 | |
| Three of Earth card |
This is one of the nicest and sweetest decks in my collection. If you do Tarot, and you like cats, this is a deck for you.
Let's start with the deck's companion book: Tales of the Mystical Cats. The book is arranged as follows:
- Introduction. This includes deck's structure, how to use the cards, a note on reversals, and a note on caring for the deck.
- The Cat Mysteries. This is the Major Arcana.
- The Cat Clans. This is the Minor Arcana. The suits are arranged as cat clans: fire cats, sea cats, sky cats, and earth cats.
- Spreads. Five card spreads to try out.
- An appendix with some of Mickie Mueller's sketches.
The book is very much like a series of stories. All card entries feature a short description and story, the cat's advice, and "if the card is reversed." All card entries also feature a black and white image of the card in the entry. The book is informative, well written, and very easy to read. The text brings the world of cats to life, and it enhances the deck well. The book and deck honor "the rightful descendants of the Cat Goddess" (from book's back cover). Overall, this is a good companion book, and I enjoy seeing the cards and reading about them from a feline perspective.
 |
| Cat Magic-I (The Magician-I) card |
The cards are paintings done in pencil and watercolor by Mickie Mueller; according to the artist, she infuses the paints with magical herbs. I think that small touch makes the cards a bit more special, adds to the deck's magic. The cats are depicted naturally. In other words, unlike other decks, like the Black Cats Tarot for example (link to my review), the cats are not anthropomorphized. The results is a very readable and accessible deck that captures feline perspective on Tarot well. It is colorful with soft colors, which give the deck a nice gentle element. However, it is not just a soft deck; it can and does deliver strong powerful messages as well.
Some card names have been changed from traditional Tarot, but the changes are not terribly radical. Changes are more to make the deck feline-centric. I liked a lot how the author organized the Minor Arcana into elemental clans. Each clan has its own cat types and personalities. For the Major Arcana, the companion book provides a table with the name changes. Additionally, I'd say the deck stays close enough to Rider Waite Smith (RWS) that it works for folks who read within that system, but overall this is a deck anyone can pick up and use.
 |
| The Wheel-X card |
cards measure about 4 1/2 inches by 2 3/4 inches. The card stock is the typical Llewellyn thin card stock. The cards have a very light gloss, which means the art looks good and does not glare as much nor do they stick together when shuffling.
Overall, this is a new favorite deck for me, and it is one I highly recommend. You do not have to be a cat lover to enjoy and use it. If you are a cat lover and do Tarot, you really should consider adding this deck to your collection. This deck and book truly pay tribute to Bast's descendants.
5 out of 5 stars.
This deck kit qualifies for the following 2021 Reading Challenges:
No comments:
Post a Comment