The Wild Unknown Tarot pocket size in a tin, is just a great good quality deck.
This tarot deck has Kim Krans unique unmistakable atmospheric illustration style, which is immediately recognizable because of the simplicity of the elements, abstract predominantly B&W imagery with splashes of bright colors. The imagery relates to the natural world, the woods and the animals that populate it. This is a night-time-vibe Tarot, as the night scenes dominate most of the images and, overall, it has a strong night energy.
Beyond the imagery, there are other things that I like about this deck:
> The sizing is fantastic, really good for people with small hands.
> The cards shuffle and fly off beautifully and the deck is not heavy at all.
> The tin design is just fabulous.
> The major arcana, aces and court cards are really beautiful, but the deck, overall, is just artistically congruent and fabulous. I also love the snake-skin card back.
ON THE FLIP SIDE
> The card stock is a bit flimsy.
> The booklet is mass produced, bound too tightly and using bad quality paper.
> Some of the imagery used for the minor arcana seemed too abstract.
> Despite the fact that I admire this deck, I cannot connect with it. Said differently, I love the artwork, but it doesn't work for me. I find it too dark in mood and lacking warmth.
> Not a deck for beginners.
> Not an intuitive deck.
I actually returned the deck to the seller, because although I loved the artwork, I thought I would not use this deck and would sit on my shelves untouched.
MIND
The deck follows
the structure of the RSWT but the court cards are daughters (pages), sons (knights), mothers (queens) and fathers (kings).
Moonology is a book, deck and companion website by astrologer Yasmin Boland that delves into the influence of the phases of the moon in our daily lives. This is a very popular deck, one that you'll find used in many YouTube Tarot reading channels.
Honestly, I was never a fan of the images I saw on the screen. I purchased the deck as it was heavily discounted but, to my surprise, the deck is, in real life, beautiful.
GOOD STUFF
> Moonology is a highly intuitive deck, and this is something that, for me, makes an oracle, an oracle.
> Nyx Rowan's paintings and deck design are really beautiful and hypnotizing.
> The deck can be used as a normal oracle, i.e., you shuffle the cards, get one and get an answer to your question. Secondly, you can use the booklet as stand-alone guide to check specific phases of the moon, and events/circumstances associated to that phase.
> Good quality card stock with mate coating, so the cards shuffle well and let the painted artwork shine. Mate suits the night/moon theme, as well.
> Beautiful sturdy keepsake box.
> The card back is really pretty despite its simplicity or because of its simplicity.
> The booklet is very good regarding texts and also nicely bound, so you can fully open it and read it comfortably.
SO-SO
> I have had a mix of results with the deck, as I haven't had for for long and I am getting to start to understand it.
> I think if you are into Astrology and familiar with astrological charts, this deck might be a bit difficult to understand.
> For the same reason, unless you are really familiar with the cycles of the moon,the structure of the booklet is going to be challenge. Don't take me wrong, it's totally congruent and something that you can expect from a Moonology deck, yet, impractical for many people. I'd rather have the cards numbered so the user can look up them straight away, still keeping the current booklet structure.
> The keepsake box coating doesn't allow the lid to glide as easily as other decks.
Buddha Wisdom Divine Feminine: The heart of Kwan Yin Cards by Sofan Chan capture the essence of the Pranjnaparamita Sutras or Perfect of Wisdom, a text that represents the divine feminine consciousness in Buddhism. In a way, are they are the highlights of the sacred texts they come from minus the obscure language.
GOOD STUFF > Great affirmations. This is the most spiritual deck in the Rockpool small series, even more than its counterpart the Divine Masculine Deck, which is also beautiful and inspirational. > These cards will really help you to ground and center yourself and to look at the world and the people with kind eyes no matter you are religious, spiritual or have an ethical compass. Each card is an invitation to ponder and will resonate with you no matter you have a religion or not, are spiritual or not as long you have an internal moral or ethical compass. > Sofan Chan's design of the deck is beautiful, elegant and timeless. Very good lettering and contrast colors. The keepsake box colors and painting are just gorgeous> Good quality glossy flexible cards that shuffle beautifully. > Very good quality keepsake box with upper non-detachable magnetic lid.The box per se is just gorgeous. > Instructions of how to use the cards are written on the inner lid. > Perfect deck for people with small hands.
> Great portability.
I MISS
> There is no booklet or cards explaining a bit more about the sacred texts that inspired the deck, and why these texts are considered feminine and not masculine.
> Tiny deck, so if you have big hands, it might not be for you.
> The upper side of the cards has one standard image and it is not very artistic or as artistic as other decks in this Rockpool deck series. I get that the main focus is the affirmations not the artwork, but I would have loved having Chan, who's a wonderful painter, create different images for each card. The masculine deck has a nicer upper side, as well, so this one feels flat in comparison.
This is a very cute little oracle based on the secret life of plants, to call it something.
THE GOOD STUFF
> Original concept.
> Very intuitive cards, something that I love. They can be really straightforward with their answers and it reminds me of the linearity in question-answer that I find in Kipper oracles.
> Beautiful vintage-looking children-book illustrations.
> Booklet has good quality paper and nice text.
> Good quality beautiful sturdy keepsake box.
NOT SO GOOD
> Very small number of cards.
> The cards coating makes them stick to each other so shuffling is deficient.
> The back has poor contrast between background image and lettering.
> Cards aren't numbered, but they are numbered in the booklet. As the cards are not alphabetically ordered in the booklet and are numbered, and the card has no number, you'll have to go through the whole index to find your card.
I have many oracle and tarot decks and this became an instant favourite. Oftentimes, I purchase a deck that I've seen used by online readers, I get excited because when I order the deck, I have already the imagery and style in mind and I know how it works in general readings. What often also happens is that, when I get the product, I get disappointed: the cards are too stiff, or too big, or the colors very different from the promotional photos or how they look on camera, or they don't shuffle well, or simply the energetic connection in person is not there. Yet, this Tarot was a great exception to the norm. The Light Seer's Tarot was love at first sight for me. Published by Hay House,
an editorial home that has been producing average quality decks for
years and, by doing so, ruining some great oracle and tarot decks, has
done the right thing and followed the artist's heart. This being the
case, the end result is not only a beautiful quirky Tarot, it is also a
good quality enjoyable usable deck.
The Rider White Smith Tarot by Pamela Colman is so ubiquitous and well-known that reinventing the tarot still being true to it is not a simple task. However, here she comes, another female artist, Chris-Anne, a "spiritualpreneur" as she calls herself, who does just that. It is not only that, with this deck, she has reinvented and modernized the Tarot, it is that she has done this successfully because the end result is not a curio that sits on display in collectors shelves, but a widely used deck by Tarot readers and aficionados use and connect with. The
Light Seer's Tarot, is a deck that outshines most of modern Tarot
decks, because it s true to the core of what Tarot is, reverse meanings
included, but it gathers and reflects contemporary energies and imagery
that the reader can easily connect and relate to. This Tarot and the Urban Tarot by Robin Scott are my favorite reinvented contemporary Tarot decks.
GOOD THINGS
> Great size cards, that good to handle for people with small or large hands.
> Cards shuffle and fly out beautifully.
> The card back design is elegant and perfectly geometric so it doesn't give away whether the card is coming upright or reverse.
> Amazing printing quality and colors.
> Wonderful boho indie expressive artwork, which is very much my cup of tea.
> Very modern feeling without loosing the essence of what traditional Tarot is.
> Multiracial, multi-gender multi-age deck. This is is so rare, that it has to be pointed out.
> Beautiful good-quality keepsake box.
> Good quality printing booklet on soft thick paper.
> Booklet text and meanings are really great. You will find both the general known meanings of the card upright and reverse, but also why the artist has interpreter the card the way she has, and also how the energies are applied to modern New Age spirituality.
> Wonderful deck for proper Tarot readings and intuitive readings. Actually, you can use this deck as an oracle as well.
SO-SO
> The card stock is beautiful, but a better coating was needed because the edges deteriorate easily.
> No gilded, silvered or colored edges. Why not? It would have rounded up the product beautifully.
> The booklet is bound too tightly, so it is difficult to open it and read it comfortably. > A bit pricey.
MIND
> The deck is very New Age, so it might not resonate with everyone.
> The cards are sometimes inspired in the images in the RSWT, but reinterpreted and modernized (see the 10 of pentacles above(, while others are quite different but capture the mean meaning given to those cards (see the ace of cups above).
This deck has been such a great disappointment. Jungian Psychology, archetypes and Tarot are something I feel passionate about. I found the concept of the deck brilliant, as I thought that the Tarot archetypal nature would be further explored and developed from a Jungian lens o view, not only to favour the use of Tarot on therapeutic settings but also as a tool of self exploration. I honestly thought that this deck would just provide us with further insights into the archetypes of the Tarot. Unfortunately, that didn't happen for me.This deck is a companion to a book by the same author, so the book might be a better buy.
GOOD THINGS
> Very good size cards for people with small or large hands.
> Good quality cardboard.
> Cards shuffle well.
> Deck is not heavy at all.
> Lovely cardboard keepsake box.
> Wonderful printing quality and colors.
> The Major arcana are beautifully illustrated.
> Stunning card back printing.
> Small booklet with the meaning of each card. Texts are short and sweet and perfect for beginners. They have the added information about the astrological sign each card relates to and the archetypes that the major arcana embody.
DISAPPOINTING
> White people figures all of them, mostly blonde, with some brown-hair figures. No cultural diversity whatsoever.
> The card back gives away whether the card is upright or reverse.
> No reverse meanings in the booklet.
> Most of the Court and suit cards are simplistic, not much thought seems to have been put into them, not much symbolism, and you can call them Jungian if you want, but I call them bland unimaginative Tarot cards. Other tarots will better allow you to use them in Jungian therapy, the RSWT to start with, for example.
> Meanings given to each card are the usual if you know a bit about Tarot...
> Overall product concept, design and quality doesn't justify the price.
Colette is "the" Oracle master so I imagined that, if she had to create a Tarot deck, was never going to be a replica of the RW Tarot. The structure of this deck is, however, that of the classic tarot, but the imagery has been freely interpreted and simplified. Also a very feminine vibe has been added, as well as characters of different ages and ethnic backgrounds made part of the deck. Colette says in the booklet that she has added some LOA and positive psychology principles, but I am not sure is this is just blah blah blah. For sure, the deck has a positive vibe as reversals are gone as well as any 'distressing' imagery. The LOA and PPsy is more clearly found in the meanings in the booklet.
THINGS I LOVE
> The concept is perfect for beginners as there aren't reversals.
> The "frightening" images in the RWT are not there, so all the imagery has a positive feeling.
> The artwork by DellaGrotaglia is stunning once again. Her layering, textures and colouring are superb. Despite the sophisticated symbolism of her imagery and the richness of symbolic elements, the images feel clean and sophisticated at the same time. The imagery has a wonderful oneiric fairy-tale feeling that I love.
> The interpretation given to each card is short and sweet and captures the essence of what the original card meant upright.
> The fancy lettering describing the suit card and number is fanciful wonderful.
> Beautifully simple card back.
> The
Good Tarot has a mythological ethereal whimsical archetypal feel that
roots in the Tarot and in traditional fairy tales and angelic realms.
> The cards Strength and Love are wonderfully related with the women first controlling the beast and then falling in love with it. Like Beauty and the Beast.
> Sturdy beautiful keepsake box.
THINGS THAT BOTHER ME
>
This deck is massive and extremely difficult to shuffle even if you
have average-size hands, so it's really a pain for people with small hands.
> The cards gloss coating makes them stick together so they are difficult to shuffle. Shuffling well and easy is at the core of any reading, so if the cards don't shuffle well, what's the point?
> The booklet printing quality and paper stock are average.
> Some of the cards are slightly blurry.
> The major arcana card numbers aren't placed on a fix position, something that really annoys me.
> The blue tones from air and water suits are so similar that is difficult to identify which suit is which one by the color. The same re the earth and fire suits. Why not having completely distinct suit color palette for each suit?
> Too many winged beings in this deck. The air suit with angelic winged beings and the earth suit with butterfly-ish fairy beings and there are wings everywhere, really.
MIND
> The overall feminine tone of the deck might not speak to male readers or tarot aficionados. The only male figures are the Kings plus the hanged man and the page of earth. Figures that are usually depicted as male in the RW Tarot like the knights (messengers) and the Hierophant are here feminine as well.
> This is a simplification of the Tarot most common meanings, so it is not as rich and deep as the original.
SUGGESTION TO THE PUBLISHER
US Games Systerms has the best card stock in the market. It not only make shuffling a pleasure, it is good enough to have any artwork really pop up and display the right way. I think Hay House should just copycat the card stock, because most of HH Tarot decks, like this one, are too bulky, too heavy and to mass-produced.
This is my least favorite mini deck by Rockpool Publishing. Although the quality of the product regarding quality of the packaging and cards is undeniable, the rest is a bit disappointing. Perhaps because the other Rockpool mini-decks I have are just really motivational, inspirational and intuitive, the messages in these cards feel artificial and too vague to be of any use.Perhaps fun to use at a party, not for divination readings.
GOOD STUFF
> Beautiful colorful deck.
> Perfect deck for people with small hands.
> Good quality glossy flexible cards that shuffle beautifully.
> Very good quality keepsake box with upper non-detachable magnetic clasp.
> Instructions of how to use the cards are written on the inner lid.
> Great portability.
> The keepsake box is just gorgeous and eye catching.
> Beautiful printing overall.
DOWNSIDES
> Tiny deck, so if you have big hands, it might not be for you.
> Deficient contrast between lettering and background.
> The upper side of the cards has one standard image, so it is not very artistic or as artistic as other decks in this Rockpool deck series. I get that the main focus is the affirmations not the artwork, but I would loved having more varied Chinese imagery on each card.
> For example, one of the cards has the following message, "Opportunities, a stranger is about to change your life. Exciting times and plenty of action, plus a special family reunion looks likely". Pardon me, my family is overseas, so it is unlikely. Exciting times and plenty of action means nothing, it is too generic, so unless you mention an area of life, work, family, friends, sports etc. it means nothing.. The first item it is a proper fortune divinatory message. Other cards are equally vague and nonsensical.
> I expected the messages in the cards be really as short as the ones in fortune cookies.
> "You will be amazed by their accuracy" is just nonsense, sorry.
These cards collect the essence of the Dhammapada Sutra, a Buddhist sacred text gathering the teachings of Buddha, which were originally spoken by him during his life.
GOOD STUFF
> Great affirmations. This is the most spiritual deck in the Rockpool small series. The affirmations are reminders of what matters in life, of what's important, of universal truths that better our spirit and lighten our soul. The deck affirmations are not only motivational, but also invitations to ponder and they go well with any ethical principles in the major world religions. > Perfect deck for people with small hands.> Sofan Chan's design of the deck is both vibrant, colorful, modern and elegant. Very good lettering and contrast. Elegant modern design with great colors and contrast on the top and inner box. In a way I love that the deck is in a vibrant red color and not in a subdue color, it makes me reflect on the fact that Buddha messages are powerful, fiery and strong and not the soft pastel-colored New-Age soft dreamy version of Buddhism.> Good quality glossy flexible cards that shuffle beautifully. > Very good quality keepsake box with upper non-detachable magnetic lid.> Instructions of how to use the cards are written on the inner lid. > Great portability.
I MISS
> There is no booklet or cards explaining which part of Buddha/ism reflect the divine masculine and the divine feminine. Chan has another deck devoted to Buddha and the divine feminine, so I wonder what's the difference. As a non-Buddhist, my vision of Buddha is both masculine and feminine, neutral or yin-yan. I find this association/dissociation in the two decks puzzling.
> Tiny deck, so if you have big hands, it might not be for you.
> The upper side of the cards has one standard image, so it is not very artistic or as artistic as other decks in this Rockpool deck series. I get that the main focus is the affirmations not the artwork, but I would loved having Chan, who's a wonderful painter, create different images for each card.
I purchased this book because I wanted a work to add to my interior design Taschen books, and this seemed to be comprehensive. It is indeed a nice coffee table book, both informative and entertaining, and nicely printed. It is not as tiny as some of the other reviewers made me think. It is on the small size, for sure.
I LIKE
> Portable and compact coffee-table sort of book.
> Elegant cover and inner cover design.
> Pleasurable paper stock.
> Informative without being a bore. Easy to read.
> Mix of design pieces (think Aalto, anything produced by Alessi or Jansen) and invented/patented pieces that are part of our daily lives (zip, Dixon pencil, safety pin, metal dustbin, cylinder lock, door handle, corkscrew, etc.).
> Very good photos overall. Many of them are vintage images of the designers or of the adds used to sell the products.
> Excellent binding. You can comfortably open the book and read both pages without fearing that they will come out.
> Index of products at the end.
DOWNSIDES
> The paper is too thin and a bit transparent-ish.
> No fabric page marker included in the binding, something that is common in similar design books by Taschen.
> The lettering is very small and I need a magnifying glass to read the text.
> The body of the text is not justified, something that always annoys me.
> The book has no introduction with the criteria used for the selection of the pieces included in the book, period covered or any other relevant information on the matter.
> The selection lacks cultural diversity, as there is a constant rotation of specific designers and areas of the world. I would have liked a bit of more open-minded, to call it something, because it is difficult to understand why there isn't any South-East Asian, African, or South American designer in the book, and why France and Spain and so under-represented. Because, you aren't going to tell me that there designers from those parts of the world haven't designed anything we use or didn't contribute to the history of design at all.
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