Deck Review: The Oracle of Forgotten Witches
- Authors: Balázs Tátrai and Lilla Bölecz
- Publisher: Watkins Publishing (an imprint of Red Wheel/Weiser)
- Publication Date: August 10, 2026
- RRP: US $26.95 / UK £22.99 / CAN $35.95
- ISBN: 978-1-83681-042-1
- Reviewed by: Amy Bowker
This oracle deck caught my attention from the title alone and it more than delivers all the mysticism and folklore you’d expect. Based on the Book of Forgotten Witches, authors Balázs Tátrai and Lilla Bölecz have conjured up a set of fascinating cards that can help you tap into the creative and inspirational energy of a magical landscape.
Unboxing the Oracle of Forgotten Witches
The two-piece box features delightful illustrations inside and out of creepy crawlers like bats, snakes and witches’ hats. The 60-card deck is accompanied by a 192-page guidebook that walks us through the ten suits of the deck: the Curse-bringers, the Shape-shifters, the Survivors, the Avengers, the Mesmerizers, the Well-wishers, the Alchemists, the Revenants, the Nature Witches, and the Fate-turners. Within each suit are six cards (or themes): a witch, a familiar, a spirit, a deity, a magical object, and a magical place.
The Forgotten Witches Cards and Guidebook
Each card contains a suit symbol, a keyword, and what the authors refer to as the card’s theme, such as witch, familiar, etc. Interestingly, the cards aren’t numbered but there’s an index in the guidebook so it’s easy to find the corresponding card explanation. The deck is populated with mythical characters, such as the Deer Woman and the Moon Spider, as well as magical aids like the Grimoire and the Talisman, and fantastical places, including The Gallows and the Forgotten Island.
The guidebook does a wonderful job of explaining the mythological associations for each card, as well as outlining keywords to apply in your readings. The guidebook also offers six spreads, including a sample reading for the 10-card spread, which I found enormously helpful.
The Artwork of the Forgotten Witches
The artwork in this oracle deck is museum worthy, like tiny paintings that evoke the menace or solace of its accompanying theme through images and colors. There’s the glowing green of Ceridwen (inspiration), the stark red streaks of Ana (sacrifice), the earthy brown of The Gallows (judgement), and the dusty purple of the River That Never Dries (hope).
Each of the cards has a black border and the sides are dipped in black as well. The backs have a black background with a beige diamond and etchings of snakes and bats and two hands holding a card with a crescent moon. All of that shadowy coloring makes this deck feel antique, like a hidden treasure you’d find tucked away in a dusty attic.
Mythological Correlation to Modern AI
The Homunculus is a mythological creature that resembles a tiny human. They were created by 17th century alchemists, and the guidebook links these creatures to the advent of Artificial Intelligence, a modern-day version of creating humans to assume our mundane tasks. While AI can be a welcome aid in some of its applications, the authors caution us not to become too dependent on it.
The Oracle of Forgotten Witches Will Appeal to:
This deck does such a wonderful job igniting the spiritual energy of witches. If you’re even remotely interested in the magical realm, you’ll likely connect well with these cards. And if you appreciate a deck with substantial worldbuilding, as opposed to more generalized keyword meanings, this one is a good bet.
The Oracle of Forgotten Witches Might Not Work for:
I didn’t find this deck macabre, but if you lean more toward lighthearted imagery, then you might not connect with some of the mythological creatures pictured here. Likewise, if you connect with a simpler card system of inspirational keywords that doesn’t require learning a bit about the mythology surrounding the images then this might not work for you.
The Oracle of Forgotten Witches in Practice:
The guidebook offers six spreads, from a simple one-card reading to a more expansive 10-card spread that utilizes all of the deck’s suits. Of course, I chose the 10-card spread! The authors suggest that this particular spread should only be used occasionally for a “big picture” perspective, and I was rewarded with some solid advice on how spiritualism and connection can help me set more realistic goals for myself, how craving and judgement can derail me, and finally, how hope and self-awareness play a necessary part in success. I found the cards really easy to interpret, not just individually but also how they influenced each other for a collective reading. It took no effort at all to see the big picture here!
More about the Authors:
Balázs Tátrai is a writer and musician and devotee of folk tales. He is the author of The Book of Forgotten Witches: Dark and Twisted Folklore Stories.
Lilla Bölecz is an artist who specializes in graphic art, book illustration, dollmaking, and pattern design. She illustrated The Book of Forgotten Witches: Dark and Twisted Folklore Stories.
The Oracle of Forgotten Witches is now available and can be purchased direct from the publisher here: https://redwheelweiser.com/book/the-oracle-of-forgotten-witches-9781836810421/ and from all good online bookstores.
