Deck Review: Florana Tarot

• Author/Artist: James Ferry (@jimmy_ferry)
• Publisher: US Games (Florana Tarot)
• Publication Date: July 24, 2026 (US) / 24 August 2026 (UK)
• RRP: $21.95 USD / £25.00 GBP
• ISBN-10  :  164671301X
• ISBN-13  :  978-1646713011
• Reviewer: Cadence (IG: @temperanceandtruth)

The Florana Tarot by James Ferry began life as an independent deck funded via a successful Kickstarter campaign. Aren’t we lucky to live in a time when so many independent decks are being picked up by publishers, thereby alleviating the grossly overpriced, indie deck second-hand market??!

‘Florana’ blends the terms Flora and Fauna, a “portmanteau” as the creator says, a word that combines the sound and meaning of two other words. I love that this creator who grew up in the US state of Louisiana begins the deck concept with a French term, as expected from someone of this region, with its strong French roots and flair for language. Ferry wanted to give homage to the native forests and swamps of his youth, allowing the characters of Pamela Colman Smith’s drawings to merge with the natural world.

When someone says that a deck is an ‘RWS clone’, this is the type of deck that they’re referring to. The art stays closely aligned to the RWS imagery but with a twist. Let’s look at a few of my favorite images.

In the Magician, we have the open red robe, the positioning, and the surrounding vegetation that we’re familiar with in the RWS, but instead of a table, the tools are placed on a boulder. In the Emperor, we have the RWS red clothing, orb, and scepter as well as the mountains in the background, but instead of a stone, the Emperor’s throne is being taken over by vines. When I saw this, I thought that it was a great visual representation of the transition from the confines or limiting beliefs that were developed in our youth (Emperor) towards our own personal code, or the injection of outside ideas that upsets tradition (Hierophant).

I also love the depiction of the Lovers and the Devil as counterparts, another theme that borrows from the RWS imagery. But in the Florana Devil, she seems to have become the tree, and he the fire, that they stand before in the Lovers.

In the Minors, structures are replaced with giant crystals jutting out from the land. The Swords is my favorite suit in the deck. In the Four of Swords, the Knight and his tomb look like they’re being returned to Earth, with the vines creeping over the entire scene. In the Eight of Swords, the tree-figure is not blindfolded, but seems to be overtaken by their own natural structure.

The Queens are a great depiction of the creator’s overall concept: they embrace the natural world, they’re clothed in it, but they still function autonomously, empowered by their emotional intelligence and healthy boundaries.

The deck comes housed in the newer US Games tuckbox, which is sturdy and functions exactly how you’d hope a tuckbox would function. The card stock is strong but flexible and has a satin finish which showcases the bright art and slides easily for smooth shuffling. The cards are a bit stiff at first but riffle-shuffling is not a problem. The card fronts are bordered; the cards backs are borderless and absolutely gorgeous, featuring different shades of green leaves and vines with bunches of purple grapes. Fanning the cards out really shows off the pattern effect on the backs.

This deck will work well for anyone at any stage of their practice. The guidebook is small, and each entry describes the art, which is such a plus and will help beginners to understand the symbolism. If you’d like to inject a new twist to your RWS catalog or if you are drawn to botanical-themed decks, this deck may be for you!

Creator Bio:

James Ferry is an illustrator living in Texas. His surrealist art style combines fine line work and nature themes. To find out more about James Ferry, visit @jimmy_ferry or www.jimmyferry.com.

For US customers, The Florana Tarot is now available for purchase direct from USGAMES here: https://www.usgamesinc.com/florana-tarot, and for international customers, please check your regional online bookstores.