Otherworld Tarot: A Review
(c) Cheryl Lynne Bradley 2010
Artist: Sarah Nowell
Author: Alison Williams

Published by Schiffer Books
ISBN 978-0-7643-3394-1 $24.99US

Otherworld Tarot: 10 of Pentacles and Wheel of Fortune

Otherworld Tarot is a new Tarot deck creation by author Alison Williams and artist Sarah Nowell, published by Schiffer Books. This is a large, bright and beautiful deck inspired by the imagery and magical world of fairies and elves. There are even unicorns on the beautiful card back. The artist seems to have used coloured pencil and marker to create her images. They are rich and sharply depicted with significant attention to detail. Although the deck is said to depict the fairy world, this is not a traditional type of fairy deck. It is not all lighthearted and amusing. Despite the bright, bold colours and cartoon- like caricature quality of the images used in the card depictions, this deck captures the darker cards quite well. There are snarling dogs, scorpions and snakes entwined around and about swords. Each suit and the Major Arcana all have a different outside border, a useful tool for a beginning reader or for those of us who may have great vision but our eyesight has deteriorated.

Each card also contains a keyword prompt at the bottom, another very useful resource for a beginning reader and I find nothing to disagree with in the chosen terms. They are not typical keyword responses, some are quite original and thoughtful while some follow the more standard interpretations. It makes a very nice blend. The images are all charming, some even whimsical in their own way. I love The Fool, wearing a jesters’ hat, sticking his finger in the candle flame. Traditional symbolism is present but rendered in an original manner. The companion book which comes with the deck is 96 pages somewhat of the little white book variety. The book and deck come together in a boxed set. It contains 2 traditional spreads, introductory and biographical information and an interpretation of each card. There are no reversed divinatory meanings just a nice little blurb on the meaning of each card. There is often debate on the use of reversed meanings and I tend to be of the mind that all a reversal indicates is that this is an area where the querent needs to pay more attention or focus or, if it is a relationship reading, the reversed card indicates the thoughts of the other person. I admire Alison for going with a straight interpretation. She writes in a personal and intimate style which is engaging and thoughtful. She shares with us how she became interested in Tarot after being struck with a debilitating illness; an all too common occurrence among Tarot readers.

I think Otherworld Tarot will appeal to younger readers and this would be a very good deck for a beginner. Anyone appreciating bold and colourful artwork (some people are stimulated by colour) would like this deck as well. It would be functional for readings and the book shares some nice insights into the meanings of the Tarot.

I look at the pictures of these two women and they seem so very young to me. I think we shall see and hear more from Alison and Sarah in the future and I applaud their first effort at a deck and book collaboration.

To view images of this deck please visit the website at http://www.schifferbooks.com/newschiffer/book_template.php?isbn=9780764333941