Deck Review: Vivid Journey Tarot

Jessica Alaire, Vivid Journey Tarot. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn, 2017. ISBN: 978-0-7387-5071-2.

Note: link to Aeclectic. I was going to link to Llewellyn but as of this post, the deck is not listed. I did some searching, and it seems the deck has quietly gone out of print. I found that a bit surprising but it is not uncommon for divination decks to just quietly go out of print.

Genre: divination, card decks
Subgenre: Tarot, art
Format: box set with 78 cards deck and companion paperback book
Source: I own this one. I found it at Half Price Books on sale (new).

Four of Pentacles

Initially I got this deck mainly because it was on sale at the time, and it was very colorful. Once I started using it I found that I can read the cards very well with it, and I enjoy the vibrant colors and positive vibe.


The boxed set includes the 78 cards deck and a companion book: Guide to Your Vivid Journey. The book is arranged as follows:

• Introduction. In three pages, the author gives a quick overview of Tarot and discusses a bit about her work on the deck and her strong emphasis on color. She also points out the deck is well within Rider Waite Smith (RWS) tradition. 
• Chapter One: Tarot Basics. This is the usual chapter most deck companion books have on how to use the Tarot. This is mainly for beginners starting out. In addition, given Alaire's emphasis on color, she does include a small and useful color symbolism list. This is something you may find helpful in readings. For me, the color symbolism adds a bit more depth to consider and study further. Chapter also goes over the Fool's Journey and the suits and numbers of the Minor Arcana. A small quirk that threw me off a bit is she presented the pips (numbers) of the Minor Arcana in reverse order (10 to 1) instead of the usual order (1-10). It threw me off since most learning systems see a progression 1 to 10. I basically ended up reading that section backwards (found the Ace/1 and read back up). Alaire claims Arthur Waite laid out the pips in descending order in his book. I have not read Waite's book yet, so I cannot speak to that. All I can say is it was a bit jarring. Interesting, to me at least, how a small detail can throw off your reading rhythm. Aside from that, the chapter's content was good. 
• Chapter Two: Major Arcana. This has the Major Arcana cards 0 to XXI. It is RWS, so Strength is VIII and Justice is XI. You get a full color reproduction of each card. Then you get the card's meaning and explanation. Text often includes questions that can help with reflection and learning. 
• Chapter Three: Minor Arcana. It's about the same as Chapter Two. Text for cards is a bit shorter but still good content. Each suit is presented Ace to Ten including the court cards with each suit. 
• Conclusion. A short concluding statement. 

Strength- VIII

In working with this deck, I found the companion book to be useful. The cards are within RWS, so if you are familiar with RWS, you can easily read with this deck without the book. However, given Alaire's additional emphasis on color and the overall good positive text in the book, I kept the book handy when using the deck. The book is simple, very easy to read, and the content is good, especially for beginners, though I think middle of the road users may find some lessons here too. Overall, a good basic book.

Let's look at the cards. The art is very bright and colorful.The facial expressions on the characters in cards are expressive, which aids intuitive reading. The art style is simple, colorful, and I'd say very friendly and accessible. The author created 78 unique art pieces that are bright and easy to read. She writes about the deck:

"I wanted to take the traditional symbolism and really meld in the emotional power of color to create a deck that truly resonates with each reader individually. I wanted a deck that could help people who know nothing of tarot learn to read, but I also wanted a deck that held true to the Rider-Waite-Smith symbolism that would make even the most seasoned tarot masters happy" (3). 

As I mentioned, if you read RWS, you should be able to use this deck. If you are starting out in Tarot, this deck is a good choice. I found this deck is an easy reader, and it works well as a reliable workhorse deck. Just because it has bright colors, it does not mean it is fluffy. It can deliver serious readings as well. You can use it year round, but if you match decks to seasons, I'd say it is more for spring or especially summer.

I will add a small note. There is some minimal artistic nudity, but it really is no big deal, and it works well. I'd consider this a "family friendly" deck. It's a deck I have used to read for others, and it works well.

The High Priestess- II

Cards measure 4 1/2 inches by about 2 1/2 inches, a standard size. Cardstock is the typical the typical
thin Llewellyn cardstock. The cards are borderless, and each card is identified with a small scroll at the bottom of the card. The images really pop overall. This deck has become a favorite of mine. It is a deck I can pick up and use at any time. In the end, I really like it, and I highly recommend it. When you often see so many decks with computer generated/aided art (nothing wrong with that. I like some of those too), it is nice to see some simple art painting work. This is a deck worth picking up.

4 out of 5 stars.


Note: Card photos are mine from my personal copy of deck.

Kit qualifies for these 2020 Reading Challenges: