Shadowscapes Tarot (Shadowscapes Tarot, 1)

Context: I have the iOS app of this deck, which is amazing, and been using it for years , especially helpful when I had an arthritis flare. Now my hands are OK, but I'm not young and could flare again. I have been using this deck (via the app) daily for 5 years. I've had the cards in my wishlist just as long.I hesitated to buy this, wasn't sure it included both deck and book (it does! And the case is nice with a magnetic latch), but when people “complained” that the cards may not be quite as thick as other tarot decks, I saw that as a feature, not a problem. I can zoom in and gaze at the amazing art on my Retina display iPad so if and when the cards get worn out, that's fine. I need a deck I can use daily, easily, without hurting myself.These are thicker than Vegas playing card decks, but still manageable to do a ruffle shuffle. If it breaks in more, awesome. The art has a beautiful silver border around the edges of the card. If I had to have 1 complaint, this deck isn't to be read reversed, so I would have preferred card backs where you could tell which way you're holding the cards and know which way to flip them. It's so minor a complaint, though.I'm absolutely thrilled to finally have a physical copy of this deck, and glad I purchased it. If you want a divination system you can use daily forever and it look like the day you bought it, I don't think Tarot is for you (maybe try runes or coins for I Ching). If you want a long term relationship with your deck, don't mind your deck showing the signs of your time together, will handle it respectfully, want a size that can be handled & shuffled without being problematic, and the full book bundled with the cards, this set is for you.I “indexed” the book to make finding card text super simple. The set is a terrific and inexpensive gift, especially suitable for lovers of fantasy, LoTR, and all sylvan and Sidhe tales, and first-time tarot users.

The media could not be loaded. I bought this as a deck to bond with my faery guides more closely. I also bought the Paulina Tarot to see if my guides would prefer that. While that one is gorgeous and has better cardstock, that one will be returned. Nothing comes close to the vibration of this art for me personally. I'm an artist, and with the style of art on these cards, I feel like I could have designed this deck myself. I don't mean that disrespectfully to the artist, as if anyone could duplicate this work. I mean that it speaks so in line with my soul that I feel like it's always been a part of me. The death card for example is one of my favorite cards of all the decks I own as I always associate the death card with a Phoenix, and all the other images seem to trigger memories from other realms and different lives.I see people calling it cluttered or too hard to read. This is not the case at all for me. The Paulina Tarot is cluttered and muddy (for comparison, not to trash on that deck; it really is lovely and whimsical, just way too busy for me). The Shadowscapes Tarot is expansive and airy. I have a hard time breathing, but when I look at these images, it forces me to breathe deeply in a very natural, purifying way. The colors are refreshing and crisp. The images do have details, but only where it matters, otherwise the background is left blank, which helps create that expansive feeling. It was very well thought out by the artist and well balanced.I included some pictures of the book, but I cannot comment on its contents. It's a massive, heavy book, and I don't often use guidebooks. I could've bought the version without the book, but I read that the cardstock on the version with the book is better. Plus, this set was selling cheaper than the cards alone. Still, I know the book will come in hand.As for cardstock, they have a slight gloss that helps them slide and shuffle, yet I don't think they'll slip out like crazy. They are on the thin side, but no moreso than a standard RWS deck. I know they'll wear down with time, but it shouldn't happen for a while because I'm very gentle with my decks. I never ripple shuffle, but they do feel like the perfect weight for that. I would worry about that, though, as ripple shuffling any deck causes curvature and extra, unnecessary wear.The box is sturdy but outlandishly large to accommodate the book. I'll have to buy a bag or make one to fit it, because I'm not keeping this huge box on my shelves. I might even toss/ donate it. I hate being wasteful, but I have no purpose for it, and I'm trying to stay minimal.If this fantasy imagery speaks to you, do not hesitate to buy this. The realms of the Fae definitely had a hand in making this divine deck. You can feel the energy of this deck is genuine, not a made-for-profit ordeal. Each card begs you to explore yourself deeper, and I know I'm only just at the beginning of a grand adventure with these cards.

This is the 3rd time Ive purchased this tarot set!! I've been studying and reading for a number of years now and I can read well with multiple decks. Shadowscapes spreads just fall out so easily readable and the deck is very strong in its color theory! I've had spreads with this deck that so clearly go from light to darker or darker to lighter and the way each image is painted, it seems the artist chose certain shades for particular emotions. It would be nice if the card stock were just slightly heavier but the artistry is amazing and the readability is beyond great! I bought this last set for a friend who wants to learn tarot so I gifted her a regular everyday copy of the RWS deck and a beginner's guide as well as this set with the companion book. She seemed very happy with all of it and I'm hoping it keeps her out of trouble for at least a little while. I know that once she begins to pick up on the various basic card meanings and the symbolism in the tarot, that she'll come to appreciate the Shadowscapes deck wholeheartedly as I do!!