- Author and Artist: Ellen Lorenzi-Prince (https://www.darkgoddesstarot.com/)
- Publisher: Schiffer/REDFeather Mind Body Spirit (The Dark Daughter Tarot – Schifferbooks)
- Publication: February 2026
- RRP: $34.99 USD / £46.99 GBP
- ISBN-13: 9780764370885
- Reviewer: Cadence (IG: @temperanceandtruth)
As a big fan of the Dark Goddess Tarot by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince, I was thrilled to hear of her new deck, Dark Daughter Tarot, and followed along in the creation process with great anticipation. Lorenzi-Prince is also the creator of several other independently-published decks, such as Tarot of the Crone, the Greek Goddess Tarot, and the Minoan Tarot. Fans of the creator will immediately recognize her signature line art illustrations and rich color palette, which are so powerful in their simplicity.
Whereas the Dark Goddess focused on well-known deities, the Dark Daughter features lesser-known goddesses and spirits throughout world cultures that represent dark feminine energy. The full color guidebook contains rich descriptions of each goddess followed by explanations of why the particular goddess has appeared in the reading. There are no keywords, summaries, or quick meanings, and the entries are not divided into sections. This is a deck that asks you to listen to the voices of the goddesses and learn how to integrate their stories into your life. We are asked to go deeper, learning about the goddesses to make for more powerful readings. While advanced readers will be able to see the relationship to traditional tarot meanings in the writing, beginners may find the meanings to be more abstract than they’re used to in other guidebooks.
Let’s look at Stars (card 17, traditionally The Star), represented by Pana (“Woman Up There”), the Inuit Goddess of the Sky World. In the guidebook entry, the description reads, “Pana is the Custodian of Souls. After death, people’s souls are transported from the earth realm to the sky by Pana’s sister Pinga. Among the heavens, Pana tenderly cares for the souls until they are ready to be reborn and be infants once more, until they are ready to return again to face the challenges and harsh elements of the Middle World.”
For the meaning, the author notes: “Pana comes to say to you, take a breath now, little one. Take a rest. You have been through it. Comfort for your immortal spirit is here. Gaze up at the sky and feel yourself held by arms greater than any you have ever known. The heavens care for you, now and forever. You have a place here.
“Pana comes to say to you that blessings come when you participate in heaven, when you expand your own soul to hold more and to care more. Do not cling to angry regret or tearful shame. Hold more light, more freedom, more wonder. Care for what is sweet and pure, within the world and within yourself.”
We can see the ‘calm after the [Tower] storm’ meaning of healing and hope restored that we are used to in the traditional RWS Star meaning…but we asked to stretch our minds a bit.
The deck follows a traditional structure, though there have been some renamings, most notably in the Courts. Beasts correspond to Pages and represent the goddesses expressing the pure essence of their natures. The Warriors correspond to Knights and are bold, protective spirits. The Witches represent the Queens and are practitioners of magical powers, and the Hags correlate to the Kings and are powerful goddesses that journey between life and death. The Courts may take a little getting used to since the format is unique and does not rely on a traditional structure. The suits are named elementally: Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. The Minor Arcana guidebook entries offer the same amount of information as the Majors, with two pages per card, a much-welcomed difference when so many decks tend to almost dismiss the Minors.
Some members of the tarot community found the Dark Goddess Tarot challenging to read, and it’s possible that some may experience the same with the Dark Daughter Tarot. I think the difficulty stems from needing to refer to the guidebook more often, since we are not relying on traditional tarot imagery and symbolism. Here, the card meanings are drawn from the legends and attributes of the goddesses. While at face value this format may seem more closely related to an oracle, the stories of the goddesses clearly relate to the RWS meanings, for instance: Magician (“practice to increase your power of focus”); 10 of Cups (“be open to receiving blessings”); Devil (“hear yourself when you make excuses and rationalizations for behavior”); or Seven of Air (“someone near you is not what they seem to be”). The meanings are there…we just have to work a little harder for them. If you choose to slow down and be patient, you’ll be rewarded with profound readings that transcend your current tarot knowledge.
The production quality of the deck is fantastic. The box measures 5×7 inches (approximately 12.7×17.8 cm) and opens on the face with two magnetic doors, giving a sacred mystery feel to the experience. The deck sits in a sturdy nest. The cards are edged in matte black and have a sheen that enhances the art (but this is not a sticky, gloss stock). It is a thick deck, and it took some effort to riffle shuffle. An overhand shuffle was better, and the cards slide easily. The reversible backs are a deep indigo with a raised celestial pattern that perfectly matches the tone of the deck. Three spreads are included in the 176-page guidebook. The deck is diverse and inclusive, with many ages and cultures represented.
The Dark Daughter Tarot is a fantastic tool for anyone that wants to deepen their tarot practice by exploring the shadow aspects of self and the inner psyche. Through the wisdom of the Dark Daughter, we reconnect with ancestral knowledge, ancient mystery, and her primal bond with the natural world—integrating that energy and insight into our modern lives.
Ellen Lorenzi-Prince is an author, artist, Tarot reader, and dedicated priestess of Hekate. She is also the author/illustrator of The Dark Goddess Tarot and Goddesses from A to Z. Ellen lives in the Pacific Northwest.
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