Review of the Fairy Tale Tarot
Fairy Tale Tarot
Created and independently published by La Muci Design
Although not based on a specific fairytale, the Fairy Tale Tarot is an indie deck created and published by La Muci Design with the intention of inspiring the reader to create their own fairytale as they immerse themselves within the cards. The vibrant artwork adds a whimsical touch to every reading, carrying an energy of hope and optimism along with it. Based on the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) Tarot system, this deck encourages you to dream big and believe in your own magic.
The Cardstock
I love the matte cardstock used for this deck. The cards feel soft and buttery, like a mild version of a rose-petal finish but without the usual rose-petal problem of the cards sticking together. The cards are thick enough to be durable, but flexible enough to riffle shuffle. The deck is not edged, but that leaves plenty of scope for you to edge the cards in whatever colour you feel matches the energy of the deck. This has to be one of my favourite cardstocks. No matter how brutally you shuffle them, the cards still hold up as good as new. A very high-quality, well-made deck.
The Artwork
The whimsical nature of the artwork in this deck is what makes it so special. The colours are bright and vibrant, and the black backgrounds really make the imagery pop. The backs are reversible and perfectly match the aesthetic of the rest of the deck. The diversity of skin tones amongst the characters is also a nice inclusion.
The artwork follows the RWS, but its energy is very different. I find this deck to be quite gentle and nurturing, and it would be a great choice for anyone who is apprehensive about the Tarot. The bright colours and the innocence in the artwork make even the traditionally “scary” cards, such as Death and The Devil (pictured below), much less intimidating.
I do find the artwork to be quite busy, so it can be hard to see all the details at first glance. I normally tend to steer away from busy decks because they disrupt the flow of my readings, but this particular deck has forced me to slow down my reading style and has consequently added depth to my readings that I wasn’t necessarily expecting to experience. It might look sweet on the surface, but this deck is not shallow. It can certainly be used for fun and lighthearted readings, and it would also be well suited to inner-child work, but, beyond that, I have found that this deck can offer clear insight that sometimes can only be seen through the unconditioned and wonderous eyes of a child. A surprisingly versatile deck, I think the Fairy Tale Tarot will appeal to a broad range of Tarot readers.
The Guidebook
The guidebook is printed in full colour and includes a picture of each card, the general card meaning, and upright and reversed keywords. It gives equal attention to the Major Arcana as it does to the Minor Arcana, a factor I always appreciate in a guidebook, and it provides plenty of information for a beginner to be able to do a reading. It does include a past/present/future spread, as well as the Celtic Cross, although I will note that there are a few errors with the position numbers in the Celtic Cross layout which would be confusing for anyone unfamiliar with this spread. Specifically cards 3, 4 and 6 appear in the wrong positions in the spread image, so that’s just something to be aware of. But apart from that the guidebook is very beginner friendly, following the traditional RWS meanings quite closely, although it does lack any fairytale or whimsical elements which is a bit of a shame given the title of the deck.
The Box
The Fairy Tale Tarot comes in a high-quality, two-piece box that holds the deck and guidebook perfectly and has the same soft, buttery finish as the cardstock. The lid slides off nicely, there is no wasted space inside the box, and it can be stored easily. The aesthetic of the box also matches the vibrancy of the artwork which is another nice touch.
Availability
Like all indie decks, there is always potential for a deck to go out of print.
At the time of writing this review (March 2024), the Fairy Tale Tarot is still available from the creator’s website and Etsy shop.
For anyone located in Australia, you can also purchase a copy of this deck through my shop.
Summary
So, what do I reckon?
A bit of alright. 4/5 stars.
With its bright and whimsical essence, the Fairy Tale Tarot is a deck that touches the heart. From its buttery cardstock to its beautiful box, everything about this deck is high quality. The artwork follows the RWS system, as do the guidebook meanings, making it a deck suitable for any level of reading experience. The imagery is welcoming, and even the traditionally “scary” cards are not intimidating. This deck makes it feel like anything is possible. Whilst the title of this deck could be misleading for anyone seeking a Tarot deck based on known fairytales, part of the charm of this deck is that it was designed with the intention of the reader creating their own fairytale through the cards, and I feel this deck does just that. The cards are quite busy, but the vivid artwork and the vibrancy of the colours help to create a sense of magic and wonder throughout the deck. Whilst the aesthetic of this deck won’t suit everyone, I do think that readers will be pleasantly surprised by its versatility. It is not a deck that only reads for lighthearted matters, but instead offers hope and optimism regardless of the topic. It may appear to be a cute and fun deck, and you can certainly use it that way, but there is plenty of depth on offer if you take the time to sit with the imagery and watch the fairytale unfold as the characters in the cards interact and start to tell their story.
