- Deck name: Tempest Tarot
- Author and artist: Maisy Bristol – https://www.tarotbymaisy.com
- Publisher: U.S. Games Systems, Inc. – https://www.usgamesinc.com
- Publication date: April 30, 2025
- RRP: US$21.95
- ISBN: 978-1-64671-245-8
- Reviewer: May M.F. Swann
Maisy Bristol is an experienced tarot reader and astrologer based in Montana, USA. With over 15 years of tarot practice and a background in astrology and editorial writing, she brings both intuition and clarity to her craft. As the founder of Tarot By Maisy (www.tarotbymaisy.com), she offers personal readings and an on-demand tarot course. The Tempest Tarot is her first deck—a nautical odyssey shaped by myth, emotion, and the power of the sea.
The Tempest Tarot is steeped in nautical symbolism, drawing its inspiration from ocean myths and the mystery of open water. For Bristol, the ocean becomes a kind of liminal space — a purgatory suspended between earth and sky. It is a place to escape from reality, where the horizon dissolves the boundaries of perception. In this in-between realm, she suggests, magic unfolds: whether in the form of revelations, illusions, hallucinations, or epiphanies, the sea becomes a mirror for the divine. The Tempest Tarot channels this fluid, mystical atmosphere into its card design and guiding philosophy.
Using sea lore and superstition, the deck plays with and reinterprets Rider-Waite-Smith (RWS) symbolism. There’s a deliberate blending of myth and reality, evoking the disorientation and wonder one might feel adrift, where sea and sky blur into each other. Bristol distinguishes masculine and feminine energies through elemental contrast: land and structured reality represent the masculine suits (Wands and Swords) and figures like the Emperor, while water and myth shape the feminine suits (Cups and Pentacles) and archetypes such as the Empress. This duality anchors the deck’s symbolic system while deepening its intuitive appeal.
Typical Rider-Waite-Smith symbology is reinvested with a nautical twist. Wands become looking glasses, Cups are sturdy tankards, Swords are sleek sabres, and Pentacles glitter as golden doubloons. Court cards follow a maritime hierarchy: Pages are mermaids, Queens rule the seas, Kings command the land, and Knights sail forth as weather-worn sailors. These transformations enrich the deck with mythic texture, placing each card within a swashbuckling, sea-swept realm.
The artwork—rendered in an elegant black-and-white palette punctuated by muted colour pops—conjures a world of pirates, sea monsters, and moonlit waters. It casts a powerful spell, urging the reader to dive inward, to seek the hidden treasures of the self. This deck doesn’t merely illustrate meanings—it evokes them, drawing emotion from the subconscious depths.
Yet, beauty comes at a price. The deck’s symbolic liberties and intricately detailed art can make cards difficult to identify at a glance. Justice, for instance, appears as a compass rose, whose round form could easily be mistaken for the Wheel of Fortune. Numbered cards also stray from traditional RWS illustrations. Though some incorporate pip arrangements that echo the intended meaning, others blur the lines—such as the Seven of Cups and Ten of Pentacles, which share visual similarities that may confuse a quick reading.
For this reason, the Tempest Tarot is not suited for beginners to use. It requires study and dedication, rewarding those willing to engage deeply with its rich imagery. For intermediate to advanced readers, it offers a moving and immersive experience—one where emotion, archetype, and salt-soaked symbolism collide.
The guidebook is concise but informative. It opens with a short introduction to the deck and the author’s vision, providing helpful context without overwhelming the reader. Each card entry includes upright and reversed meanings, as well as a brief explanation of the imagery.
The imagery section is particularly useful, offering insight into why specific visual elements were chosen and how they relate to the card’s meaning. This is especially helpful given the deck’s symbolic departures from traditional RWS illustrations.
At the end of the guidebook, there is a good selection of spreads covering a range of themes and reading styles. These provide helpful inspiration and structure for working with the deck.
The artwork in the Tempest Tarot is beautifully detailed, with intricate designs and scenes of raging seas. The muted colour palette grounds the otherwise fantastical imagery, creating a sense of cohesion across the deck. Each card is rich in visual elements, offering ample material for readers who enjoy drawing interpretive depth from illustrations. It’s impressive that Maisy Bristol illustrated the deck herself, especially considering how little prior artistic work of hers is publicly available. While she has created another illustrated deck—Cosmic Cards, blending astrology and tarot—this appears to be her first full tarot deck as both author and artist.
However, the deck is not particularly inclusive. The imagery presents a clear division: male characters appear as sailors and captains, while female figures are portrayed as mermaids. All depicted characters appear to be Caucasian, which limits the diversity of representation in the deck.
The card backs are not reversible. While the design is attractive, it is not symmetrical, meaning reversed cards can be identified from the back, though not with complete clarity. This may impact readers who prefer not to know card orientation before turning them over.
The cards are made from good quality material—thick enough to feel sturdy, yet flexible enough for easy shuffling. Their smooth finish allows them to glide well without sticking, making both overhand and riffle shuffles pleasant. The card size is well-balanced: large enough to showcase the intricate artwork without becoming unwieldy in the hand.
The deck comes in a traditional tuck box, which is both compact and relatively sturdy. The box is attractively printed with illustrations from the deck and clearly labelled on multiple sides, making it easy to identify even when stored among other decks. However, one small design flaw is worth noting: both the top and bottom flaps of the box open in the same direction. As a result, when inserting the cards, they can sometimes catch on the bottom lip, preventing them from sliding in cleanly. A workaround is to angle the cards slightly toward the back of the box before settling them into place.
This has quickly become one of my favourite decks. The illustrations do an excellent job of reflecting and deepening the traditional meanings of the cards, making each reading feel immersive and emotionally resonant. It’s a strong addition to any collection—particularly for those who already have a solid understanding of standard tarot symbolism.
Intuitive readers will also find much to enjoy here. Even though the numbered cards lean toward a pip-like structure, the artwork contains enough detail and emotion to inspire rich, interpretive readings.
I would definitely recommend the Tempest Tarot to anyone drawn to nautical themes or looking to deepen their practice with a deck that balances traditional roots with a bold, mythic reinterpretation.
Tempest Tarot can be purchased here: https://www.usgamesinc.com/tempest-tarot-deck
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