Customer Reviews

Avalon (Tarot Card Deck)

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is another deck I ordered when it first came out. Like many decks I purchase, I was drawn to the artwork. In this area, the deck does not disappoint. The cards have wonderful color and are lavishly illustrated but not to the point of being too much. They remind me quite a bit of upscale comic book art. This is what I like to call a unisex deck; one that would appeal to either gender.

The cards themselves are slightly firm and laminated a bit too lightly for my taste. I don't think they could handle any moisture, like from a client who has sweaty palms for example. This reason alone is why I won't read with it and personally consider it to be a collectable deck only (You may feel differently if you decide to purchase it). The edges feel rather rough to the touch and this combination makes for very poor shuffling quality and handling. This is why I only gave it 3 stars.

The cards come with a little fold out flyer like most Lo Scarabeo decks do. It goes into a little more detail in the divinatory meanings than some of the other decks I have by them but not by much. I do think it is enough for a beginner to go on, unlike the Celtic Tarots I reviewed earlier. This is another deck that really needs a good thorough book to go with it to give the buyer a better idea of the symbology plus deeper divinatory meanings.

All in all, this is a nice deck to have especially if you're into the King Arthur legend.

I agree with the prior reviewer's assessment of the artwork - upscale graphic novel is appropriate. However, I differ with his opinion that this would appeal to both sexes. There are several female figures nude from the waist up and, unlike the Rider-Waite decks, the breasts are drawn in a nearly pornographic manner. There are also attractive men, but none of them are exposed in this way.

A large number of tarot decks feature nude figures in a more innocent, we-are-all-members-of-humankind fashion. The Robin Wood deck, for instance, features both male and female nudity, but not like some of the women are portrayed in the Avalon deck. I wish I had known this deck contained these images before ordering, as I will likely not use it.