Enchanted Tarot, the

Review by for Enchanted Tarot, the
Rating:
The Enchanted Tarot is my main deck out of the dozens I now own, and it’s because the symbols are both so immediately accessible and attractive to anyone I read for, plus the images are so tactile/sensual as they are made from fabric collages. None of these cards seem “scary” to the novice, and all offer hours of fun when you study them in depth…they are subtle, sensitive, but in keeping with traditional symbolism. The cards handle well and the descriptions and meanings given are beautifully written. I particularly like the way the book is formatted with the storyline, interpretative meaning and then the “enchantment” at the end – which is like a cross between a spell and an affirmation, useful to the reader to ingrain the feeling tone and positive message of the cards. I would recommend this deck to both the experienced tarot reader and to the novice, which speaks for itself. A must-have in any collection.

Review by wysewomon for Enchanted Tarot, the
Rating:
I’ve read with this deck since it came out about ten years ago. I usually let clients pick which of three or four decks speaks to them, and the enchanted is a favourite of people who have not had a reading done before. It also seems to reassure people who are a little afraid what the cards might tell them.The Enchanted Tarot is a beautiful deck with lots of soft coordinating colours and rich fairy tale and Arabian Nights imagery. Because the face designs are constructed from fabric collage or even quilting in some cases, this deck has a depth and sense of texture than many do not achieve. This deck is quite sturdy with unusually thick and heavy cardstock. Cards from other decks I have read with over long periods of time have literally worn out and ripped in half; this is not a danger here.As in so many cases, the beauties of this deck contain its flaws. I find some of the fabric collage designs — particularly of the Major Arcana — to be unnecessarily cluttered. Sometimes this makes it dificult to get into the card and hear what it has to say. The designs of the Major Arcana are also bordered in a way that makes the main images quite small. Much of the traditional symbolic detail is absent in favour of one main figure, for example, a skeleton for Death and a large, round doily for the Wheel. I find this makes the readings in which these cards appear lacking in depth and detail. This is not always a bad thing.I am not particularly fond of the substitution of hearts for the suit of cups. I don’t understand why the artists did this or why they didn’t substitute playing card suits for all four Minor Arcana suits. It works, though.I read from the cards, not from a book. In fact, the first thing I tell students is to throw away their books. So I disagree with Farber/Zerner’s premise of enlarging the pictures in the book so you can see the detail. That just locks you into remembering the book, instead of looking at what’s in front of you. I think what details are relevant should be clearly visible on the cards. These cards are hard to see.As I noted before the cards are very thick — the deck is about a third again as thick as most others. The cards are also quite long and narrow. One card is almost as long as my entire hand and slightly less wide than my palm. They are extremely difficult to shuffle. People with small hands take heed. I tend to shuffle this deck in halves. Many clients simply stir them around on the table.Not my favourite deck, but a possibly useful addition to a reader’s toolbag.