63 of 66 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outstanding new way to look at, or through, the tarot, Nov 5 2008
By Edmund Zebrowski - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Transparent Tarot (Misc. Supplies)
There are many new tarot decks that come out each year, but THE new deck that people will be taking about for a while is The Transparent Tarot. This deck breaths new life into the 78 cards with its unique layering of the artwork that is achievable by the clear cells that it's printed on. Stripped down of the heavy weights of having every symbol known to mankind shoved onto a card the minimalist artwork is surprisingly deep and helps to bring the cards into a sharp focus that many other decks with their multiple systems of symbolism seem to somehow loose in their quest to become the most esoteric-y or witch-y out there. Seeing the way the cards interact with each other is a marvel of artistic vision. Each reading can become, in a sense, its own unique single image.
The cards themselves are very sturdy made of a good grade plastic and will not tear or snap easily but shuffle very nicely. The presentation box is very sturdy and not like the flimsy cardboard that most decks come in. Packaged with a book that is more of a guide to how the artist arrived at the images she did rather then a standard LWB the set is rounded off with a sturdy white cotton reading cloth. My only complaint is that the clear acetate cover is a bit flimsy if one wants to use the box for storage, but it's not a big deal.
Back to the book, it is clearly written by one that understands that the meanings of tarot cards are very personal things. She starts off as any real good teacher would tell you by having you go through the deck before reading any more of the book. Each card is them broken out and given a few pages telling you not just what the meaning is, but more interestingly how she came to the essence of the card to create the image. That alone is a fascinating read.
The set is well made, well thought out. Not you're run of the mill art deck or RWS clone this is truly a unique deck that will change the way you see the cards fluidness. Don't be put off by the high price, it costs are very much apparent in the sturdy acetate cards, heavy cloth, almost wooden feel to the box and a nice thick book. The set is also published by a smaller publishing house and thus is going to be harder to find and might not be out as long as we all hope. Treat yourself to this deck, because it will be the most surprising and unique deck you will see for quite some time.
55 of 58 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome deck!, Nov 4 2008
By J. Kucinskas - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Transparent Tarot (Misc. Supplies)
Too bad there is a 5 star limit. It deserves way more than that. I just received my Transparent Tarot deck set yesterday after waiting for months for the finished product. I watched and read patiently the artist's blog as she was creating the deck. It was definitely worth the wait. I highly recommend this deck for anyone interested in deepening their knowledge of tarot or for those just getting started. Along with the deck, the set comes with a very indepth book and a cloth for laying out the cards. The cards are a good size and shuffle really well. They have a good, sturdy yet flexible feel. This could easily become my FAVORITE deck of all time. The best thing about these cards is the transparent quality which creates the ability to layer cards on top of each other to deepen the meaning of each position in the spread. When I first read about this concept, I thought it was an awesome idea. Now that I have the set in my hands to actually work with, I KNOW my readings will be so much more...everything. My hat's off to Emily Carding! Thank you!
36 of 37 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tarot for the 21st Century... FINALLY!!!!, Nov 7 2008
By Michelle Sharma - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Transparent Tarot (Misc. Supplies)
Like some of my fellow reviewers, I have been watching the conception of this deck, and did the agonising wait after pre-order (5 mths) for it's release, and folks, let me tell you - IT'S EVEN BETTER THAN YOU IMAGINED!!!!
The packaging is extremly sturdy, and includes - the deck, a far from standard book with details on EVERY SINGLE CARD and a white reading cloth which is an awesome bonus!
This deck is the first deck to come out in ages, that actually represents a GIANT LEAP FORWARD for Tarot on the whole.. finally a tarot deck worthy of the 21st Century - it's minimal, yet profound images in combination with it's layered possibilities makes it easier for it's reader to be more perceptive and by extension allows the reader more freedom to be able to read intuitevly.
This deck would be of great use to novices and enthusiasts alike, as well as a phenomenal training tool for those who teach tarot. Even in writting this review my mind is in overload with all of the possibilities of different ways to read the cards ie. layered (Composite Image), Film Reel or Mirrored - not to mention all the different combinations that one could arrive at...
I have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone who has a love of Tarot (I ordered 2 for myself, with 1 as a back-up), in a matter of days this has become one of my all time favourites!! And will be on the lips of Tarot Enthusiasts for years to come!
Well done Ms. Carding!! And thank you for sharing this with the world...