Tarot in Wonderland (Llewellyn Publications), penned by Barbara Moore, and illustrated by Eugene Smith, is a delightfully whimsical Tarot deck that makes me, not only smile, but laugh out loud! I’m not kidding, not even a little.
I’m a longtime avid deck collector, and I’ve not had a Tarot deck tickle my funny bone quite like this one.
The genius of legendary Tarot author, Barbara Moore, and the imaginative artwork of acclaimed graphic artist, Eugene Smith have captured the topsy-turvy world of Lewis Carroll’s, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass stories onto the face of 78 Tarot cards, in jewel toned colors.
Curiouser and Curiouser Plus Whimsical Artwork
Each of the characters from the original, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass stories are pictured on multiple cards, and even some characters from stories that “Wonderland” characters recited to Alice, are pictured on cards.
A bonus for me, is that the cards in this deck stay consistently loyal to the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith deck format, in suit symbols, and actions on the cards.
This makes the cards super easy to read for anyone familiar with the Rider-Waite-Smith deck’s traditional card meanings.
The Tarot in Wonderland Boxed Kit
In recent years, Llewellyn Publications has taken to publishing their Tarot decks in a deck and book set, housed in a sturdy magnetic flap box, large enough to accomodate a good sized companion book, and the deck, nestled in an internal compartment with a ribbon for easy ejecting.
I love the larger books, with full color card images, so I look for this format when looking to purchase a Llewelyn deck. The Tarot in Wonderland deck is a fine example of this format.
The cards to my utter joy are borderless, a new trend in Tarot decks, and their card-stock is of decent quality, with a glossy finish that makes them glide easily when shuffling.
I might add, that the coloring in the artwork on the cards in stunning, as if artist, Eugene Smith used all the highly saturated colors in the paint box.
Tarot in Wonderland’s Companion Book
The companion book that comes packaged with this deck, unlike many Tarot deck booklets, is large enough that it can actually be read without a magnifying glass. Lol! Consequently, I actually read this deck’s companion book (might be the first one I’ve read!).
To my amazement, I discovered, that Barbara Moore details the “method behind the madness” of why the specific character was chosen to be pictured on each card. I loved this, because, for me, this detail brought considerable meaning to the whimsy in the cards.
For example, the Mad Hatter and a clock’s face, its hands fixed at 6 o’clock, was chosen for the Hanged Man, the hookah smoking Catepillar was chosen for the Magician, and a Guinea Pig, overburdened with Wands pushing an overfilled wheelbarrow was chosen to be the 10 of Wands. Priceless!
Then in a stroke of genius, for each card in the companion book, Moore positions her reasoning for the card’s image first, in a top of the page section labeled, Through the Looking Glass, followed by the meanings for the card in a second section labeled, Down the Rabbit Hole. Love the whimsy!
I might add that within this companion book, each card is pictured on a full page, in full color, to match its corresponding card.
Although most Tarot companion books feature a few traditional Tarot spreads, Moore has created several custom Tarot in Wonderland spreads that are super cool and imaginative:
- Through the Looking-Glass Spread
- Falling Down the Rabbit Hole Spread
- Mad Tea-Party Spread
- White Rabbit’s Stress Spread,
- How to Play Croquet Spread
- Which Way Should You Go? Spread
- Who Are You? Spread
As you’ve surmised, I’m quite smitten with the visuals of the Tarot in Wonderland deck, but I also want to address the energy of this deck for reading purposes.
I find this deck to give great accuracy, but with a gentler message, as compared to more serious decks that hit you with stark visual messages that can strike fear in reading clients.
Due to its absence of nudity, this deck lends itself well to reading for children, and at family gatherings. With its softer messages, this deck is also suitable for reading anyone who is wary of the Tarot, and really anyone with a sense of humor.
I do so enjoy using the Tarot in Wonderland deck consistently for my personal weekly readings, and for my professional readings, as well.
I hope you will give this fun deck a try, and discover that you love it as much as I do. Happy Taroting!
Note: To book a professional Tarot reading with Jeannette see our Book a Reading page.
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