensual and less rigid, sad and introspective. Like a more extroverted RWS.
 
AWESOME
 > Great quality paper semigloss paper.
> Easy to carry around. Real pocket size.
> Easy pleasurable shuffling.
> Great quality detailed printing.
> Neutral back that doesn't give away whether the card drawn is upright or reversed. 
> Perfect for children.
 

 
DOWNSIDES
> This is a tiny deck. Mini would be a bit larger. I have very small hands, and this is still small. If you have big hands, you might have problems shuffling and handling this deck.
> The cards material is slightly rigid or not flexible enough.
> No guidebook.
> Basic packaging.
> A bit pricey for what it is. 
 

 


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Gaia Oracle Cards by Toni Carmine Salerno

, 27 Mar 2021

Great quality deck overall: good sturdy packaging box, excellent printing quality, wonderfully edited guidebook and good quality deck. The cards have the  perfect thickness and coating, which makes shuffling a very pleasurable experience.

The artwork is beautiful. I especially like the back of the cards, which is also the cover of the booklet. Some of the images in the deck are just wonderful. Taken individually all the images are great and a piece of art. However, as a tarot ensemble, the deck feels monotonous and, for the most part, uninspired.

This is a Gaian deck, so I expected the feminine energies and the female characters to be relevant, but they're overwhelmingly dominant. The same can be seen of the green hues.

One of the things that put me off is the fact that  many of the images on the deck and the meaning attributed to them have no relation or connection, which is a total disappointment.

I ended returning the deck, not only because of what I said, but because of the odd sizing of the cards, which are on the wide and large size, as I was having trouble shuffling them.
 


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