by: Pamela Chen – author, Elizabeth Alba – artist
Llewellyn Books
ISBN – 978-0-7387-6821-2
I have a certain fondness for animal decks, and owls, like cats, have an aura of mystique making them ideal subjects for Tarot and oracle. I’m delighted to review Tarot Of The Owls and to share my enthusiasm for these beautiful cards. The author is Pamela Chen, who has created other decks which can be viewed online. Elizabeth Alba provided the illustrations. At first glance Tarot of the Owls looks beautifully done; I can’t wait to see more.
The deck arrived sealed in cellophane and a sturdy box with a lift-up lid making it very easy to access the cards. The box is of a size usually associated with a more expensive deck and it also houses a beautiful full-colour book detailing the meanings of the cards. The deck itself sits in a central compartment secured with ribbon. I notice the backs have an owl’s eye on them and I already find myself warming to them.
The cardstock is what I would call average; I’ve seen better and I’ve seen worse. The cards should last even with regular use.
I decide to look at the accompanying book first and I love it. The illustration of each card takes up a full page and there is a clear meaning and description for each card. Overall the book is really good quality, printed on glossy paper; the colours are vibrant and draw you into the theme of the deck.
The cards themselves are quite small and very easy to handle. The images are so wonderful that it’s hard to look through them quickly. Here are some of my instant favourites, though the competition was tough! I’m loving Owls more with every card I see.
The Hanged Man is an owl hanging upside down (of course) in an autumn woodland scene. The owl himself has feathers in two tones of blue and he looks striking against the yellow tones in the background. I love the knotty branches in the tree above him.
The Empress is another beautiful card. I see Mother Owl sitting on her nest. She looks to be the epitome of what this card stands for and under this proud yet serene-looking bird are glimpses of a beautiful necklace and beads. I love the flowers in this scene and the stories that all these details would tell in a reading.
The Ace of Cups shows a newly hatched chick beside a golden chalice. It’s a powerful symbol and embraces with ease everything that this card portrays.
The World shows quite simply an owl standing on the Earth, with clouds and a starry backdrop.
If you’ve ever wondered what a bird in armour would look like then take a look at this deck. The Knight of Wands flies through the air carrying a small lizard in his claws; his metal armour makes him a force to be reckoned with and a hard character to forget.
The Ten of Wands makes me smile. It shows an owl carrying ten staffs under his wing. The sun in this card looks very bright and I can almost feel the hot rays of light.
I feel that this deck is quite a special one – if you love colour and possibly owls too then it’s a must-have. If, on the other hand, you are quite traditional in your deck choices then don’t count on not liking this one. It has a must-have feel to it and although I have yet to perform a reading with it somehow I know that it will deliver messages that are rich in detail.
As you’ve probably guessed these cards get a big thumbs-up from me and I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in creating them. I have a lot of decks and lots of favourites too but a bird in the hand is worth ten in the bush as they say. So for now, I’m happy to seek wisdom with the Owls.
Reviewed by: Juli
0 Comments