Bookish Mail: The Phantomwise Tarot, Erin Morgenstern

It’s finally here! After months on preorder, look what released and arrived yesterday!! I couldn’t wait to share it with you.

*The box is a little dented, and it has me* 😖

This deck might sound familiar if you’ve read The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. (Which I might have reread for the dozenth, time in honor of this releasing.)

About the Deck

Welcome to The Phantomwise Tarot. This black-and-white world is a little bit circusy, a little bit Wonderland, and a little bit nocturnal phantasia of its own invention. It is a mix of myth and fairy tale, where each individual you meet may be an illusion, reflection, or distortion.

When Erin Morgenstern was working on her international bestseller The Night Circus, she began a creative exercise to better understand the complexities of the tarot. This painted series captures the themes of each of the 78 cards in a traditional Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck with equal parts whimsy and mystery. Archetypal figures like The Fool, The Hierophant, and The Lovers emerge from dark skies and swirling clouds. The ravens may not be what they seem. The cats know more than they’ll ever tell. The accompanying guidebook offers interpretations of the cards and suggested spreads for tarot readings for beginners and expert readers alike.

These cards have waited patiently for over a decade to find their way into the world. Please welcome them into yours.

Links

Goodreads
Amazon
Bookshop
B&N

You don’t need to be into tarot to appreciate this deck. I recommend that if you’re thinking of starting tarot, to not use the booklet as a guide, it’s the bare minimum. You can buy yourself a study book or search online for meanings.

The cards are in black and white to fit in with the circus. They’re also very thick, which makes them easy to hold. Let me share with you some of my favorite cards!

The cards are also textured, so that’s the lines you’re seeing in the image. I imagine the texture will help when it comes to shuffling, though I haven’t tried it yet as I’m having a bad hand day.