The Antique Anatomy Tarot Kit: Deck and Guidebook for the Modern Reader

There is simply no denying that is deck is, at once, uniquely original and darkly beautiful. The artist, Claire Goodchild, combined artwork from Victorian medical texts and botanical journals to bring her vision to life and I, for one, am so glad that she did.This set comes in a sturdy box and with a comprehensive, color guidebook that includes information, a little tarot history, and spreads as well descriptions for each card.One of my favorite things about the decks are the minute attention to little details: the Pages are all skulls of young children; the Elixirs (Cups) court cards have numbered elixir bottles that actually correspond to the card's number; same with the Ace of Elixirs; and I wouldn't be surprised one bit if the skulls for the Kings & Queens were - in the original texts - identified as male & female, respectively. Such little details are appreciated, and I'm sure there will be more to find as I use the deck.An issue that everyone raises is the card stock. Yes, it's thin. Yes, it has a "flimsy" feel to it. While I do wish it was on a thicker stock I still am not going to complain about this. It seems as if it will hold up, and it has so far in the couple weeks I've been using it. For me, the deck and its artwork make up for it. I just don't see this as a deal breaker and it, if it is for you, all really depends on how flexible you are with your decks' card stock. Personally, this is workable - as long as it continues to hold up - because the cards are too lovely not to use otherwise.All-in-all, I highly recommend this deck. Especially if you have a predilection for darker, unique, or macabre things - it is delightfully all of those while still remaining very elegant and beautiful. If card stock is a deal breaker you might have an issue but, otherwise, I can't see anyone not falling in love with this deck.

This is a beautiful deck in a beautiful box with a beautiful book. The illustrations are bright and dynamic, and the guidebook has some of the most insightful general tarot tips and references I've seen; colors, numbers, and relationships between the Major Arcana come into play within the deck itself, so these are outlined in vivid detail and description in order to teach you how to handle all future readings. The individual cards are two per page, with easy-to-digest descriptions for each. It also includes additional card information for the Major Arcana, such as their ruling planet and element.The cardstock issue that was present in the first print has been fixed. This is NOT a thick cardstock, but it's not meant to be a heavy-handed deck! It's about the thickness of a regular playing cards, but the paper quality is better and more matte.It shuffles well once handled a bit to remove the factory newness, just be gentle! Quiet hands, quiet minds.

This was my first tarot deck that I purchased because I liked the artwork. I still like it and I appreciate that it comes with an information booklet great for beginners, but after learning a great deal more about tarot, I think something is lost when the artwork doesn't contain any of the esoteric imagery found in older decks. Even if you don't know what the card symbolizes at first, with those more traditional decks, you get a vibe. This is totally fine for people just getting into tarot though, and I'm glad I started here.

I never leave reviews, but I wanted to write one in a hopes people scared away by the card stock come back and give this beautiful deck a chance. I found a picture of this deck online 6 months ago, the artwork was so stunning I was excited to pre-order and have been impatiently waiting the arrival all that time. I was out of town when mine was delivered and when I got the delivery notice I quickly jumped online to see what people were saying, wanting to live vicariously through others until I got home to experience it for myself. The first post I noticed was the artist herself saying "I know you guys don't like the card stock, but trust me... it shuffles like a dream". This was followed by review after review about how flimsy the cards felt and how disappointed people were. I was crushed.I went into opening my package as a skeptic, already turned off by the reviews. I didn't even look at the book, my fingers finding the cards and feeling exactly what others said... they are thin, flimsy, and seemingly cheap. Still interested in the designs I opened them out, and looked through the deck. It is BEAUTIFUL!!! In an effort to not give up hope I did exactly as the artist suggested, even though I was scared I'd damage or destroy the cards, I shuffled. And guess what... they shuffled like a dream. The more I worked with them the more I realized they were just like many of the playing cards I've had for years. They feel as comfortable in my hands right out of the box as my cards that I've been breaking in for years.I can't say whether they will last. I can't say whether they will bend or be destroyed.All I can say is I'm a huge fan again after playing with them and almost don't notice the weight of the card stock. As a person that can't always afford $60 tarot cards I'm grateful this beautiful art was made in a way I could purchase it, and so far (after playing with it) it seems far from cheap.