Alchemy 1977 England Tarot Deck [Cards]

When I look for new tarot decks one of the first things I look at is the art work, and the images shown here intrigued me enough to buy the deck (there were not as many pictures up then as there are now). But after the deck arrived and I looked the cards over I immediately found several issues that ruined the cards for me.

First, and least problematic, they are very small, the size of an ordinary deck of playing cards, and the border takes up much of the area on the face of the cards.

Second, not only do the cards not really follow the Rider-Waite system, many of the images do not relate to what the card is supposed to symbolize. Example: a weird little imp sitting on an ink pot for "The Hermit".

Third: the artwork just seems an excuse to put gothic images on paper, and really not even good gothic images. They look like sample art from a tattoo book. None of the female characters appear to be strong, powerful, wise, or insightful; instead they are half-naked bimbos with vacuous expressions. The nudity is not the problem, I have no problem with the nudity,it is, rather, the use of it here. Its kind of like reimagining the Tarot to include pole dancers portraying all of the female images.

Fourth: The minor arcana are just pip cards. Boring, and you better know your cards cold, or you'll be looking them up in the LWB that comes with it (and from going through that, buying an actual book would be a necessity also). The kings are dragons (which I found odd - this isn't a dragon deck), there are both knight and knave (no page) where the grim reaper appears a LOT, and the queens are mostly disappointing, although the queen of swords is, by far, the best female image in the deck.

Although this deck may work for some, it was a disappointment for me. But, at least it is being put to some use. My boyfriend is now going through it looking for tattoo ideas.

This deck is lovely, in a gothic, passionate way. The art is exquisite. The cards are small enough to handle easily, but you will want a bright lamp to read them by, as the colors are dark, in keeping with the theme.As a long-time Oracle reader, I knew instntly this was a powerful deck. While the text for the card meanings is brief, one can obtain plenty of meanings from other sources easily available (internet, books,etc.). Enjoy, it's worth the money for the art,and if you are a Reader, it's worth it for the quality of the readings you will receive.

The imagery on this deck is rich and will be appreciated if you are a goth fan -- and may even earn the appreciation of some non goth fans.

Llewelyn states, "Alchemy 1977 is famous around the globe for their stunning gothic artwork and steampunk accessories. Fans of this iconic brand will recognize and appreciate the powerful and seductive images in this extraordinary tarot deck. This captivating mix of art from world famous gothic illustrators ranges from traditional horror to lush supernatural scenes to medieval fantasy."

Kings are dragons: what fun! And the suit of wands has been replaced with black roses: a nice touch. The cards themselves have me feeling I am in a dark and wonderful world. A werewolf makes an appearance. There is a tattooed faery on Temperance. There are lots of skulls. The cards are lustrous and detailed and richly colored, and so is the world where these creatures live.

The only downside for me is that I don't read plain pips so well. If I come across the Six of Cups (three sets of two silver cups filled with what appears to be blood on a reddish backdrop), it is more difficult for me to read that card than if it were illustrated. Some of you will not have that problem.

This deck is a beautiful one by Fournier, distributed by Lo Scarabeo. It comes with a LWB and the backs with a skull pattern are non-reversible.

If you are into goth, it is a must-have.

Even if you aren't, this is a beautifully detailed, rich, dark deck.

Highly recommended.