• Creator: Helene Lespagnard
• Publisher: US Games Systems, Inc https://www.usgamesinc.com/whimsical-witch-tarot-in-a-tin
• Publication Date: 30 January 2026
• RRP: USD $19.95 / GBP £23.00
• ISBN: 978-1-64671-264-9
• Reviewed by: Mary du Plessis

At First Glance: The artwork, to me, is if Fernando Botero dropped in to (Welcome to) Night Vale. You might have to look up one, or both, of these references and if so, wait until you have some rabbit-hole time. It’s a blend of surrealistic whimsy that exists on a parallel plane.

What Works (for me): The card stock is mass-market and a very nice quality. The size of the cards and the tin container make it extremely portable. Throw it in your bag without worrying about damaging the cards. All decks should come in a tin, in my opinion, but I digress. The size of US Games decks in a tin is almost perfect, again in my opinion, for shuffling and for reading larger spreads in an environment with limited space such as the coffee shop, at a party, anywhere you want to ‘throw and go’.

What Doesn’t Work (for me): I wish the cards were borderless, but this isn’t a deal breaker. My only real issue is that the appeal of the cards is their visual expansion of accepted significance and definitions, but the otherwise comprehensive guidebook doesn’t line up with the messages I’m picking up from the images.

The suits in the guidebook are also in a strange order. Again, this is personal preference.

Oh well, it’s not the first time I’ve ignored the included guidebook. I’ll still refer to it as individual cards stump me (typical reader occupational hazard and not a result of the deck) because we never know when or where insight is going to turn up.

In Summary: This deck is fun, and whimsical (hence the name) while also reading like a serious deck. The size is perfect for those with smaller hands and/or those looking for a different kind of portable deck. It’s great for younger readers and anyone who appreciates illustrations that both sparks and stretches our imagination.

I’ve included this three-card reading in the photos. I’ve asked the cards for advice regarding an interview I have tomorrow afternoon. Specifically, what should I know about how to succeed in securing the role:

Queen of Cups, Four of Pentacles, Two of Swords

This role is a good fit for my psychic/metaphysical skills, and I need to bring who I am to the interview, not who I think they want me to be. The recruiter is looking for someone who takes responsibility and commitment seriously, while also allowing for flexibility and flow. From my perspective, I need to go in with my eyes open and evaluate all the aspects of how this commitment will affect my life.

I consulted the guidebook and of the three cards, the Queen of Cups definition matched my take most closely. The other two, while not ‘off’ in my opinion, didn’t quite fit, but I can attribute this to the three cards being read as a whole, and not in isolation.

Your mileage may vary!

From the U.S Games Website:

About the Creator: Helene Lespagnard studied at Luca School of Arts Brussels and graduated in 2020 with a master’s in Graphic Storytelling. She did an Erasmus in 2018 at ERG (école de recherche graphic).

Since then, she has been published in multiple magazines, including Polle, De Standaard, Knack, and Aline. She is currently working on a graphic novel adaptation of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.